She's Talking Back

Welcome to She's Talking Back, a show where the women leaders you admire speak their truth. Hosted by best-selling author Michelle McGlade, each week you’ll hear from C-Suite executives who have struggled and overcome self-doubt, listened and led with intuition, and run against the popular vote and are willing to share their authentic voice with you. Known as the Modern Leader’s Maven, Michelle McGlade is helping clients focus on aligning from the inside out and becoming a modern leader. After a successful fifteen-year stint in the corporate world, Michelle felt the pull to do something bigger, so she took the leap into serial entrepreneurship starting with a brick and mortar business in the health and wellness industry. Her talents were recognized early on and she received a business excellence award for best woman owned business that ignited the flame to see what else was possible. The adrenaline launched her on the path to starting a series of successful businesses. Her evolution journey truly began when fibromyalgia hit her hard in her 20s. Never one to accept defeat, Michelle became a wellness junkie and kicked it to the curb. Her personal health detour and successful clinic ownership opened her eyes to how many health and wellness entrepreneurs needed help building their businesses. Wanting to help as many entrepreneurs as possible to get their knowledge out into the world, she launched her podcast called Making the Maven. After more than 200 episodes and a global audience, wanderlust kicked in again. Her most recent call has led her to go deeper within than she had before, upcycling and doing an internal audit and combining all of her experience in a new way. Now, she’s helping leaders create a deep connection between heart and mind, because as our leadership grows, this piece tends to get lost. This disconnect is so often the piece that holds us back when on the surface life looks grand. It is the piece she helps clients reclaim and the path to a more authentic voice. With a talent for building trust and asking tough questions, she’s getting people to unleash the same in themselves on this podcast. If you’re a high performing woman on the success train but feel like you have lost connection with yourself or you desire to seek something more – more self-awareness, self-knowing, and self-exploration – we invite you to join Michelle here on She's Talking Back. Follow your intuition. Lead from the inside out. Learn how to overcome your self-doubt and fear as a leader through stories from experts and C-Suite executives. We’ll be featuring guests who are willing to put themselves out there to speak their truth. This is NOT your typical interview or another career success story... If you're looking for the back story and inspiration from women who are speaking their truth...Then stick around because she's here - and She's Talking Back. Tune in daily not only for inspiration, but also motivation and empowerment.

Be Proactive: Find that Mentor — Sherry Lowe 08/04/2020

Be Proactive: Find that Mentor — Sherry Lowe Sherry Lowe is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist turned Silicon Valley marketing executive. She has experience in building marketing programs for rapid-growth tech companies. As a professional that served both in sports journalism and tech companies, she was completely used to being the only woman in the room. Today, she shares how she was proactive in searching for powerful mentors and being very conscious in bringing up younger professional women. Key Takeaways Sherry shares her first experience with being the only woman in the room. Sherry focused her efforts on mentoring younger women and preparing them to fill leadership seats. How does someone find a good mentor? Don’t wait for a mentor to find you. Sherry’s mentors made her feel safe and allowed her to take risks without feeling like she’d lose her job for it. How did she create that/find that? What does Sherry do to work on herself? A stable and strong support network was huge for Sherry’s career. Give people the space to find the best way to do a task or the job. When it comes to Zoom calls, it’s important to look professional despite it being a ‘work from home’ day. Get ready for work. Sherry started in the sports industry; did she see a lot of workplace discrimination? Whatever you do, speak out. You will pay a price for it, but do it because it is worth it, not only for you but for future employees, too. How do you find good companies to work for? Interviews are two-way streets. They want you, but you should always want them. Trust your first impressions about people! Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “Most great leaders work on themselves so that they’re more stable within and they’re showing up more powerfully.” “The mentorship started with me watching [successful women] and trying to learn, and then asking a lot of questions.” “Don’t wait for your mentor to find you.” “Getting space around yourself where you have time to think and create is very important.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/15478040

