Emerging Leaders: The Achiever, Alex DiCaro
Recognizing Leadership Style:
Welcome to the Emerging Leaders Blog series. Center for Work Life put on thinking caps to determine a method for reaching out and assisting leaders in the local Orlando community. The Emerging Leaders blog series based on the SPM (Spony Profiling Model) is the result. Not only has this series assisted notable female professionals who have participated, but these posts are also designed to help readers assess their own style. Each blog post reveals a leadership style, discusses that style’s characteristics and features a local leader who embodies the style.
Based on the SPM (Spony Profiling Model), created by Dr. Gilles Spony, at Cranfield School of Management, Presentation Trainer Marion Chapsal, developed a model of 12 leadership styles. The purpose of determining one’s fit in the model is to understand their strengths and learn from a mentor with the opposite leadership style.
The Achiever Leadership Style:
According to Chapsal, Achievers bring to their organizations a determination to achieve and an effective, focused and fast-paced working style. Sensitive to concrete results, Achievers are more comfortable with concise and factual information rather than too much detail. Thought they can sometimes become blunt and impatient under stress, they are assertive, direct and get the job done. CEO of Xerox, Ursula Burns, embodies this style.
Once a leader understands their style, leaders then understand an ideal sponsor for them would be someone with the opposite style. Facilitators are the opposite of Achievers. Facilitators are viewed as friendly. They spend time seeking agreement and consensus. Though good at listening, they are sometimes considered to lack effectiveness or become too dependent on other people’s opinions. They communicate with enthusiasm, show empathy, maintain eye contact, are expressive, and are understanding. Under stress, they can become emotional and irrational. Seeking a sponsor of the opposing leadership style will enable an individual to learn from a different style and improve on their own weaknesses, while still growing in their strengths.
Words from an Achiever:
Within the Orlando community, Center of Work Life identified Bank of America Assistant Vice President and Associate Small Business Banker, Alexandra DiCaro, to have an Achiever Leadership Style. Alexandra has been working with businesses in the Central Florida area since 2004 and joined Bank of America in 2012. Alexandra is a member of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce and enjoys the beach, music, movies, reading and family time. When asked about leadership, she replied “My definition of leadership it to provide ethical guidance to bring about a positive change. To take charge and ensure a successful conclusion.”
Alex DiCaro
Assistant Vice President Small Business Banker
Bank of America
As someone with an Achiever leadership style, what goes on in Alexandra’s mind on a day-to-day basis? Alexandra explained “I pride myself on the fact that I can exceed at whatever I try. I learned a long time ago that success is a choice. If I work hard, and I mean put the time and effort in, I will get the results.” As a leader she says “I work hard to empower everyone. Teach them, allow them to contribute and celebrate our group success. I am also honest with everyone. I provide honest feedback that I feel people need to grow. I remember something I once read, ‘Those whom care, tell you the things you don’t want to hear.’”
She added concerning success and leadership “I set goals for myself. Every day I try something new and when I reach my goal, I raise the mark. I think you can never truly be successful if you don’t reset your goals higher and higher. I also am very open to feedback and coaching. I know that no matter how good I am I can get better. If I miss my goal today, I work twice as hard to get it by tomorrow. Goals change, it’s the nature of what we do. We hit a goal and raise the bar each time. Think of an athlete whom constantly focuses on beating their own record to get better and better. I feel you have to love doing what you do and keep pushing to do it better and better.”
Leaders like Alexandra make a big difference everyday and it takes all types of leaders to make the business world function. Achievers need facilitators, innovators need analysts and so on. Congratulations to Alexandra and all the achievers our there for their hard earned accomplishments. Never stop investing in your personal development as a leader and look for mentors who can facilitate growth. In Alexandra’s words “Work hard, stay ethical and enjoy doing what you do!”
