Fortune MPW Summit: How to find and champion employees who are change-makers
Embracing change requires clear communication, strong leadership and unique perspectives. And leaders who can gain employee approval while supporting those same employees as they propose ideas and take risks are key.
“The biggest change has been during COVID,” Anastasia Soare, chief executive officer of Anastasia Beverly Hills, said while speaking at a panel wealth‘s Most Powerful Women Summit in Laguna Niguel, California on Wednesday.
The Soare beauty company, which has developed a cult following largely for its eyebrow products, has seen a huge upward trend after customers spent months examining their own faces on their computer screens. Soare then began offering virtual tutorials. That kind of abrupt change was something she was willing to make because, as an immigrant, she says she built her life and brand by taking risks.
“I consider myself resourceful,” she said.
Today, with a $3 billion company, Soare has a lot to lose. So instead of taking big risks, she makes sure her team has a plan A and a plan B first.
“Before, I didn’t have to explain it to anyone; Just pay my taxes, do my thing,” she joked. “Now the deal is changing, the team is changing.”
In this way, getting all employees on board is crucial, although Tiffany Scalzitti Monroe, chief people and culture officer at H&R Block, said it’s not necessary for everyone to agree with your decisions.
“So for me, it’s really about communicating and making sure your team at least understands why — even if they don’t like it or disagree with it, they understand ‘the why’ and they understand what they’re doing for you in.” be able to achieve that,” she said.
The same goes for employees who might consider themselves disruptors.
“Eventually, people will be able to make their own decisions, and maybe they don’t want to be part of the change you’re driving. And that might be fine, but they would have to make a different choice,” Scalzitti Monroe added.
However, disagreements are a good thing. And remote communication platforms like Zoom have leveled the playing field for remote work for many businesses. That said, if an employee has an idea, it’s not entirely taboo to take it straight to management, said Manjula Talreja, Pagerduty’s senior vice president and chief customer officer.
“It’s okay to have an idea and loosen up your top management or even your CEO… So we might do skip levels, but if anyone has an idea… for new tools and technology that aren’t in a room or in the.” Hallway or you know, in a conference room, you have an opportunity to do that,” Talreja said. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re in Michigan or in Belgium or in Australia.”
Likewise, everyone on your computer screen now has equal space in your line of sight.
“This puts everyone on an equal footing,” said Angela Baker, Qualcomm’s chief sustainability officer. “Everyone has a little square on the screen.”
Sign up for the Fortune Features Email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews and investigations.