You Stop Yourself More Than the World Is Stopping You! — Jody DeVere 07/28/2020

You Stop Yourself More Than the World Is Stopping You! — Jody DeVere Jody DeVere is an internationally recognized speaker, trainer, often-quoted industry pundit and spokesperson for the automotive industry on the women's market. Jody’s company, AskPatty.com, Inc. serves as the first point of contact for many women who are seeking the very best experience to buy a car and service by visiting Certified Female Friendly® automotive retail locations across the United States and Canada. Key Takeaways Everything needs to be filled with compassion and empathy so that you can properly support your team. How do you shift as a leader and tap into your creativity in times of overwhelm and crisis? Jody takes an hour every morning to meditate and tap into her creative self. What do you want to be known for? Like truly? Jody has had to start over a few times. If your goal is to just make money, it’s not going to be enough. So many women have negative self-talk. Stop it! Why are you still doing this? Is it still valuable to you and your goal? You stop yourself more than the world is stopping you! What is your concept and relationship to money? Is it helping you or hurting you? Women are starting their own businesses about 10X the rate of men! Why? What was Jody’s very first car buying experience? Twenty years in, Jody is still passionate and loves what she does. Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “Whether you’re choosing it or not, your team becomes like you.” “What do you want to be known for? With that, you crystalize that thinking and that vision for yourself, everything else becomes easy.” “Women I talk to, they talk themselves out of a big audacious vision because they feel like they lack something. You stop yourself more than the world is stopping you.” “I have partnered with numerous large brands, joined together on a mission, to make our industry a place where not only women want to work, but know they can break the glass ceiling and work at the highest levels.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/15385445

Be Direct and Unapologetic. Express Your Truth — Catherine Hamilton 07/14/2020

Be Direct and Unapologetic. Express Your Truth — Catherine Hamilton Catherine Hamilton is the Vice President of Consumer Services and Strategic Planning at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont. Catherine is also a certified yoga instructor and prides herself on prioritizing her wellness first before serving others. In this episode, Catherine encourages women to not apologize for having good ideas. Be confident in the way you talk, and don’t second guess yourself. If you’ve ever wondered how a superwoman ‘can do it all,’ then you’re asking yourself the wrong question! Key Takeaways How do you do it all? Catherine has never really been a perfectionist. We put so much pressure on ourselves to appear perfect. Why? So many women want to be strong and powerful leaders, but then they also want to be the good girl and not rock the boat. Why do smart women feel like they have to apologize for making a good point? Speak your truth and do not apologize. You have to train your inner voice to speak up and talk. As an overachiever, Catherine needs the support of her female friends to help her keep balance. Catherine gets asked, “How do you do it all?” But she doesn’t think that’s the best question to ask. Catherine creates time for herself and that helps her get more done. When Catherine was 40, she had twin boys. Her pretty stable life was thrown out of control and it took some time to adjust to. How was Catherine able to maintain and respect the boundaries she set for herself? It’s your responsibility to take care of yourself inside before you can show up as a leader. Catherine shares how she has adapted her self-care practice now that she is at home and working remotely. The more that Catherine gives, the more energized she feels. Everyone needs to be careful of their social media use and watching someone else’s perfect life. How can women better support other women? Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “I’m not going to let you off the hook. Going inside and taking care of you, establishing practices for wellness day in and day out creates that stable foundation that you need as a leader.” “Although women and men both suffer from perfectionism, women tend to ruminate more and feel pressure to live up to the perfectionist standards they have to fill.” “I make the mistake of trying to please everybody at work and not say anything that anyone objects to.” “If we want to change the world and our organization for the better, we have to be willing to say things that not everyone will like.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/15174014

