Name: Heather Scott

Title: Communications & Marketing Director

Organisation: Extraction Artisan Coffee

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Heather's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

You build trust by engaging in sincere and vulnerable communication. Taking an interest in all aspects of a person, not just how they perform in their work role, goes a long way towards creating open lines of communication.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

Vision is the big picture. What could your business aspire to? At Extraction, our vision is 'to reach out to humanity'.

Your mission is more specific and should be something you refer to whenever you are making a decision. Is this decision aligning with our mission statement?

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

Empowerment comes from having confidence. Encouraging your team to share their ideas, giving praise when due, and providing critical feedback will allow people to grow. Ensuring your team knows that you have their back and trust in them will help people feel confident in their ability.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

My leadership journey has entailed a lot of reading, leadership workshops, and self-reflection.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Always put people first.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

Regular meetings and planning discussions.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Think of delegation as a gift.