Growing into your leadership role with guest Christie Smith
Join me for episode 28 of The Accidental Leader in which I have an insightful conversation with Christie Smith, CEO of Acclaim Federal Credit Union in Greensboro, North Carolina! Christie shares her remarkable leadership journey over the past ten months, offering a raw and honest look into the unexpected challenges which she faced transitioning into her CEO role.
When Christie became CEO, she thought she was prepared, having been part of the succession plan for eight years, but she quickly realized the reality of leadership when she found herself dealing with day-to-day challenges, like fixing leaks, and understanding that she couldn’t tackle everything alone. It took her a few months to grasp the significance of relying on her team, a truly humbling and valuable lesson in leadership.
Throughout our discussion, Christie candidly discusses the delicate balance between having a vision and working with a team whose approaches may differ from her own. She’s learned the importance of listening, a skill that did not come naturally to her as an extrovert yet one which she now understands is vital to leading effectively.
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