Better People Podcast

Join host Holly DePalma as she enlightens us with the extraordinary journey of Franklyn Baker, CEO and President of the United Way of Central Maryland. Franklyn unveils the secrets behind doubling the organization's outreach, fostering a culture of equity and growth, and the thrilling prospects of taking their practices nationwide. Tap in to learn how a passion for community turns into transformative success!

Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• Doubled United Way’s impact.
• Infusing best practices to enhance impact.
• Prioritizing culture over strategy.
• Nurturing equity and fostering growth.
• Garnering top awards through success.

Resources:

• United Way of Central Maryland
• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connect with Franklyn Baker:

• LinkedIn

Connect with our hosts:

• Holly DePalma -  LinkedIn

Quotables:

• 01:44 - So, when I walked in the door November of 2016, I really thought this organization has lots of potential, really incredible people, a nice set of disciplines in place, very much passionate about the work in the community. But the thing that I readily noticed, because I came from a background of shepherding and managing various programs, interventions, initiatives, and other organizations, I thought we could probably use a shot in the arm of increasing our level of impact and touching more lives.
• 08:14 - So one out of four, one out of five individuals that walk into a nonprofit around the country will walk out the front door in a year or so of being there. So what's so powerful, because our culture, and as you've many of your listeners have heard, Peter Drucker says, has said many, many times over, and as many, many people like me who repeat it often culture, it always will eat strategy for breakfast. And so for us, there's a reason why for the last three to four years, we've hovered between eight and 12% on our staff. Oh, that's incredible. On staff turnover as compared to the industry of 20, 25%.
• 10:38 -  Prior to my onboarding and I got this information from others who had been there prior to me coming online, prior CEOs were not necessarily doing skip-level meetings. What I mean by skip level meetings for your listeners is in addition to my direct reports, I have, you know, eight direct reports or actually nine direct reports. In addition to meeting with them every two weeks. one-on-one, I also meet with their direct reports. So all of the vice presidents and some select associate vice presidents, I'm meeting with them once per quarter. And when you have the slogan trust and verify, the verification point is very important as it relates to me as a president, CEO meeting with my direct reports. Direct reports. Because I'm having a conversation with someone in development and my senior vice president, chief development officer tells me X, Y, and Z, and I'm talking to that person's vice president. Right? And we're, I'm asking the exact same question to both two answers. Sometimes never. The twain shall meet. Right. And other times there's an exact match. So when the, you have those moments where never the twain shall meet, you have an, an opportunity for inquiry and a very, very humble, curious perspective, not in a sort of blaming or accusatory, it's none of that. It's more of just trying to seek first to understand then to be understood, you know, Steven Covey’s principle. So I think that's extremely important. 
• 24:05 - I tell them all the time that every single one of them in their own right could leave United Way of Central Maryland and become a executive director, presidency of another nonprofit. Right? So they are so valuable in our decision-making. So I'm one of those leaders where I'm not totalitarian, totalitarian in my process. I'm very much a consensus leader. I'll make the final call, executive call when need be, when there's a stalemate or we can't move forward. But they understand that their voice matters. And I consider very sincerely what they're saying. 
• 32:22 - We were a good organization when I started. We had gone from good to great. Right now it's gone from great to excellent. How do we go to that very next tier, right? Top, top, top tier. And I knew then we needed to have someone in the role of chief of staff that can help not only the executive management team with our strategic work and some of the day-to-day blocking and tackling, but most importantly get more mileage out of that middle-level sort of that we call it an organizational management team.

Dive into an electrifying chat with CEO David Mattson of Sandler Training on The Better People Podcast. In this episode, we uncover the fusion of potent leadership, savvy sales strategies, and the art of personal career cultivation. Captivating stories and razor-sharp insights make this a playbook for anyone hungry to excel.

Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• Career progression requires personal drive.
• Effective leaders tailor communication styles.
• Building business & team growth go hand-in-hand.
• Honing your craft is essential for leaders.
• The power of self-awareness in leadership.

