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The Courage to Lead Imperfectly with Melissa Russell
What if becoming a stronger leader isn’t about getting everything right—but becoming more honest about where you need to grow?   In this episode of the Moving Forward Podcast, Melissa Harrison sits down with Melissa Russell, President of charity: water, for a candid conversation about leading through failure, receiving feedback, and releasing the expectation of perfection.   Melissa explains that leaders have to become comfortable with acknowledging when something hasn’t gone as planned. If perfection is the goal, every criticism or mistake can feel crippling. But when leaders accept that they will not always get everything right, they become freer to receive feedback, learn from it, and keep moving forward.   She also challenges a common way of describing organizational culture: “We’re not a family. We are a sports team.” A healthy team can care deeply for one another, form lasting friendships, and have fun doing difficult work together while still remaining clear about roles, performance, accountability, and what the mission requires.   The conversation becomes deeply personal as Melissa shares about losing her mother and stepfather shortly after stepping into her role at charity: water. At the same time, she was helping her oldest child transition to college. That season brought her to the end of herself and taught her the importance of asking for help, receiving care, and allowing others to carry some of the weight. As she shares, “It’s a very vulnerable thing to need help—and to receive it.”   Melissa also offers an inside look at working alongside a founder, building trust with an executive team, and creating an organizational culture where people can “say the real thing in the room.” She explains why empowerment and accountability must go hand in hand—and why leaders should never hold someone responsible for a goal without giving them the authority and clarity needed to achieve it.   The conversation also explores the global water crisis and its disproportionate impact on women and girls. Melissa shares how access to clean water can transform an entire community—improving health, allowing girls to attend school, strengthening families, and bringing a new sense of peace and hope.   This conversation is ultimately about leading with humility: accepting that you will not always get it right, creating teams where both people and the mission can flourish, and trusting God enough to move forward before you feel completely ready.   In this episode, we get into: Perfection isn’t the goal of leadership. Receive feedback, acknowledge what didn’t go well, and keep moving forward. Your organization is a team—not a family. Healthy teams care for one another while remaining clear about roles, accountability, and what the mission requires. You can move forward before you feel completely ready. Trust God’s prompting, trust what you know, and don’t let doubt keep you waiting. Melissa also shares why leaders need trusted relationships where they can be vulnerable, fully known, and reminded that they are not alone. Those relationships don’t simply support us through difficult seasons—they change how we lead, parent, and show up in every part of our lives. She closes the conversation with a clear challenge for the woman who knows it is time to take a step forward: “You know, you know, you know. So act on it. Don’t wait.”   4word is excited to welcome Melissa to BOLDLY this October in Dallas, where she will share more about her leadership journey and the life-changing work of charity: water. Learn more about BOLDLY at 4wordwomen.org/boldly/.   About Melissa Harrison Melissa Harrison is a journalist, nonprofit leader, and President & CEO of 4word. She is passionate about helping women integrate faith, leadership, and purpose in the workplace. As host of the Moving Forward Podcast, Melissa brings a storyteller’s perspective to honest conversations about work, calling, growth, and the courage to keep moving forward.   Learn more about Melissa: melissaharrison.net Follow Melissa on LinkedIn and Instagram   About 4word 4word is a global community for Christian women in the workplace, helping women grow in their faith, thrive in their work, and become the women and leaders God created them to be.   Find out more about 4word: https://4wordwomen.org/ Follow 4word on LinkedIn and Instagram  
Moving Forward
https://4wordwomen.org/podcast/
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