Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Maria Alejandra Bastidas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Maria Alejandra, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I think we all suffer from the imposter syndrome. It’s very easy to think that you do not know enough, you are not and expert, that nobody will listen to you or that you have nothing important to share with the world. All those thoughts came to my mind when I was developing my personal brand. Who am I to create a brand? I used to think.
Thanksfully, I was surounded by great people, that were able to lift me and help me see all my accomplishments and how my life journey and skills could be a lesson for others.
Then I put my focus on the people I was going to serve and not on me, I understood that if I could help at least one person with my conferences, my videos, my podcasts, I was acomplishing my mission of leaving a legacy in this world. You do not need to be everything to everyone, just be the best version of you and put your service to others as the mission of your life.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I joined Telemundo Atlanta nine months ago, as the new VP and GM for the station. This position has been a dream come true, because since I came to this country 22 years ago, my dream was to work on a TV station but many doors were closed and I decided to do whatever life thre at me the best I could. With this mindset I went from being a local newspaper reporter, to an editor, a VP of a digital platform to a Host and Executive producer. I grew a career in Corporate America for many years until one day the website I worked for was sold.
At that moment, when I saw myself in the middle of uncertainty, I decided to create my brand and to start sharing on social media platforms and in conferences all my knowledge about media, digital videos, marketing, the Latino market and leadership.
And just by doing the best every day, developing amazing teams, creating innovative project and growing digital platforms, the opportunity to work as the leader of a TV station became a reality.
I am blessed to be part of the team and to lead Telemundo Atlanta into the next era of the station by creating the best media team any company could have, I know very well, that alone you can only go far, but with the best team you can reach the sky.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I believe that being a great leader is one of my main skills, I have been working on developing my leadership skills during my whole life. By attending conferences, reading Leadership Books and having coaches and mentors that could guide me during each leadership challenge, i have been able to grow as a leader bringing along amazing talented people, and now I have the task of growing leaders of amazing teams.
The three qualities that I learned are the most important for a leader are:
#1. Being a good listener. People do not talk to leaders that do not hear and we definitely don’t have all the answers.
#2. Surround yourself with the best people. We, as leaders, do not need to know everything or be an expert in all areas of the business, but we need to bring on board the best talented individuals in those positions to be able to suceed.
#3. Be humble. I learned that people value leaders that are ready to get dirty with them and are ready to roll their sleeves and do all jobs in the company. We as human beings value people that see us, respect us and say I am sorry then they make mistakes. We all humans at the end of the day.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My parents taught me how to be a hard working woman, by being enterpreneurs and having their own company they showed me with their example how important it was to work harder than anyone, to innovate bringing new ideas and technologies into the business and provide great service to your clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: mariaalejandrabastidas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmariaalejandrabastidas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsmariaalejandrabastidas/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaalejandrabastidas/
Image Credits
Photo: Kaptura Media.