Resources:

• Sandler Training 
• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connect with David Mattson:

• LinkedIn

Connect with our host, Holly DePalma

• LinkedIn

Quotables:

• 06:35 - And so to me it was how do you build a business that's scalable and bring good people around you that you don't have to quote unquote babysit and, and let it run? And that's what I did. And so we've, since 2012, I think we've gone, we've grown almost 30 times, and that's how much we've grown in that amount of time by letting people do what they should be doing and staying out of the way, to be honest.
• 07:26 - I believe you should create a plan. Then you should create the positions that are necessary to fulfill that plan. The third thing that you should do is go find the right people. I think the big mistakes that leaders make is they look at their current people and say, where would they fit? I think that's a huge mistake. And that actually helped me because, you know, once you develop the plan and figure out, okay, well these are the positions that I need to actually fulfill it, then it became very apparent that I had some people already that would be great. And I had huge, huge holes. And so my current structure would be, you know, we have a whole group that supports our channel. 
• 15:57 -  Holly: what do you do in your interviewing process to make sure that you know, that right steps to vet your search process  is followed through? Because one of the things I love about Sandler, and I have taken Sandler is process. I'm bad at process. So putting one in place can be really helpful.
  David: So for us, I use the search model, right? I do use the skills and I'm going through those, those questions I do assess. So I assess early, you know, I don't, I'm a big believer in looking below the iceberg in that I am a big believer in having multiple people interview. Yep. However, multiple interviews without a good pre-brief and debrief is worthless. So if you're not gonna share information, like, okay, Holly, here are the two or three areas that I think maybe an issue, but I didn't uncover enough, you should pick up on that topic. If I don't tell you that, you're gonna ask the same questions that I asked. Right? And we're all gonna fall in love for the same reasons. And if it's, it's an important job, I like to fly in and take, if they're, they have a partner or spouse, I'll take them all to dinner because I learn more there. Then I learned anywhere.
• 28:34 -  When you're doing these guardrails, like, well, what did you do well? Like, what went well? Right? What could we do more of? Right? And then we have the other one is, what would you do differently? What would you do differently? So it's more better. What could you have done better? What could you do more of? And what would you have done differently? If you ask those questions on all the scenarios, people learn very, very quickly. And they self-discover. I think when you tell them all the time, this is what you need to do different, better, whatever. They don't, they don't, it doesn't absorb, it doesn't kick in. And then you always get frustrated as a leader because that person's doing the exact same thing you just told 'em not to do last month, but that's because they were listening to you, your voice versus, well, what would you have done differently? Well, I would've done this differently. I guess what they would've, they're not gonna do that again because their ears heard what their mouth said. And it's their idea. People never argue with their own data and guardrails. Allow them to have their own data and not for you to micromanage them.
• 31:51 - That's something that takes years to learn, right? And normally we've making all the mistakes. I think the first thing that we have to do is not lead by ego. You really have to leave your ego, you know, in the other room or in the car, or wherever you're gonna leave it. But I think most people are leading by that ego, but also telling them indirectly without knowing actually doing it, that telling them how great they were as a leader, you know, this is what I used to do, this is what I would do. To me, I've always learned that I would always take time. Like if there was an issue, like for whatever thing, it just didn't go well. I, I always look things at buckets. So my behavioral style is I'm a bucket guy, so I look at it in categories. And so I do do the well that are different, more. I do do that. I do ask you for what you, you've gotten, but I also ask, you know, like, how did you come to that conclusion? Like how did, how did that happen? Like what was your thought process? And try to figure out, because how you think about things to me is more important than the action that you did. 'cause that can always change, right? But I wait, because like everyone else, I'm on an emotional rollercoaster as well. I'm not, I can't, you know, I'm not, I'm human. But then I realized that that's not gonna get me anywhere. And, and so I'm a big talk track guy too.
• 35:40 - One of the things I took from my training at Sandler, which is obviously sort of part of this whole discussion, is yeah, prepare, right? You can, you just cannot ever be sort of winging it, especially when it comes to leading. And you might find yourself in situations that you didn't expect to be in, but there's a way to not wing that and get yourself, you know, either press pause, right? You know, like I used to say, no one's gonna live or die by this conversation. 

