Photo caption: Our Communications team was led by Vicki last year, picutred on the very right. We had meetings at Little Victories, her favourite coffee shop in Ottawa. Here is a picture of us heading there, with our teammate Dawson in the back, fake-complaining about getting the middle seat.

My supervisor Vicki shared her bright light fixture with me during the dark winter months.

I still can’t remember what it does scientifically. I think it’s supposed to help act as a “fake sun” so that you can sleep better in the evening. There’s a proper term for it. But I called it my tanning lamp.

Vicki and I would alternate the use of this lamp in our workday. It’s probably a foot long and when plugged it, shines a very bright white light. 

I could also say that Vicki too was a bright light in our workplace.

Have you had a supervisor who brought out the best in you? Have you felt empowered to make a bigger contribution because of their leadership? Were they a bright light to your workday?

No one leader is perfect, but we can still learn from each other. Monkey see, monkey do as my Mom would say. If we see the good leadership qualities, we can emulate them. I worked in a marketing role underneath Vicki’s direction in our Communications team. I learned a lot during the role. I reflected on the impact good people can have in your life.

Vicki demonstrated many qualities that we can all learn from. Other than bringing in heat lamps, here are some:

Bring out the best in others.

Vicki recognized my talent and desire to grow in my writing skills. We eventually met up every week to go through writing coaching. She taught me and a fellow coworker how to copy edit. I now attribute the emdash and editing skills to her mentoring—it’s the little things like that which contribute to excellence. 

Empower by letting others figure it out.

There was a lot to learn in my marketing role. Even though I studied some introductory marketing courses in school, it’s different when you have to apply it. I had freedom to try things out. When I had questions, Vick might not have known the answer, but she empowered me to give it a shot. I believe a good leader enables others to figure things out for themselves. 

Listen and ensure others feel heard.

We met every week to check in about my work. Every now and then we would even discuss our latest food discoveries. We both love to cook and Vicki has a knack for good recipes. I also went through a tough season of transition and we discussed that too. And I remember sharing openly with my supervisor, who listened intentently. She might not have figured out my problems, but I felt heard and understood, which signalled to me that I mattered and I was seen. Whether it was hard or easy conversations, Vicki was consistent in hearing me out.

Work towards happy customers.

The nature of my work in Communications revolved around clients and their projects. I had to deal with customers who purchased materials and needed them delivered. As a team, we came up with a goal each week to have happy clients. Our aim was to ensure people were happier than when they first came to us—even if we couldn’t fully help them. Caring for our stakeholders was of utmost importance. Vicki was our team lead in this area and it’s a key principle I hope to continue in future roles.

These are some of the many good qualities I remember about my supervisor Vicki. Let us aspire to these qualities that bring a bright light to others in our workplace.