I Had to Dramatically Change My Working Style (ft. Liz Christo - Stage 2 Capital)
Apr 30, 2024
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Liz Christo, Investor and GTM Advisor for Stage 2 Capital, shares her workforce journey highlights, including feedback challenges and work burnout. Topics include global org struggles, receiving tough feedback, and handling negative work perceptions. Listen for moments of burnout impact, job culture clashes, feedback responses, and imposter syndrome experiences.
Focus on important tasks over urgent ones to prioritize long-term impact in your career.
Provide specific and focused feedback to foster a culture of constructive improvement in teams.
Recognize the value of aligning personal expectations with professional responsibilities to overcome self-doubt.
Set clear expectations and communicate transparently to optimize team productivity and collaboration.
Optimize task management by balancing strategic priorities with urgent tasks for enhanced productivity.
Envision a diversified career path while promoting accountability and clear communication for collective success.
Deep dives
Prioritizing Impactful Tasks Over Quantity of Tasks
Focusing on the important rather than the urgent was a pivotal skill Liz Christo wished she had prioritized earlier in her career. She reflected on the need to find a balance between tasks that are urgent versus those that are truly important. Learning to tackle impactful tasks methodically while not letting urgency overshadow importance has been a valuable realization in her professional journey.
Initiating Direct and Focused Feedback
Through experiences at OpenView, Liz Christo understood the significance of providing direct and focused feedback. She acknowledged the need to hone the skill of offering specific and pointed suggestions to individuals without overwhelming them with multiple recommendations. By concentrating on one impactful piece of advice and working on it cohesively, she fostered a culture of constructive feedback and targeted improvements.
Navigating Self-Doubt Amid Transitioning Roles
Transitioning from operating to advising roles, Liz Christo encountered moments of self-doubt and uncertainty about her impact. She shared insights into the pivotal realization that influence comes not from executing tasks directly, but from identifying critical aspects and fostering accountability. Recognizing the need to align personal expectations with professional responsibilities aided her in overcoming self-doubt and achieving greater efficacy.
Striving for Clarity in Communications and Expectations
Reflecting on her journey, Liz Christo highlighted the importance of setting clear expectations and fostering transparent communication. She emphasized the need to facilitate clarity in roles and responsibilities within teams, optimizing productivity and minimizing misunderstandings. By aligning personal values with organizational goals and enhancing communication channels, she aimed to catalyze impactful and harmonious collaborations.
Balancing Urgent Tasks with Strategic Priorities
Acknowledging the challenge of balancing urgent tasks with strategic priorities, Liz Christo shared her experience in optimizing task management. She emphasized the significance of structuring workdays to focus on impactful tasks over ones that merely demand immediate attention. By prioritizing strategic initiatives and maintaining a deliberate approach to task allocation, she strove to enhance productivity and achieve long-term goals.
Setting Long-term Goals Beyond Professional Milestones
Looking towards the future, Liz Christo expressed a multifaceted approach to her career goals. Beyond professional milestones, she aimed to support and uplift her network by offering guidance and mentorship. Additionally, she envisioned exploring non-tech realms, contemplating ventures such as opening a coffee shop. Envisioning a holistic professional and personal journey, she aspired to create a fulfilling and diversified experience in her career.
Encouraging Direct and Constructive Feedback Loop
In navigating roles and transitions, Liz Christie emphasized the significance of fostering a culture of direct feedback and mutual understanding. She cited the value of promoting transparent conversations in the workplace, acknowledging the importance of candid and constructive dialogue. By instilling a feedback loop of honesty and respectful communication, she sought to cultivate an environment of continuous improvement and shared growth.
Promoting Accountability in Task Management
Reflecting on her experiences, Liz Christo underscored the importance of promoting individual accountability in task management. She noted the significance of creating a balance between fostering proactive engagement and addressing urgent tasks effectively. By instilling a culture of ownership and responsibility in team dynamics, she aimed to optimize efficiency and facilitate progress.
Cultivating Clarity in Roles and Contributions
Recognizing the value of clear communications and role definition, Liz Christo emphasized the need for fostering transparency in expectations and contributions within teams. She highlighted the impact of promoting clarity in defining responsibilities and optimizing team collaborations. By aligning individual values with team objectives and enhancing role clarity, she aimed to enhance coordination and efficiency in achieving collective goals.
Balancing Immediate Demands with Long-term Objectives
Acknowledging the challenge of balancing immediate demands with overarching goals, Liz Christo shared insights on prioritizing tasks based on long-term impact. She emphasized the importance of strategic focus and prioritization to ensure alignment with broader objectives. By balancing urgency with importance and aligning task allocation with strategic goals, she sought to enhance productivity and work towards sustained success.
Diversifying Career Aspirations Beyond Traditional Milestones
Looking towards future aspirations, Liz Christo envisioned a diversified career path beyond conventional milestones. She expressed a desire to support her network and offer guidance, alongside exploring ventures outside the tech industry. Contemplating potential opportunities such as launching a coffee shop, she aimed to maintain a holistic and fulfilling professional journey.
In this episode, Liz Christo, Investor and GTM Advisor for Stage 2 Capital, unravels her highs and lows in her workforce journey. From getting told “you’re too ruthlessly execution focussed” to having to dramatically change her working style, Liz’s story unpacks the power of feedback, why you should develop a culture of support, and the significance of vulnerability.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
1. When Liz fought so hard to have a global org and ended up burning out and feeling stretched too thin
2. When Liz received the hardest piece of feedback, twice…
3. The story when Liz was not able to get companies to follow through, even when they were in complete agreement on what needed to happen
Things to listen for:
[07:33] Why Liz was described as “great at the “USA Crossword puzzle”
[09:19] Her biggest work burnout moment
[14:46] Not taking care of herself and the impact on her work
[18:53] Getting a new job and it testing her values and culture list
[28:28] Getting told everything that was negative about working with her
