Human Side Up: The human side of leadership: Lessons from Lisette Nieves

What makes a great manager? According to Lisette Nieves—Rhodes Scholar, educator, and nonprofit leader—it’s not just about accomplishments or strategies; it’s the ability to bring people together in order to accomplish challenging goals. In a recent episode of Human Side Up, Lisette shared her thoughts on leadership, resilience and why diversity matters in the workplace. Here are some key points from the conversation that you can use for your own organization.

1. Leadership is about igniting team energy

Effective leadership is about creating an environment where teams feel good about coming to work. Team leads should focus on identifying and leveraging the unique strengths of their team members to achieve shared goals. By identifying strengths of individuals, you get to empower each member in a unique way. As Lisette states, “Our best work is always done through others.”Lisette shared a story from her work at a nonprofit workforce development organization. During a snowstorm that shut down New York City’s transit system, three young participants walked miles to make it to their workplace when senior executives didn’t. This act of resilience and commitment didn’t just impress their employer—it showed that these members were willing to put in the extra work to ignite their team.Challenge your team members to recognize their strengths, embrace growth opportunities, and push past self-imposed limitations.

2. Embracing cross-generational collaboration

While it might seem natural to want to hire a younger workforce, CLARA’s research indicates that older individuals often excel in traits like distance traveled which measure traits like grit and resilience. Lisette echoes this sentiment by stressing the importance of cross-generation teams, so that you can get the best aspects of both worlds. She states, “It’s not about privileging wisdom over energy or vice versa. You need both!”Pairing ethical AI tools like CLARA with opportunities for mentorship is a great way to foster a better learning environment for your teams. Older team members can share their hard-earned knowledge, while younger employees can offer energy and technological fluency. This mutual exchange leads to dynamic problem-solving and holistic growth.

3. Work is where we meet the world

Lisette makes a great point when she says that our workplace is the best opportunity we have to meet a more diverse group of people, and we should take advantage of that. “Work is a microcosm of society,” she explains. “It’s where we have the chance to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another.”More so, it’s one of the few places where we have the ability to demonstrate a way to have a healthy culture across societal and cultural divides. Take the opportunity to celebrate diversity and foster dialogue in your workplace.

Final thoughts

Lisette shares a lot of great information on how to be a more equitable leader in the future. From fostering cross-generational collaboration to creating environments where your team can thrive, it’s up to you to bring positive change to your organization. Leadership isn’t just about driving results—it’s about empowering others and creating equitable opportunities.If you haven't had a chance to listen to the whole podcast check it out here.