EP 93: Melissa Watson Ward on Empowering Women to Be Change Agents

In the fifth and last segment of the Level Up HER Leadership podcast series, we have a returning guest, Melissa Watson Ward in the guest chair.

In today's conversation, Melissa and I discuss her leadership journey to greatness, the lessons she's learned about facing conflict head-on, fear, managing our emotions, the impact of effective emotional intelligence skills to asking for constructive feedback from those you serve, and your squad of people who hold you accountable for doing what you say you're going to do, and what it takes for women leaders to build and sustain trust, take strategic risks, own their vision for change and how they can show up fully in their power to be agents for positive change.

Taking a leap of faith to chart a new path in her career led our guest Melissa N. Watson to become the Executive Director of  Emerge South Carolina. Emerge South Carolina is changing the face of politics by recruiting, training, and providing a powerful network for Democratic women who want to run for office. Melissa believes women leaders are the key to making our communities and our nation a better place.

Questions I Asked In This Episode

· What is your superpower and how has it helped you to navigate the disruption that has taken place because of Covid?

· How has your emotional intelligence skills played a role in your ability to remain calm under pressure?

· What turns you on about the work that you do?

· What are 3 traits great leaders demonstrate on a consistent basis?

· How can leaders develop & sustain trust with the people they serve?

· What has bee a failure you've experienced and how did you prevent it from derailing your great work?

· Why is it important for women to take strategic risks?

· What fear have you overcome to do your great work?

· Why is it important for women leaders to be adaptable to level up their success?

· And so much more...

What You Learn In This Episode

· How being organized in your thoughts and actions helps you to be calm in the midst of change and chaos

· The question that Melissa asks herself that helps to ground her and keep her focused on what's most important in the midst of a challenge

· Why it's important to acknowledge the truth of your emotions

· The lens we need to use to better manage our emotions

· The vision and mission of Emerge SC

· Key benefits to having women political leaders

· Why leaders need to be wiling to be uncomfortable to grow

· The positive impact a transparent leader has on her team

· The winning attitude you need to adopt to adapt to failure

· And so much more ...

 Contact Melissa Watson Ward

Website
LinkedIn

 Music Credit:

Adobe Success

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