Ep 376: Suzy Deering - Fearless - Fast

Fearless Creative Leadership

Edited highlights of our full conversation.

Here’s a question. What are your priorities?

This week’s guest is Suzy Deering. Most recently, she was the Global Chief Marketing Officer of Ford. Before that, she was the Global CMO of eBay. She’s held senior positions at Verizon and Home Depot. And she’s been recognized as one of Business Insider’s “Top 50 Most Innovative CMOs.”

The demands of those kinds of jobs can make you lose yourself.

Holding on to who you are and being clear about what really matters, does not happen easily - or by accident.

Suzy’s priorities are God, family, and work. In that order. She has said so, many times. On at least one occasion, as you’ll hear, she was told that her priorities were a problem for some of the people that worked with her.

She is so clear and certain about her priorities that when she joined Ford, she shared them in a document with her team.

Suzy’s priorities are not mine. And they may not be yours. But they are hers.

What makes them remarkable, in my experience, are two things. She knows what they are, and she states them publicly.

I believe the very best leaders share a common truth. They say what they mean and they mean what they say. Which builds trust for the people willing to join you on the journey.

Saying what you mean and meaning what you say become very much easier when you know what matters to you.

I’m curious to know if you do?

Send me an email at [e-mail] if you know your priorities and if you’re willing to share them.

And if you’re uncomfortable doing so, maybe ask yourself why.