After 22 years at MarketSource, operations manager Paul Parker has plenty of wisdom to share about how to succeed within the organization and in general. It may be surprising to know that his excellent leadership hinges on the recognition that life and work are both parts of a unified whole.
“I believe getting to know others beyond their job responsibilities helps them feel safe enough to bring their authentic selves to work,” he explains. “As a manager, I focus on understanding people on a personal level, reminding me of the importance of empathy and kindness—because you never know what someone is going through on any given day.”
Paul practices what he preaches. He has built some very strong relationships using this principle. “My manager, my peers, and I have grown up together in the business,” he says. “We all started close to around the same time, had kids around the same time (all girls between the three of us!), and now, we’re all in leadership roles to help guide the business through the ups and downs.”
What motivates him, however, is the opportunity to prove he’s someone who can be counted on. “I don’t want to let others down, whether it’s my manager, the client, my peer, or my team,” he says. “I wasn’t raised to just be ‘ok’ at something…I was raised to believe that if you’re going to do something, do it 100%. I want to make sure people know that whatever is asked of me, I can always be depended on to do a great job.”
“I believe getting to know others beyond their job responsibilities helps them feel safe enough to bring their authentic selves to work,” he explains. “As a manager, I focus on understanding people on a personal level, reminding me of the importance of empathy and kindness—because you never know what someone is going through on any given day.”
How does Paul enact this intention? “Do what you say and say what you do,” he says. “We’re only as good as our word, and you will either build trust or lose trust based on your actions.”
So, in the spirit of getting to know others on a personal level, here is more to know about Paul. He has been married to Mandy for 22 years. Together, they have two daughters—Avery, a freshman in college, and Finley, a sophomore in high school—and two beloved dogs, June Carter Cash and Bodhi (the latter is named after Patrick Swayze’s character in the movie Point Break).
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