Building the Right Team
Chris Bennett (CEO, Wonderschool)
Before joining LIT Chris was struggling to express his thoughts and wants….
He allowed patterns of abuse within the company’s executive team; he wasn’t confident in his own voice even as CEO. As a LIT Fellow, he learned how to express himself more authentically. “I didn't know how to speak up and state what I wanted. I didn’t even realize I was carrying a lot of emotions, like fear. So when people asked me to share, and I got to see their reactions to me doing that and see the impact it had, it was fascinated and set me off on a significant personal journey.”
By being confident in his vision, Chris began to attract the right executives to the company. Finding his voice, communicating clearly, and realizing the importance of setting boundaries, he was able to establish deeper connections with his team and create healthier relationships at the executive level, which led to substantial company growth.
The impact of Chris' personal transformation extends to his hiring practices. He now is guided by his intuition and listens to his gut as data.
“Recently I was hiring for a critical position. I realized that I had a mismatch in styles.” While the candidate had all the right credentials, Chris realized his feelings told him there was misalignment. “Normally I would gaslight myself, let logic override my feelings and ignore them.” Instead Chris passed on the candidate, knowing that he would be a better leader and more effective manager because of it.
Chris's journey reflects not only his personal growth but the positive ripple effects on Wonderschool. Being authentic, setting boundaries and trusting his intuition when it comes to building the right team has not only transformed his leadership style, but also contributed significantly to the company's growth.
“I believe so much in this program that I think it’s important to send all of my executives for this type of education, to help them become more effective leaders and find their own blind spots, like I found mine.”