“I think the very best leaders are ones that are able to step back and they can accurately assess and pinpoint, what’s the problem we need to solve?” -Holly Moore
Our guest in this episode of the podcast is a dear friend of mine, Holly Moore! I met Holly via one of her early mentors, Fred Smith, and our first meeting (if I remember correctly) was in early 2006. Holly has had an amazing career, having gotten a nursing degree and working in healthcare before rising to Vice President of a large healthcare company where she had a lot of responsibilities and an incredibly large staff to oversee. She then felt a call to ministry and worked with Mercy Ships, Growing Leaders, and then Hollis Strategies.
Holly talks on the podcast about some formative events from her childhood such as finding faith in God at a very young age and her father developing addiction to alcohol and prescription pain medications, the latter a hardship that she credits for making her resilient and empathetic. She reflects back on her time in healthcare and how she felt when she first became a Vice President. Being one of the youngest and one of the only female Vice Presidents in her company was major, and she was fearful, but she remained courageous and brave which only worked to her benefit!
Holly also gives advice to people who lead younger people such as millennials. She reveals what characteristics and traits she looks for in a new hire and how she would handle a situation in which an employee has done something wrong. She credits her ability to invest in and maintain relationships (not just with family members but also with friendships), and she even shares what she wishes someone would have told her when she first started out.
I had such a great time talking with Holly on this episode of the podcast! She had some really sage insight that stems from her many years of experience – insight about so many things when it comes to the world of leadership, and I am very grateful for her time! Join me next time, and don’t forget to hit the subscribe button so that you never miss an episode! You should also share the podcast with a friend who would be likely to get something out of it as well!
“I am wired to love a challenge. I could not be in a job where I did exactly the same thing every single day. I want to be learning something new. I want to challenge myself. I remember being a little fearful … but I think there’s something about choosing to be courageous even when you’re feeling fearful. Bravery and courage does not mean the absence of fear.” -Holly Moore
Time Stamps
[1:51] – Tommy introduces Holly Moore as this episode’s guest.
[3:05] – Holly shares a few formative events from her childhood.
[5:23] – Tommy and Holly discuss Holly’s career and various positions throughout.
[8:24] – Holly reflects on her first management role in healthcare.
[10:13] – We learn what skill from her healthcare work has benefitted Holly most now that she does nonprofit work.
[12:08] – Holly shares with us how she initially felt when she became one of the youngest and one of the only female Vice Presidents in her company.
[13:43] – Holly reveals what she believes she has done best as a mentor.
[16:21] – Holly explains how she goes about deciding whether or not someone has potential.
[18:03] – We learn a little about Growing Leaders and what Holly learned from being with them for twelve years.
[20:55] – Holly lists off the four traits that she looks for in a new hire: character, chemistry, confidence, and credibility.
[23:25] – Holly argues that making decisions too quickly is the worst mistake that hiring managers can make.
[24:49] – We discover what Holly would ask a potential hire if she only had five minutes to interview them.
[26:04] – Holly discusses what would play a role in her deciding whether or not to give an employee who has done something wrong another chance.
[28:20] – Holly talks about how she noticed leadership skills within herself as early as when she was a nurse.
[29:36] – Holly reveals what personal habit of hers she is proudest of.
[30:44] – Holly closes by disclosing what wisdom about leadership she wishes someone had imparted upon her when she was in the early stages of her leadership journey.
“I wanted to continue to have the heart of a teacher … I really learned from my mentors that I needed to invite people into my thought process, invite people into meetings, invite people into what I was learning along the way.” -Holly Moore
Links and Resources
Hollis Strategies – Meet Holly
Hollis Strategies – Facebook Page
Hollis Strategies – Instagram Page
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