Courageous Leader Series: Shawna Dennis

Shawna Dennis – Courageous Leadership in Marketing and Communications

Shawna Dennis is the VP of Marketing & Communications for MD Financial Management (now an arm of Scotiabank). This is a well-deserved role for a true Marketing Communications professional. When I first met Shawna seven years ago, I caught a glimpse of her confident nature and ability to effectively communicate complex topics into interesting and engaging conversations with her audience. She was speaking at a roadshow for investment professionals about how Digital Marketing was integral to the future of business development. We were in Alberta, with stops in Edmonton and Calgary, and if my memory is correct, she was presenting to about 100 advisors about how to harness the value of LinkedIn. The room was a mix of curious, confused, and inspired. For many in the audience, wading into the world of evolving online connection was a foreign concept.

Shawna could sense the comfort level for these new digital communication tools was mixed. Where some presenters in a similar situation would struggle and default to simply lobbing information, she stayed present. She married her acumen and genuine excitement about the possibilities these tools could have on sales, their businesses and ultimately their clients.  It was truly inspiring.

As a woman in business, my experience is that “being yourself” is a choice. Do I say what needs to be said to help people be a better version of themselves at work? Do I wear the mask today and fit in, or do I show up as me and be an authentic, fallible, and driven human? Shawna Dennis shows up as 100% herself. After our interview, I would call her brave, strong and positive. I hope she inspires you to see that being courageous – by saying and doing what you feel is right – can be bumpy, however, it may also lead you to new opportunities and wide appreciation for being just that.

Jen: Tell me about a leader that you admired in your career.

Shawna: Brian Peters, the retired CEO of MD was a very down to earth leader. His leadership was calm, respectful and I felt that he really listened and learned from his team. I don’t like having to play the political games that are so common in many workplaces;  Brian’s leadership seemed to endorse transparency and a lack of hierarchy. It was a refreshing change and his successor has the same approach.

Jen: What helps you manage a very demanding workload?

Shawna: Be ruthless with your calendar. If other people on your team are in a meeting, do you really need to be there? And now more than ever, protecting your team’s workload (and mental capacity) means having to say no to some things and focus on what’s truly important to meeting business objectives.

Jen: We knew a long time ago we were not going back to normal anytime soon. What are you implementing to enable a more productive way of working?

Shawna: I try to ensure consistency in a few areas. For example, we provide a regular recap of key accomplishments in Marketing & Communications to senior leaders across the org. This helps promote the work of the team and showcase their value. In terms of communication with my team, we have tried to step up consistent touch bases. This helps me understand the more personal aspect of what is going on with people, and provides the time to acknowledge this before jumping into work. I don’t want to add on to someone who may be feeling overwhelmed, so regular channels of communication are critical to stay informed as to how the people on my team are doing. I recently attended a leadership workshop and they introduced the concept of “30 seconds for every player, every day.” It really resonated with me.

Jen: What is the bravest thing you’ve seen a leader do (or perhaps you have done yourself) that may have cost them something professionally, but advanced the team for the greater good?

Shawna: My own personal experience is standing up to a leader that questioned giving a deserving woman a promotion because she was pregnant and going on maternity leave. Fortunately, it worked, and that person got the promotion. Unfortunately, I believe it was the beginning of the end for me as my job was eliminated only a few months later. Although I don’t believe it was the only reason, I can’t help but think it didn’t win me any points with my boss.

Jen: As a leader, what have you learned through the lockdown period about people that you otherwise may not have?

Shawna: You definitely learn a lot about the human side of people when you’re forced to do everything virtually. Video calls are now in people’s homes and the challenges and interruptions are very evident. It makes people very vulnerable. It’s so important as a leader to put people at ease and reassure them that they’re not alone and everyone is dealing with their own hurdles. Through virtual social hours, we’ve discovered a lot about each other that we wouldn’t normally – hobbies, passions, likes/dislikes… what our kids look and act like!

Jen: Do you have advice for new people leaders?

Shawna: Empathy is key – especially during times like these. Have patience and trust your people. Be open to conversations that may end up more emotional than usual. And always, always encourage personal and professional growth. Each individual’s career path rests in their hands – you can advocate and support, but ultimately, everyone is responsible for their own destiny. Don’t avoid nurturing talent because they might leave – consider it a badge of honour when someone you work closely with becomes in demand.

What courageous leaders have inspired your career? Reach out today and share your story with Jen Schrafft Coaching.