Lessons Learned from being Director of Operations
Lessons Learned from being Director of Operations
March 2025 - Paige Leishman - 5 min read
Lesson 2: The Power of Timely Feedback
Another critical skill I honed was streamlining workflows and encouraging continuous feedback loops. One of my contributions was refining our team’s content calendars based on processes from previous quarters. These calendars became invaluable tools for guiding our squads through their production timelines while ensuring their work received feedback at multiple stages—not just at the end. This iterative approach allowed us to catch issues early, make adjustments, and keep projects on track. It also fostered collaboration and improved the quality of our final deliverables. Working in operations gave me a front-row seat to how interconnected every role is within a team. From Product Managers to Account Managers to UX and Marketing Technologies, each position played a vital role in delivering value to our clients. As Director of Operations, I learned how a team content calendar helps facilitate communication between these roles and ensure that everyone was aligned on goals and expectations.
Lesson 1: Change is a Constant
One of the biggest takeaways from this experience is that change is inevitable. Despite carefully planning each Sprint during our Sprint Planning Meetings and anticipating potential hurdles, unexpected challenges still came up. Initially, this unpredictability felt frustrating and often made me feel like it was out of my control. However, as I embraced change as a natural part of any process, I found myself responding more effectively and efficiently. A key insight from Reality-Based Leadership by Cy Wakeman resonated with me: resisting change only creates unnecessary stress. Accepting it allows you to focus on solutions rather than problems.
This past Winter Quarter at Western Washington University, I had the privilege of serving as the Director of Operations for the Applied Integrated Marketing Communications course. In this role, I collaborated with three other Executive Team Members, overseeing a dynamic team that included 6 Product Managers, 2 Account Managers, 1 User Experience Manager, 1 Marketing Technologies Manager, and 23 Content Creators. Together, we worked to deliver impactful content for our two clients: the WWU Marketing Program and the WWU Merriman Financial Literacy Program. Here are some valuable lessons I learned along the way.
Lesson 3: The Importance of Empathy in Leadership
One valuable lesson I learned during this experience was the importance of empathy when leading a team. Each individual brought unique strengths to the table, which meant that understanding their perspectives was key to fostering a positive working environment while everyone navigated the challenges of each position. Whether it was helping someone manage their workload or providing encouragement during stressful moments, showing empathy helped build trust within the team. It reminded me that leadership isn’t just about managing tasks; it’s also about supporting people so they can do their best work.
Picture of one of our Client’s Content Calendars
Final Thoughts
Serving as the Director of Operations taught me invaluable lessons about adaptability, leadership, and process optimization. From navigating change to creating workflows that encourage collaboration and feedback, this experience has equipped me with skills I’ll carry forward in my career. Most importantly, it reminded me that success often lies in how well you adapt to challenges—and how effectively you support your team in doing the same.
