In this episode of our Strategy and Leadership Podcast, we're joined by Melissa McComas, the Chief Strategy Officer at Piper Mantis Literary. Melissa originally started out as a junior executive before moving into retail buying, and then into a director position. She eventually opened her first brokerage in 1997, matching buyers and users in the multimedia sector for both consumers and B2B clientele. In 2000, the company evolved to include a wide variety of services that help clients bring their ideas to life.
Melissa shared her best practices on strategy and leadership, including her views that:
- Mentorship is an important part of leadership. From a strategic standpoint, when looking at projects and teams within a company, it’s important to fine tune and understand the balance between aptitude and attitude.
- Hiring the right people is crucial for team development. Integrity is one of the most important qualities to look for because it fosters an understanding that everyone is “in it” together, which contributes to a values-based culture and system that focuses on collaboration and understanding.
- It’s important for leaders to learn when to weigh in and jump into situations, and when to hold back and empower their team make the decisions. Giving a team breathing room can help people develop skills and build confidence.
- When developing strategy, it’s important that teams understand their risk position in the market. It’s ok to focus on areas of strength and to turn down projects that don’t align with your organization’s strengths.
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