Lynn J.
My team and I were tasked with the complete overhaul of the lab infrastructure — there were many obstacles to overcome: territorial struggles, stovepipe thinking, etc… As a leader of my peers, I had no direct authority over a team accustomed to running their own organization. We attended LaL together and learned to collaborate and coordinate as a cohesive unit — not something we were used to doing! The LaL training helped us talk about the difficult issues in a constructive fashion, develop and commit to clear cross-organizational goals and hold each other accountable for them. LaL gave us the tools to build trust and challenge each other on the things we don’t follow through on.
Personally, I am reluctant to displease others, and my leadership style has traditionally been through consensus building. Working with my coach, I learned how to set a clear direction and give the stronger leadership that my peers wanted me to provide. I am now able to fully step into my role as a leader with creativity and courage.