Women are Struggling with Confidence! — Dr. Sam Collins 07/07/2020

Women are Struggling with Confidence! — Dr. Sam Collins Dr. Sam Collins works with communities and organizations to create the right conditions for empowerment, equality, and change. Throughout her 20 years of experience, she has worked with women and has seen some common themes appear over and over, like lack of confidence, fear to speak out and share their voice, and being fit into a blueprint that women have to take on all of life’s responsibilities. However, it doesn’t have to be this way! Dr. Sam shares her thoughts on this week’s episode. Key Takeaways Sam has been doing this for over 20 years. How did she get into this field? When Dr. Sam first got into this, well-intentioned people were worried she was alienating half of her target market. Her dad was worried people would call her a — gasp! — feminist. As women, we have very unique skills and talents that have not been valued up until now. The good news is, things are changing. The whole system needs to change right now. We’re at a time where we all want change. Sometimes we ask ourselves the wrong questions. Women have been given a blueprint that says, if you do this, you will have to sacrifice something else. Over the years, Dr. Sam has not seen a lot of progress in a woman’s confidence. By us sharing our stories, you inspire other women to speak up, too. People think you’re born brave, the truth is, you have to learn it. Sam has consciously worked on being bolder and not worrying about what people think. It’s a lifelong journey. Sam shares what her experience was like when she first visited the Congo. Do not compare yourself to others. You are on your own journey. Take your own steps, and they can be small ones! You don’t need to take huge leaps and bounds in order to feel productive. Sam recognizes it can be challenging to speak up, but people need to hear your voice. What does Dr. Sam like to do in her free time? Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “It’s a time to start challenging ourselves and one another to come together, but to think differently.” “Let’s measure empathy. Let’s measure femininity. Have you seen a performance review measuring our level of feminism? I haven’t.” “There will be a consequence to the things I say, and I am okay with it.” “It’s a huge deal to speak up at a meeting when you wouldn’t normally and there could be all sorts of judgment and consequences happening as a result of doing that. So, the more we make that okay, that’s how we learn and grow.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/15104327

We All Go Through Seasons in Life — Tricia Halsey 06/30/2020

We All Go Through Seasons in Life — Tricia Halsey Tricia Halsey is the thought leader behind Generous Leadership® and the Founder of Big Idea Project®. Tricia is a recovering overachiever and has seen, and felt, its nasty side effects up close and personal. She refuses to let anyone on her team be in their ‘striving self’ because it only does more harm than good! That doesn’t mean they don’t show up and work hard, but there is a conscious balance and effort that gets put into how you feel about yourself. You might be a people pleaser or a perfectionist, Tricia says stop! Take time for yourself and become comfortable in your own skin. Tricia covers all this and more on this week’s episode. Key Takeaways Are you a perfectionist? People pleaser? Do you overwork yourself? This podcast is for you. Have people in your life that are truth-tellers, not just a friend or a colleague telling you what you want to hear. Tricia has always been an overachiever. As an athlete, it’s all about being in discomfort and pushing yourself. … And then Tricia got sick. Tricia was forced to recalibrate her values. No one on her team is allowed to live in a ‘striving’ mode. That doesn’t mean they don’t work hard. Why do we overwork ourselves to near-death? Why do we do it? Sometimes, there has to be a death before a rebirth can happen. When Tricia slowed everything down, that’s when she became reborn and healthy again. When you incorporate reflection, your productivity goes up! Be brave. You need to be brave to reach for the things you don’t have yet, but you know it’s in you to achieve. Michelle shares how her ‘striving self’ shows up in times of overwhelm. Why do we make things so much harder than they need to be? There is so much power and calm in just being who you are. Tricia would cause herself so much stress because she was such a people pleaser. Now, she has so much peace and comfort in her own skin. If Tricia is faced with an uncomfortable situation, she puts herself in their shoes, asks questions about what they might be feeling, and she leads with love instead of fear. Tricia has seen the results personally of just letting love lead. People are receptive to it and calm down immediately when they know you are on their side! People trust her more because of it. Belief determines behavior. Tricia explains what generous leadership is. We all go through seasons in life. Sometimes you have to put all of your energy into a project, but you just have to be conscious and know your limits, know when to take pause, and take a break. Be okay with the little stuff. Tricia breaks down how to practice generous leadership. Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “Before we can make a change and see a shift within ourselves, we have to be able to identify.” “In farming, there is a death before a rebirth. We see it, winter comes before spring. It’s all over in nature and it’s true for us too.” “Our thoughts move a whole lot faster than our heart.” “We can’t really truly change behavior until we change what the person believes underneath that behavior.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/14993510

