In my last post, I talked about the preponderance of CEOs named John and David and the jaw-dropping statistics that prove we’re all better off when our workplaces are more open, accepting and diverse. Today, I’m getting into the nitty-gritty of how we as courageous leaders can be stronger allies for our incredibly valuable yet...
If you know me, you know I spent this spring basking in the glow of women’s college basketball. You also know I admire South Carolina’s kickass coach, Dawn Staley, for her fervent loyalty to her players and her unwavering, courageous leadership. So it will come as no surprise that I loved her answer to the...
Wahoo. Yippee. Hallelujah. And gazinga. This year, all around the world, courageous leaders in organizations of every genus and phenotype are finally (finally!) getting rid of (or dramatically updating) annual reviews. Not because you hate them. Not because you had a vindictive boss that one time. Not because your current boss is avoiding them. Not...
As a recovering corporate executive, keynote speaker, and head of the Courageous Leadership Institute, I didn’t expect to get anything more out of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie than giggles and some good old-fashioned female bonding. So it’s sort of an understatement to say that, as I watched Barbie’s adventure unfold on screen, I was astonished...
OMG, I’m loving your new onboarding program. Where did you get it? Somewhere along the line it became acceptable to treat orientation like covering off on-surface stuff. “Hi! I’m the director of first impressions! Cloud will set you up with a laptop. But first, here’s a safety video from the 1960s. You’re going to love...
Few things are more challenging for business leaders than teams who arrive at work pre-loaded with the weight of the world. In their hearts, our people want to dig into the day’s projects, shift into deep work mode, get sh*t done, and then enjoy free time with friends and family. But the banking situation! Politicians....
Melissa Viviane Jefferson, aka Lizzo, has a sweet, joyful, tenacious disposition. Thanks to an inordinate amount of musical talent and the popularity of her self-affirming songs, she also has power and influence … a lot of power and influence. And she’s using it. Earlier this year, Lizzo pledged $500,000 from her “Special” tour to a...
As a keynote speaker on the topic of courageous leadership, every news day is full of delicious speech fodder for me. Leaders, leadership (and the lack thereof) are all over the news. The Brits have their royals; we have endless hours of suspense-filled dramas brought to us by people in leadership positions, both large and...
Which female recording artist has 46 Grammy nominations, a nearly billion-dollar entrepreneurial empire, donated over 100 million books to children, and celebrated her 76th birthday last month? Admit it — if you hadn’t seen my headline, you might have guessed Beyoncé, JLo, Taylor, or Gaga. But the lady in question is none other than Dolly...
The other day I got an impassioned email from one of my colleagues about a new trend in customer behavior. While I can’t say I was shocked by what she has endured as a frontline essential worker over the last 20 months, I can say I was disappointed. Listen, I’m all for customers telling us...
