WOMEN IN INDUSTRY
MELISSA MARTYR-WAGNER
A LEADER AND A STRENGTHSFINDER
“ Strengthsfinder is not just a word ,” says Melissa Martyr- Wagner , Director of Operations for NewStudio
Architecture in White Bear Lake … “ It ’ s a skills assessment that ’ s been used in many settings – including workplaces . I ’ m a maximizer ; I love to think about people ’ s strengths and getting people to jobs , places or opportunities that let them roll with their strengths because they maximize what they know and perform best .”
It wasn ’ t easy , however , convincing some of her peer leaders at a university management job that moving 15 people around within the organization was for the best , says Martyr-Wagner . “ No one likes to lose a reliable employee , even if they ’ re moving to a division where they can be more successful . But , I felt good . And the people who were moved ? I still hear from most of them . And I ’ m confident if asked , many would say I was one of their favorite managers or leaders .”
In 1987 , Martyr-Wagner graduated from Iowa State University set on a career in advertising and journalism ; the employment market , however , had other ideas , and she returned to college for a degree in higher education with the goal of becoming
Dean of Students at a university . However , in 1991 the employment market hadn ’ t improved much , so Martyr-Wagner maximized her mixed set of skills : “ My liberal arts education served me well . I continued to work in higher education , getting more and more tied to technology which was natural for me .
“ After working at Iowa State , I worked as a manager and director for the University of Minnesota . I was immersed in problem solving , budgeting and financial management , customer service management , short and long-term business planning , as well as human resources management . Then in 2011 , my husband , Sean Wagner , decided to leave the architecture firm he was with and start his own studio .
“ We crafted the business – its structure and operations , as well as the culture of the organization – together as a team . My varied work experience , and variety of skills quickly made me an asset as Director of Operations . On any given day … I ’ m teaching . I ’ m solving problems and rendering decisions . I ’ m guiding creative decisions that affect our company ’ s marketing . And , I ’ m definitely still leading .
“ I ’ m proud of our staff and our office culture . The staff are what makes NewStudio the success that it is . NewStudio practices in 35 states and four Canadian provinces , and in 2016 we opened a small studio in Brooklyn , New York .
“ To women in any organization , I say : Let your leaders and peers know you want to lead , that you want a key role . Show you want responsibility . Find someone you can trust for some coaching and feedback – be it a manager , a peer or someone from outside your organization .”
NewStudio Architecture – White Bear Lake , MN & Brooklyn , NY newstudioarchitecture . com
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