My lessons learned about scaling up

My first job was baking bagels at the age of 15 in Connecticut. When my family moved to Arizona a year later, I bagged groceries and stocked shelves until I graduated high school, then sold clothes while in college. After completing my degree, I joined Arthur Andersen & Co. as a management information consultant where I worked in Phoenix, Chicago, and Seattle. After 11 years, I went to Microsoft where I worked for nine years before leaving to homeschool our son. My professional life now is as an author, editor, consultant and advocate for disability inclusion. It’s a journey I never anticipated and I’m grateful for the great life lessons it gave me.

Over the years, I have experienced countless bumps and bruises, made many mistakes, and had a few successes along the way. However, one of my biggest growth areas was my rise as a leader. Much of what I learned was by making my own mistakes instead of learning from others. To help you avoid touching the stove (trust me, it’s hot), I’ve compiled a list of some of my most valuable (and painful) learnings. I hope they are useful.

Lean in during a crisis

• Say “I’m focused,” not “I’m nervous.” Others want to know that you are in control.
• Stay calm when everyone else is freaking out.
• Sometimes your best alternative is the least worst alternative.
• Don’t be evasive or “go dark.” Others will make up their own answer if you don’t give it to them directly.
• Get immediate alignment with the goal and what needs to happen next, even if you don’t know all the steps to get there.
• Act deliberately to accommodate the urgency of the situation.

run with purpose

• Be manic about bringing clarity to chaos.
• Think well enough to solve the problem; do not polish the apple.
• Respond when asked for help, but make sure others help themselves too.
• Be clear about what, who, and when, and hold others accountable for getting things done.
• Be decisive, but be willing to admit when you’re wrong.
• Make and follow tough decisions with empathy and intentionality.
• Don’t let the urgent displace the important.
• Calendar everything on your calendar, including downtime.

cultivate others

• Be accessible, don’t open the door; you also need to get things done.
• Respect the time of others as you want yours to be respected.
• genuinely seek Y share wisdom frankly.
• Don’t delegate tasks to complete, empower problems to solve.
• Do what you say you will do and expect others to do the same.
• Create an environment where others feel comfortable asking for help.

be a great communicator

• Have high value per word (Two ears, one mouth).
• Ask clarifying questions to ensure understanding.
• Ask qualifying questions to challenge thinking.
• Watch others for verbal and non-verbal cues and adjust your actions accordingly.

Act like you belong in the post

• Walk and talk purposefully, not out of control.
• Be politically aware, not politically driven.
• Never do anything that will cause someone to question your integrity or your principles.
• Know what life satisfaction looks like (personal, professional, financial, etc.) and work towards it.
• Don’t make your position seem so demanding that no one else wants it; Do not send emails at 2 am.

I would love to know what you think of my learnings or if you have any questions. Ping me at www.lonniepacelli.com/contact.