Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gina Melendez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Gina , thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

After I am gone….

From a business standpoint, I want people to remember me for making them feel connected to the business by being an engaged leader. I have found in my career that people get frustrated and want to blame others for why the company/organization they are at has not reached their objectives, yet they have not taken the time to translate the company/organization’s goals to the level of detail that is meaningful for the person in the group or providing them the tools/training to be successful. Although my entire career has been in a corporate or private equity setting, this applies to every business.

From a personal standpoint, I want people to remember me for helping them find and nurture their strengths, as well as helping to enrich their lives as a result. I have a tremendous passion for helping people build their confidence in all they do enabling them to lead a life as full of enjoyment as possible… we all deserve that opportunity.

Gina , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an engineer by trade but have been working in operations for almost 15 years. I have experience in automotive, aerospace, industrial laundry and stepping into a new position learning a few new industries. I have found through my career that organizations don’t take enough time on two things – articulating clear goals or training the workforce.

This is where I set myself apart from others. It is critical for leaders of a business to ensure goals are translated all the way down to the lowest level of the organization and daily tasks are tailored in such a way that everyone on the team is pulling in the same direction. This helps to ensure sustainable results as well as helping to avoid frustration and burnout. Micromanaging teams is a major detriment to team morale and it’s not fair for any one team member to take on the burden of an entire organization.

From there, training the workforce becomes the next piece. Assessing the gaps in the organization by walking the process while clearly outlining areas of opportunity and communicating expectations to the team establishes the basis of the general training. Once that’s completed, you can begin building the next generation of potential leaders, identify the training that would best benefit them, and then support them in their journey to move the organization towards its goals – it never changes.

I am most proud when seeing the impact that I have had on both previous employees of mine and peers alike. Being able to hear that I’ve inspired others across all phases of my career while utilizing this leadership style is incredibly gratifying. I consider building teams to be my craft and fully embracing that over the years has deepened my passion and desire to share this approach with as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, to make a lasting impression on the world.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Just over two years ago, I woke up one night feeling like I was drowning, and it was at that point I realized how little of my attention I had given my personal life. I was having some rather dark thoughts during that time, and it inspired a period of deep self-reflection, both to try and understand why I was feeling like this, as well as what I needed to do immediately to get my life back on track.

So, it was back to the basics – nutrition, being active (I highly recommend cross-fit to all those reading this!), sleeping, and being more mentally present with my family.

Work will always be there… but it does not have to be the focus all the time.

Self-reflect, make action plans and prioritize yourself so that you can better serve your team/business but not at the expense of your livelihood. Don’t set yourself on fire to keep everyone else warm.

Any advice for managing a team?

Try to connect with them on a personal level (not too deep) and be clear and honest with them – it always comes back to the same few things. Establish and communicate clear goals. Walk the process and use what you find to inform you training. Be honest with yourself and remember… invest your time upfront and let the magic ride out. Be comfortable being uncomfortable…. you have to be.

Contact Info:

• LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginamelendez

Image Credits
J. Magdalena Photography