Leahanne Thomas

When did you get your first Big Break? How did you get it? How did it go?

I saw an opportunity, a leadership void that no one was filling and I stepped up and took it. I didn't ask permission, I just started doing the work. I was working for a health plan and health plans get audited by regulators on a routine and/or ad hoc basis. Typically no one wants the job of being responsible for the audit because you can be the face and the fall guy if things go poorly. It's viewed as high risk, low reward job. I got tired of watching the mess that lack of leadership causes, so I just stepped into the void. And I put processes in place, met with the key people, helped them out A LOT, due to my legal training, with writing, positioning, answering all of the audit work. Fortunately, the audit went really well and the regulators and my leadership were happy. I learned a tremendous amount. I learned I could lead on a high stakes initiative, I learned how important and vital it is for someone to step up and take those high risk/low reward jobs, and it paved the way for me becoming the COO, because I learned more of the content areas I needed to learn, I developed the trust of the team, the regulators and the leadership. I didn't take on the task though, as a stepping stone to the COO job. I had no idea that was in the cards or could come to pass. So, I wouldn't suggest taking things on as a calculated step in career building. I would suggest taking things on that you have a reasonable belief based on your background and skills that you can do, but that is scary, is a risk, and does put you out there and makes you vulnerable. That's where true learning and growth happen.