Episode 43:
Female Leader | A Matter of Perspective
Lacy Starling is a fearless female leader who has accomplished so much in so little time. As the owner of Starling Holdings, Lacy serves as the president of Legion Logistics, co-founder of Legion 
Technologies, and founder and chief storyteller of Starling Consulting. Running three successful businesses is nothing short of impressive, but like many of us, Lacy still struggles with perfectionism. The drive to always be better can stifle our progress in some cases, but Lacy learned how to confront her inner voice and look at stressful situations with a new perspective. A leader’s energy is radiant and it affects everyone around them. So, there is a lot to gain by learning to appreciate imperfect situations with the big picture in mind.
Embrace Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Lacy recommends learning how to set boundaries for yourself and for your schedule; learning how to unplug and put yourself first so you can focus. All of this affects your capacity to lead and people often forget that even the most successful leaders face an ongoing internal struggle. As a matter of fact, depression and anxiety have been instrumental in shaping Lacy into the great female leader she is today. She had to master interpersonal communication and learn how to detach under difficult circumstances. It is different for all of us, but if you can figure out how and when to hit pause, you can start thinking and acting from a place of rationality instead of emotion.
Recognize What’s at Stake
Communication is critical to your success as a female leader, so use every challenge and strain as an opportunity to develop that muscle. When you are in the midst of a difficult situation with emotions running high, there is no better solution than to take a step back and reevaluate. Use the moment when you hit pause to realize what is really at stake and change your course of action accordingly. Emotion is a double-edged sword that can propel us forward just as easily as it can hold us back, so energy management is key. If you are interested in learning more about Lacy’s journey, listen to her episode,
About Lacy Starling
Lacy Starling is the owner of Starling Holdings, where she has three jobs: president and Fearless Leader of Legion Logistics, LLC, a third-party logistics brokerage; Co-Founder of Legion Technologies, an app-development and tech company; and Founder and Chief Storyteller of Starling Consulting, a management consulting firm located in the greater Cincinnati area. Starling started her largest venture, Legion Logistics, in the basement of her house in 2009 and it has made three consecutive appearances on the Inc 500/Inc 5000 list, has twice been named one of the top-10 fastest-growing woman-led companies in the world by the Women Presidents Organization, received a Deloitte Rising Star Award, and has won several national awards for veteran hiring initiatives. Lacy is a 2015 recipient of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Cincinnati Business Couriers Forty under 40, and serves on several local non-profit boards. She teaches sales as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati’s Lindner College of Business. Lacy lives in Union with her partner, Brian, and her eight-year-old daughter, Catherine.
What You Will Learn:
- Lacy’s role as a female leader in three successful businesses
- Lacy’s struggle with perfectionism, anxiety, and depression, and how she manages it
- How Lacy’s mental and emotional hurdles have shaped her into an even more effective leader
- The importance of hitting pause and withdrawing your emotions from a discussion or negotiation
- How to reshape your perspective and become more receptive to challenges
- How Lacy deals with simultaneous struggles at home and at work
Resources:
- Website:
- Facebook: facebook.com/starlingconsults
- Twitter: @lacyjstarling
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lacyjstarling
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