Leadership Greater Topeka | Zach Frank

Compiled by LAUREN JURGENSEN | Photos by BRADEN DIMICK

What is one leadership lesson you've learned in your career and what impact has it made on you? 
I think it was Harry Truman who said, "It's amazing what you can accomplish when you do not care who gets the credit." I have witnessed that to be true on successful teams I’ve been a part of. You can accomplish a lot when the group is focused on the goal, rather than the awards that come with it.  

What has been your biggest Aha! moment? 
When I confided in a supervisor that a situation I was going through was new for me, and that I didn’t know how to handle it. I respected her as a leader and was relieved when she told me she had never navigated that type of experience, either, but that we’d get through it together. It was comforting to know I was not an island. It’s also an example of how the best leaders learn by embracing new experiences and opportunities.  

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader? 
A mentor once told me she reads everything John Maxwell writes. That has proven to be great advice. I also really enjoy listening to a variety of podcasts on leadership. I meet regularly with different groups of people that provide great advice and sharpen me as an individual. I also try to learn something from everyone I meet, because everyone is an expert in something. 

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