In this original series from North America Communications, we take the ease with which we remember things in 3’s and merge it with insights and ideas from leaders from across the region – whether on SAP, on career, or how they see the world.
Kimberly Gastle is head of sales for Canada’s central region. Hers is a team that works with customers to help untangle their biggest business knots, and includes members who are free of what she calls “constrained thinking.”
What famous person would you want to meet and why?
Richard Branson. His Twitter feed is fascinating. I admire his energy, relentless curiosity and how he combines all of it to make dreams a reality. Two of his quotes are favorites of mine. If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough. And Achieve the extraordinary with the right mindset.
To me, that means thinking without constraints. Dream big and don’t worry about the little things, about whether you can actually do something, if it’s been done before, or any of the negatives. Instead, constantly believe you can do things.
Millennials bring so much of that mindset to work every day, and it’s something I try to remember as well. No, it’s not easy. But you have to give yourself head-space to dream big and believe in what’s possible.
What one piece of advice would you give someone in their first leadership role?
Leadership isn’t an individual sport, it’s a team sport. In a leadership role, you are only as alone as you choose to be. Build a peer group. Create a culture for the team that you directly or indirectly lead, create a sense of belonging, align everyone to the same vision.
I think back to my return from maternity leave, stepping into the job I have now, rebuilding the region and hiring new people. I am certain I could not have done it except as a team with everyone from the region – cloud leaders, LOB leaders, IVE, pre-sales and the extended team – working as one to make it happen. I feel like we built the team together and are stronger because we did.
One thing you always do in your business and why.
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