Maria Kuntz on Embracing Failure [Lessons in Leadership]

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Carrie welcomes Maria Kuntz to discuss an important aspect of leadership—learning from both successes and failures. Maria reflects on a project that initially seemed to be a complete success but later revealed gaps in stakeholder engagement. The conversation highlights the importance of diverse perspectives in leadership and how valuable lessons can emerge from unexpected challenges.

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Key Takeaways:

• Leadership successes can still contain valuable lessons when unexpected feedback arises.
• Effective stakeholder engagement is critical; using a 360-degree feedback approach ensures all voices are heard.
• Learning from challenges, even within successful outcomes, helps leaders grow and refine their strategies.

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What challenges did Maria face in her leadership journey?

Maria shared a recent experience where a campaign she led seemed to be a significant success, showing improvement in all metrics—more donors, higher open rates, and increased engagement. However, during the post-campaign review process, Maria received unexpected feedback. Despite the apparent success, some stakeholders felt they were not adequately consulted in the creative process. This disconnect led Maria to realize that her approach, which followed an "informed model," had not allowed for sufficient stakeholder input early in the project.

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How can leaders balance success and feedback?
Carrie emphasized that something can be both a success and a failure at the same time. Maria’s experience underscores the need to assess projects from multiple angles and through a variety of metrics. While the campaign delivered positive results, the internal feedback from stakeholders revealed an opportunity for growth in leadership practices. Leaders should adopt a 360-degree approach, assessing outcomes from every angle to learn and evolve.

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Make sure to check out the full Lessons In Leadership: Embracing Failures playlist today.

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‍About The Enrollify Podcast Network: Lessons In Leadership is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!  

Some of our favorites include Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.

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