Chief Influencer®

 Jennifer Sirangelo is the President & CEO of Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, which mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. She is the recipient of the Gold Stevie® Female Executive of the Year Award for women in business and was named to Fast Company’s annual list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business. She is a member of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women and the Forbes Nonprofit Council. Additionally, Jennifer serves as a Council Chair for the America 250 Foundation and is a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow. Jennifer joins host Anthony Shop to discuss the power of personalized stakeholder engagement, cultivating a listening culture, and adapting strategies for cultural and civic engagement.

Takeaways:

• Personalize experiences for your stakeholders, from board members to employees. Understand their preferences, respond according to their unique needs, and involve them in the activities that suit them best. This will enable better engagement and align their efforts with your organization's mission.
• Promote a culture of listening within your organization. Allow space and time for staff members to voice their thoughts, ideas, and concerns openly.  This can foster a more inclusive, appreciated, and engaged team.
• Embrace opportunities to learn from external trends, technologies, and demographic changes. It is critical to understand the specific needs of Millennials and Gen Z and how they shape the future of culture and civic engagement.
• Personal touches, such as handwritten notes, phone calls, and dedicated one-on-one time, can significantly impact personal and professional relationships. These small personal touches often carry more weight, even in an increasingly digital world.
• As a leader, develop and trust your instincts. Don't dismiss your gut feelings, especially when they warn you about potential issues or guide you in making decisions.

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-sirangelo-62a8723 
• Points of Light (Website): https://www.pointsoflight.org 

Ju’Riese Colón is the Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the nation’s only

independent nonprofit committed to building a sport community where participants can work and learn together free of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and misconduct. Before her Center tenure, Ju’Riese served as National Vice President of Child & Club Safety for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, developing and leading the child safety policies and initiatives for over 1,100 U.S. Boys & Girls Clubs organizations and nearly 4,300 Boys & Girls Club locations. Prior to that, Ju’Riese served as Executive Director of Prevention & Outreach for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Ju’Riese joins Host Anthony Shop to discuss the process for establishing a basis of trust with a community, holding yourself accountable as a leader, and how to create a supportive environment for those working in an emotionally difficult role.

Takeaways:

• To build trust, leaders must demonstrate the highest levels of integrity and accountability in their actions and expect the same of their team. Internal and external accountability paves the way for organizational improvement and growth.
• Maintaining open lines of communication with your team, stakeholders, and the public is crucial. Take the time to provide updates on the important details of your work with the stakeholders who need to know. 
• Take time to listen to feedback from key stakeholders and use that insight to shape your strategic plan. It’s important to invite stakeholder feedback at every stage and on every part of their experience with your organization.
• Emphasize the mental well-being of your team members. Taking care of your team is just as important as taking care of your stakeholders.

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ju-riese-colon-9759a34/
• U.S. Center for SafeSport website: https://uscenterforsafesport.org/ 

Chiquisha Robinson is a career public defender with nearly two decades as a top attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. As a Deputy Chief for the Prisoner and Reentry Legal Services Program in the Community Defender Division, she manages a team of attorneys to support and advance the rights of incarcerated adults and those living with a criminal record. To further help her most important stakeholders, Chiquisha authored the DC Reentry Navigator, a 900-page comprehensive compilation of expert knowledge and reentry resources for people arrested, charged, tried, and/or convicted under District of Columbia law. She is also an Adjunct Professor at The George Washington University. Chiquisha joined Host Anthony Shop in her personal capacity to discuss how leaders and communicators can learn to utilize their platforms for positive change, engage stakeholders early on, and navigate the delicate balance between promoting a cause and self-promotion.

Takeaways:

• Leaders should bring stakeholders on board at the inception of a project. Making them part of the creation process boosts ownership and ensures its successful distribution.
• True leadership involves empowering others to reach their potential, whether a service provider, family member, or client. Leaders should inspire and encourage others to develop and put their talents to use.
• If you have information that can help others, you should be willing to share it, not withhold it. You have the responsibility to make sure the right information reaches the people who need it.
• Leaders should reexamine their relationship with ambition and consider scaling the impact of their work as an ambitious goal. Leaders should not view ambition as a way to boost their ego but as a means to scale their impact. 
• Leaders have a significant opportunity to use their personal and professional brands to share important messages. 
• Be mindful to recognize and respect the individual journeys and experiences of others. Everyone deals with their unique struggles and challenges. Compassion and empathy will make a leader more approachable and trustworthy. 