In this episode, Holly DePalma kicks of a shift in perspective as we hear from guest CEO Kevin Robins.  Insightful monologues & real-life leadership lessons make up this candid chat on reinventing workplace culture, building successful teams, and making sure everyone is on board and not left at the station.  

Here are a few topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• CEO’s perspective on workplace culture.
• Culture as a business growth driver.
• Workplace flexibility and trust in employees.
• Culture fit is crucial in the recruiting process.

Resources:

• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connect with Kevin Robins:

• LinkedIn

Connect with the host, Holly DePalma:

• LinkedIn

Quotables:

• 21:21- And that's what I say all the time when people ask about why are you successful, I say because I have a great team. My job's easy I just, I'm here to support. And I think that's how real leaders and real culture people think about it because you know whatever that saying is culture eats strategy. You know it's true If you get the culture right you know things happen.
• 18:31 - I don't like babysitting people, but I also, when I trust people, I want them to live the lives they wanna live and do the job. And you know, a lot of talks out there about hybrid and virtual, I think it's about flexibility and doing your job. You know, I used to, in high school, I was a painter, I painted, that was the way I made money in high school. Go paint, you know, schools, buildings, whatever. And my approach was work as hard as I can for five hours and do what someone else does an eight hours so I can just take the rest of the day off. And like for someone it doesn't appreciate that but says, no, I want you to be here eight hours, so go slower. I thought that was the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. So I kind of, I think is a vibe I always have like, work hard, play hard, like do your job, do what's expected, meet your goals, and then do what you wanna do. And I think that makes for healthy employees, healthy members, members get that vibe too.
• 16:47 - Holly:  So you know, kind of share what are things that you wish you could do but you can't do or what would you like to do? But the smaller organization is inhibiting the opportunity. You mentioned earlier we couldn't go too fast with change. But is there something you wish you could do that you feel you used to feel empowered to do and you don't feel that you can do here?
  Kevin: Well I think the biggest thing would be budgets and how much we spend on sales and marketing versus another organization, you know, a larger organization. I think we have the same commitment to providing excellent service and relationships as any organization does. I think that's also part of being a nonprofit association. You know, it's about the membership. You know, I wish,  the thing my wish, like we did better, that I did better was bringing new members on. Because I think what we do is amazing and we bring 60 to 80 new members a year. I wish it was 150.
• 09:30 -  So I think, you know, I was just talking to a CEO before this and I think our past always informs our future. And so I think to understand my feelings on change, I kind of have to go back 30 years when I left the law firm and joined this company called SCI came from a very large law firm. We did things that lawyers do, very structured, went to this company that I was a client, but I didn't really know too much about them. And when I got there, they were in the midst of a reinvention, which I didn't know what that word meant, but it meant that they were changing their whole organization. But it was around the business is why they were doing it. And I came, you know, spent 15 years there and realized every year we did a reinvention because that's what we do. But, you know, to be, to come from the outside into an experience where everything's up for grabs, where the organization, the people are moving, it's changing, was very hard for the first year.
• 20:00 - We're doing so many cool things in this region with companies that are using culture to kind of get every, get through the generational transfer that's happening out there. And I think it's awesome, but you have to work it. It's not just gonna happen. You just can't. I just talking to somebody, you can't tell people you have to talk to people, which means you gotta just, you have to listen and kind of figure out what's important to people and but also make sure they know what's important to you. And then I think you create a two-way relationship.

Join us as Bookminders CEO Jessica Minkus shares her journey from staff accountant to head honcho, and spills the secret sauce behind their flexible, remote work culture. Discover how an employee-centric approach supercharged their growth, learn about team advisors' impact, and get inspired to enhance your company's culture.

Here are a few topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• Home-based workers from start.
• Emphasis on employee-centric culture.
• Structured growth through internal promotion.
• Evolving with technology and remote demands.
• Creating a non-competitive work environment.