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome — Jen Coken 06/23/2020

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome — Jen Coken Jen Coken is an executive coach and recovering stand-up comedian. Jen at an early age knew that she had to be the funny one because she never fit into the traditional archetype of the ‘pretty girl.’ She went down a journey of self-discovery a few years ago and discovered all of this was a byproduct of imposter syndrome. Today’s episode covers what is imposter syndrome, why everyone has it, and how to overcome these thoughts that are weighing you down. Key Takeaways What is imposter syndrome? When our brain feels a signal that we’re threatened, we start to develop coping mechanisms to help us overcome them. Jen learned early on that she was going to be the funny side-kick. She didn’t fit into the model of the ‘pretty one.’ Everyone has imposter syndrome. Jen takes the lead and begins to coach Michelle on her own show! Men struggle with speaking out just as much as women do. However, they’re not as verbal about it as women are. When Michelle’s in a meeting, what is she afraid of? Don’t let your inner upset eight-year-old ruin your entire life. It’s only natural that we develop brain patterns to protect ourselves and to play it safe. If you didn’t have these thoughts holding you back, what kind of person would you be? What we see in others, a lot of times, is what we see in ourselves that we don’t like. What you can’t be, robs you of your power. If we are angry and reactive, our power gets robbed from being proactive. How do you get your power back? You look within. Jen shares a childhood story about anger when she was 15. The desire to help women overcome imposter syndrome and the framework to empower women started a long time ago for Jen because of what she had to overcome. Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “As you further yourself on the ladder of success, the better chance you have that you will struggle with imposter syndrome to a greater degree.” “If you feel like you have to do it alone because if you asked for help, people would know you really didn’t have what it takes — that’s imposter syndrome.” “She is looking for people to be critical of her, which is completely shutting down her voice.” “If I wasn’t having all of these stupid thoughts questioning myself, who would I be?” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/14915579

Being More Open/Authentic to Your Team — Susan Eick 05/26/2020

Being More Open/Authentic to Your Team — Susan Eick Susan Eick thought she had to act like a man in order to get invited into the corporate boy’s club, but it wasn’t working! The harder she tried, the fewer things she got invited to, and to top it off, it was exhausting! Why pretend to be something you’re not? Susan has learned over the years that being your authentic self is the best way to lead and have people respect/admire you. Women/Men have natural talents and we should leverage them, not try to act like each other. Key Takeaways ● Leadership is a people’s game. ● Leaders are having time now to really take a step back and analyze where their time is going. ● As leaders take more digital meetings, they’re not scheduling time for breaks and so they end up feeling more exhausted than before. ● Sometimes it can be difficult to innovate, there’s a lot of testing that goes into it or they might not have a budget so they don’t prioritize it, but Susan is seeing that so many leaders had to innovate overnight due to the pandemic. ● They didn’t think they had innovation in them, but they were wrong! They were able to get things up and running with no budget, within a week. ● Susan explains the difference in culture in Canada vs. the U.S. ● What risks are out there for a modern leader? ● There’s a pent up demand for getting this back to normal as quickly as possible and leaders are forgetting that you still need to communicate to your team! ● Susan’s first employee retreat, she didn’t know if it went well or not. Fast forward to her latest one and she’s never felt more connected. The biggest shift in this was Susan and being more open/authentic to her team. ● When Susan was coming up in her corporate career, she had to look like a guy and show no emotions. ● Susan realized she couldn’t be someone she wasn’t, so when she started opening up and showing more of her personality, that’s when more doors opened for her. ● What’s next for Susan? ● Susan’s daughters have better female role models than she did when she was growing up. She is very hopeful for the future. Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “There is a level of importance around keeping the intimacy around human connection and leaders with their team.” “Leadership’s a people’s game and we’ve forgotten that. In the past we thought it was a title, status, responsibility, and people get pushed down.” “Leaders I’ve been talking to have said that they’re forced to innovate overnight. We have this need and we have to act on it now.” “Work says they want your best you, but what if your best you is something that is not as beautiful and polished as what they’ve experienced in the past?” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/14555870

