We recently connected with Cheryl Green and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Cheryl , thanks for joining us today. Talk to us about building a team – did you hire quickly, how’d you recruit the first few team members? Any interesting lessons?

When I first started with the company, I walked into an empty shell. The existing team was leaving when I was hired, which meant I had the task of assembling a new group of professionals. I relied on conventional recruitment methods, such as placing job advertisements and conducting interviews with promising candidates. The training process was focused on explaining both the specific tasks involved in their roles and the underlying reasons behind those tasks. Reflecting on this experience, I realize that I would not change my approach, even though I have had to make adjustments along the way based on the insights gained from my interactions and experiences with my new team.

Cheryl , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got here by God’s appointment. I was only trying to feed my kids and keep a roof over our heads. That need fostered my discipline and determination. The owner of the company believed in me. My desire was to be available, teachable, and humble. Here I sit nearly 25 years later as the Chief People Officer. My ministry and my profession coexist allowing me to be the best version of me that I can be. As the Chief People Officer, I am connected and relatable. I am about service and empathy. I am able to build relationships with anyone I come in contact with. I am authentic. What you see is what you get. It is not a script. I am truly about growing people.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

It’s not necessarily unlearning but knowing how to use what you’ve learned or maybe not use it or all. Once you’ve learned something, you can’t unlearn it. To unlearn something means breaking tradition or maybe even making what I’ve learned relevant. As a leader, I have to be willing to adjust based on the times that we are in. When I think about learning, I think about education. When I think about education, I think about liberation. Liberation gives you the freedom to use what you’ve learned or not use it at all.
In my leadership, I’ve learned there are different ways to lead people. As leaders, we expect our team to do what we say, when we say and how we say it. What I’ve had to learn is being an example accomplishes the exact same thing. I’ve also learned that it requires GRACE and deciding to be unstuck, which requires a growth mindset. A growth mindset is crucial in this regard, enabling us to move forward and explore new methods of engagement with those we lead.

Any advice for managing a team?

Know your people. It’s just that simple. You can keep morale up by knowing your people and building relationships, listening and knowing their needs. You are serving them so that they can serve in their positions effectively. People will work for people they don’t trust, but you will never have a solid team if you are not trustworthy. Your team must know that you care.