Resources:

• Bookminders
• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connect with Jessica Minkus:

• LinkedIn

Connect with Margaret Uhrich:

• LinkedIn

Quotables:

• 9:38 - We couldn't expand the way we wanted to because we didn't have the number of employees needed, right? And so, we needed to be able to support the growth. We only promote from within at Bookminders. And because our employees want to work part-time, they typically don't wanna transition into a full-time management role, you know, a role on the leadership team if that means full-time. So I was thinking about all, where we were as an organization, the stressors that we were going to have, and realized we need more support for our accountants out there.
• 16:47 - You know, being in a remote environment, you're by yourself in your office at home, right? And having a group that you're meeting with where you're getting to know each other, you're feeling comfortable, you know, we foster an environment where we want feedback and it's very important to our culture that we get that. But this just gives them another different type of outlet where they're with their peers, they're having like their water cooler moments in a virtual environment.
• 17:43 - We have gotten great feedback. It's really heartwarming. One of our employees that have been here over 10 years is on a team with someone less than 10 years. And she was skeptical and she came out and she's like, this was the best thing that we've done for the organization and supporting the employees. They feel connected.
• 18:53 - I guess the thing that  I wasn't sure of was how quick the buy-in was going to be. And it was very quick and the positive feelings and words have, like, it was so much quicker than I thought it was going to be. And I was not expecting every person that we went to ask if they wanted to be a team advisor to say yes, but like their faces lit up, like, absolutely. And so it's, it's gone really well and much faster than I thought it would.
• 07:04 - It's a lifestyle. I mean, everyone I think should know by now. Like, people like working from home, they like having the flexibility, they like the supported autonomy and everyone's trying to navigate that. But if you're giving that, you know, if you have that structure and you're providing the support, you know, our employees, they love doing their job. They could not imagine going back to a 9 to 5 desk job.

Dive into the incredible transformation of F&M Trust with Dr. Karen Carmack, as she unravels their path from low morale to record earnings through a robust employee engagement strategy. Discover the power of listening, strategic initiatives, and transparent leadership in propelling organizational success.

Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• Impact of voice on employee morale.
• The strategic plan led to an engagement initiative.
• Surveys shed light on cultural shifts.
• Leadership training drives improvement.
• Financial success is tied to engagement.

Resources:

• F&M Trust
• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connect with Dr. Karen Carmack:

• LinkedIn

Connect with our host, Holly DePalma

• LinkedIn

Quotables:

• 3:33 - Well, prior to that time, we weren't doing any kind of assessments. We were experiencing turnover, and we were experiencing turnover of more of our key personnel, which was concerning. We were also getting feedback, and you can just feel it in an organization. It becomes palpable that, you know, employees are dissatisfied. And it wasn't a very good feeling. So we were trying to figure out what we can do to improve that. And that's why this focus on employee engagement got on the board. I think initially, you know, we were thinking about, okay, let's find out what satisfies our employees. But I think as we work through it, we took it in a whole different direction, which really had a broader impact on the organization.
• 6:26 - And once I got the charge, I thought, okay, all right. Who needs to be involved with this? Obviously, I was thinking we needed some broad perspectives and also broad representation from within the organization. So what I did is I looked at our employee base and I said, okay, we need the different geographies of our organization represented. We need different levels of hierarchy within the organization and different departmental representation. So I ended up through that process identifying an initial group of 14 employees that I tapped and asked if they would be willing to jump into this with me.
• 14:13 - There were initially, and maybe there's pockets of it today, but initially I think people were wondering, are they really serious? Do they really want our true opinions around what's going on? I think there was a little bit of skepticism initially, but thankfully they took the plunge with us and gave us some feedback.
• 23:43 - We were just a couple of points away from where we would wanna be there. I can't say that was the way it was for the first survey. Our scores weren't all that great that first year, but that in itself was a gift because it gave us all the feedback that we needed to do all the things that we've done over these years. But the true bright spot within all of it has been our leader engagement survey and the scores that we've had within it, because that first year that we did it, we saw a need for improvement.
• 34:48 - And so, you know, the beauty with all of this in parallel that I haven't talked about yet is that our financial results have also improved significantly. We've had record earnings during this period of time. You know whether you can completely correlate it to this effort entirely, you know, there probably are other factors, but I firmly believe that everything that we've been doing to get employees aligned with the culture, aligned with the mission engaged, and getting that discretionary effort has helped us reach some of the goals that we have and blown some others out of the water.

