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Contributing Author: Ken Meyers
In her first year at Yahoo, Marissa Mayer has caused a whirlwind of press based on her parenting, her policies and her rise to the top.
What is really impressive, however, are her acts as a leader.
As the youngest Fortune 500 CEO, Mayer's credentials aren't in question. In fact, her business savvy and drive for success can teach you a lot about being a strong, confident leader.
Make A Decision and Follow Through
Mayer's first big on-the-job controversy occurred when she banned employees from telecommuting.
It was an unpopular decision, but rather than negotiate with her employees or redact her position, she went forward with the policy based on the research presented on productivity.
Employees balked, but Mayer stayed strong.
Being a leader often means making unpopular choices.
A strong leader fully assesses each hurdle the company faces and makes an informed decision based on what is best for the company.
That doesn’t mean always making the easy choice.
A strong leader will fight through discord for the greater good of the business and its employees. A strong leader follows through on their decisions.
Advocate for Your Workers
Mayer's reputation among the employees may have taken a blow by removing telecommuting, but her paternity and maternity leave policy gained more supporters.
Mayer enacted a policy allowing fathers eight weeks of paternity leave and doubled mothers leave from eight to 16 weeks. She also added a $500 bonus to parents’ paychecks to help defray the newborn's expenses.
Mayer understands that a valued employee is a loyal employee.
Employees want to work for businesses that allow for creative growth and personal satisfaction. They want to feel like their company cares about them on a personal level, not just like they’re a person filling a position.
Increasing tangible benefits for employees encourages loyalty and increases production.
You Need Passion to Find Success
As one of the original employees of Google, Mayer could be retired seven times over. Instead, she leapt from her success at Google into a failing company as CEO.
She didn't allow even her firstborn son stop her from relaunching Yahoo as an online powerhouse, taking a two week maternity leave and constructing a nursery next to her office.
Mayer doesn't need to drag herself to the office. She loves her job and feels passionately about her work.
As a leader, you need to love what you do.
Not every employee is going to have passion for their work, but your passion can rub off to create a motivated employee. Without passion and drive, a leader is nothing but an empty shell.
Break the Mold
Mayer isn't your typical CEO. She started her career as a computer scientist.
Conventionally pretty, outgoing and interested in fashion, Mayer often looks more like a CEO's wife, not a woman who climbed the career ladder in Google and who spends her weekends immersed in coding.
Mayer didn't let society dictate her interests and passions. She went after subjects that interested her.
As a leader, diversity is key. You bring special characteristics to leadership positions, and utilizing those skills will only strengthen your mission.
Don't rely on society's stereotypes of who you are and what you do. Break out of those expectations to achieve your goals.
Embrace Risk
"I always did something I was a little not ready to do," Mayer explained in an interview with NPR last year, "That feeling at the end of the day, where you're like, 'what have I gotten myself into?' I realized that sometimes when you have that feeling and you push through it, something really great happens."
Mayer understands that only with great risk do business leaders gain great rewards. No one is ready for every decision you have to make as a leader.
A great leader acts with confidence regardless. Recognize your fear and press forward anyway.
As Mayer's first year draws to a close, her impact on the bottom line will begin to be seen, but her impact as a leader is clear.
Mayer's drive and determination has stimulated the dying company, brought it back to life and shaken up the employee experience. Take a few cues from Mayer's business leadership to improve your own abilities.
Image Credits: icedsoul photography .:teymur madjderey, Giorgio Montersino via Compfight cc
About the Contributing Author:
Ken Myers is a father, husband, and entrepreneur. He has combined his passion for helping families find in-home care with his experience to build a business.
Learn more about Ken by visiting him on Twitter: KenneyMyers
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