Author: Trish Wellenbach, President and CEO Please Touch Museum, Chair of the Board Thomas Jefferson University/Jefferson Health

What inspiration do you draw from women that came before and after you in the workforce?

Early in my career, I was not fully aware of an important aspect of leadership that has become a NorthStar for me.  The aspect of leadership that has inspired me to evolve in my leadership is being comfortable asking for counsel or perspective. It seems counter intuitive as you are working to establish your “leadership cred” that expressing doubt or uncertainty would be a value in your leadership development.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Demonstrating vulnerability when you are in the midst of the “tough stuff” becomes a teachable moment not just for yourself but for those you are mentoring and those you are reporting up to. I witnessed this trait in leaders I admired early on and in those I continue to admire today.

When you embrace the credo of being a lifelong learner, and by that I mean embracing a willingness to learn from others, you open portals of information that you can’t glean from a book, article or the classroom.  When I engage with others to help inform my decision making process, I always have a higher level of confidence in my decision.

As a woman do you think it is important to have a female mentor? Or do you see value in collaborating with male counterparts?  

For me, it is not either/or, it is both/and.  My mentors have always been both/and.  The traits I look for in mentors are individuals who lead with authenticity, who make decisions appreciating the delicate balance of using data to inform a decision-making process and cognizant of the importance of EQ as decisions are implemented. Mentors who will give it to me straight, who if needed will provide a bit of tough feedback, are the individuals who have influenced me the most.

A remarkable accomplished leader who I often look to for counsel has a philosophy that the most engaged individuals are those whose circle of advisors are 10 years older and 10 years younger.  She saw the age as bringing the most value to her life personally and professionally and not necessarily gender.  I have often benefited from the wisdom of someone 10 years younger than me. As a mentor myself, if I am learning as much from a mentee as they may learn from me, that is when I know it is a perfect fit for them and for me.

What is your rule/philosophy about work on vacation or days off?

I wish there actually was a rule!  I am a fierce advocate for taking time away from work. Everyone needs to refresh and restore. I have done some of my best strategic thinking while on vacation.  Being in a different location seems to have an influence on thinking more expansively about opportunities and challenges.  When I am away I make it clear what time during the day I have allotted for responding to emails etc.  Managing expectations is key.  I do not put an away message on my email. I periodically look at emails during the day, if there was a critical issue I would address it immediately. But I try to have good discipline and wait to respond until the time I have allocated to do work.  When my direct reports are away, I am diligent in not emailing them as I do not want them to feel any pressure to respond. What is key is each person’s comfort level about engaging in work while on vacation.  If you figure that out for yourself and manage the expectations of your teams and clients, it all falls into place.

How do you know you are making a difference?

I imagine none of us really knows if we are making a difference, and sometimes it hits when you least expect it.  When I was appointed as the chair of Thomas Jefferson University/Jefferson Health the first woman to be appointed in 197 years, it was a moment of great pride for me.  What happened after the announcement was made was surprising to me.  I received congratulatory notes from dozens of people, many, but not all were from women, and many were from people I had not connected with for years.  It was humbling to read the notes.  People thanked me for being a leader they looked up to, many said they had followed my work for years and were so proud to tell people they knew me, several told me that years ago, I had given them perspective and advice that changed the trajectory of their professional lives, and they were deeply grateful. I try to do my best work every day, to be generous with my time and candid about my experience. If in doing that, I can make a difference in the life of one person, that may be all I can hope for as a leader.

Lightning round:

What’s something we can learn about you that’s not in your LinkedIn profile?

• People would never guess that I am a very good cook and baker.

What gets you up in the morning?

• Making pancakes for my grandchildren is the best way to start the day.

What’s the best thing that happened to you this year?

• The best thing that happened to me this year was being cancer free for one year.

What’s one song, artist, movie, TV show you’re embarrassed to admit you like?

• I love Emily in Paris, it’s fun and frivolous and I love every kitschy thing about it.

What are you most passionate about?

• I am most passionate about creating experiences for our family that will become the memories they share for generations to come.

Favorite quote?

• My favorite quote, well I have a few:  Leadership is doing the right thing when no one is watching. I never want to be the only person in the room or the smartest person in the room. There is a solution to every problem.  And my everyday credo: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. I look at life this way, always shoot for the moon for undoubtedly you will land among the stars.