Quote of the Show:

• “When you don't go from potential to producing, you are imprisoned by your idea” - Chiquisha Robinson

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiquisha-robinson/ 
• The D.C. Reentry Navigator: https://www.pdsdc.org/resources/client-resources/d.c.-reentry-navigator 
• Public Defender Service for the District for Columbia: https://www.pdsdc.org/ 

Lisa Thurau is the Executive Director of Strategies for Youth. Lisa founded the nonprofit in 2009 aimed at improving police-youth interactions and reducing the disproportionate impact on minority youth. The organization provides its training, outreach programs, and policy reviews in 25 states, guiding law enforcement in their interactions with youth. Lisa joins Host Anthony Shop to discuss how to adapt core messages to resonate with many different audiences, how to make training effective, and how to influence hard-to-reach groups.

Takeaways:

• Before affecting real change, it is crucial to identify and address information gaps. For example, Lisa understood that law enforcement officers and the youth they interact with had critical gaps in their understanding of each other. She created training to bridge these gaps, significantly improving interactions and reducing unnecessary conflicts. 
• Rather than settling for conventional methods of training or teaching, keep the information practical, relevant and easily digestible for its target audience.
• Consider taking on a “mutual learning” approach. Lisa's organization trained both law enforcement officers and youth, giving each the knowledge of the challenges, rights, and responsibilities of the other. This mutual learning approach fostered empathy, improved interaction quality, and reduced conflicts.
• Emphasizing equality in training is imperative. Providing training for both police and youth legitimizes both points of view while encouraging understanding. 
• Engage younger members of the community by incorporating gamification. For example, Strategies for Youth has the 'Juvenile Justice Jeopardy' game, a novel approach to connect with young people. The game educates youth about their legal rights and responsibilities through an engaging format.
• Use research and real-world data to drive decisions and share your message with others. Lisa's initiatives were always backed by extensive research. She also used surveys to understand public perceptions and effectively align their initiatives.

Quote of the Show:

• “We have to educate the kids and we have to educate law enforcement. And you gain legitimacy with both groups if you tell one you're training the other.” - Lisa Thurau

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-thurau-a537572/ 
• Twitter: https://strategiesforyouth.org/ 

Jason Trimiew is the Director of Global Supplier Diversity at Meta. Under his leadership, Meta became a leader and innovator in supplier diversity.  They have spent more than $10 billion cumulatively with US companies certified as minority, women, veteran, LGBTQ, or disabled-owned. Prior to joining Meta, Jason designed and delivered the community impact initiatives for Super Bowl 50, resulting in more than $20 million in grants for Bay Area nonprofits and contracts for local, diverse-owned businesses. Jason and Host Anthony Shop discuss the leverage of radical transparency, the value in obtaining prompt feedback, and how embracing transformative technologies can increase equity in supply chains. 

Takeaways:

• Leaders should actively champion supplier diversity through strategic partnerships, prompt payment practices, and making diversity a component of their corporate culture.
• Integrating businesses of different backgrounds into your supply chain aid both businesses and their communities, cultivating a diverse, inclusive economic environment and helping companies access the best talent.
• Quicker payments to these suppliers stimulate further growth in their communities, as the faster flow of capital aids in the creation of new jobs and wage increases.
• Using effective technology can minimize friction for new suppliers. Things like single sign-on systems, automation, and proactive nudging, help provide access to opportunities sooner.
• Seek genuine feedback from various stakeholders to gauge the effectiveness of your initiatives and make necessary, swift adjustments. 
• As companies develop supplier diversity programs, businesses should share both their successes and failures, allowing others to learn from their experiences, encouraging collaborations, and inspiring improvements.
• Celebrate and acknowledge the achievements of your team members, fostering a culture of positive competition and inspiration. For example, Meta uses a system of rewards to highlight positive contributions toward supplier diversity within the company.

