Marla\u2019s leadership journey isn\u2019t just about celebrating victories\u2014it\u2019s about rising from setbacks and finding strength in adversity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a timid freshman rookie on her college soccer team, she hesitated to assert herself on the field, unsure of her place on the team. After a crushing loss, her coach pulled her aside and delivered the hard truth: \u201cThat loss is on you. I need you to do what I know you can do\u2014step up and lead.\u201d<\/em> Those words ignited something in Marla, pushing her to embrace her potential and transform into a more confident and decisive player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But her journey wasn\u2019t without further obstacles. Back-to-back season-ending injuries tested her resolve in ways she never anticipated. Sidelined from the game, Marla could have stepped back\u2014but instead, she leaned in. She turned her personal setbacks into an opportunity to lead differently, motivating her teammates, offering strategic insights, and supporting her coach in critical decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These experiences shaped her into a leader who could adapt to any challenge, ultimately propelling her to captain her team, leading them to the NCAA Final Four. This achievement is a testament to her grit, strategic mindset, and ability to inspire others under pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Marla has hung up her soccer cleats, she continues to lead with the same adaptability and strategic thinking she honed as a soccer captain. Most recently, she led Zayo through a nine-month rebrand where she took the company from an impact-driven model to a purpose-driven one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To be an effective captain, you need a deep understanding of your teammates<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n According to Marla, branding isn\u2019t just about an aesthetic makeover, color palettes, and new fonts. It\u2019s really about strategy and problem solving: “To be an effective captain, you need a deep understanding of your teammates\u2014their strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. Similarly, as a marketer, you need to understand your customers\u2014their perceptions, needs, and expectations.”<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n When that perception is out of alignment with the company\u2019s aims, Marla pulls her marketing team to ensure that every aspect of the brand is aligned with the goals and vision of the organization. Getting everyone on the same page takes expert communication skills and the ability to be both a member of the team and its leader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Marla\u2019s leadership isn\u2019t about shouting orders from the sidelines\u2014it\u2019s about playing alongside her team, adapting when challenges arise, and finding strength in setbacks. Whether she was rallying her soccer teammates after a tough loss or guiding Zayo through a complex rebrand, Marla\u2019s approach is rooted in the belief that true leadership comes from resilience, collaboration, and a clear strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The outcome? An organization with a clear purpose, employees who understand their collective direction, and a refreshed brand that resonates with customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marla\u2019s journey is proof that leadership lessons can come from anywhere. What she learned on the soccer field has become the foundation for her success in the corporate world. Her story reminds us that great leaders aren\u2019t born\u2014they\u2019re shaped by challenges, strengthened by resilience, and driven by purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Read this blog to learn more about how Marla Schilling, Senior Manager of Brand & Content Strategy at Zayo took her learnings as a national champion college soccer captain to her career in marketing. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":555,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"3940,3590,3930,3905,9159,4013","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","resource-post-excerpt":"Read this blog to learn more about how Marla Schilling, Senior Manager of Brand & Content Strategy at Zayo took her learnings as a national champion college soccer captain to her career in marketing.","footnotes":""},"resource-topics":[155],"displayed":[],"resources-categories":[44],"industry":[],"services-amp-solutions":[],"class_list":["post-13527","resources","type-resources","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource-topics-life-at-zayo","resources-categories-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/13527","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resources"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/13527\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13527"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"resource-topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-topics?post=13527"},{"taxonomy":"displayed","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/displayed?post=13527"},{"taxonomy":"resources-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources-categories?post=13527"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=13527"},{"taxonomy":"services-amp-solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/services-amp-solutions?post=13527"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Value of a Strategic Mindset<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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A Team United by Purpose<\/h3>\n\n\n\n