I’m a Director at the Most Popular App for Sparking New Connections: Here Are My Top Leadership Tips

“When you move into a leadership position, don’t pull the ladder up from behind you. Mentor others and create processes so it’s easier for the next generation to succeed.”

This is what Bernadette Morgan, Tinder’s Director of Product for Trust & Safety, advises other women who are moving into leadership. Morgan was recently promoted to Director, and has been working on Trust & Safety for three years. She currently leads the team that builds features and tools to help keep members safe, like Tinder’s Safety Center and Photo Verification.

Morgan recently took the time to talk to Fairygodboss about her best leadership advice and her experience managing others at Tinder, which prioritizes collaboration, authenticity and the curiosity to grow personally and professionally, both as individuals and as teams.

What’s one strategy you’ve used when managing an individual or team that you think has been particularly effective?

Repeating back what you heard is a great management tool for individuals or teams. It demonstrates that you are listening, but it also clears up misunderstandings. We often listen through the filter of our preconceptions. Repeating back allows your team to correct you and leads to less confusion over time.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I believe in autonomy. I want to empower my team so that they can make decisions on their own. This enables them to grow to become leaders themselves.

What’s the No. 1 thing you hope your direct reports are getting out of working with you?

I hope that it’s a sense of freedom and ownership. My goal is for my reports to be more knowledgeable in their area than me. I want them to be suggesting our next great idea instead of having a top-down roadmap.

What do you believe managers must do when onboarding new employees? How did your own manager support you during this process?

Over-communicating is crucial for onboarding success. My own manager did this through many long conversations about our team’s goals, opportunities and challenges. Your new hire should be able to clearly articulate the problem space after their onboarding.

How do you prioritize and deal with your to-do list each day?

I make a weekly and a daily to-do list. The weekly list is short and contains “must” accomplish items. The daily list accrues tasks that can rollover until the end of the week. I reboot that process on Mondays so that I can cut out items that revealed that they were not urgent or important.

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Through their culture of supporting career growth and providing professional development programs, Tinder is dedicated to helping employees like Morgan flourish. To join their team, take a look at current job posting via the following link.

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