Insights from TallTrees Leadership’s Founders

In this blog post, TallTrees Leadership founders, Leah and Carol, answer questions about what inspires them, their careers and the importance of coaching.

“People are unique and require different things from their leaders and workplaces to be fulfilled. Leaders need to learn as much as possible about their people, particularly around their “why”. The more we can tap into each other’s “why” the more we can work together with purpose and wellbeing,” says Leah.

To learn more about the dream team that makes up TallTrees Leadership, read on!

What is your favourite part about what you do?

Leah: Connecting with people! I’m so fortunate that I’ve been able to connect and work with so many different healthcare professionals that are doing some amazing work. Their dedication to their staff and delivering the best possible care and services to people is truly inspirational.

Carol: My favourite part is making connections with individuals in all walks of life and especially those in health care who are seeking personal and professional growth. Through coaching and/or leadership development workshops or webinars, it is powerful to see them gain new insights and experience positive growth happening. Their impact as a leader is inspiring and this is hugely rewarding for me.

Do you have any advice for new leaders that are beginning their journey?

Leah: Observe everything around you, paying particular attention to those leaders that you admire and respect. Notice how they show up, how they interact with others, how they work through challenges, and how they inspire others. Take these observations and think about what it means for your own leadership practice.

Carol: My advice for new leaders is to believe in yourself and to trust that you have the potential to realize your goals. Leadership is a wonderful opportunity to have a wonderful career. Believe in the privilege to enable your teams, your organization, and your colleagues to individually and collectively flourish as they create and provide caring and exemplary services and support for all those they serve.

What inspires you the most?

Leah: My clients definitely inspire me. Despite the additional challenges of the pandemic, making an already tough job tougher, they continue to show up in a way that keeps everyone around them moving forward.

Carol: I recently read the Autobiography of Beverley McLachlin, the first female Canadian Supreme Court Justice, and similarly, the Autobiography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, formerly the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the USA. Both women faced huge adversity and ongoing personal and professional challenges throughout their lives. Both were inspired by what could be possible for positive change in legal influence and administration of justice for a more humane world. Despite massive hurdles, they worked very hard, took risks, and most importantly they never gave up. The Canadian and USA respective cultures, societies, and respect for fairness and equality for all were changed forever.

Leah, in one of your blog posts you mentioned, employee engagement needs to be personal. Can you explain what that might look like?

Leah: This is about understanding that people are unique and require different things from their leaders and workplaces to be fulfilled. Leaders need to learn as much as possible about their people, particularly around their “why”. The more we can tap into each other’s “why” the more we can work together with purpose and wellbeing.

Why do leaders need ongoing coaching?

Leah: There is always something to learn as a leader, and in order to be effective leaders need to be on their toes, adapting and responding to the constantly changing nature of healthcare environments.

We’ve all heard the saying that it can be lonely at the top and so having a coach provides a place for leaders to share what is going on for them, to reflect on their practice, to learn, and to problem solve in a safe and non-judgemental place.