Helping others become their best self

Periods of rapid growth create opportunities for leaders to foster leadership within their organizations. Over the past year, that has been the case for financial services – particularly those firms focused on mergers and acquisitions (M&A). With the U.S. economy approaching full employment, coupled with low interest rates and global economic growth, M&A activity has soared. Anu Aiyengar ’99, Head of M&A North America at JP Morgan, notes that success in such a fast-paced environment depends on a strong team. In developing leadership skills, she advises not to allow the team to get too focused on titles – everyone has opportunities to lead and grow. She argues that the key role of leaders throughout the organization is to help their teammates to “become the best version of themselves.” When that happens, the team not only wins, but leaders experience the joy of watching their people advance and grow.

To hear Anu Aiyengar’s thoughts on M&A in 2018, impact of the new tax law, and leadership, watch my recent interview.

Leadership Notes is a blog and video series on leadership.  Through interviews with leaders from both the private and public sector, Johnson examines key leadership issues like empowerment, team development, and cultural dexterity.  The blog also addresses topics such as learning from failure, the importance of friendship, and the role leaders play in developing organizational culture.

You can access the entire library of entries on LinkedIn.