Meet Gretchen Holloway, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, ITC Holdings Corp.
Gretchen Holloway, SVP & CFO at ITC Holdings Corp and High-Performance Leadership past participant, shared her experience in transforming leadership into impact and expanding her professional network with Chicago Booth.
"This program was life-changing, both professionally and personally. I have taken many leadership courses, but this is hands down the best and it has elevated me to a new level. HPL's Faculty Director, Susan Lucia Annunzio, was absolutely amazing – she’s a gift. She set the stage for a collaborative and engaging conversation every day, and the energy in the room was so upbeat and contagious that I looked forward to attending each day."
Why did you want to take the HPL program?
I sought to evolve and advance in my leadership skills, which is essential as you progress through an organization. I wanted to understand how to influence and inspire others. This program gave me the toolkit to do so.
What insight(s) resonated with you the most about the program?
There was so much rich content, and all of it could be practically applied to my role. It’s just a powerful reminder that “simple skills” can be used strategically and daily to improve your leadership style. Specifically, having empathy, identifying and managing according to your values. It’s okay to tell someone bad news about their performance. People deserve to know how they are performing. When leaders are honest and transparent, they foster trust and credibility with their staff.
How have you integrated the frameworks you learned into your organization and role?
Per the program’s guidance, I developed an action plan to change some behaviors and alter leadership styles that I felt didn’t reflect where I wanted to be. I have to say, though, just the simple reminder on how to handle the day-to-day and apply tools to practical situations was invaluable.
Describe relationships formed with classmates and how they impacted your experience?
We had an incredible bond and appreciated one another. I have never experienced a program like this.
Why did you choose Chicago Booth?
I chose Booth because of its reputation and my overall respect for the school. The professors have real-world experience that is not only experiential but data-driven.
Learn more about the High Performance Leadership Program >>
"This program was life-changing, both professionally and personally. I have taken many leadership courses, but this is hands down the best and it has elevated me to a new level."
