INT 138: How Training Programs Can Be The Launch of Innovation

If there’s something new you’ve been wanting to learn, this is your sign to go for it! In this episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, our host Linda Yates meets with Dr. Susan Mangiero to discuss learning-led leadership. To be a great leader, you have to be passionate about learning from the people around you and sharing your knowledge. Enjoy this inspiring interview!

Susan’s Journey

• Susan’s career began in banking, and though she carried many job titles over the years, her entrepreneurial spirit was what guided her.
• She left banking to pursue her Ph.D. in Finance. She began teaching and eventually was awarded tenure after finishing her dissertation.
• While she loved teaching, she returned to the industry in litigation support. She specializes in investment fiduciary best practices.

Learning-Led Leadership

• Susan managed a team that helped her create a knowledge-sharing platform. She worked with many experts in different fields and learned from each of them.
• Good leaders are forthcoming about not knowing everything and learning from others – their focus is on solving problems, not their own ego.
• Leaders have a responsibility to try to understand when team members aren’t on the same page and find ways to communicate more clearly.

3 Tips for Implementing Learning-Led Leadership

1. Be transparent. It’s important to be vulnerable and acknowledge that you are not perfect and still learning as well.
2. Be supportive of other people’s learning. Reward their dedication as they expand their skillset, and give them time to master their new skills without expecting them to be fully capable right off the bat.
3. Be the change you want to see. Lead by example. Show that you are always learning and expanding your skills.

“I think a good leader is somebody who is very upfront about saying, ‘I don’t know everything and I want to listen to what you have to say. I want to learn from