How We Succeed: Kim Simios, BS’88
Leadership skills can always be improved upon, no matter where you are in your career. I am a strong believer in that, and that’s why I’m always reading something on leadership and going to conferences.
As leaders, we sometimes forget what kind of sphere of influence we have and the ripple effect we have on others. We can either create ripples that are crashing waves and create turmoil with the people we come into contact with, or we can be a positive influence that ripples across the organization from person to person.
We have more than 2,600 professionals working in the Chicago office of Ernst & Young LLP. That’s a lot of people. And we have 270 partners and executives in that group. We don’t have a product to sell other than our great professionals, who are in the market serving clients every single day.
How do you have a significant influence—and sometimes any influence—on an office this size? When I first took the role, I thought it was really important to sit down one-on-one with as many partners as I could. I really wanted to get their perspectives on our office, our culture, and how I might be able to impact the office and support them.
To run our meetings, I came up with three overarching values—what I call my three Es:
- Energize: The energy you project sets the mood for the team.
- Educate: I want us to learn something new every time we meet.
- Empower: The leadership team and I are there to support our partners.
I am Kim Simios, managing partner for the Chicago office of Ernst & Young LLP, and I attribute my success to an excellent education in the Kelley Undergraduate Program and to the amazing practice and culture at EY.