#LeadershipTuesdays: Lead By Example

“Lead by example. Don’t ask your folks to do something that you aren’t willing to do.”

--Rosalind Brewer, COO of Starbucks

On Tuesdays, womenatliberty.com presents #LeadershipTuesdays, a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage and strengthen women leaders. Last week Rosalind Brewer, Starbucks' Chief Operating Officer, was in the news when her appointment to Amazon's Board of Directors was made public. She is only the fourth woman and the second African American woman to become a member of Amazon's Board.

Rosalind has held many leadership positions and had great success at leading at companies like Sam's Club, a $56 billion line of business owned by Walmart, where she was the President and CEO; and Kimberly-Clark where she spent 22 years rising up the ranks. As the quote above suggests, Rosalind believes in a leadership philosophy that incorporates respect, transparency and candour. She says that we shouldn't ask people to do things that we are not willing to do. Ethical leadership is a combination of integrity, respect for the individual, and the willingness to do what you have asked others to do.

Rosalind Brewer has demonstrated over time that she is a leader who is also willing to stand up for what she believes. How she handled the backlash over her comments in 2015 regarding a Sam's Club supplier's lack of diversity, even in the midst of receiving death threats, spoke volumes regarding her commitment to her core values and beliefs. Her skills and experience as well as her commitment to diversity will be a great asset for Amazon. Congratulations to her on this appointment and best wishes for continued success.

Follow #LeadershipTuesdays on Twitter @LeadershipTues to see daily posts with resources that help you develop and strengthen your leadership skills. Happy #LeadershipTuesdays!