Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1544361
April/May 2026 | maconmagazine.com 43 See an extended version of this conversation inside our podcast, In Conversation with Macon Magazine. don't want tech failure. You don't want to move fast and fail, unless you're in the innovation space. CHARLOTTE: Our field has a real problem with technical debt, and that comes from those sorts of risk decisions. Going back to everyone's answer to the first question, deep dive into the data anytime you're faced with that, to present that through the frameworks and have those conversations with cautious optimism toward innovation. A lot of communication, a lot of discussion on the data and the risk, but that final decision is very limited to the voices that are actually going to say yes or no. Q What does effective collaboration look like in practice? CHARLOTTE: It depends on leadership style, but ultimately, open communication has to be there. Everyone has to be at the table. There are limited votes, but everyone has to be heard and everyone needs to be able to feel comfortable. HEATHER: Having some ownership, being a champion, having a stake in the game, so to speak. When you bring people along versus telling them what they're doing. A strong leadership team that's going to support major change makes all the difference between success or failure. CASSANDRA: It requires all levels of individuals to be on that team. Sometimes we are only focusing on the top leadership, when you got the boots on the ground that are truly able to give feedback and guidance. Q What leadership habits have consistently paid off? CASSANDRA: I learned this from a male mentor, and it was a tactical [plan]. I did not understand what that was at first, Every Sunday, he had the team send him your notes of what your week was going to look like, and if you had any questions, so he was able to give you individualized communication without necessarily coming to your desk or having you come up. TEKQUELL: I do Mentoring Mondays and First Fridays. The first Fridays of every month, I sponsor breakfast, lunch, whatever, snacks. Then we just sit, talk, collaborate. What I found since I started this position is a lot of the teams were in their own little silos. I think that is great to kind of build that synergy, cohesion, and camaraderie. HEATHER: I used to have one-on-ones where I would jump right into the agenda and get updates. I pause now and just go, "How are you doing?" That connection changes how the conversation goes. CHARLOTTE: Awareness and connection. There are a lot of different fields within the division and so you end up with employees across the division that do not know each other. I ensure they're all part of that, so they have buy-in and ownership. What makes the biggest difference early in a career? TEKQUELL: Mentorship. That investment was having people to invest in me, to see things in me that I didn't see in myself. That's helped me to get to where I am today. CASSANDRA: Having someone to call on, that you can trust and just be honest with them. HEATHER: Early on, having those connections, whether it be in the college or the technical schools or whomever that can connect you with people that will hire you or that will give you internships to get your foot in. CHARLOTTE: Everything comes from connection. Every opportunity I've had came from relationships. HEATHER: I think it's important that some of us have had those opportunities, and have had those connections and then we continue to be a part of that network where we hope the next ABOVE A. RIGHT Jo