WPFN Member Spotlight: Lorrie Brinson

This month we're highlighting WPFN Member Lorrie Brinson, business manager, Affordable Housing Services, Hillsborough County, Tampa, Florida.

What Leadership style to do you find to be most successful and why?
The leadership style I find to be most successful is a combination of a transformational style and a coaching style. The Transformational Leadership style encourages employees to grow and create positive changes. At the same time, it allows me to hold my staff accountable. The Coaching Leadership style allows me to guide staff and allow them to assume more responsibility for their work as they continue to learn and grow. It additionally allows me more time to complete my tasks, plan, attend meetings, or develop myself in other areas.    

What is a challenge that you had in your career and how did you overcome it?
A challenge that I had in my career was working full-time, commuting ninety miles roundtrip daily, taking care of my family, and studying for the CPA exam. Taking the CPA exam in my mid-forties was tough enough, but having a demanding schedule made it even harder. Taking each exam multiple times, I had to learn how to maximize my time when not at my full-time employer. To overcome those challenges, I used audio study materials during my commute, note cards during my lunch or in between meetings, and joined study groups after my workday and weekends, to get my questions answered and to share what I had learned as well. Each of these changes to my study routine, in addition to being efficient during my workday as an accounting manager, helped me pass all four parts of the CPA exam.

What are your favorite ways to relieve stress and/or decompress?
One of my favorite ways to relieve stress is taking a ride to one of the Florida West Coast Beaches during the spring or summer and to sit and listen to the ocean in my beach chair under my tent. In the fall I love watching or attending a college football game. My true love is traveling to new cities and countries to really decompress.