Corporate Competitor Podcast Episode 117
A lot of people mistake managing for leadership. They think that because they are skilled at keeping the trains running on time, they are leaders. Lara Abrash, named one of the 2022 Most Powerful Women in Accounting by the AICPA, thinks there’s a very important difference between leadership and managing.
“Managers manage outcomes. Leaders lead people,” she said. “It’s about setting an inspirational vision, getting people excited, and letting them know they can be their authentic selves.”
Lara earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA, but she says she got one of the most enduring leadership lessons from her high school softball coach Frank Catalano, who taught her that leadership was about more than producing outcomes. “He truly took time to care about each of us, and he took the time to invest in each of us, individually, and then as a team,” she recalled. As Deloitte & Touche LLP Chair and CEO, Lara has taken the same kind of time to foster a culture of caring and inclusion, albeit for thousands of employees rather than dozens.
In this podcast episode, Lara, who also manages and plays first base on a competitive women’s softball team, talks candidly about the challenges and rewards of authentic leadership. We spend so much of our lives working, says Abrash, we owe it to ourselves to create a collegial environment where individuals, as well as the team, can thrive.
“I have a saying,” said Lara, “Work hard. Play harder. So, I try to make work an environment where people who come together aren’t just doing the work. They are people you actually want to be with.”
"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”
“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”
We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”
“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”
“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”
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