What Makes a Great Leader? An Intern’s Observations
Written by: Kayla Gaussaint, Project Management Intern (she/her)
When you Google the phrase “project manager interview questions” and click through enough links, you’re bound to find the question, “How would you describe your leadership style?” I know this because just 2 hours before my Razorfish Health internship interview, I put this very query into my search bar, saw this question, and panicked.
You’ve probably been told about how important it is to be a good leader. Maybe you’ve even heard a few character traits get thrown into the conversation like “a good leader is strong” or “great leaders have empathy.” However, you’re never really taught how to embody these leadership skills or what this may look like in a corporate setting.
As a project management intern at Razorfish Health, I have the opportunity to work closely with so many great managers and leaders daily, many of whom are in completely different departments, such as art direction, account management, and, of course, project management. Even though these leaders belong to so many different disciplines, I have noticed that they all have a few things in common. Here are 3 important actions I’ve observed in great leaders:
1. Teaches vs tells
I ask a lot of questions. Thankfully, the managers on my team have even more answers. Since I began this internship program, I have learned so much about health care and advertising because I have individuals on my team who are willing to share their knowledge, time, and experience with me. Whether they are visually sharing their screen or verbally walking me through different processes, I have found that I am able to do my job better when I work with people who have set the precedent that they want me to learn as much as I can.
2. Remains graceful in the eye of crisis
Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. When issues do arise, the best response is to be calm and adaptable. Whether it is figuring out how to delegate tasks on the fly or making quick decisions, remaining calm and embracing flexibility are key to leading a team through a bump in the road.
3. Celebrates the team
Celebrate team wins! There is tremendous value and importance in acknowledging when people on your team get through a hard task, meet client deadlines, come up with great ideas, or are just overall killing it at their job. Expressing gratitude and showing support build a culture and environment that are warm and welcoming, 2 qualities that are integral to a great team dynamic.
As I take in these behaviors and attributes of the leaders around me, I find myself modeling these traits, so that I can become my own version of a great leader. Now when I see the question, “How would you describe your leadership style?” I panic a lot less, because I now know what kind of leader I want to be, and I am working every day to become her.
—
If you are interested in joining the RFH team, check out our open roles. We know you are not your resume; we understand you are not your work, and we respect that you are so much more than a job description. You are you. So come be you and do you with us.