A SATISFYING LIFE

Striving for life balance has brought me great satisfaction personally and professionally. When I reflect on what I enjoyed the most about my leadership roles at Baxter, I realize it was the opportunity I had to be a role model for life balance. There were times when I was in a meeting at five o'clock and, regardless of how important that session was, I had to tell people that I was leaving because I had to coach twenty first-grade girls who were waiting for me at the local baseball field. Because I tried to set an example that balance was important, many fantastic people wanted to work on my team. Being balanced did not mean that we didn't work hard. We did. Being balanced, however, did provide each team member with the flexibility needed to get the job done in the context of his or her life.

It all comes down to balance, in every sense of that word. As a values-based leader, you commit to life balance for yourself, and you model it for others. You seek a balance of perspectives as you explore issues, evaluate opportunities, and make decisions. You acknowledge that you cannot possibly know or do everything; there are choices. By committing to balance, which is reinforced through self-reflection, you gain a fuller perspective that clarifies your decisions, whether you are leading an initiative at work, weighing a career opportunity, or making sure that you have time for the most important things in your life. In short, by being balanced, you will have the necessary perspective and multifaceted life that come with being a values-based leader.