Leadership can come in many forms – a respected manager, an admired friend, a trusted teacher. And while there are many virtues that a successful leader may carry, what are the most important aspects of leadership?
We asked five former ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Cabot Executives-in-Residence leaders what is key to building a successful team. Their answers were unwavering: Leaders listen. They have empathy, vision and integrity. They hold their teams accountable.
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William Stoehr (’70) is a full-time artist and former president of National Geographic Maps. He served as Cabot executive in 2023. He and his wife, Mary Kay (’71), live in Boulder, Colorado.
"My most important aspect of leadership and management in one word is listen. Listen. Challenge. Act. Everything begins with listening – truly listening – to your stakeholders, team members, key players and the broader environment," Stoehr said.
Unmapped careers: Alum artist, former National Geographic cartographer, is Cabot Executive
Continue Reading"Then, challenge your assumptions. Strong leaders have the confidence to pause, reflect and question even their own ideas. When they listen and challenge, others feel heard, trust deepens and more effective teams emerge. It uncovers blind spots, invites diverse perspectives, leads to better decisions and empowers people to invest in a shared mission," he added.
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Major General Marcia Anderson is the first African American woman to achieve the rank of Major General in the U.S. Army. She served as Cabot executive in 2014 and 2024.
"Having good character and integrity is more important than you may realize because people can spot someone who is inauthentic or who lacks integrity a mile away.
"At the end of the day, I want to be able to look myself in the mirror and be happy with the person that I see and be able to sleep at night. People know when you are faced with a difficult decision, and they will watch to see what you do. Have some personal courage. Be careful, be diplomatic. But remember, it ºÚÁÏÉçÇø. important to do the right thing," Anderson said.
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Shelly Ibach (’81) is the recently retired CEO of Sleep Number, headquartered in Minneapolis. She served as Cabot executive in 2015 and 2024.
"As a young leader, I developed a five-step process that I still use today. It ºÚÁÏÉçÇø. a simple process to ensure as a leader that you instill accountability in your team.
"The steps are: 1. Share a vision, 2. Set clear expectations, 3. Transfer responsibility, 4. Offer training and development to give team members the ability to be successful, and 5. Inspect their work to send the message that you care and that you want to help them realize their potential," Ibach said.
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Bill Flesch (’81), of Madison, is chief development officer for and recipient of the 2024 Chancellor ºÚÁÏÉçÇø. Alumni Award. He served as Cabot executive in 2010.
"Empathy is a key component of leadership skills. If a leader doesn’t have empathy for their team, the likelihood of success is exponentially more challenging. If a leader expects loyalty and maximum effort, the leader needs strong listening skills and the humility to accept that there may be a more robust solution to the situation they are dealing with. Empathy opens the door to creative thinking without fear of voicing one ºÚÁÏÉçÇø. opinion. It also leads to higher levels of satisfaction for the team players, which in turn leads to attracting additional strong team members, creating longevity and stability for the entire team. The trust that an empathetic leader builds allows for projects to be completed faster with higher results," Flesch said.
"Empathetic leaders also are quick to praise teams and team members with the proper recognition they have earned and deserve. Empathetic leaders understand they got to the position they have by the power and success of the team they represent," he added.
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Claudia Knowlton-Chike (’83) has 40 years of extensive high-tech experience, progressing from a foundational role as a packaging engineer to a global supply chain executive, holding leadership positions at industry giants like IBM, GE Healthcare, Motorola, and Facebook, and retiring from Google in 2022. She served as Cabot executive in 2006.
"With vision, a leader provides a compelling future, providing direction and purpose. Without a clear vision, people don't know where they're going. My favorite saying is Be a CEO: Clarity in Communications, Lead by Example, Exude Optimism," Knowlton-Chike said.