In this episode, Margaret Uhrich interviews Sol Alberione, the Chief People Officer at Giant Machines. Sol discusses the importance of a people-centered approach and the company's focus on creating digital solutions. She also shares insights on celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month at Giant Machines, emphasizing the need for a sense of belonging and mentorship. Sol further explains how embracing authenticity and being true to oneself led to personal and professional fulfillment in his career.

Sol Alberione, a seasoned HR professional, is a C-Suite executive with over 12 years of experience in Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition, Compliance, and Talent Development. Currently serving as the Chief People Officer at Giant Machines, she is a passionate advocate for fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and empathy in the workplace. Sol's career exemplifies her commitment to putting people first and driving the success of organizations through human capital strategies. 

Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• As a human capital strategist, Soll focuses on creating an environment where employees can succeed, feel seen, represented, and do their best work.
• The leadership team at Giant Machines fully supports the people-first approach, leading to high employee retention and recognition as the best place to work in New York City.
• The company values potential over formal qualifications when hiring and focuses on developing and mentoring employees to help them grow within the organization.
• Giant Machines emphasizes the importance of mentorship and provides coaching and support throughout an employee's entire journey within the company.
• The turning point in Sol's interview at Giant Machines where he decided to be authentic
• Overcoming hesitations and limitations to be true to himself
• How authenticity and confidence led to career success

Resources:

• Giant Machines
• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connect with Sol Alberione:

• LinkedIn

Connect with our host, Margaret Uhrich:

• LinkedIn

Quotables:

• 02:46 - “For me, the success of any company is the people and the humanity that the company brings. So in my role there is constant decision-making about what we can do to just really create an environment that people can succeed in, can do the best work, can feel that they're represented, they're seen, they belong and can do the best work. So a lot of the decisions happening behind the scenes on how we promote, how we hire, how we connect with our team internally and that connection translate to how they show up in the world.”
• 03:15 - “Being a strategist is always kind of questioning yourself, what can I do better? So from the moment that I talk to my managers and to the moment that I talk come with my CEO is like a how we use the people-centered approach that we have as a company to get, make sure that everyone has a path to succeed in Giant Machines. And also after Giant Machines we have a huge network of people who were part of Giant Machines, and we are still in contact with them. So we want to create like this school of Giant Machines that really open opportunities above and beyond our organization.”
• 05:00 - “All of those are people centered because I always tell them I love you when you're at work, but I love you when you're outside of work. I want you to feel that space, that level of separation that you can have both spaces for you to honor your life. It is important. I don't want to have the discrepancy on who you are outside and who you are when you come to work. And that creates a lot of the decisions on what are the opportunities for growth, the conversations for promotion in order to honor that perspective. Our team, without them we don't have anything. Our CEO is very, very good at the executive team about what can we do better for them in order to just have this humanity that show up to the world that is not just running a business.”
• 12:52 - “But for us, we are still having the soul that is creating that path and we're going out with our teams and we're eating the food and sharing the language and the music and the happiness and the loudness. I have tons of Latinos in Giant Machines and I love when I jump into a meeting and they're all speaking in Spanish and they're normalizing that within a work environment that sometimes you have to just be normative and continue to be like what is expected. Having the sense of safety that you can speak in Spanish without worrying how you're going to be perceived. Those to me are celebrations that even though it's not a party, it's a celebration of like, we appreciate who you are and what you bring and how you show up to work.”
• 21:35 - “So the idea that I can be working in an organization as a board member, but it's the organization that is growing in Argentina, growing in South America. I think I'm mixing the best of both worlds. I can get to speak Spanish sometimes, I feel closer to home. That is part of my roots that pull me there. But also doing what I love the most, which is being a people manager, working with people, supporting people, and making people feel fine and happy and whole when they come to work.”

This episode features an interview with Juliette Dupré VP of People & Culture at Simulmedia, who shares her unconventional career trajectory from ballerina to the startup world. The conversation delves into the challenges of working in HR and startups, finding a balance between perfection and the fast-paced startup environment, and the importance of embracing change. The host also explores the significance of coaching and feedback in developing exceptional leaders, debunking misconceptions about feedback, and emphasizing the need for personalized approaches. Juliet highlights the role of love, mentorship, and continuous learning in HR leadership, emphasizing the value of genuine feedback and understanding the psychological and biological aspects of it.

Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• The challenges of managing people in a startup, include being a player-coach and dealing with resource restrictions.
• The impact of constant change and turnover in startups and the importance of embracing change management.
• Helping team members achieve more than they anticipated.
• Coaching new leaders and managers in a rapidly changing environment.
• Emphasizing that leadership and management skills can be learned.
• Balancing a customized approach to coaching with the limitations of larger organizations.
• Military leadership style offers valuable lessons for the corporate world, including the importance of loving your team.

Resources:

• Simulmedia
• Jocko Podcast
• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connect with Juliette Dupré:

• LinkedIn

Connect with our host, Holly DePalma:

• LinkedIn

Quotables:

• 13:32 - I think what I learned with him and what I try and teach my team is that you are capable of a lot higher quality bar than maybe you realize even with the restrictions. But yes, perfection to your point is not necessarily the actual expectation or goal, it's not really possible for any of us. But how close can you reasonably get, you know, and in service of the teams that we're supporting and recognizing all the effort that they're putting in and making sure that we're really representing what they're doing and being an example to others and so forth.  
• 29:00 - Wanting them to succeed makes all the difference in the world. So again, huge fan of actual radical candor versus obnoxious aggression or some of these other categories that people love to use. I also think there's a lot more to feedback than just that, you know, that concept. There's, there's a lot of other pieces of the puzzle that are worth, you know, helping managers to understand as a bigger part of all of it, such as the psychological and biological things that happen when someone feels threatened or someone's in a feedback situation. And you know, the timing of that, what's happening in the brain, what's happening in the body, the hormones that are released, the time that that takes, what that can mean to people. How you, that might change your approach. There's so much there that is worth learning
• 16:49 - But I'm a big believer in management as something you can learn and leadership is something you can learn. And I think, you know, there's a lot of research out there to show that sure, anyone can have talents for anything naturally, but ultimately these are skills that can be taught and leaders are not born. That is one of the most, I think, harmful ideas and erroneous aphorisms of business. So with that in mind, it's really a little bit of a custom approach once I get to know folks. 
• 15:52 - "When someone like me is brought into a startup, it generally means they've reached another phase of their growth and development as a business. They're looking to sort of professionalize a bit more. So there's an element of change intervention going on anytime I enter a space. And usually the first thing that happens is, as will happen with, with many folks in such a position, you spend a lot of time talking to people and listening, a lot of listening and understanding where people are and what they're going through and how things are going and trying to diagnose the barriers and the root cause of those barriers. So when I usually enter a space, as you know, a business is when I kind of start taking stock of where the various managers are and their journey of, of learning to, to better themselves and to get the most outta their people and to be good people as managers."
• 11:28 - Holly: You go with the 85% is good enough, right? And so balance for me, tell me how you balance that pursuit of perfection, which has sort of been your mantra, I'm gonna call it your mantra with the kind of sort of environment that you're in that doesn't allow for, it doesn't really allow for perfection in many ways because it moves so quickly.
  Juliette - And that's, you know, I'm just gonna stop and say that's one of the things I love about this podcast after having listened to so many is that you, you have such a, a great innate or maybe learned, I'm not sure, ability to catch these things and like put two and two together and get to deeper layers of these things. It's totally true.

Discover the inspiring stories and valuable lessons shared in these three podcast episodes. From Culture Plus turning their failing company around with a culture of love, to leaders embracing vulnerability and feedback for personal growth, and a former F-18 fighter pilot sharing insights on functional leadership, these episodes offer valuable insights for aspiring leaders around the world. Learn how to lead with love, prioritize people and culture, navigate challenges in the hospitality industry, and foster a culture of collaboration and psychological safety. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• Clear communication and empathy are vital in times of uncertainty and change.
• Functional leadership allows the most qualified person, regardless of their position on the org chart, to step up and lead.
• The book "Love as a Business Strategy" was written based on the founders' experience of transforming their failing company by embracing a culture of love.
• The founders realized their selfishness and fear-based environment were destroying their business, leading them to bring a culture of love into their organization.
• The founders' commitment and sacrifices, such as selling their personal assets, demonstrated their dedication to saving the company and creating a better work environment.
• Celebrating failures and creating psychological safety promotes growth and excellence within teams.
• Adopting functional leadership may require a transformational shift within an organization, but the results are worth it.

