Assurance Financial’s Katherine Campbell gets candid on power structures

“Navigating power structures means having a very clear goal of what you’re trying to achieve. That way, all decisions are not emotional at the moment. They are based on moving towards the goal. Often, we have to take a step back to make a leap forward. Buy-in is more critical than being right. Patience and persistence. Every. Day.”

Campbell is one of this year’s MPA Elite Women awardees. In the 2022 special report, she talked candidly about her leadership style and shared a mantra that has helped her grow as a person and advance her career.  

“I let the men be men, which is why I think I work well with them,” Campbell said. “I am in awe at times with their ability to be more black and white and less gray. I greatly admire that strength, particularly when difficult decisions need to be made. I can’t imagine a workplace where men and women don’t co-exist, co-influence, and co-lead.

“I wrote a personal mantra a couple of years ago:  Today, you have nothing to prove. But, every day, there is something to improve. I say it to myself frequently, but I remind my team to think this way, too. I like it because it opens with confidence and ends with humility. Great leaders recognize that it takes guts to grow a career, and no-one is ever going to be a bigger advocate for you than you, so find your voice. But with every single accomplishment, show gratitude and grace.”

You can find out more about the other winners and their views on unconscious biases and gender inequality by reading the full Elite Women 2022 special here: Charting a different path.