‘Supportive, open and adventurous’: Weber Shandwick MD Ava Lawler on what it means to be a leader
Following her PR Leader of the Year win at 2017’s CommsCon Awards, Weber Shandwick’s Ava Lawler speaks to Mumbrella about resilience, finding a work/ life balance and the all-important to do list.
What has been the biggest change for you since winning PR Leader of the Year at Mumbrella’s CommsCon Awards in 2017?
Being recognised last year was a real honour. I was humbled by the experience and it has increased my aspiration to be a good leader. I feel that I am continually learning from my peers, team and clients and this motivates me to do more to support, guide and inspire as much as possible.
In your opinion, what makes a good leader?
For me, leadership is about taking people on a journey and creating an environment that makes that journey exciting, fun and worthwhile. Good leaders will work with their teams to create a vision and plan and then empower them to go forth and conquer, while always being there to support, guide and motivate as required.