Episodes
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This episode features Robin Blackmon, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer at Aflac. Robin shares her wonderful, winding journey in Finance and HR that led her to where she is today. You’ll also hear insights on learning from others in big and small ways, the importance of relationships and practice when it comes to boards, and a few tips on wellness and stress management.
SHOW NOTES:
2:41 The goal was not necessarily to end up here
6:11 The value of gaining HR experience to succeed in Finance
10:20 Thoughtful transitions for leadership
11:56 Tips on presenting to the Board
12:42 Having good working relationships with your business partners
16:02 Building out the team and working towards optimization
17:39 Taking care of your own health and wellness
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:
How might you be able to start developing or further cultivate relationships with your Board members?
What are some of the things your peers or team members do in their work that you admire and could incorporate into your own work or style?
How might you be able to strengthen relationships with business partners that are important to you and to your team?
What are ways that you can pay more attention to your health and wellness and to that of your team members?
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This episode features Laura Kohler, Chief Sustainable Living Officer, Kohler. Laura shares insights about the legacy of Kohler and her journey within the company, and Kohler’s culture of innovation, sustainability and purpose. Laura also discusses the importance of re-skilling, the role of technology in sustainability, and how her personal values have played a role in her leadership journey.
SHOW NOTES:
1:51: Kohler's Legacy Values: Resilience, Persistence and Innovation
6:49: What started as cast iron farm implements
11:20: The importance of sustainability and DEI as cultural competencies and behaviors
16:33: Innovation and Purpose: People are more than the job they do
20:07: Dealing with roadblocks when building a culture of innovation
22:05: Smart products to serve sustainable living
24:41: The importance of reskilling and a 70-20-10 model
29:48: The thrill and challenge of career pivots
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:
If you were to further cultivate your own resilience, persistence, and innovation, how might that serve you well in your ongoing leadership journey?
What opportunities might exist to further cultivate sustainability and DEI as cultural competencies and individual behaviors in your own organization?
Are you leaving money and talent on the table by not fully activating your own team members? What might you do to better activate them?
What could you do to foster a culture of innovation in your team and how might you be able to influence that more broadly in your organization?
What skills and competencies of your own do you need to update, and what is your plan to do so?
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Missing episodes?
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This episode features Jennifer Montague, President and Chief Operating Officer for Columbia Gas of Virginia. Montague is also a Leading Women Executives Fellow, Fall 2018. Jennifer provides insights about innovation in the energy industry and delivers advice and experience about growing as a leader through taking on P&L roles, smartly planning for technology and people, advantages to working overseas, and creating smart plans for work-life balance.
SHOW NOTES:
The importance of P&L experience in carving a pathway to leadership [4:39]
Excitement and opportunity in the energy industry [6:21]
Building an AI strategy board: digital transformation and preparing for the future [8:35]
The importance of not losing critical thinking [10:43]
Intentional plans for future leaders [11:57]
The benefits of working overseas [14:00]
Different ways of balancing work and life [15:37]
Managing your derailers and growing as a leader [19:01]
Closed mouths don’t get fed (ask for what you want) [22:05]
Discussion Questions
We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:
How is your organization collectively thinking about, learning about, and working to understand the implications of AI?
As you and your team start to leverage AI tools, what are you doing to also continue cultivating the important skill of critical thinking in yourself and within your team?
How are you and your organization creating intentional pathways to train and prepare future leaders?
What strategies can you share with others about managing derailers when the pressure is on?
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This episode features Deanna Kovar, President, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division: Small Agriculture & Turf Care, Europe, Africa, and Asia, Deere & Company. Kovar is also a Leading Women Executives Fellow, Spring 2017. This conversation explores the history and evolution of technology and innovation in Deere and Company and shares insights into precision agriculture and how it impacts all of us. Kovar also shares meaningful leadership lessons learned and the necessary adjustments on how to better lead in our rapidly changing world of technology.
SHOW NOTES:
About precision agriculture [10:34]
Autonomous tractors and leveraging technology [14:42]
Innovation at the core of Deere and Company [20:14]
Leading with tech-savvy innovation [26:15]
Data skills necessary in leadership [29:25]
Being intentional in building your network [37:40]
Learning not failing [40:26]
Discussion Questions
We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:
How are you taking steps to grow your leadership capabilities through understanding technology?
