Name: Randi-Sue Deckard

Title: SVP Client Engagement

Organisation: BESLER

Randi-Sue is an accomplished executive with an entrepreneurial mindset and extensive experience in developing and implementing transformational, customer-centric strategies designed to propel revenue, optimize, operations, and enable rapid, sustainable organizational growth. She aligns high-performing teams with the corporate vision, forges value-add partnerships at all levels of the organization and delivers tactical roadmaps to unlock business value.

Randi-Sue leverages robust business and industry acumen within sales, business development, and account management to improve processes, enhance performance, and boost both productivity and profitability. She cultivates trusted business partnerships at all levels.

Randi-Sue holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Clinical Laboratory Science from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (Canada). She also obtained her MT Certification (ASCP) in the US. Randi-Sue is an active member of GTM United and Pavilion (formerly known as Revenue Collective); she's continued her commercial learning and attained certificates like Enterprise GTM, CRO and Sales Process Operating System to gain additional revenue growth perspectives.

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

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

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Balancing work and personal life.

I want to ensure my team is taken care of as I consider it a privilege to be a leader; at times, this has cut into my personal time and impacted my family.

Over the years, I've been able to delegate more to my front-line managers and this has helped significantly. I've also learned the art of respectfully declining and protecting my time to ensure I can get the desired outcomes as defined by my role.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

During my last two years of university, I worked part-time in a private commercial lab on the weekends.

When I graduated, my first role was a supervisor role because I had 2+ years of experience.

I attribute my success to prior roles like being a Crew Chief at McDonald's or Lead in retail and hospitality jobs putting myself through school. All of these things that aren't on my resume actually helped me handle pressures, be organized and a great communicator.

And every time that I've stepped out to be an individual contributor because of intentional lateral moves within 12-18 months I've been promoted into a leadership role. Whether or not I'm a leader by title, I act like the person I want to be (proactive, great communicator, cross-functional collaboration, solution expert, etc).

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I'm an early bird and enjoy getting out for a walk with my two dogs first thing in the morning. There is just something about being outdoors that sets the tone for the day. This "me" time is where I self-reflect, practice gratitude and sometimes even catch-up on a podcast as I walk.

I'm a huge fan of time blocking so always reserve my mornings for deep work as this is when I'm most productive.

I also ensure that I've blocked time for prep and critical activities to my role. I attempt to block time by activity so I can be in the flow (just make calls, work on strategy, 1:1s, etc).

I review my calendar Sunday night to ensure I'm ready for the week and also every night look ahead as things may have changed. This prep is making sure I'm being consistent with what needs to be done for the week, month, quarter or year.

I've also communicated with my team that I look at e-mails at least 3X per day and if it's urgent to text me or reach out and dm me on teams. This cuts down on distractions during the day.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Invest and advocate for yourself.

As a leader, you often celebrate your wins as "team" wins because you don't want to brag but ultimately you do need to tell your story because under your leadership successful outcomes occurred.

Don't expect a company to invest in you or advocate for you. You must step up and invest in yourself and embrace changes to stay relevant; have a growth mindset and never stop learning.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Atomic Habits by James Clear

I've always had a personal operating system but this book helped me with habit stacking and be more intentional with my time management.

Ultimately the consistency of adding new habits (=skills in my role)has had a compound effect and helped propel me to roles with increased responsibility very quickly.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

There's only one you and your journey is unique to you.

Don't get caught up in shiny objects (title or the next thing). Just focus on your growth and ensure your aligned with what makes you happy.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

I get tremendous joy from mentoring and coaching others to help them see and realize their potential.

I've brought in colleagues from other functional areas because I saw the potential in them. If someone is coachable and willing to lean into the uncomfortable to grow, I'll commit to helping them succeed.

Several of these colleagues have become leaders themselves and continued the legacy of finding and developing gems in their own organizations.