OCTOBER 2023 BCBUSINESS.CA 45
JENNIFER REID
CO-CEO, RIVAL GROUP
The best leadership advice I ever received is "Decide,
delegate and disappear." It sounds a bit cheeky, but
if you unpack it, it's a very powerful thing for leaders
to help remember what their role is. The best leaders
are the ones who can confidently make decisions that
unblock their teams from getting work done. They can
delegate tasks and responsibilities, as opposed to
hoarding them in the belief that only they can do it right.
Once the path forward has been decided and the team
has clear direction, get out of the way!
DENISE PRAILL
CEO, CANUCK PLACE CHILDREN'S HOSPICE
Listen, listen, listen. And trust. Trust the team, they know
best. Talk to each other, ask questions. Be vulnerable.
You will never know all the answers… and you're not
supposed to! Leadership is about collaboration, uniting
a team towards a shared vision, and there are lots of
twists and turns along the way. Have an open-door
policy but ensure you walk the floors, have the hallway
conversations, go to the social events, drop by the
kitchen at lunch.
CAROL LIAO
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, PETER A. ALLARD SCHOOL OF LAW
AT UBC; UBC SAUDER DISTINGUISHED FELLOW
If you are a true leader, it's not about you. Remember those
that are travelling after you. Help clear a path for them and
hold them up when they surpass you. The greatest leaders
in history are the ones that took care of others.
ERIN SEELEY
CEO, YWCA METRO VANCOUVER
Many years ago, my dad gifted me a ceramic plaque.
I'm generally not a big plaque lover but the Ralph Waldo
Emerson quote inscribed on it has inspired me throughout
my career: "Do not go where the path may lead, go
instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