Create Meaningful Conversations and Connections — Michelle Tenzyk 05/19/2020

Create Meaningful Conversations and Connections — Michelle Tenzyk Michelle Tenzyk advises and coaches CEOs and senior-level executives to create company cultures that attract and retain critical talent at all levels. Michelle shares something so important in today’s episode — Tell your story and speak your truth. It’s going to be difficult; there will be many people who judge you online, but the more of us that share our story, the easier it will be to bring those walls down! Key Takeaways ● The ability to live in the moment helps manage the constant uncertainty around us. ● For most of us, life tends to be more certain. We have routines and there’s a sense of comfort happening. ● How can women better manage this feeling of ‘everything is out of control’? ● Look at your feet. Where are your feet right now? This helps bring Michelle back to the present. ● What you’re experiencing right now is temporary. It will get better. There will be an ending. ● Put your oxygen mask on first! Really! Do it! ● Leaders are not worried about their people, but about themselves and their family. There’s a lot going on. ● People are now seeing the inside of your homes and it’s opened up for more connection because people can ask about the pictures, etc, that are in your background! Embrace this connection. ● We need to break the walls down! ● Michelle talks about how online criticism really affected her and how she was able to manage through that. ● When Michelle’s story went viral, she was ready for everything that would get thrown at her because she had done the work. ● Sharing your story gives people hope! By telling our story one at a time, the walls will come down. ● There will be judgments made against you. Michelle can’t tell you that the path will be rosy. Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “It’s really an honor to be able to create meaningful conversations with powerful women that exude compassion, thoughtfulness, and truth.” “Look at my feet. Where are my feet right now? I’m planted right here, right now. To help me bring me back to the moment.” “The situation I’m in right now is temporary. They will be another side to this. Most of the time I don't know how long temporary is.” “In the corporate and the business world, we need to hear stories like this. We need to know we’re not alone. We need to know there’s hope.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/14452079

Attract the Right Attention with Your Personal Brand — Karen Leland 05/12/2020

Attract the Right Attention with Your Personal Brand — Karen Leland Karen Leland is a Branding and Marketing Strategist and Implementer. There are a lot of things she’s seeing right now in the online space that are making her go, ‘Oh, no!’ As people are starting to get used to working from home and going digital, some of the ‘standard’ ways of how we are doing business are going away, like wearing professional clothing during a meeting! Your personal brand can do so much for you during this time as more people are looking online to find the right candidate to get the job done. Key Takeaways ● Karen’s theatrical background helped set her up for success in her career because she could speak and present topics and ideas really well. ● How many times have you been to a cocktail party and you still don’t know what that person does after 30 minutes of talking? People everywhere struggle with being clear in what they do. ● It can take Karen three to six hours just to help people articulate their brand clearly. ● After the pandemic, there are going to be so many opportunities for branding clarity because people are moving to a more digital model. ● Should people really care about LinkedIn? ● Companies that don’t have a social media presence are missing out. ● CEOs are having their own personal website to showcase more of who they are. ● It’s important to do the research so that you know what to focus on and when. You only have a limited number of resources. ● People have been working on their ‘brand’ for six years, but are surprised that they can get clarity and vision within one day after working with Karen. You just need to ask the right questions. ● It’s so important to be precise in your language so you can get interest and the right kind of interest from the right kinds of people. ● When does it make sense to hire a branding consultant or coach? ● Journalists don’t want to interview or feature people with a poor social media presence because it makes them look bad as a writer/researcher that they didn’t properly ‘vet’ their sources. ● The key is to have a strategy that’s based on research. ● Color plays a huge role in our daily life, which is why it’s important to get your color schemes down right in a webinar. ● Also, how you dress and what’s behind your background is super important too! Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “All you need is one great insight to go, ‘Ah! I can now go implement or make the shift.’” “One of the post-COVID-19 changes is going to be, people are really going to be digging into the substance of who that person is, what do they know, rather than just the hope and the hype.” “People make these assumptions but they’re not based on anything. They’re just based on their opinion and not on research.” “If you ask the right questions and people are looking in the right places, you can come up with what you need.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/14355800

