MyAdvice’s Post

Looking forward to discussing two of my favourite topics - culture and connection! 

How do we hold on to our future young leaders? Cathy Desquesses, Group Chief HR Officer and Head Corporate Services, explains the importance of retaining our young talent and how we do this through job fulfillment, empowerment, development, an inclusive culture, and more. Empowerment to make decisions fuels a culture of performance for collective success. Cathy believes this is critical to making employees even more committed to delivering results. Learn more about opportunities with Swiss Re: https://ow.ly/ShGG50R3Vt8.

“[The pandemic] has magnified the need for us all to connect as human beings before we connect as co-workers, business partners, etc. We’re social animals. At any level of an organization, if you know your leader and teammates care about you beyond that day’s performance, it’s more fun and fulfilling to serve a shared deeper purpose. Leaders who intentionally build in those extra minutes in meetings to hear people out, offer comfort or advice, and even leave space for laughter and occasional nonsense, are ultimately building a more resilient team.” - John Jacobs, Cofounder and Chief Creative Optimist of Life is Good Yesterday, one of my direct reports sent me a photo of her daughter after her first “big girl” haircut. A huge grin immediately grew on my face, as I not only celebrated this milestone with her through a few short texts, but also realized what an honor it is to be invited into some of the seemingly small, personal moments of my team’s lives. I think it’s important to note that this particular direct report is one of my highest producers, an expert in her area, and highly sought out to train employees throughout our organization. I’m the first to admit I’m not sure I knew what I was getting in to when I took this leadership position. But our team is growing and learning and thriving, smoothing out the bumps and listening to one another along the way. Lead with empathy. Invest in your team; pour into them. Share personal anecdotes. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. I know from experience, it pays off in dividends.

Congratulations Avison Young on being one of our 2024 CRE's Best Places to Work! 🎉 The best place to work is more than benefits packages, compensation and flexibility. Although all the aforementioned matter, we also considered examples set by corporate leadership, the company's spirit to giving back, and the affection employees help at these firms. Read the reasons behind our picks: https://lnkd.in/ggUd5xGS

In my work with clients over the past 20 years, I’ve observed many who are deeply and genuinely inspired by their work. Their commitment to and passion for their organization’s purpose is tangible and inspiring. I’ve also worked with some who, over the years, have become disconnected from the truth of who they are as a person. It’s almost as though they placed themselves on a dusty shelf one day and said, “I’ll get back to you later,” choosing instead to pour their entire being into their organization—its purpose, its values and its goals. And while there should be close synergy and alignment between what we stand for and believe in and what our organization stands for and believes in, we should be mindful of the value and importance of separateness. It’s in the separate part that we find the clarity, energy and perspective to be the great leader our organization needs us to be. 

Getting buy in from Senior Leaders about Diversity and Inclusion can be tough. Especially if you only offer them the following: - Panel Events - Celebration Meals  - Award Ceremonies Instead engage them by: - Changing their minds  - Getting them to self reflect - Interrupting their old behaviours The former lasts one night. The latter can last forever. Share this post if it resonates.

"The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea."  Isak Dinesen 👇   The Strategic Accounts Leadership Team (SALT) is their namesake- They are the indispensable ingredient for our business success. Through effort, exertion, emotions, and over the brackish NY harbor we found energy and connection. I know what we found within and with each other this week will open our potential to embrace more than we can imagine. Some of the boldest, most ambitious, imaginative, impactful campaigns and content you’ve been seeing on LinkedIn, chances are our teams had their hand in that- helped conceive, build, beta, execute…and earned the right to do it all again. We love being in the business of helping business grow. Together, we’re working to write some of the most ambitious and interesting lines in our and our customers’ LinkedIn profiles. If you haven’t yet, you will want to hear our ideas, expertise, passion, and pointy points of view. (And if you’re one of the lucky few, we just might sing you a song. 🎵 🎤)

This is true at all levels of company hierarchy.

Let's take a moment to appreciate those amazing leaders who light up our workdays! From fostering growth to championing creativity, these leaders make our journey special. Who's your workplace superhero? Share a quick shoutout below and tag them to acknowledge the incredible impact they've had on you or your team. Here's to the leaders who make work feel like a place to grow, innovate, and belong!