Lessons on Cultivating Talent and Building a Passionate Team

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Shownotes

How do you understand ego? When it comes to leadership, what does it take to be truly transformational? In today’s episode, our guest, Dena Mayne tells the story of how she overcame adversity and earned an unconventional path to a successful career in marketing. She discusses her leadership style and how it helps her cultivate talent and bring out the best in others.

About the Guest

Dena joined Ergotron in July 2020 as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. An accomplished, results-focused strategist, Dena oversees strategy development and execution of Ergotron’s global marketing and innovation initiatives. Known as a persistent and resilient executive leader, she works to inspire teams and organizations to pursue their best ideas and capitalize on strategic opportunities.

Connect with Dena Mayne

Key Takeaways

Leaders who can make their teams walk beside them lead to better outcomes.
Helping others understand their hidden talents and potential unlocks productivity and better coordination between team members.
Ego is different for everyone and can play out in different ways depending on the person and their situation.

Quote

“Everyone’s ego is very different. And the more that you can get to know a person on a personal level, what have they been through whatever life experiences are not just their work experiences, you start to get a view into what might that ego looks like and how can you then help ensure that it gets out of their way.”

– Dena Mayne

Highlights from the Episode

How do you cultivate talent in teams moving forward? How do you encourage that?

The ability to uncover hidden gems in others is a secret power that can help cultivate talent in teams moving forward. This can be done by having empathy and insight, and by leading by example.

If it wasn’t for the mentorship you received, how do you think your professional and even private life would have looked differently?

Mentors help us take different paths in our professional and personal life. Without the help of their mentor, Dena Mayne may have ended up in a similar place but may have taken a different path.

What does it take to build a passionate team?

It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to build a passionate team. It is important to have a shared commitment to the goal and each other and to not take things for granted. It is also vital to stay focused on the individual and not lose sight of their potential. This can be done by fostering a team environment where everyone is willing to help out and share their talents. Finally, it is important to invest in coaching and development to help the team members grow and reach their potential.

What does leadership mean to you?

Leadership is about inspiring others and working together to achieve a common goal. It’s about being able to adapt to different people and situations, and being able to put the needs of the team above your own.