Auction.com’s Hattie Sharp told MReport that she was honored to receive her Keystone award because “there are so many women within our industry that actively participate in their community who are equally deserving.”
She said both the nomination and being selected as this year’s Community Leadership Award recipient “challenges me to do more and reminds me of the importance of community service.” She added that she couldn’t wait to “get back to serving the refugees in Dallas once COVID-19 is over.”
Sharp said that some of the most important lessons she has learned throughout the course of her career came from watching how her grandfather ran his own business.
“He treated everyone fairly and cared about them as people, not just as employees,” Sharp said. “I want everyone to experience the same level of respect and kindness: team members, bosses, vendors, clients, admins, CEOs, subordinates, etc.”
Sharp said that her grandfather’s experience taught her that “successful leaders that truly inspire the best from others have high emotional intelligence and therefore build productive relationships that produce positive results.” Sharp said that she has “been blessed to have worked for and with many successful, wise women over my career.”
She said she was grateful for how these mentors have stretched her beyond her comfort zone and provided opportunities to expand her career into new areas. “One of my toughest but most loved mentors used to tell us, ‘assume positive intent.’ Assuming the best before you enter a situation helps you see that person in a positive way and helps eliminate your unconscious bias towards defensiveness.”
Sharp also said that her female mentors have taught her to “never stop learning, ask questions, continue to look for new ways to do things, and never settle for ‘this is how we’ve always done it.’”