No, Cathy Engelbert isn’t talking about the delicious summertime treat. She’s talking about “small moments of recovery.”
“I learned this at Deloitte because when you’re running a firm of that size, you have to find time. We dubbed them smors. My EA used to put them on my calendar: Small moments of recovery. You need moments during the day. One thing as an executive, you can’t wait for the weekend. You’ve got to put the smors on your calendar during the day or you’ll go crazy. I didn’t know this when I took the job, but once our games start, this calmness comes over me. It’s kind of neat.”
— Engelbert, former CEO of Deloitte US and current commissioner of the WNBA, said when asked by Time magazine what techniques she uses to de-stress.
Current and ex-Deloitters who worked at the firm during the Engelbert administration: Is this something she preached for employees to do as well? Or were your smors the 10 minutes you spent sobbing in the bathroom every day during busy season?
I thought C.A.’s tenure at Deloitte was quite good. From my perspective, she was a leader who actually walked the walk. I was sorry to see her go, but she’s doing creative things at the helm of the WNBA. She is one of the rare good ones.
She was a terrific leader who did some really great things. The 16 week leave program was her doing and a very bold move.
I am sure there are reasons why she was pushed out but all I will say is that at her final Partner meeting she received an unscripted four minute standing O, while the COB who pushed her out got tepid applause.