Episode Title: C-Suite Champion

Release Date: November 10

Host: Holly McIlwain

Guest: Debra Squyers

Episode Summary: In this insightful episode, host Holly McIlwain welcomes a true C-Suite Champion, Debra Squyres, Chief Customer Officer at Bonusly, who shares her remarkable journey as a working mother at a time before legal protections were established for pregnant women in the workplace. Debra's experiences have shaped her into a human-centered leader, emphasizing empathy, transparency, and work-life harmony in her leadership approach.

Debra discusses the importance of leading with empathy and prioritizing employee well-being to foster a positive workplace culture. She reflects on her early career experiences and shares strategies for harmonizing work and personal life, stressing the need for leaders to set an example. Debra encourages her team to practice ruthless prioritization, focusing on what truly needs to be done and delegating effectively.

Listeners will discover the impact of recognizing and celebrating personal milestones in creating an engaged workforce and gain insights into the evolving nature of work, including the rise of the gig economy and flexible work arrangements. Debra reminds us that “work-life balance is not a thing; it’s about harmonizing our lives,” and emphasizes that when leaders take care of their teams, those teams, in turn, take care of customers and foster a supportive environment.

Guest Bio: Debra Squyres is the Chief Customer Officer at Bonusly, where she merges her passion for exceptional customer experience with her commitment to empowering companies to connect, motivate, and engage their employees in building winning workplaces. With over 30 years of experience in senior leadership roles in Human Resources, Debra has worked in diverse areas, including HR consulting, outsourcing, client services, and customer success. Residing in Fort Worth, Texas, she enjoys life with her husband and two dogs.

Resources Mentioned:

• Bonusly Website
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Connect with Debra Squires:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrasquyres/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/bonusly/

Key Takeaways for Youtube, LinkedIn, and NarrowSpaces.com:

• The Importance of Human-Centered Leadership: Debra discusses how leading with empathy and prioritizing employee well-being fosters a positive workplace culture.
• Navigating Work-Life Balance: Debra reflects on her early career experiences and shares strategies for harmonizing work and personal life, emphasizing the need for leaders to set an example.
• Ruthless Prioritization: Learn how Debra encourages her team to practice ruthless prioritization, focusing on what truly needs to be done and delegating effectively.
• Celebrating Personal Milestones: Discover the impact of recognizing and celebrating employees' personal achievements and milestones in creating an engaged workforce.
• The Future of Work: Debra shares her insights on the evolving nature of work, including the rise of the gig economy and flexible work arrangements.

Quotes:

• “Work-life balance is not a thing; it's about harmonizing our lives.”
• “When you take care of the team, they take care of the customers, and they also take care of you.”