Trust Your Emotions — The First Thing You Feel Is the Right Thing — Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau 05/05/2020

Trust Your Emotions — The First Thing You Feel Is the Right Thing — Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau is a leadership development expert and an EMCC accredited coach. Her expertise and insights will blow you away. Although she originally started on a path of international relations, she found her calling towards helping women find their strength and the confidence to lead. She talks about why expressing your personality/quirks is a blessing, how to find stillness within yourself, and that leadership is always going to be a continuous journey. Key Takeaways Sylvia shares what her colleagues are concerned about when it comes to virtual teams. It’s more important than ever to communicate clearly and have empathy with your team as we work virtually. What are the biggest risk leaders are facing when things go back to ‘normal’? Sylvia got her start as a scholar in international relations and did her Ph.D. in East/West conflict and systemic change. Sylvia has seen that when people are in the corporate world, people are asked to stay in a certain mold that suppresses your true personality. Sylvia was able to reconnect with herself by enjoying hobbies outside of her work, like art and dance. It’s important to not lose sight that high-achieving executives are still people at the core and have the same needs and wants as you do. In Sylvia’s heart, leadership really matters. When working with the younger generation, Sylvia is so hopeful for the future. Sometimes Sylvia doesn’t always get the leadership piece down right. She shares an example and a bit of vulnerability on how she could be better at this. Why is stillness so important for leaders? Sylvia loves the idea of hosting a movement or dance workshop to help leaders find stillness. How do you know in your gut/heart what you’re doing is the right thing? Sylvia’s improv teacher told her to stop mixing feelings and thinking together! Sit down and feel, do not think. Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “At the core of Sylvia is leadership. You’re going to hear her say, leadership matters, and taking a lead and standing up for what you believe is the core of her being.” “One of my students said, ‘I have to take leadership for my own life.’” “Live our lives to the full; that means we have to take courage and step up and make decisions that might not feel comfortable.” “Today there’s much more talk about doing what's right for you. Who are you? What do you want?” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/14279336

We Needed to Get Real and Put the Ego Aside — Susan Frew 04/28/2020

We Needed to Get Real and Put the Ego Aside — Susan Frew Susan Frew felt like hiding under a rock after her employee stole from her and took a considerable amount of money out of the business. Despite winning 43 awards and winning Inc. 500, her mental health struggled and so did her business while all of this was going on. The biggest takeaway was that she let her ego get in the way and it didn’t allow her to properly recover from the incident, but after taking deliberate and intentional action on her miracle journal and being grateful, Susan has come out of this more successful than ever. Key Takeaways ● Unfortunately, the internet wasn’t too good and the interview got cut a little short, but because this information is so timely, we’re releasing it! ● When an elephant is giving birth, the other female elephants in the tribe surround her to protect her. ● When Susan’s company came under attack from a cybercrime, she let her mental health go. ● Susan won Inc. 500 and her business dreams were coming true, but she felt like she was a fraud because of what was really going on underneath it all. ● Susan started a miracle journal where she would write down all the miracles that were happening in her life. ● What did Susan need to see differently that she couldn’t see at the time? ● Susan was forced to downgrade the business and sell some of her possessions because of this cybercrime. ● The initial response is wanting to hide, but in crisis, we have to not let our egos get in the way. Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “We are in a time of crisis and Susan has applicable experience of leading self and others through crisis!” “I found community and then I really I ended up finding, the one word is hope.” “When you put gratitude up into the clouds, the clouds will rain down blessings.” “The more I wrote my miracles down and the more I became profoundly and intentionally grateful, that’s when things started turning around.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/14167709

