#03: Welcome to The Inspirational Leaders Series, a collection of short interviews with sharp, impactful leaders I know and respect—because the business world needs more refreshing people like them.
Meet Audrey Wessman, a Product Strategy, Next Generation Navigation leader at Cigna. I worked with her while designing the post-training experience of a design thinking program offered by Stoked. I liked her immediately for her warmth and people-centered leadership style. She asked good questions that got my team to examine our proposed solutions in a new light. She was up for experiments. And she trusted us to take the work forward. What’s not to love about a leader like that? I’m excited to share her thinking on leadership with you below.
What’s helped you to be a more effective leader?
Watching other leaders. I search out leadership everywhere and at every age. Mari Copley, and her crusade for clean drinking water in Flint, Michigan, is a wonderful example of how leaders come in all shapes and sizes. I add to my leadership style as I witness how others approach challenges. Each morning I ask myself, how might I inspire others to be their best today?
What do you wish you’d known about leadership?
It’s so funny but when I was first promoted to a leadership position at work, I thought I’d be telling others what to do. If you’ve ever been a leader, you’ll see that this notion is ridiculous. Leadership is about inspiring greatness in others. A great leader is a magnet to success and not a hammer.
What matters to you most about leadership?
Purpose. While a project or particular initiative may appear to be super important, I try to stay focused on the big picture. In my job, that means, "Is this one step toward transforming healthcare?". If it’s not, I try to opt-out. Additionally, we spend so much time a work, that as a leader, I make fun a priority. How can each of us a little humor and human connection into our days at work? If we are not having some fun, we should find a new role.
If YOU could buy leadership at a store, where would you buy it?
At a European market because everything sold there is the real deal, authentic, fresh and colorful. You can find sweetness in local fruit, beauty in flowers, substance in meals, energy in coffee, and vitality in spices. Everything one needs is in one place.