What is something you'd like to do differently at your organization in how you use data to make leadership decisions or recommendations?
When is a moment where a seeming failure turned into an important opportunity?
What is an example where you might adjust how you ask the questions rather than provide the answer to your teams?
What is a priority in how you would like to grow your own network this year? -
In this episode, Kelly Tufts, Vice President, Field Talent at Discover and Leading Women Executives Fellow, Spring 2015, discusses her focus on finding meaningful and impactful ways to lead with purpose. In her role at Discover, Kelly has been integrally involved in the opening of a new contact center in Chatham, a disinvested neighborhood in Chicago. Through this work and other civic roles, Kelly is able to help employees, customers and community members thrive, as well as chart her personal growth as a leader. Kelly also shares how adopting a growth mindset has empowered her to serve as a customer champion, lifelong learner and collaborative connector.
Discussion Questions
We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:
Questions:
1. How does your organization lead with purpose?
2. Where might opportunities exist for your organization to take a hyper-local approach and impact local businesses?
3. What can you get involved with to help you foster a growth mindset?
Highlights:
How Discover Leads with Purpose [4:59]
Finding Success by Taking a Hyper-Local Approach [9:40]
Leadership Requires a Growth Mindset [11:35]
Empowering Women through PayTech Women [14:06]
Being a Curious, Lifelong Learner [16:46]
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In this episode, Jennifer DelVecchio, Senior Director Global Content and Culture at McDonald’s (Leading Women Executives Fellow, Fall 2022), shares her leadership journey, that has allowed her to travel the world while tackling unique and challenging growth opportunities. Throughout these experiences, Jennifer has fostered and developed her creativity as a way to approach new challenges, solve complex problems, and find new ways to connect with others.
Discussion Questions
We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:
1. How might the changing nature of communities impact the future of your organization's business and brand?
2. Where are opportunities for you to both lead in the moment and also remind your team to be in the moment and not miss the moment?
3. How have other leaders effectively built followership for the mission they are responsible for pursuing?
4. How do you spend your time as a leader? Are there ways to change how you spend your time that would make you a more effective leader?
5. What routines have you seen other leaders use to elevate their leadership impact? Are there routines that you could adopt that would elevate your leadership impact?
6. What non-negotiables do you need to set for yourself?
HIGHLIGHTS:
Meeting the Moment and Not Missing the Moment [7:39]
A See and Seize Leadership Style [9:50]
The Power of Routines [11:19]
Utilizing the Language of Leadership [15:20]
Where to Spend Your Time as a Leader [20:16]
ROI Can Mean ‘Return on Inspiration’ [22:12]
Using the FOAM Method to Craft a Compelling Story [23:48]
Tapping into Your Creativity [27:42]
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In this episode, Ilene Gordon, former CEO & Chairman of Ingredion, and her husband, Bram Bluestein, former management consultant, share their advice and successful strategies for dual-career families. Juggling family, relationships and work responsibilities is not an easy task, but over the course of their 40+ years of marriage, Ilene and Bram learned how to balance their robust careers while employing creative methods to stay connected and engaged as a family. The priorities and insights that they share in this episode expand upon concepts from their recent book, Doubling Down: The Secret Sauce for Dual-Career Families.
Discussion Questions
We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:
1. What are your non-negotiables around family and work?
2. What trade-offs have you made in order to maintain those non-negotiables?
3. Do you have rituals -- like Ilene's and Bram's Sunday-night dinners -- that you have put in place to help you stay organized as a family?
4. How do you or other leaders in your organization model work-life balance?
HIGHLIGHTS:
First Encounters: 5:38
Issues Facing Dual-Career Couples: 8:03
Finding Your Non-Negotiables: 12:06
Modeling the Behavior as Leaders: 16:30
Making Inevitable Trade-Offs: 21:15
Being Inventive to Make it All Work: 23:19
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In this episode, three women leaders from Boise Cascade discuss the organization's foray into their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion journey. Leading Women Executives Fellows Jo Barney, Vice President Western Operations (Fall, 2021), and Bertha Villalobos, Engineered Wood Products National Accounts Manager (Fall, 2022), are joined by Trina Finley Ponce, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director, as they share the challenges that Boise Cascade is overcoming and the goals the company is striving to achieve through this important and impactful effort.
