The MouthSoap returns to the second part of the MouthSoap Book Lurking series, with seven more empowering lessons from I Am Debra Lee, a memoir by Debra Lee, the former CEO of BET Networks.
Lee addresses the various concerns that women leaders may have in corporate America through transparent stories of her life’s lessons at the legendary media company. Let’s get into it!
Lesson 14: Failing Is Part Of The Process
“Catastrophes are inevitable in business. It’s not if, it’s when. Making yourself crazy trying to avoid them is a fool’s errand.”
“…Failure was not a bad thing; in fact, failure didn’t even exist. Business was all about taking risks. If one idea didn’t pan out the way you thought it would, you learned from it, wrote it off, and moved on to the next big swing.”
Lesson 13: It’s Simple
“‘It’s simple was another Bob proverb. It applied to anything and everything he could dream up. Nothing was too hard a task for the people Bob put his trust in — and that right there was the kicker. Even when he was asking for the moon, the man made you believe you could wrap it in a bow by close of business.”
Lesson 12: Embrace Competition
“Business is competition.”
“Competition makes the leader stronger…We couldn’t call ourselves winners until we had someone to beat.”
Lesson 11: Stop Doubting Yourself
“Women get caught in that trap of insecurity much too easily. We question our credentials while holding more distinguished degrees than anyone else at the boardroom table. We question our ability to take on the bigger title, despite doing all the work required with the change on the nameplate…”
Lesson 10: Leadership Is About People
“Management would be easy except for the people…Hiring and firing are an essential part of leadership. You have to enjoy hiring, and you have to learn to suffer through firing…A manager’s job is to consistently water and prune.”
RELATED ARTICLE: 7 Empowering Lessons From Former BET CEO Debra Lee’s Memoir, ‘I Am Debra Lee’ (Part I)
Lesson 9: Starting A Legacy Strengthens Your Empire
“Women are often told that their careers will inevitably suffer the moment they become mothers…The assumption is that motherhood and career ambition simply don’t mix. Don’t believe that — ever. It’s a lie. Growing my family didn’t dampen my ambition at work one bit. If anything, it added fuel.”
Lesson 8: Don’t Ignore Red Flags
“Alarm bells had been ringing loud and clear for years, alerting me in no uncertain terms that I was overworked and under appreciated. But I consistently ignored those flashing red lights in favor of rolling my sleeves up and being ‘the good girl’ my dad always taught me to be. Work hard, then harder, and wait for the reward even when all signs are pointing toward the door. Don’t do that. Don’t ignore that gut feeling. I did for far too long, and while success was waiting for me on the other side, I was almost too worn out to make it there.”
So there you have it. Even highly credential and experienced executives like Debra Lee continually learn and evolve, and so should we all. I Am Debra Lee is currently available at Legacy Lit Books, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.
