By Justin Rye |ContributorBetts Murdison, president and CEO of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta, spoke at the Leadership Discovery Luncheon at Augusta University on Nov. 15 in the Jaguar Student Activities Center.Murdison spoke to students about her experience in leadership roles within the Ronald McDonald House and gave some tips to up-and-coming leaders on ways to identify leadership behavior as well as understand the leadership mindset.Based on what Murdison calls her “Six Lessons on Leadership,” she established common values that she believes will contribute to successful leadership and team connectivity. She said her six lessons include:
- Lesson 1: Find out what motivates people
- Lesson 2: Trust your team
- Lesson 3: Model good qualities and people will copy them
- Lesson 4: Your team will follow their leader's attitude
- Lesson 5: You don’t have all the answers
- Lesson 6: Never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t or haven’t done yourself.
These attributes, according to Murdison, are what create the essence of good leadership. Each of these lessons are ones she says she has learned through her personal experiences in leadership, and would benefit those who may be new to leadership roles.Using various stories from her career, Murdison explained that, “leadership is a learned skill,” alluding to the need to be open and willing to listen when encountering new people and situations. She also spoke on the value of team diversity and cooperation.“Inclusivity should be about celebrating diversity, not simply tolerating it,” she said.Speaking with heavy emphasis on team work and cooperation, Murdison concluded with a reminder to always seek transparency and accountability in the various roles of leadership.The first 70 students in attendance at the lecture received a free lunch. Contact Justin Rye at jrye@augusta.edu.