Discussion Questions
We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:
1. What is your company doing to create a sense of belonging and an environment where all employees can bring their authentic selves to work?
2. How are you using your voice and 'seat at the table' to create pathways for other women?
3. What advice would you give to women who are working to overcome the “confidence gap”?
4. What questions are you and your organization asking ‘why’ about when it comes to DEI efforts?
HIGHLIGHTS:
Building the Foundation for DEI at Boise Cascade [7:13]
Embracing Differences [12:17]
Navigating Conversations to Foster Change (14:37)
The Importance of Being Intentional When Recruiting and Hiring (20:00)
Keep Asking “Why?” (23:41)
Boise Cascade’s DEI Accomplishments to Date (29:23)
Words of Advice (32:32)
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Linda Nolan, Senior Managing Director at Northern Trust, and Leading Women Executives Fellow (Fall, 2011), shares how core values provide a foundation for leadership style; and how alignment of your values with those of your employer can empower you to lead with your colleagues' and clients' best interests in mind. Linda discusses how embracing this servant leadership philosophy guides her professional and civic roles, where she strives to lead with kindness and compassion.
Discussion Questions
We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:
1. What is the personal, family and community legacy you want to leave behind?
2. In the spirit of "People don't care about how much you know until they know how much you care", what are ways you can authentically convey as a leader how much you care?
HIGHLIGHTS:
Finding the Right Space and Place as a Leader [5:18]
The Financial Power of Women [8:07]
What Executives Need to Understand [12:13]
Women and Philanthropy [13:33]
Focus on the Servant Leadership Model [18:06]
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In this episode, Deborah Gordon, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and Chief Legal Officer for Memorial Hermann Health System, discusses her career journey and becoming an authentic leader. Deborah explores issues that many women leaders face, including building an executive brand, overcoming imposter syndrome and investing in your own personal and professional development.
SHOW NOTES:
The Opportunities and Challenges of Working in the Healthcare Industry [4:27]
Expanding into New Roles [8:57]
Executive Brands are Always Evolving [12:09]
Finding Your Authentic Self as a Leader [14:06]
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome [17:42]
How to Step Up as a Leader [20:34]
The Benefit of Bi-Directional Relationships [23:18]
Connecting with the Community [31:40]
Discussion Questions:
· How are you actively working to evolve your personal brand?
· What are some examples of authentic leadership that you have observed recently?
· What do you tell yourself/others you mentor to help overcome feelings of imposter syndrome?
· How can you find ways to connect with your community and reap the benefits of those networks and new opportunities?
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There are many benefits to serving on a not-for-profit board, including helping to fulfill an organization’s mission, expanding your skillset and broadening your network. Finding the right fit and understanding the expectations of Board membership is important to ensure an optimal experience. In this episode, Leading Women Executives Fellows Aimee Nolan and Sara Granack discuss their experiences serving on not-for-profit Boards, and how they have benefitted by serving as civic leaders.
Aimee is Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Chief IP Counsel at Grainger, and currently serves as the Board Chair for the Alzheimer’s Association, Illinois Chapter (Leading Women Executives, Spring 2014). Sara is Vice President, Corporate Communication & Reputation at CDW, and is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors for Bernie’s Book Bank (Leading Women Executives, Spring 2015).
SHOW NOTES:
About Bernie’s Book Bank and the Alzheimer’s Association [9:06]
The Inspiration to Get Involved [12:27]
Doing Your Research – What You Need to Understand [16:08]
Getting Started: How to Get Involved [20:06]
Opportunities to Develop New Skills [22:54]
Expanding Your Network Through Board Service [25:30]
Understanding the Expectations of Being a Board Member [27:31]
Discussion Questions:
· What issues would you like to make an impact on outside of work?
· What types of non-profits align with those issues?
· Who in your network could help you get connected to non-profits that focus on these issues?
