Elder has had a very busy year, not only leading WOW! through an acquisition by DigitalBridge and Crestview Partners to take the company private and accelerate its all-fiber expansion but also guiding its recent 100,000 fiber homes passed milestone in greenfield markets. Elder blends hands-on leadership with a people-first mentality, regularly making herself available to mentor and advise female colleagues at WOW! as well as through The WICT Network.
If you could bring one female historical figure into today’s corporate world, who do you think would thrive and why? Amelia Earhart comes to mind for me. She had the necessary technical skills to set her audacious goals and was willing to take risks to achieve them. She was able to solicit support from others who believed in her. She embraced the celebrity status that came with being the first female to cross the Atlantic solo and used her position to promote commercial travel and support other female aviators. These skills would translate well to today’s corporate environment.
With all the buzz around AI and automation, what’s one “human” skill you think will only grow more valuable? As we rely more on AI, I think EQ is more important than ever. Being able to understand people and the nuances of human interaction will become more valuable. EQ requires self-knowledge and reflection, empathy and the ability to self-regulate. AI will open a world of possibilities so a person with high EQ is more likely to use AI effectively as a tool for humans.
What’s a routine or ritual that keeps you grounded? I love talking with my team about the things that are most important for our investors, customers and people. We meet at least twice a week and have 1:1s weekly. We track metrics and follow up to hold each other accountable. Candid, data-driven discussions that balance our top priorities keep us focused on what is really moving the business forward. I just love interacting with smart, passionate people as we solve problems and set strategies together.
What part of your job would surprise people the most? People often think that being a C-level requires having all (or most) of the answers. Rather, I’ve found that those who rise to senior roles are good at asking the right questions at the right time. To me it is important to learn new things each day. This requires being curious and setting ego aside to learn from everyone.