Resources:

• Culture+
• The Haverford Trust Company
• ICONA Resorts
• Merion Cricket Club
• United States Naval Academy
• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connect with the guests:

• Mohammad Anwar on LinkedIn
• Frank Danna on LinkedIn
• Erin Hughes on LinkedIn
• Lisa Sickel on LinkedIn
• Michelle Gloviak on LinkedIn
• Jack Becker on LinkedIn

Connect with our hosts:

• Margaret Uhrich on LinkedIn
• Holly DePalma on LinkedIn

In this episode, our host Margaret Uhrich discusses various aspects of leadership and management with guest Erwin de Leon, Chief Diversity Officer at Columbia University. They emphasize the significance of transparency in managing teams and the challenges faced by middle managers. The conversation also delves into the motivation and sense of purpose that drives individuals, as well as the lessons learned from both effective and ineffective leaders.

Erwin de Leon, Ph.D, serves as the Chief Diversity Officer and faculty member at Columbia University School of Professional Studies. With over 25 years of leadership experience, he's a distinguished figure in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and holds notable recognitions as one of Crain's NY 2022 Notable LGBTQ Leaders, City & State NY's 2022 Responsible 100, and PoliticsNY 2023 Power Players in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Dr. De Leon is an authority on DEI, nonprofit management, and public policy, making him an invaluable guest for conversations on leadership, teaching, research, and social change. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• Transparency is crucial for understanding and fulfilling organizational goals.
• Middle managers face a natural tension between their team and their boss.
• Asking key questions before taking on a leadership role can clarify expectations.
• Garnering support from senior leaders is crucial for a successful rollout.
• Being realistic about potential challenges and the level of support from senior leaders can help prevent frustration and burnout.
• Service for others has been a lifelong passion, instilled by the Jesuits.
• Service can be offered in both for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

Resources:

• Columbia University School of Professional Studies
• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connect with Erwin de Leon:

• LinkedIn

Connect with Margaret Uhrich:

• LinkedIn

Quotables:

• 03:20 - “Most of you know this, most people know this, you need not be a manager or have the title to be a leader. In any organization. So that's number one. Why? Because if you're a leader, you're able to motivate others and give others a vision or a purpose of why are we doing what we're doing? And I've seen where I've been in teams, and maybe I'm that leader where we're meaning where, you know, the manager or whoever's heading the team knows where we're headed. Like, okay, we need to increase sales, we need to do this, but doesn't really inspire or provide a certain vision or purpose to the rest of us, right? Who are following this. Now that, for me is a manager.”
• 21:20 - “If you're not being realistic, and it'll burn you out and worse, it'll burn your team members. So here you are very passionate, you get other folks with you, but then you hit the roadblock and you realize, oh, you would've known that if you did your homework. And this is hard to hear, but maybe you'll realize that if you really, really care about something, then maybe this isn't the place to do it.”
• 18:48 - “As a leader, it's nice to see folks who take the initiative. It's a good thing. And I think, and in a way keeps your work interesting. And if you really care and passionate about something, whether it's the technology or getting new markets, absolutely have at it. But make sure you do, I always say, I just say this, just pause. Take a scan, take a scan of the organization, know who the players are, know what the bigger picture in the organization and what is the mission. How will this fit in? How will you make your argument? So just being realistic.”
• 23:20 - “But one thing I would just want to pick up on what you said about control.  I think 'cause one of the ancient wisdoms that you know, you've probably heard about and I think is very important is that be very aware of what you can control and cannot control. And sometimes even with the best, you know, you have your spreadsheets, you have your data analysis, you've done every year homework. And this is just on your own. And you realize, okay, I'm going to go for this. But things still happen, right? Things still happen. The person, your champion in the C-suite might move on, or a pandemic happens or economic downturn happens. So I think part of it is like, you know, enjoying the process.”
• 25:20 - Margaret - “What is something that you're really passionate about now, like today that you're working on or hoping to work on, hoping to make happen?”
  Erwin: “Oh, that's hard to pin down, but I think on a personal level it's more just living a good life, right? I know it sounds very philosophical, but just doing my best. And I think it's part of getting older too and realizing accepting things about what I can do and cannot do.”

