The HousingWire award spotlight series highlights the individuals and organizations that have been recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for HousingWire’s 2023 HW Vanguards are open until, July 28, 2023. Click here to nominate someone from your organization, today.
Each year, HousingWire’s prestigious Vanguard award recognizes the c-suite leaders in housing who are making an impact on the industry at large. Whether it’s real estate, mortgage or fintech, these professionals are leading one of the largest sectors of our economy.
HousingWire reached out to past honorees for a lesson in leadership. We asked the 2022 HW Vanguards the question: What is the one trait or behavior that, in your experience, makes an effective leader?
Take a look at their responses below and don’t miss the chance to nominate an industry executive for housing’s most prestigious honor.
“Self-awareness is a trait that definitively separates a leader from someone who wants to be. To be an effective leader, you must first be brutally honest with yourself to not only acknowledge your deficiencies but also to understand your strongest attributes. Your primary responsibility as a leader is to create harmony amongst your team to move collectively towards a common goal. But, harmony can only exist when you understand both the skills and the gaps amongst your team — starting first and foremost with yourself. It’s only when you have a well-defined snapshot of who you are that you can blaze a trail for others to follow.” — Katie Sweeney, CEO of Association of Independent Mortgage Experts
“Endless curiosity. My signature phrase is, ‘always ask why.’ It challenges teams — myself included — to think of the higher purpose of what we are trying to achieve. It resets and aligns teams to march toward the same vision, and it can push you to think in ways you hadn’t previously explored. I wholeheartedly believe that curiosity is absolutely imperative to continue innovating. — Peter Bowman, co-founder and CEO at Flueid
“Humility is one of the most important qualities for an effective leader to have. Humility allows us to see and appreciate the value of others. Humility allows us to admit mistakes and learn from them. A humble leader is willing to say ‘I don’t know’ and acknowledge that they doesn’t have all the answers. This trait can go a long way in creating a healthy culture and a winning team.” — Kevin Pezzani, chief operating officer at Supreme Lending
