Leah Bailey, General Counsel, Maxor
To wrap up our Women’s History Month series, we are spotlighting Leah Bailey, General Counsel for Maxor! Leah leads our Legal and Compliance departments, and she has been in practice for over 18 years, with over 14 years specializing in healthcare. Leah has always been passionate about patient care and women’s issues. Prior to law school, Leah worked as a case manager in transitional housing for teen mothers and then domestic violence survivors and their children.
When we sat down with Leah for this interview, we appreciated her perspective and focus on issues faced as a working parent and its impact on her career (where she works, how she works).
My colleagues and boss recognize that allowing me the grace to take care of my kids makes me a better leader.
Q: What has been your experience growing your career into an executive role? Did you face unique challenges as a woman, and how did you overcome them?
A: One big challenge I’ve faced is not due to me as a woman, but as a mother of young kids and a spouse who works nights and most weekends. I found that as my career advanced, fewer of my colleagues were primary caregivers to young children. I’ve had many important meetings scheduled early in the morning during daycare drop off or getting ready for school. Or, the meetings will be scheduled after 5pm, and every parent knows that one cannot be late for daycare pickup. During COVID, I shared my home office with my 2nd (and then 3rd) grader. It was extremely difficult to constantly switch between being an executive and teaching my 8 year old common core subtraction.
To deal with this, I’ve been very particular about where I work. Today, I work at a company with similarly situated peers. My colleagues schedule meetings around family commitments and also have kids that sing the Wild Kratts song in the background. Even my colleagues without young children understand. My colleagues and boss recognize that allowing me the grace to take care of my kids makes me a better leader.
Q: What led you to Maxor? What has helped you succeed as a leader here?
A: A friend told me about Maxor. I was unfamiliar with Maxor, so I started to look into the company. I heard great things about the leaders, and I appreciated how successful Maxor had been.
A couple things that have helped me success are connecting with people and being curious. Humanizing people, including myself, has been very helpful to my success at Maxor. Time spent getting to know people, and letting them get to know me, means that we are more likely to give each other grace and also, to pick up the phone and find solutions faster. Also, I’ve found that my curiosity has helped me learn the business more thoroughly. I ask a lot of questions so that I can put things in context in my mind. As a result, I can have more meaningful conversations and educated opinions.
Q: What advice would you give other women in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries to help them prepare for and succeed in an executive leadership role?
A: Follow the money. Spend time with the underwriters and make sure you understand what they are teaching you. Be conversant in the details of how your company and the industry make money. That way, you can credibly participate in strategic discussions and decisions.
That’s a wrap! Thank you, Leah, for your time and wisdom. We appreciate your leadership as you work hard every day on behalf of Maxor, its clients, its members, and its patients.
Be conversant in the details of how your company and the industry make money. That way, you can credibly participate in strategic discussions and decisions.