Leadership Lessons to Live By

Seize Opportunities to Try Something New
By Trisha Shepherd
WRTV6 Anchor
 
As a television journalist I’ve been invited into a mind-boggling variety of life experiences. I sure wasn’t in my comfort zone the first time I got in front of a camera on live TV at a loud street festival in Decatur, Illinois. I’ve been up to my ankles in mud with a cattle rancher, up in the air with a plane full of paratroopers, and one-on-one with a senator who was about to be elected US President.
 
My musician husband, Ian, has this quote plastered on the wall of his drum studio: "If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not learning anything new." You will undoubtedly come across many opportunities that challenge your comfort zones. Grab those opportunities, enjoy them, and learn from them.
 
The Gambler’s Rule
 
I guess I can thank my dad for playing Kenny Rogers so often as I was growing up, because this song has always stuck with me: “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run…” Knowing when is always the hard part. I’ve seen lots of people, myself included, exhaust themselves with fruitless struggles about things that simply weren’t worth it. Sweating the proverbial small stuff doesn’t get you far. At the same time, I’ve learned that when I am passionate about something, I am completely incapable of sitting by silently. I have always been the one willing to raise a hand, stick my neck out and take the heat. Leadership to me means learning when to let it roll off you and when to speak up. And when it’s time to speak, make it count.
 
Don’t Accept a Toxic Situation
 
While we’re on the topic of sticking your neck out, if your job becomes a toxic environment. While we’re on the topic of sticking your neck out, if your job becomes a toxic environment, one that makes you feel sick, drained, and depleted – get out. As Dr. Seuss says, "You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself any direction you choose." That’s not usually easy, especially in the current economic climate. Changing paths can take huge amounts of time, effort, and faith. But you can’t let fear stop you from leading yourself carefully into an atmosphere where you can thrive, and where your talents match the needs and philosophy of your employer. I once walked away from a job that had become intolerable to me. Once I got over the terror of uncertainty, I felt a huge weight lifted, and was shocked at how many exciting opportunities kept opening up. It was without a doubt the most empowering experience of my professional life. To quote Seuss once more, "Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!"
 
Listen with Curiosity
 
The most interesting stories I’ve covered have not been the ones you read about in a press release or hear on a police scanner. They’ve come from everyday encounters that spark an idea - a set of extraordinary triplets with cerebral palsy; an online community of moms rallying around a dying woman they knew only as "Momof4inFishers;" a foster father fighting to uncover hidden truths about his troubled foster son. It’s a tragic mistake to only half-listen. If you see curiosity as your calling no matter what your profession, you’ll ask more, hear more, see more, and grow more. I love Einstein’s advice: "Never lose a holy curiosity." Replenish yourself Have you ever noticed there are certain times when you can pour energy into something, and somehow receive more energy in return? For me, these things usually involve children, music, theater, or spending time in nature. When you discover a passion that fuels your spirit, embrace it, weave it into your life balance, protect it, and don’t allow guilt to eat away at it. By replenishing yourself, your light will shine brighter for those around you.
 
Trisha Shepherd anchors the 5, 6 and 11pm newscasts at WRTV6 with Todd Wallace. The Chicagoland native joined the 6News team in 2007. She began her career at WCIA-TV in Champaign, Illinois, after internships in Chicago and Green Bay. She is a Summa Cum Laude Graduate of St. Norbert College in DePere, Wisconsin, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Media, and Theatre.

Shepherd’s reporting work has earned her an Associated Press Best Investigative Report award, and two Illinois Broadcasters Association Silver Dome Awards. She has more than 15 years of experience in television news, having served as a producer, reporter, and anchor.

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