Inside The Edge
About
The Executive Chair
The one question you always want to ask a successful person in a senior leadership role is “How did you get there?” In developing your own career, you learn more from hearing what worked – and didn’t work – from senior leaders and hearing their wisdom than from any other source.
We are embarking on a series of interviews with leaders who exemplify success for us. In their words are insights that can give you direction for moving your own career forward.
To read a summary, written by Michael DeVenney, of the past 12 interviews this year - click here.
| Cheryl Hodder - Always Ask for Feedback |
Bluteau DeVenney and Company (BDCO): What did you do to move to a leadership role?Cheryl Hodder (CH): My experience was a little different in that I didn't take any one path that eventually led me to a leadership role. For me, it was more so my decision making process when choosing unique and less traditional opportunities to pursue that led me to where I am today. I began my career as a teacher, and although I loved teaching, I always knew I ultimately wanted to be a lawyer. After four years of teaching high school and junior high, I decided to go back to school to study law. That being said, once I became a lawyer I still looked at every situation as a learning experience. I made choices based on whether I thought there was something I could learn. In addition to practicing law, I have held a variety of interesting positions in both the public and private sectors. Having achieved success in a number of different roles makes me a more effective leader. (BDCO): What is one thing that developing professionals need to do more of?(CH): Everyone could benefit from listening more. Don't be afraid to ask for feedback and, more importantly, don't get defensive about the feedback you receive. Feedback is good, it helps us grow. You should always be open to learning, not only from people senior to you, but also from those junior. There is something to learn from everyone. (BDCO): What about doing less of?(CH): Moving too quickly to the next thing. Don't be in such a hurry to get to the next task, the next problem, or the next position. Having the patience to stop and enjoy where you are now and really look for the lesson in every situation can be challenging, but it is often when you can learn the most. (BDCO): What experience helped you the most in your career and why?(CH): There were many experiences but, one particularly transformative experience was my work with Ray Ivany at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC). We had a very aggressive agenda in trying to demonstrate the positive impact that a mature community college could have on Nova Scotia’s economic development; and the lives of Nova Scotians at a time when most Nova Scotians didn’t know what a real college was. It was a very enriched learning experience for us, and as we learned we taught others. It was hard work, but we knew we had a very important common goal and therefore we worked collaboratively to achieve it. (BDCO): What was the greatest challenge moving your career forward?(CH): I don't know that I have had one great challenge in my career. That is not to say that I didn't have points when I struggled, but things always seemed to work out in the end. I think this is because I always made decisions based on what I thought would be interesting opportunities, rather than based on where I thought it would ultimately get me career-wise. With every opportunity I took, I worked really hard so that I would be considered for the next interesting opportunity that came along. (BDCO): What is the greatest strength of your approach to leadership?(CH): I am candid and courageous. I do not hesitate to speak my mind. Whether it is with my fellow partners or the other employees in our firm, I am always open and honest. I don’t run from tough conversations. (BDCO): What has been the biggest surprise you have had since attaining a senior leadership role?(CH): The extent to which you cannot take things personally was a bit of a surprise. You always have to keep in mind that it is usually "just business". (BDCO): What is the greatest benefit to you in attaining a senior leadership role?(CH): The close interactions with so many interesting people. My position in the firm has given me the opportunity to develop amazing relationships with senior and junior colleagues, as well as our clients. Also, being able to support people in the development of their careers has been a very rewarding experience. (BDCO): What is the next achievement you want in your leadership career?(CH): I really enjoy leading people, so I will definitely continue to look for opportunities to work with talented people and high performing teams. (BDCO): What is the biggest challenge you face in achieving results in your work?(CH): Managing competing priorities. In my role it is very important to find that balance between managing and producing. I am really committed to the work I do with my clients and I often wish I could spend more time in that area, but client work is only part of my role. I also really enjoy the time I spend in my management role. Both roles involve a great deal of time and both can be very time-sensitive, so it is always a challenge trying to balance both. (BDCO): What is your greatest opportunity/goal for providing value for your organization?(CH): My relationships with the people around me are my greatest opportunity for providing value both to our clients and our firm. I make an effort to relate to people in a positive way. I take the time to listen, and then I try to provide relevant assistance and advice. If I can continue to help support the personal and career development of the people around me, not only will that contribute to the success of those people, but to the success of the firm as well. We all want to be successful and make valuable contributions to our clients. I try to find the best ways to nurture that. (BDCO): What added support or capability would help you the most in delivering on your goals?(CH): Better time management on my part. On any given day I can be pulled in numerous directions. I think effective time management is key to making each day a success. I could learn to be better at saying “no”.
Think about where you are now in your career and what you can take from Cheryl’s observations. We would love to hear your comments about what are your key takeaways from our conversation with Cheryl. Tell us your progress – we want you to succeed. ______________________________________________________________
Founded in 1859, McInnes Cooper is one of the 20 largest law firms in Canada, with 200 lawyers, seven offices, industry-leading clients in every sector and experience in all jurisdictions. You can find out more about McInnes Cooper at www.mcinnescooper.com. |
