Biggest Challenges Faced by a Director of Operations at Linqia
Melanie's biggest challenge as Director of Operations at Linqia stems from the deeply human aspect of a people-centric role; supporting team members through "very serious...health issues" and emotional journeys requires significant emotional labor and necessitates strong self-care and reliance on senior leadership for support. This highlights the toll that empathetic leadership can take, even in a career where operational expertise is paramount.
Leadership, Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, People Management, Workplace Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Melanie Archer
Director of Operations
Linqia
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
N/A
English, Writing & Education, English
Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Operations and Project Management
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Empathetic leadership is crucial in people-centric roles.
2. Supporting employees through personal and professional challenges is a significant aspect of the job and requires emotional intelligence.
3. Building strong relationships with colleagues is important, but it can be challenging to balance empathy with making difficult decisions for the company's benefit. Leaders need support systems to help navigate these challenges
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
In a people-centric role like mine, you are supporting real human beings. Everyone goes through challenges, and everyone brings a part of their personal self into the workplace. It can be difficult to work with people through some of their personal challenges.
I've had people go through very serious health issues, and I've had people move through the understanding that a role, job, or company is not the right fit for them. Working with someone through that emotional journey can be burdensome, because at the end of the day, you form really deep personal connections with the people you work with.
If that person is in pain or having a hard time, or if it's clear that a change needs to be made for them, the company, and the team, it can call upon a lot from you. This is especially true if you tend to be an empathetic person with a lot of compassion for others.
There are times I've found it challenging to set aside my personal feelings to fairly address what someone else is going through. I've found that I really need adequate support for myself to do that. So, I lean a lot on my senior management and leadership to help me through those challenges because it's human-based and can take a toll.