When Mich\u00e8le Boudria started her first job at a McDonald\u2019s restaurant at 16 years old, she never imagined that the first company she worked for would also be the last.<\/p>\n
\u201cNever in a million years did I think I would become President and CEO. I\u2019m honoured and proud, and I always remember where I came from,\u201d Boudria said.<\/p>\n
She recounted how she fell in love with the McDonald\u2019s brand and running a business when she visited Brock on Wednesday, Oct. 18 to share insights on leaderships with more than 140 students and members of the Brock community while receiving the Goodman School of Business 2023 Distinguished Leader Award.<\/p>\n
The honour is given annually to a prominent Canadian business leader who shares their leadership journey and connects with students about their professional experiences.<\/p>\n
Boudria started the day meeting with a group of Goodman student leaders at the recently renovated Pendale McDonald\u2019s location, where students got to see the latest technological innovations and engage with the McDonald\u2019s Canada team, including owner\/operator Edwin Infante. Following that, she joined Goodman Dean Barry Wright for a fireside chat to discuss her leadership journey.<\/p>\n
During their conversation, Boudria shared her personal guideposts for leadership values based around the acronym HELP: honesty, empathy, lifting while I climb and partnering with others.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are four values that I like to live by,\u201d she said. \u201cHonesty \u2014 if you invest in time to deeply connect with people and create relationships, they are open to candid and honest feedback. They genuinely know that you\u2019re looking to help them improve. Having truth tellers around you is incredibly important.\u201d<\/p>\n
She shared how significant empathy is, and how important it is for leaders to put themselves in the shoes of others, including their customers, and to ask for different perspectives to strengthen decision-making.<\/p>\n
\u201cLifting while I climb is about me giving back,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople have given me wings over the years, and I feel like it\u2019s my responsibility to pay it forward. It\u2019s the part of my job that I love the most and it really fulfils me.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also introduced the concept of partnering with others to create a personal board of directors to provide career guidance and support, which can include people with similar roles, mentors, coaches and advocates.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe advocate is the person who speaks for you when you\u2019re not in the room,\u201d she said. \u201cThey are at the table, helping guide important career decisions for you. Figure out who that person is and be consistently clear on your ambitions. As I\u2019ve taken on more senior roles, I\u2019ve also made sure that I\u2019m on other people\u2019s board of directors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Goodman student leader Naomie Jeynathakumar was part of the group that participated in the session at the Pendale location.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an experience I was so glad that I got to take part in,\u201d she said. \u201cWe had valuable one-on-one conversations with all the McDonald\u2019s team members, and it was really great having that discussion and for them to share with us how they are innovating and learning.\u201d<\/p>\n
That learning and personal development carried over to the fireside chat for her, listening to Boudria\u2019s insights on leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned about the qualities that it takes to be a business leader,\u201d Jeyanthakumar said. \u201cMich\u00e8le demonstrated today that it\u2019s about understanding humility, being your own person and knowing how you add value to an organization.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boudria is the 15th recipient of the Distinguished Leader award. A full list of past recipients can be found on Goodman\u2019s website<\/a>. The event is part of the D.G. Willmot Leaders Series hosted at Brock each year.<\/p>\n\n\t