Elsie St Léger of IIDA NY: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times
An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Instilling confidence. That’s a tough one. Admit you don’t know what you don’t know and ask questions — of yourself, of your team members, of your clients and your firm. Communication is critical and paramount. Experience counts, but so does compassion and patience. But in the end, maybe the most cliché is sometimes the soundest advice: Never let ’em see you sweat. Yes, you’re at your best when your team feels confident and empowered to act and react with a unified voice when issues arise, but as a leader, you must be the one to deliver the final decision. Wrong or right, don’t hesitate.
As part of our series about the “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Elsie St. Léger.
Elsie St. Léger entered the industry while earning her BFA at New York School of Interior Design, beginning in the residential sector before moving to healthcare. Now an assistant project manager at NYU Langone Health, St. Léger believes in giving back to the industry and began volunteering with IIDA NY. Now president of IIDA NY, she has played a vital role in the chapter’s push toward accountability and equity as a founding member of the chapter’s Equity Council.
As a trusted leader in New York’s interior design industry, St. Léger understands the value of building community during turbulent times. Her motto is momentum and progress, and her role as president has involved building on IIDA NY’s foundation while continuing on a positive trajectory. Despite the inability to conduct in-person programming, working remotely and reprioritizing has allowed St. Léger to foster the sense of remote community within the organization that has become important in the pandemic era.
Her previous leadership roles for IIDA NY includes that of Residential Forum Co-Chair and Healthcare Forum Co-Chair, and she was part of the leadership of LMNOP (Leadership Mentoring & Networking Opportunities for A&D Professionals), which is now integrated into IIDA NY.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
I went to NYU to study journalism and was a writer and editor for 20 years. But design was always a part of my life — at first on the periphery, then more and more as I grew dissatisfied with my career in magazine editorial. I decided to go to design school and made the career switch. Fourteen years into this new career, I still have no regrets.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?
It seemed such a small thing, but in my very first design class, on color, we were given the task of painting a room (on paper, of course) using a monochromatic scheme. It was a living room with a traditional setup. As we were discussing the project and the pieces within the room, our instructor stopped us. “The major piece in the room is a SOFA, not a couch. Please begin using the correct nomenclature. You are designers and must begin to learn and speak the language.” Whoops! I remember chuckling to myself, but I rarely make that mistake now. She’s right, of course: If as designers we are to communicate with our colleagues and partners in relevant trades and professions, then there needs to be a common language and basic terms that we all understand, whether we’re talking about furniture or pouring over construction documents.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
I’ll always be grateful to my parents, who provided emotional and financial support during some difficult professional transitions and decisions. My mom, who I’m not sure fully understands any of my career choices, is nonetheless unwavering in her support and certainty that I’ll be a success. I still remember my dad standing in front of my thesis presentation, reading my plans and nodding thoughtfully (he trained as a mechanical engineer). He then beamed and said to everyone who walked by, “This is my daughter’s project!” A little embarrassing, sure, but one that made me feel 10 feet tall. Still brings tears to my eyes. I have close friends and family who boost me in that same way: with love. I hope I can continue to do the same for them.
Extensive research suggests that “purpose driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your company started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?
I’ve never had my own company, but I can tell you that I’ve always wanted to work for design firms that had a clear, community-driven purpose. I originally wanted to practice institutional design, specifically education and culture, because education and literacy have always been important to me. But more than that, I wanted to design for the 99%. I have a purpose now working where I do, in the healthcare sector. In my small way, I’m contributing to the well-being of the 99%. I can live proudly with that.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?
I’m attempting to do that this year as chapter president of IIDA NY. The pandemic brought into clear focus what was working and what wasn’t. Addressing those concerns led to very difficult conversations and decisions, and implementing the changes is an ongoing process. I’m lucky to have the support of an incredible board of directors, each member bringing to the table years of experience and valuable perspectives.
Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?
I’m more comfortable every day leaning into what I do best: I’m an inveterate team player and enjoy the give and take of collaboration; I may deliberate to annoyance, but once I’ve made a decision and believe it was made for the right reasons, there’s no stopping me; and after backing away from it for a time, I’m willing to take the lead and install confidence to those I work with or lead. My own ambition keeps me going, but also a belief that I’m doing what I can where I can for the right reasons and with intention. I love design and I’m lucky to work with people who share my passion.
I still sometimes think, “Why did I think I was good at this?!” The trick is to not let the self-doubt trip you up, which is of course easier said than done. It’s a process.
What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?
Instilling confidence. That’s a tough one. Admit you don’t know what you don’t know and ask questions — of yourself, of your team members, of your clients and your firm. Communication is critical and paramount. Experience counts, but so does compassion and patience. But in the end, maybe the most cliché is sometimes the soundest advice: Never let ’em see you sweat. Yes, you’re at your best when your team feels confident and empowered to act and react with a unified voice when issues arise, but as a leader, you must be the one to deliver the final decision. Wrong or right, don’t hesitate.
When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?
One of the hardest parts of being a leader is utilizing the strengths of each individual team member. I’ve always thrived in that kind of environment, where everyone felt empowered to bring their best to the table. There’s no formula, really, and it’s difficult to find the balance between giving each member the space to shine and jumping in when necessary to fix the small mistakes before they become larger disasters. One of my strengths is making those I work with feel valued. I lean into that because I’ve found that in unprecedented times, it’s that trust you’ve built that gets you through. This pandemic reinforced that lesson for me.
What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?
There’s no formula, per se. I can only share what’s worked for me: If you’ve done the work to establish that trust, those difficult conversations are more manageable. If you think of how some of today’s largest and most visible companies — whether it’s a tech firm or a pharmaceutical giant — handle even small controversies, the ones that lean into transparency, even if it’s performative, eventually regain their clients’ and customers’ trust.
How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?
What’s that saying about the best-laid plans? The future is always unknown. You learn from the past and build a foundation on the lessons learned. I have no advice beyond that.
Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?
Stay focused. A very close second: Prepare for the worst, but build for success. I’ve jokingly called myself a pessimistic optimist — people, teams, companies will let you down at some point, but there’s nothing like celebrating the triumphs, large and small, with the people who’ve worked beside you and for you.
Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?
Ego cannot be your sole driver. You can’t always be right, so admit when you’re wrong and work quickly to correct the mistake. Optics matter! Your clients aren’t blind. Or stupid.
Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?
I’m not in a position to offer advice on this matter.
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.
Be honest. There’s a certain level of transparency that’s necessary to hold on to your customers when stuff happens — and it always does (see: Tylenol). Trust your team — you’ve assembled the members, now let them do what they do best (see: Apple). Be flexible. It’s worth repeating that none of us can predict the future (see: auto industry). Be open to new ideas. Change is inevitable (see: auto industry, big tech).
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I don’t have one — yet.
How can our readers further follow your work?
I’m currently building on our initiatives for IIDA NY to bring the greater design community together in the state of New York. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iidanychapter/.
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Elsie St Léger of IIDA NY: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
