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DIGICEL Extraordinary Leadership LECTURE #7

Published:Sunday | March 16, 2014 | 12:00 AM
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Audrey Marks delivering a powerful presentation.
Audrey Marks (centre) shares lens time with Digicel's senior customer care manager, Kaestner Pryce, and human resources director, Andrea Hardware, at Digicel's recent Extraordinary Leadership series at the company's headquarters in downtown Kingston.
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Success is all-inclusive - Audrey Marks

The graceful and affable Audrey Marks has been a trendsetter in national affairs for many years. The successful entrepreneur and public figure was the guest of honour at Digicel's recent Extraordinary Leadership lecture series. Filled with nuggets of leadership and entrepreneurship wisdom, Marks shared that her driving philosophy is "to make a difference", noting that the definition of success "is less personal and more all-inclusive when you get older".

In her heart-tugging leadership talk to the attentive Digicel team leaders, Marks pointed to several tried and true elements of great leadership - vision, disruptive innovation, immense courage/sheer determination, and being caring.

Below are the key points from her riveting talk:

Vision - Have a vision and the confidence to act on it.

Disruptive innovation - Be prepared to look for solutions and therefore get comfortable with disruptive innovation. Be dedicated to your mission and unrelenting in your search for a solution. A leader in innovation herself, Marks complimented Digicel for bringing innovation and change to the Jamaican market.

Immense courage - Be fearless and courageous. Replace fear with faith. If you believe in what you are doing, then have the confidence to step out.

Leaders have a responsibility to care - Take time to listen, introspect, and give respect. It's always amazing to see the difference you can make when you show someone you care.

Marks also encouraged the audience to believe that "wherever you are, you can use your main strength to drive the change you want. Use everything you have learnt to date for any assignment," she said.

Offering practical, actionable advice, she urged the Digicel team leaders to make a difference by taking up positions on boards. She said, "Whenever you are called on to serve on boards, do so. Don't serve for the profile. Read the reports, attend meetings, prepare to take a different stand if you need to, and don't get into situations of conflict of interest," she advised.

Audrey Marks hails from a farming community in St Mary and is the middle child of 12 children.