Empowering Immigrant Women to Excel in Leadership — Chinwe Esimai 04/21/2020

Empowering Immigrant Women to Excel in Leadership — Chinwe Esimai Chinwe Esimai, an award-winning lawyer and the first person to hold the title of Chief Anti-Bribery Officer at Citigroup, has achieved many great things throughout her career. Her story will inspire you and help you overcome any challenges you might be facing today! This podcast episode highlights why leadership is critical to your success as a woman, the importance of mentorship, and coming to the U.S. as an immigrant! Key Takeaways Chinwe right now is trying to figure out the best ways to navigate the uncertainty that we’re dealing with right now. Chinwe had to take a step back and ask herself, ‘What am I being called to do today? To be today?’ There are always events in our lives that are calling us to act, but we need to be intentional on how to act and if it’s true to how we want to show up in the world. Chinwe’s path as a lawyer wasn’t exactly ‘traditional.’ She tried out different things to find her passion. Chinwe compares her experience at Goldman Sachs vs. Citigroup. Chinwe explains how she transitioned from basically operating as a solo-women to all of a sudden having a global team to back her up. It comes down to empowering and mentoring your people to do good work! Ask yourself proactive questions like, ‘What have I learned from that?’ or ‘What could I have done differently?’ and take those lessons and move forward. It’s a delicate balance when it comes to social media. You want to promote what you’re doing, but you also want to be authentic and true to yourself. Chinwe was teaching a class and noticed that out of the 2 women in a 15-person class, they never spoke up during class! What can immigrant women leaders do better to support other immigrant women? What were some of the challenges that Chinwe experienced when she first came to the United States? At the most senior levels, women are not breaking through! Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “It’s bringing up the emotions of how proud I feel about this woman and how thankful I am that I now get to call her a colleague, friend, and guest of the show.” “Leadership is always relevant.” “Part of the transition is trusting and being able to empower people to make decisions.” “The men spoke all the time. They always had an opinion and were incredibly confident. And then, here’s this woman with the best ideas but was not speaking up.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/14071754

You’re in This Position for a Reason — Deborah Rosati 04/14/2020

You’re in This Position for a Reason — Deborah Rosati Deborah Rosati is an accomplished corporate director, entrepreneur, Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified Corporate Director with more than 30 years of experience in technology, consumer retail, private equity, and more! Deborah shares what women can do today to prepare to get on a board and how to navigate these unclear waters while managing your full-time executive job. No matter what, do not get discouraged. You are in the position you’re in for a reason! Key Takeaways Successful and well-accomplished women are struggling with confidence. How did Deborah get started as a corporate director? Deborah went into business because she wanted to be a businessman like her father. Knowledge is power, which is why Deborah strives to be a life-long learner. Deborah shares her story of how she got into helping women get on boards before it became ‘trendy.’ What were some of Deborah’s personal challenges being in a room full of men? Deborah made sure she showed up before the meeting would start and made sure she could attend every meeting in person. Deborah broke down barriers when she joined a board where everybody knew each other for years and years and she was the outsider. Building relationships hasn’t changed. You need trust in almost anything you do. What types of challenges are women facing right now when trying to be on a board? You can’t have a laundry list of what you’re offering. You have to niche down and be very intentional on what skill sets you want to bring to a board. Highlight just your top skills. How can a woman relatively new in her executive career get on a board five to 10 years from now? Deborah sees a lot of women in her workshops struggle with confidence and some do not feel qualified to take the next step in their career. You deserve to be in the boardroom! If you get a ‘no,’ ask them why. Use it as a learning opportunity and stay positive. What are you doing to prepare and create that runaway for your future? Resources Quotes Michelle’s quote: “The most common area of support Deborah has to offer her members, women who are seeking corporate board positions, is around the area of confidence.” “I had to find other ways to build communication and build rapport. I wasn’t golfing with the men or racing sports cars with them, or smoking cigars and drinking scotch with them. I had to find other ways to build trust.” “I made that conscious commitment to keep showing up and being present and not going away. People started seeing me as contributing and trusting.” “I didn’t get discouraged by it. I knew I was there for a reason.” /episode/index/show/shestalkingback/id/13972871