Lisa Landman is a psychologist with a diverse professional background in client services, administration, teaching, operations and human resources roles.
Lisa serves as the Vice President of Operations at Costech Lab and brings her own element of energy and enthusiasm to the table when guiding her team. Her broad range of experiences throughout her life has equipped her with versatile skills, making her adept in various settings. Lisa identifies herself as an entrepreneur, ready to tackle challenges with determination and commitment, but she is also very in tune with finding cohesion among her staff and support crews.
Lisa’s academic journey in psychology began at Yale University, where she graduated with a BA. Her passion for psychology was sparked in an introductory class led by Peter Salovey, now president of Yale University. Actively engaging in learning, she followed Salovey’s advice to pursue graduate studies, obtaining her MA from Fordham University in 2004 and her doctorate in 2005. During her doctoral work, Lisa operated as a research assistant. She published two studies, one focusing on children’s beliefs about trait stability and its relation to rumination and negative affect and the other exploring depressed mood in adolescents.
Lisa Landman’s academic path was uncommon as she started college when her daughter was in kindergarten, presenting challenges and valuable lessons in determination and perseverance. These lessons have been instrumental in her professional success, reinforcing her belief in the power of hard work and resilience in achieving goals. It also has enabled her to form a unique ability to put herself in other people’s shoes as a leader.
In her psychology career, Lisa has worked with a diverse range of individuals, including adults with disabilities, a group she is particularly passionate about supporting. She recognizes the challenges this often overlooked population faces, especially as they age or lose parental support, and is dedicated to assisting them.
Outside her professional life, Lisa cherishes time spent with her husband and their rescue dogs in Florida. She also houses several birds and cats in her personal zoo.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My days start very early, around 4am. I like to be in the plant before 6am as I enjoy the quiet before my team arrives. The mornings are spent in the various departments going over the production schedules, logistics, compounding, quality, and planning. Lunch is typically spent in my office catching up on emails. My afternoons are generally spent reviewing paperwork and returning calls. I try to leave the factory around 6pm to be home by 7pm so I have time for a quick workout. Afterwards I make dinner, prepare my breakfast/lunch for the next day and have a little TV time before bed around 10pm.
How do you bring ideas to life?
By working closely with my team. I listen to their experiences and blend it with my own to create new ideas. We determine together the best way of implementation and commit to getting it done.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Applied Artificial Intelligence. The idea of bringing artificial intelligence from the lab into the everyday world is very exciting. Enabling computers and computer-controlled robots to complete real world tasks quickly and efficiently while limiting errors and bias could be a game-changer.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Movement. I try to exercise daily, and I make sure to move around throughout the day, averaging around 20,000 steps per day. In addition, I eat a lot of fruits and veggies and drink water throughout the day.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Spend as much time as you can with the people that you love. They won’t always be here with you and there will come a time when you miss them greatly. This includes your pets too!
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.
Motley Crue is one of the greatest bands of all time! Mic drop…..
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Put yourself in the other person’s shoes-metaphorically speaking. When you are listening to another person’s point of view, try to see it from their position, whether personal or professional.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Meditation-always. Deep breathing, body scans and mantras are the best for me to assist with focus and to calm my mind.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Hard work. Nothing can beat putting your head down and getting the job done. Focusing on the tasks that need to be completed, small or large, and working until they are done not only completes the job but also provides a tremendous sense of satisfaction.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early in my career I was not as confident in my abilities as I am now. As a young supervisor, I would micromanage my team instead of letting them make mistakes and learn from them. Part of maturing as a leader is learning to trust your team and having the confidence in your abilities to know that whatever happens, you will be able to fix any issues that arise as a team.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
You must be willing to work hard at whatever career path you choose. Commit to the work and the time. It’s the only way to be successful.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
We use Excel all day, every day. It has so many functions that make our day so much more productive.
What is the best $100 you recently spent?
I recently purchased a robotic vacuum/mop system for my home. With 5 dogs, 4 cats and 2 birds that was the best money spent all year!!!
Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?
One of my favorite books is Turn the Ship Around by L. David Marquet. The book details the author’s time in the service and learning to be an effective leader. I also enjoy the podcasts Small Town Murder and Crime in Sports (same guys do both). Strictly entertainment value and makes my commute easier!
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I’m a bit of a TV junkie so I watch a lot of series and my genre preferences are all over the place. Recently I have enjoyed watching Reacher, Jack Ryan, True Detective, Emily in Paris, and Virgin River.
Key learnings:
- Build your team, trust them to do their jobs and spend time collaborating on their ideas.
- Put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Empathy is the best trait a person can possess.
- Hard work is the key to success!