Business

Empowering Leadership: Teresa Meares’ CARE Principles

October 7, 2024
9:52 pm

By: Joshua Finley

The world today is fast and has perpetual changes and challenges everywhere. In this effect, leadership has become an important element. Teresa Meares stands out and is identified with her leadership models through practical life experiences of resiliencies and compassion. Meares, through her experiences, conveys an approach to a whole outcome and empathetic application of leadership through her book, One C.A.R.E at a Time: Effective Leadership in Terms of Controlling Emotions. Her message is clear: it has nothing to do with the titles but rather with the influence and positive impact a person can have on others through the embracing of CARE-poised confidence, authenticity, responsibility, and empathy.

The Birth of One C.A.R.E at a Time

The inspiration behind One C.A.R.E at a Time came from Meares’s natural tendency to connect with others, offering counsel and guidance that resonated through storytelling. “The book’s premise is ironically it does really tie in a lot of my law enforcement,” explains Meares. Later, after years of experience in law enforcement and building skills in navigating high-pressure situations, she converted those experiences into lessons useful in daily life and leadership. The four most appealing leadership traits the book discusses are confidence, authenticity, responsibility, and empathy, which stand for CARE. “We are all leaders,” Meares says, indicating that leadership is not only about positions and titles but involves everyone who can affect and influence the lives of others, children, businesspeople, and community members. Meares has skillfully woven personal anecdotes and stories to express how each characteristic enables her to lead in day-to-day life.

Confidence: Embracing Mistakes and Growth

According to Meares, “You need to have confidence in the fact that you’re not always going to be right. You’re going to make mistakes.” We learn from those mistakes, but your confidence lets you know you’re open enough to receive it. Confidence is not about never failing but about being willing to learn, grow, and lead with conviction despite setbacks.

Authenticity: The Power of Being Yourself

Authenticity is the cornerstone of real leadership, says Meares. She shares, “You need to be yourself. If you’re trying to show them as though you were somebody else, they are going to see right through that, and you’re not going to make a good connection.” In her book, Meares recounts personal stories where being herself helped her connect with others and saved her life. Authenticity fosters genuine relationships, allows for vulnerability, and creates trust.

Accountability: Taking Responsibility for Oneself and Others

Accountability is a multi-faceted characteristic involving being aware of and capable of taking responsibility for yourself and others. Meares brings up a fine balance in managing teams: “As leaders, when you have a team of people, we tend to gravitate towards those 100 percenters all the time. But you need to take responsibility for all, yourself included.” Unless such a balance exists, the 80 percenters within a team can drain the energy of the top performers to make them burn out and inefficient. So, this means responsibility is recognizing and trying to remedy such dynamics to see that everyone within the system is well taken care of.

Empathy: Understanding and Connection with Others

Empathy is a key leadership trait in a disconnected world that helps bridge gaps and engender deeper connections. “If we stop and just have empathy, then that means we can see it from another person’s perspective,” Meares says. She tells of a powerful story from her days in law enforcement, where a small moment of rudeness led to the life-changing realization that others have struggles, too. Leaders can approach situations with compassion, patience, and support by recognizing that everyone struggles and has difficulties.

Conclusion

Through One C.A.R.E at a Time, Meares provides a blueprint for effective leadership that is relatable, actionable, and transformative. From confidence, authenticity, and responsibility to empathy, leaders at all levels can create meaningful connections, inspire others, and lead with integrity and purpose. Meares’ book is now available on Amazon and Audible, as she narrates herself in these powerful stories of life lessons. Whether one is a business leader, a parent, or an individual who wants to make a difference, somehow, Meares’ leading through CARE is an insight valued in time, helping someone grow into a professional.