The leadership philosophy that took Cynt Marshall from AT&T exec to basketball team CEO
Oct 18, 2023
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Former AT&T executive Cynt Marshall shares her journey from corporate leader to basketball team CEO. Topics include lateral career moves, turning down promotions, leadership principles, and the importance of trust and deep relationships in leadership.
Lateral career moves and turning down promotions can provide valuable knowledge and experience for success.
Staying true to oneself and standing up for values in the face of adversity is essential for personal and professional growth.
Deep dives
Building a Successful Career
Sint Marshall shares her journey from growing up in a public housing project to becoming a successful executive at AT&T. She emphasizes the importance of education and taking advantage of opportunities, as well as her leadership philosophy of listening, learning, and loving the people she works with. Despite turning down promotions to gain more knowledge and experience, she excelled in multiple roles at AT&T, demonstrating the value of lateral moves in one's career.
Sticking to Your Values
After being offered a major promotion, Sint faced a dilemma as her boss asked her to change her appearance, behavior, and even her name. She refused to compromise her authenticity and declined the promotion, even though she feared losing her job. The CEO of AT&T supported her decision and emphasized the importance of diversity and authenticity. Sint's experience underscores the significance of staying true to oneself and standing up for one's values in the face of adversity.
Making Impact and Leading with Love
Sint transitioned from AT&T to becoming the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, despite having no prior experience in the basketball industry. She embraced the opportunity to serve and learn, recognizing that her skills in leadership and building relationships were transferrable. By following her framework of listening, learning, and loving, Sint fostered a culture of inclusion and diversity within the Mavericks organization. Her inspiring journey demonstrates that servant leadership and a passion for making an impact can lead to transformation and success in any field.
After spending 30 years working at AT&T, Cynt was not expecting to get a call from Mark Cuban asking her to lead his NBA team. She knew almost nothing about the business of basketball, but she relied on her leadership philosophy to guide her through. On this episode, Cynt and Ryan talk about lateral career moves, turning down promotions, and leadership principles. Then, leadership expert Charlene Li lays out the qualities leaders need, and how to set yourself up for up for leadership roles.