Philippa Nesbit: Five Messages to My Younger Self About Leadership

During my 20 years at Citi, I've worked in a variety of roles, each with increasing leadership and management responsibilities. I have always enjoyed managing people and continue to refine my leadership style. It is hugely rewarding to see a company benefit from good leadership. Here are some of my thoughts on how to refine this quality.

1. Enable career development in others.

As a professional leader, remember that you are responsible for helping develop people's careers. To ensure this happens, make sure you challenge your employees to do their best. Providing recognition for a job well done is equally important.

2. Be accountable for your own decisions.

Own your decisions. Never blame senior management or "head office." If you are executing a decision, you must be accountable for the results.

3. Be adaptable. Be a leader for all seasons.

You will need to lead through good times, bad times and times of change. This will require adaptability in your skills.

4. Have an eye toward the future.

Lift your vision. Be a leader with an eye on the future. Be sure that your team understands your long-term strategy.

5. Create an inclusive work environment.

While this may seem obvious, treating everyone with respect and creating feelings of inclusivity is key to maintaining a creative, productive work environment. Reward the correct behaviors and disincentivize the wrong ones. Simply put, these efforts will help employees feel comfortable, welcome and challenged within the workspace.