By Cori Cagide, Senior Account Director

I’ve always been a “people person.” It’s something I’ve both aspired to be and been told I am by friends, parents and teachers, and it’s what ultimately led me to a career in communications. That descriptor has always stuck with me, and it’s helped mold me into the person and professional I am today. It’s also taught me a couple of things about how to lead:

Be Human
Along the way, I’ve found that it’s that people element – being human – that makes a strong leader. I’ve learned this from professors, managers and various other mentors throughout my career. I’m drawn to those that share in this value of being human. It’s also a big selling point for me when connecting with peers, clients and companies. It’s what led me to SourceCode.

Lead with Empathy
A big component of being human is being empathetic. Of course, there are times where you may need to be stern or hold teams accountable, but in the end, people want to work for someone they feel they can trust and be open with. I personally have always worked harder for the empathetic leaders, versus those who have led with an iron fist. Finding that balance of being someone your colleagues can come to for advice but also respect was super challenging for me at first. But over time, I’ve found that in leading with empathy, you build teams that want to do good work, not just for themselves or the health of the business, but also for you.