· What professional skills might a non-profit Board help you build?
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In this inaugural episode of Season 4, Mary Ann Korenic, CEO of The Chicago Trust Company at Wintrust Wealth Management, shares her leadership and life journey. Having faced numerous personal and professional hardships, Mary Ann shares her perspectives on facing adversity and discusses how these challenges forced her to persevere and ultimately, conquer new summits.
Many thanks to Discover for sponsoring the 2023 Season Podcast of “A Seat at the Table”.
SHOW NOTES:
[2:15] The Path to Becoming CEO
[7:23] Skills Executive Leaders Need
[9:35] Learning to Be Better, Not Bitter
[12:00] Facing Health Challenges
[13:58] Persevering Through the Impossible
[17:00] Career Summits: Helping Others to Grow and Lead
[19:46] The Benefits of Board Service
[23:24] Don’t Call Them “Resolutions”…Call Them “Continual Improvements”
Discussion Questions:
· How are you pushing yourself to not have to be in every meeting, or step away from some of the details, to allow yourself time to focus on more strategic issues?
· Can you think of a situation where you might have achieved a better outcome if you had used the 'power of the pause'?
· How are you taking care of your own health and well-being, and how are modeling that for your team so that they also make their health a priority?
· Where might there be an opportunity for you to tap someone on the shoulder and offer them a stretch opportunity?
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In this episode, Deb DeHaas, CEO of Corporate Leadership Center, talks with Michelle Banks as she discusses her career journey and the key inflection points that led her to her current role as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Kohl’s. Michelle articulates the many ways that Kohl’s is working to surpass its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion goals across the key pillars of people, community, and customers. She also highlights the valuable role Kohl’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs) serve, bringing diverse perspectives and strategic ideas to the table, and championing a culture of inclusion and belonging.
SHOW NOTES:
Driving Results Through People [6:59]
How Kohl’s is Achieving its DEI Goals [8:29]
Creating a More Inclusive Culture [11:25]
Leveraging the Voice of Business Resource Groups [12:28]
Connecting with Diverse Customers [16:17]
Supporting Supplier Diversity [18:56]
Engaging the Board of Directors in Achieving DEI Goals [24:03]
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Finding one’s leadership voice and style is never easy, and for women of color, it can be particularly challenging. Often women of color find themselves facing social and cultural constraints as the “firsts” in corporate leadership roles and feel pressured to conform in order to advance in their careers. In this episode, Valerie Purdie Greenaway, Professor of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University and Leading Women Executives faculty member, and Deepa Purushothaman, Co-Founder of nFormation and the author of The First, The Few, The Only: How Women of Color Can Redefine Power in Corporate America, discuss their research on the challenges of being a woman of color in business, and how companies can help to mitigate these issues.
SHOWNOTES:
Negotiations as a Form of Social Justice [3:30]
Finding Patterns in the Experiences of Women of Color [5:34]
The Challenges of Corporate America [7:35]
Creating Environments for Women of Color to Thrive [11:30]
Negotiate for What You Need and What You Want [16:21]
The Lonely Only Trap [20:30]
Strategies and Words of Wisdom [26:12]
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Career transitions provide a valuable opportunity to pause and reflect before embarking on new ventures. Oftentimes, insights gleaned during this period help to guide future decisions, both professionally and personally. Having recently left JLL as Global Chief Human Resources Officer, Mary Bilbrey (CEO Perspectives alumna, 2019) reflects on her career journey and lessons learned as a result of the pandemic. She also shares valuable perspectives on how companies can foster ongoing employee engagement and build a powerful corporate culture.
SHOWNOTES:
Considering the Next Career Chapter [2:00]
How to Think About Employee Engagement [5:32]
Putting Your Own Mask on First [7:02]
Advice on Transitioning to a New Role or Company [8:44]
Influencing Culture in Your Organization [11:07]
The Most Important Leadership Capabilities to Cultivate [16:35]
Developing Diverse and Inclusive Cultures [18:57]
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Every business leader can benefit from greater insight on how to collaborate more effectively with their in-house legal team. In turn, every legal team can provide greater impact when viewed as a strategic partner, collaborating with the business to achieve its goals.
