“Why do you #lovewhereyouwork?” CEO for a day with Twitter

“In the candid conversations between me and Maya, the most common word was “balance” – between openness and decisiveness; autonomy and involvement; work and life. It is difficult to find that sweet spot, which also differs between people and situations, but the discovery is all part of the process of learning, leading and loving what you do!”

"I was able to ask Maya more about her leadership style in the pockets of down time that she thoughtfully reserved for us. I was intrigued to learn that her current style is largely a result of continual personal development throughout her career, rather than any set personality traits. Clearly, leaders are not born, but made. Even now, she is open to constructive input from her team on how she can improve, proving that leaders continue to grow as well.

This dynamic process of growth busted an internally held myth on the existence of a universal leadership style that, once attained, would propel any individual to ideal leader status. There is an important role for learning and adaptation in the journey of leadership, especially as a one’s external environment is subject to regular change. With this, I came to appreciate the value of openness, responsiveness and, above all, humility. No leader is perfect or immune from blind spots, and it is better to accept feedback than resist on the basis of pride.

I am immensely grateful for these valuable lessons, gleaned from honest, one-to-one conversations with Maya, who gave her time to share them with me."

Click here to view more on Huiying's day with Maya Hari at Twitter Singapore