Stacie Mason says she has a lot of “little skill sets in my bag” learned alternately from her years as a competitive cheerleader, apprentice electrician, and computer storage sales specialist, the last of which enabled her to rise through the ranks of IBM to her current position as Global Managing Director for the company’s relationship with TD Synnex.
But the skill set in which she takes the most pride is that of “question asker.”
“I like to ask questions,” said Stacie, who when asked why she likes to ask questions, answers with another question or two. “How do you even know what to say if you haven’t listened? If a leader isn’t spending a good amount of their time talking to their clients and their employees, how on point is their message going to be?”
All fair questions and Stacie routinely answers each through her own leadership style by recognizing that in a diverse workplace and world, the best bet is to assume nothing, ask everything and, most importantly, listen carefully to what is being said. When she asks a teammate, “What are you experiencing right now,” or asks a client, “How do we compare to the competition,” she’s not going through the motions or being polite. She’s showing interest and creating a “respectful environment” in which honesty can develop—and she’s not afraid of what she might hear.
“You get a lot of answers you don’t want to hear,” Stacie acknowledged, “but if you don’t know the problems, you can’t fix them, right? You have to have an open heart to hear whatever they say.”
In the podcast, Stacie shares her best practices for successfully communicating in a variety of business settings, including meetings, one-on-ones, and mentoring. Listeners will enjoy her lessons on what makes a good listener and a good mentor.
You will learn:
"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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