In this Leadership with Heart episode, Heather interviews a seasoned leader, Barbara Medina. Dr. Medina was recommended to be on the show by one of the many caring leaders that she helped develop during her time in the Colorado Department of Education as Assistant Commissioner. 

Caring leadership techniques were ingrained in Barbara from childhood, when she was growing up on the family farm. There, she learned the importance of collaboration, mutual benefit, service and mission. Even the littlest one makes a contribution on the farm, and this is true in organizations as well. Barbara took her natural foundation in leadership to great heights in Colorado government advocating for ESL students and helping develop many caring leaders along the way (who hopefully will be joining Heather on future episodes!). 

Takeaways:

• Everybody has something to provide the organization, and leaders have to help them see this, if they don’t already. 
• “I need you to be brilliant, I need you to be bold, but I need you to be brief” also be balanced. 
• Invest your energy where you can make the biggest difference. 
• Recognize what people bring to the table, before you invite them to lead with you. Think of it like a party invitation. 
• Obligation to do your best work, will drive you and feed your souls, and you can’t do anything better with your time.
• Leaders, be gentle and practice good compassion with yourself. 
• Obligation to do your best work will drive you and feed your souls, and you can’t do anything better with your time.