In this episode, Laura Wood, General Counsel, Zoro US; Leading Women Executives alumna, Spring 2019; and Tamela Merriweather, Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Northern Trust; Leading Women Executives alumna, Fall 2018, discuss their work to build relationships within their organizations and showcase the strategic value of the legal function in business.
SHOWNOTES:
The Impact of the Leading Women Executives Program [1:46]
How In-House Lawyers Can Help Drive Business Outcomes [4:11]
Understanding the Legal Aspects of Product Development [9:54]
Contracts are Actually Business Roadmaps – What You Need to Know [11:58]
“What Happens If…” – Understanding Termination Rights [14:48]
How to Develop Strong Relationships with Your Legal Team [21:29]
Recommended Reads [28:28]
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Research shows that when it comes to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), women make up only 28% of the workforce and are significantly outnumbered by men in fields like computer science and engineering. This outcome underscores the fact that girls and women are often discouraged from pursuing studies in science and math, limiting their access and preparation to pursue these areas of interest.
In this episode, Dr. Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code, and Denise Lintz, Vice President of Enterprise Portfolio Management and Technology Shared Services at USCellular discuss their commitment and ongoing efforts to close the gender gap in tech jobs by equipping girls with computing skills to take on future opportunities and careers in STEM.
SHOWNOTES:
All About Girls Who Code [10:52]
The Partnership Between Girls Who Code and USCellular [13:24]
Important Findings of STEM Survey [14:56]
Driving Real Change around Women in STEM [18:23]
The Power of Corporate Action [22:11]
Stories of Impact [26:00]
Avoiding Career Pitfalls [31:00]
Recommended Reads [34:06]
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Business executives often credit a breakout role – a unique project or challenge in which they excelled – as a major part of their career success. The increased responsibilities and visibility these roles offer enable leaders to both demonstrate their skills and expand their capabilities in new and interesting ways.
In this episode, Lisa Badgley, Senior Vice President at Walgreens and alumna of both the CEO Perspectives (2017) and Leading Women Executives (2011) programs, discusses her breakout role, and the many valuable lessons she acquired along the way.
SHOWNOTES:
Advice on Joining Nonprofit Boards [4:11]
The Key is Communicating with Your Boss [6:32]
Trust in Yourself [12:30]
The Power of the Network [15:37]
Hindsight is 20/20 Vision [18:44]
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In the past few years, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues have become a key priority for companies, as they work to define their ESG goals and link them to long-term sustainability and strategic planning. Long before the concept of ESG became popular, Grainger focused on these goals and built them into an integral part of their corporate values and leadership objectives. In this episode, Corporate Leadership Center CEO Deb DeHaas talks with Grainger’s Kathleen Carroll, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, and Leading Women Executives Advocate; and Rebecca Derdiger, Senior Director of Diversity and Corporate Responsibility, and Leading Women Executives Ambassador, Fall 2021, to learn more about Grainger’s ESG journey and how they bring value to their stakeholders through their ongoing efforts.
SHOW NOTES:
ESG as a Guiding Principle [3:43]
Assessing What’s Important to Stakeholders [6:13]
How to Operationalize ESG throughout the Organization [10:05]
The Pandemic as a Communication Catalyst [12:26]
Telling Your ESG Story [17:44]
Advice for Other Companies [19:56]
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Supporting top performers by encouraging them to take on stretch assignments and advocating on their behalf is at the heart of sponsorship. Those who have had the benefit of being sponsored often become sponsors, to ‘pay it forward’ and help develop others’ careers. In this episode, Discover’s Diane Offereins, Executive Vice President and President of Payment Services and Alisa Ellis, Global Head of Innovation and Emerging Products and Leading Women Executives Ambassador, Fall 2020, share their experiences and advice on how to derive the most impact from sponsorship relationships.
SHOW NOTES:
The Difference Between Mentorship and Sponsorship [4:59]
The Power of Sponsors [7:51]
It’s About Instilling Confidence [10:37]
How to Cultivate a Mutually Beneficial Relationship [14:18]
Finding Ways to Sponsor and Be Sponsored [17:36]
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