Caring & Empathy: A New Path to Leadership & Success in Business, with Dr. Erin Halligan-Avery

Episode 81.  “… people appreciate my leadership style, which is one of caring and empathy and really trying to relate with people but still have standards and expectations. But, because I couldn't see myself in a lot of the people that were in these positions, I sort of assumed that that meant that I can't be me and … I didn't know how to reconcile that.”

Dr. Erin Halligan-Avery never set out to be an entrepreneur.

 In fact, she was quite content working in Higher Education, Student Affairs in roles helping students who were struggling and even developed the ConcernCenter system - which has now become her full time business - while working in one of these positions. 

Slowly, methodically, and with the unending support of friends, colleagues and family, Erin and her team grew ConcernCenter into a business that now helps over 3.5 million people find the support they need, when they need it. 

Erin is discerning, compassionate, unscripted and fun. She is someone who knows that a successful business can be built solely on a foundation of care and compassion for others and is looking to change the world, one ConcernCenter search at a time.

Erin talks to Linda about how she created her authentic style of leading and how we can begin to live more authentically too:

• “I would watch those who had positions that I thought I was aspiring to be in, and how they would act and I would think, okay, this is how you're supposed to behave or what is going to be required of you if you're going to be in this type of role. You have to be incredibly diplomatic sometimes, diplomatic at the expense of authenticity. And I thought, “Am I able to do that?” And it was very clear to me that I don't do that really well.”
•  “Announcing who I am or where I am before I get there, for me is a sign of respect that I care enough about this group of people that I'm letting you in on where I am right now so that we can do meaningful work together. And I fully embrace and love when people are able to do the same.”
•  “I love when people come as who they are, but we need to also acknowledge that coming as who you are, is either going to be for people or not for people. There’s a meme that goes around that it’s like “You're not everybody's cup of tea.” And I agree with that. I, myself am not everybody's cup of tea. And that's okay.”
• “I do think that some people would be like, “Okay, I can be myself when I'm with my best friends, but I can't be myself when I'm talking to my child's teacher.” And the reality is, you can be whomever you really are at the end of the day with both of those people, but your best friends and your child's teacher are gonna have two very different reactions to whomever you're giving to them. And you just have to understand that you can unapologetically be yourself, but know that there are consequences potentially, or repercussions, or just reactions that people may have, that they are also allowed to have, to who you are and who you're giving to the world.”

Learn about ConcernCenter at: ConcernCenter.com 

To contact Erin: [e-mail]

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