In this episode, Jenny Malseed, VP of Strategy and Talent at GlobalGiving, emphasizes the significance of authenticity in employee engagement and driving social change within organizations. She discusses the evolution of bringing one's whole self to work and its impact on employee satisfaction and organizational culture. Jenny shares successful practices such as open channels for dialogue, employee feedback, and a culture of inclusivity and learning. She also highlights the importance of HR in managing employee expectations, supporting mental health, and executing organizational strategies. In addition, Jenny stresses the need for organizations to have a clear point of view on social issues.

Jenny Malseed currently serves as the VP of Strategy and talent at GlobalGiving, a prominent organization in the field of social impact. With a background encompassing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Strategy from the Yale School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Economics and French from Colgate University, she is well-equipped for her role. Her remarkable achievement includes being named a 2023 Social Impact Women to Watch Finalist by Nonprofit HR, a testament to her outstanding contributions to the world of nonprofit management and social impact. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Better People Podcast:

• Organizations need to ensure physical and emotional safety for their staff during turbulent times.
• Encouraging employee voices and involving them in decision-making can enhance engagement and empower individuals.
• Facilitated conversations allow for constructive feedback and collaboration among team members.
• Balancing the need for input from employees with the efficient functioning of the organization is a challenge.
• Working with community-based organizations helps make a real impact.
• HR professionals play a pivotal role in linking strategy and talent.
• Owning a seat at the table and promoting the best interests of employees is vital.

Resources:

• GlobalGiving
• MidAtlantic Employers’ Association (MEA)

Connecting with Jenny Malseed:

• LinkedIn

Connecting with our host, Holly DePalma:

• LinkedIn

Quotables:

• 05:15 - “So employee engagement and culture, of course, are so essential. And again, for me, thinking as a strategist and in a social change organization, obviously we want to be constantly improving and growing. Our impact and our ability to do that is directly linked to our employee engagement, our employee experience, and our culture. In addition, something that's really important to our employees, but really to all employees, is authenticity. So if we are doing something out in the world, are we doing that internally, right? So it's that, being real and being transparent.”
• 06:03 - “I saw some research recently that said that employees today, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are not only do they care about their organization or their company's values and what they're, are they doing good in the world, but even more specifically, a lot of individuals, the majority now see their work as the way to live out their values, which in some ways is healthy. Because it's like, you spend so much time at work, you know, so you, you really, you, you see that as the way to live those things out. And then in addition, they wanna, individuals want to see not only that my organization is doing good work, but what am I doing, and what am I doing within the organization? And, and being able to feel connected to that, to that mission directly. It really drives employee engagement.”
• 17:41 - “You ask [the staff] and it's like ‘We want to be heard, we want to be involved, but also we don't want you coming to us for everything. You're leaders. We want a way to give you input where we know that you will ask for it. We will give you feedback and you will act on it. But we don't want you calling us every minute because we also have jobs to do”
• 08:52 - “And I will say that for nonprofits, it was always the case that to some degree you're living out your values through your work. Because you're not doing it for the money, certainly. But this idea of bringing your whole self to work, or, I think as the nonprofit sector has shifted, there's really been a push and an evolution around are we driving impact? Are we addressing the root causes of whatever challenge, social challenges we're facing, what are we really doing that's making an impact? It can't just be charity. But it's really about social change. And so the bar has gotten much higher for employees to say, what are we doing? And externally. And then also, are we being honest and authentic internally?”
• 18:55 - “We created a ready team, which is a number of staff members that are doing different, helping us advance different priorities that we've identified. One of the things that we did through that team is we trained the team members and a number of other staff members in leading difficult conversations. So they have training as facilitators, which they used, we did a whole program about race, equity, diversity, and inclusion to build a baseline understanding for staff. We thought it was important to have a shared language before we thought about even what are we going to do? But those facilitators serve us in different ways, right? And so those facilitators are available.”