Another View From the Top

For the article View from the Top, I interviewed powerful women (as well as psychologists who study gender and leadership). While patterns emerged, most inspirational was how each boss successfully leveraged her unique personality, background, and talents. Here is a “bonus” profile of one strong leader: Marisa Thalberg, CMO of Taco Bell and founder of Executive Moms.

Source: Marisa Thalberg

Her Achievements: After working at Estée Lauder for several years, Thalberg landed in the C-suite of Taco Bell, a 9 billion dollar brand, which she calls a “marketing dream job.” After having her first child and feeling a dearth of support for executives with young children, Thalberg started “Executive Moms,” a preeminent community and content provider for mothers with careers.

Leadership Style: Thalberg balances inspiring employees with stepping in and making decisions. “My employees feel empowered, but they know they are accountable and that we have to set each other up for success. I listen and am willing to change my mind and say I’m sorry when I’m wrong.”

“Especially where technology is concerned, I’ve noticed over the years that one style of leadership is to incite fear, by using terms that people don’t understand. My style is to start with empathy: How can I address person A’s fear? Why is person B resistant? I have a high awareness of others’ emotions.”

Thalberg has noticed that people are more likely to cry in her office than in male executives’ offices. “Is that appropriate? Is it good or bad? I’ve been reflecting on it, and I’m not sure.”

Helping the Next Generation: “I see some superstars on my team who are men and some who are women. Mentoring is about taking the time, having coffee with younger people who don't normally interact with me. I like to ask them, ‘What can I do for you?’ because it’s a surprising question from an executive. I want them to know that their perspective matters. You shouldn’t have to wait for an official performance review for that.”

“Younger women are looking for mentorship in terms of having a whole life. That doesn't mean that young men don't care about that, but they don't need the positive role model. I make a point of talking about my family and sharing some personal experiences because I think it’s good for team building.”

The Perks of Power: “My (current) success has allowed me to create a beautiful life for our family. Relocating to California so I could take this job was really hard for my kids. Now I see it as an amazing adventure. I indulge them, within appropriate limits of course, because the life lesson is that with the sacrifices come rewards. Now we've had experiences that we never would have had otherwise.”