Vice-President of Customer Success at Wiley, Nicole Dingley outlines ten lessons in leadership she gleaned from a recent Wiley leadership summit. “[There] are uncanny similarities between the best of the best. Tolstoy famously said, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Leading a team is akin to leading a big, sometimes raucous, family. It’s not magic; it’s a formula.

1. Leaders share stories. They know that stories invite the listener to share in their vision in a way that is relatable, memorable, and honest. 

2. Leaders invite debate. They don’t force consensus or hope for false head-nodding. Rather, they reframe conflict as a way to produce the best end result.

3. Leaders are creative with their time and don’t need a meeting to do business. They know that real progress can happen on a long walk, a chat by the elevator, or a pint at the end of the day.

4. Leaders are experts in balance, both in work and in life. They work hard but celebrate their wins. They temper vision with strategy, strength with vulnerability, empathy with a kick in the pants.

5. Leaders move fast. Because they know the opportunity cost of waiting too long, they aren’t afraid to experiment and fail. They live by the motto that “you can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”

6. Leaders care. A lot. About their customers, their peers, their direct reports, their families. You’ll see it in the way they treat the Uber driver or ask the concierge about her day.

7. Leaders are lifelong learners. They listen to podcasts, they read books, they seek out experts that can help them develop professionally and personally. They relentlessly aspire to grow.

8. Leaders are imperfect, and they aren’t ashamed of their shortcomings or past mistakes. They get that failure can be a better teacher than success and use that knowledge to their advantage.

9. Leaders see opportunities, not obstacles. Observing their conversations is a powerful lesson on how to listen with the intent to find new possibilities for growth and synergy.

10. Leaders put the customer at the heart of what they do. They light up when they find ways to solve customer problems. They are unwaveringly curious about what the customer thinks, feels, says and does. They let customers guide the solutions they create.

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