How I Received Support on My Path Toward Leadership

Paige T., a Research Team Leader at Fisher Investments, received advice from a leader early in her career — and, ever since, it has made a lasting impression. “I should trust myself. If I see something that doesn't make sense or there is a better way to do it, then I should say something and be part of the process to change it,” explains Paige.

By following this advice, Paige became solutions-oriented, with the confidence to let her voice be heard. Aided by this mentality she found success that ultimately led to a promotion as a Team Leader! 

When Paige moved into people management nearly three years ago, this transition was sparked by a desire to use her voice to have a bigger impact. “The work I was doing [as an individual contributor] was very interesting and engaging,” Paige tells us, “But the most fulfilling part was working on side projects for the broad benefit of my group.” So, with the support of management, Paige was empowered to take on a leadership position where she can find solutions and use her voice on a larger scale. 

Paige tells us more about her career journey, including her path to leadership and what being a leader in one of the Employee Resource Groups entails.

You have worked at Fisher for over eight years and held many different roles. Why have you chosen to work here for so long? 

I love the work and being part of a group that does market research. I’ve learned more than I thought possible from some of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and I’m always feeling challenged. I value that a lot. Additionally, I appreciate the stability, benefits, and work-life balance I receive at Fisher. 

What was the first step you took when deciding to pivot into a manager role?

Fisher offers a class called Look Before You Leap that covers what it’s like to be a manager — the highs, the lows, the operational aspects — all of it. That gave me a good starting point to talk to the leaders in my group. From there, I did a lot of my own reflection and discussed the pivot with mentors before deciding to make the jump. My several years of work as an Employee Resource Group leader also set me up nicely for the transition. 

What training and continued support did you receive as you transitioned into leadership?

Where to begin! The one thing I never lacked was support. I was assigned a mentor, went through customized manager training for my group, and my new team and I were given structured opportunities to learn about each other and set goals and expectations for my transition. Once I had my feet under me, I participated in a weeklong training with other new managers across the firm, where I also got robust 360 feedback from my team, peers, leaders, and colleagues.

I recently went through a second round of 360 feedback, and it’s incredible to see where I’ve grown and what I can improve on. Continued development is taken very seriously around here, and I appreciate that it’s so tailored to my role. 

As a Team Leader, how do you prioritize developing your team as well as continuing to develop yourself? 

I meet with my team members regularly and make sure that they always have at least one personal development goal. Fisher is great at providing opportunities — you just have to say “yes!” and execute. My job is to make sure that I’m highlighting those development opportunities and giving them the time to be successful, and my managers do the same for me. So much of my growth has come from being willing to step outside of my comfort zone. 

You are also a leader for an Employee Resource Group at the firm. Why did you decide to get involved and become a leader?

I wanted to help provide opportunities and safe spaces to connect and build relationships outside of typical workplace collaborations. I’m now great friends with many people who I would’ve never had the opportunity to work with! 

Lastly, congrats on being a finalist for the C.O.R.E Award: Values Differences. What earned you that nomination, and how did it feel to be nominated? 

Being nominated was an honor! C.O.R.E (Celebrating Our Remarkable Employees) awards are firmwide awards that employees who make exceptional contributions to the firm can win. I’ve been involved in the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion efforts for several years and am my department’s main point of contact for all things Diversity and Inclusion. 

Some of the efforts I have supported are helping launch the firmwide program reinforcing Unconscious Bias training and continuing to lead one of the Employee Resource Groups at the firm. 

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