The Women Who Shaped My Leadership Journey

Looking back on his career, Michael Doshier highlights that his greatest lessons didn’t come from roles or titles, but from people—specifically, a group of remarkable women who reshaped his understanding of leadership, work and humanity. Their insight, courage and generosity influenced how he leads today. This piece is his tribute to the women who shaped his leadership journey.

Learning That Leadership Starts With Humanity

My earliest leadership lesson came from Patty Carr. Early in my career, I believed success came from rules, routines and relentless productivity. I was efficient, but not exactly human.

Patty changed that.

With her background in retail and food service, she led with joy. Her philosophy was simple: Work is human before it is operational. She taught me that:

• Culture is created intentionally.
• People perform best when they feel valued, not monitored.
• Fun isn’t the opposite of productivity, it fuels it.

When someone tells me I’m “fun to work with,” I know exactly where it started: Patty — my former colleague, now my wife — who taught me that leadership begins with humanity.

The Discipline to Focus and the Courage to Think Bigger

As my career evolved, I had the chance to work for Ellyn McColgan, a leader who refused to let me think small. Three principles from Ellyn still guide me:

1. Think big. Act big. Lead big.

She pushed me beyond incremental thinking and into bolder ideas.

2. Focus is a leadership responsibility.

If I brought her five “priorities,” she dismissed them. One thoughtful idea earned her full attention.

3. Empowering others is the real test of leadership.

Her rule was simple: take a true, two-week, no-contact vacation. If your team thrived, you were empowering them. If not, you weren’t building capability. It’s still one of the clearest leadership tests I know.

Imagining What Doesn’t Yet Exist

I met Cheri Belski long before we worked together at LPL Financial. In a brief moment, she saw not who I was, but who I could become. Now that I get to work with her, I’m constantly inspired by her vision and intuition.

Cheri taught me that:

• Great leaders don’t wait for perfect processes.
• Matching people to opportunity is a creative act.
• Sometimes leadership means guiding someone toward a path they can’t yet see.

Reclaiming Confidence and the Power of Authenticity

I first worked with Jeanne Thompson more than 20 years ago. After time away to raise her children, she returned to work worried that she was “out of practice.” She wasn’t — she just needed space to remember her strengths.

From Jeanne, I learned:

• Authenticity creates influence faster than authority.
• Humility and transparency accelerate trust.
• When people feel seen and supported, they step into strengths they didn’t know they had.

Her journey — from self-doubt to respected industry voice — and now my colleague at LPL, is a reminder of the power of belief and support.

What I Carry Forward

Across these experiences, three ideas anchor my leadership approach:

1. Lead the whole person:

People are more than their output.

2. Listen for perspective, not just information:

There’s always a story around what you’re hearing.

3. Know your lens and honor the lenses of others:

Self-awareness and empathy aren’t optional.

In Closing

Women’s History Month celebrates pioneers, but it’s also a moment to honor the women who shape us quietly and consistently. My career has been enriched by women who taught me to lead bigger, think deeper and care more intentionally.

Their lessons guide me every day — and for that, I am deeply grateful.