Quote of the Show:

• "Supplier Diversity is a business strategy. It's us wanting to have the best talent competing for our business and helping us execute against our mission as a company, and that's why it's so effective” - Jason Trimiew

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtrimiew/ 
• Follow Meta’s Supplier Diversity on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/metaglobalsupplierdiversity/ 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JasonTrimiew 

In this special episode, Host Anthony Shop and Executive Producer Robert Krueger take a moment to reflect on some of the key themes and messages that have stood out to them through the first season of Chief Influencer. Robert and Anthony discuss some of their favorite episodes, the themes that have stuck out to them, and what they’ve learned from the guests featured in Season 1.

Find every episode here: https://www.chiefinfluencer.org/episodes 

Connect with Anthony:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyfshop/ 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/afshop 
• Social Driver: https://www.socialdriver.com/ 

Connect with Robert:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertkrueger/ 
• The Communications Board: https://communicationsboard.org/ 
• Page: https://www.pagethink.com/ 

Lia Haberman is a digital marketing expert, strategist, and speaker who is best known for her popular newsletter, In Case You Missed It. She has amassed nearly 20,000 subscribers across Substack and LinkedIn by sharing industry trends and insights in an easily digestible and entertaining format. Lia is also a lecturer for UCLA Extension's leadership management communications programs and corporate education courses. Lia and Host Anthony Shop discuss building your personal brand as a thought leader, how to share insights online as an introvert, and the keys to creating a great newsletter.

Takeaways:

• As a business leader, it's crucial to embrace personal branding. A unique and strong personal brand helps distinguish you, resonates with your audience, and amplifies your influence. In the long run, putting effort into shaping your online narrative pays off.
• Consider utilizing newsletters as a part of your personal branding strategy. Newsletters allow direct interaction with your audience, providing them with regular, digestible content, and building community.
• Any effective newsletter must have these three elements: consistency, brevity, and audience awareness. 
  • Newsletters must be published regularly so the audience can depend on them. 
  • The content needs to be brief or presented in a way that’s easy to understand. 
  • Above all, the content should cater to the audience's specific needs, providing them with valuable insights and updates that assist them in decision-making or staying informed. 
• Make sure to choose the right platform to reach your audience. Explore LinkedIn and Substack for their robust visibility and user-friendly nature. Consider platforms like WhatsApp if your audience is international. Make sure the platform aligns with your brand and meets your audience where they are.

Quote of the Show:

• “Just announcing the news is no longer enough. You have to bring a point of view.” - Lia Haberman

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liahaberman/ 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/liahaberman 
• ICYMI Substack: https://liahaberman.substack.com/ 

Dr. Gail Ayala Taylor is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Dr. Taylor is also the Founder of RISE Career Launch and CEO of Ayala Halloran Taylor Group, LLC. She founded RISE Career Launch after years of witnessing extremely talented women and individuals from underrepresented groups struggle in their transition from college to career. Dr. Taylor joins Host Anthony Shop for a conversation highlighting the importance of creating an environment that is conducive to learning, her journey to launching the RISE framework, and how to set your career up for success.

Takeaways:

• Professor Taylor emphasizes that learning is a two-way process, it’s not just broadcasting information but also engaging in a dialogue to truly connect with others. Her teaching style relies on making students comfortable enough to share their knowledge and learn from each other.
• The RISE framework helps promote two-way communication between junior employees and their managers. There are four parts of the framework: Relationships, Inquiry, Skills, and Expectations.
  • The 'R' in the RISE framework stands for Relationships. Professor Taylor emphasizes the importance of building effective, positive personal and professional relationships. It is crucial for new entrants to connect with their peers, supervisors, and people at all levels of the organization.
  • The 'I' stands for Inquiry. The framework encourages individuals to ask meaningful questions and gather information. The key is to be intentional with the questions you ask of your managers and those around you.
  • The 'S' represents Skills. The RISE framework highlights the need for functional, interpersonal, and technical skills. Recognizing personal strengths and areas for improvement can help navigate conversations with managers about career growth and skill development.
  • The 'E' signifies Expectations. It strongly emphasizes understanding and meeting the basic expectations as a priority before striving to exceed them. The focus is to ensure there are no surprises in performance reviews and that employees are on the same page as their managers.
• Marketing is a process of making and keeping promises to customers, focusing on offering high-quality products and services backed with exemplary customer service. 

Quote of the Show:

• “We all can learn from each other, it's not just a one-way street. I might be in the front of the classroom, but I'm just the conductor of trying to help others connect and share their knowledge.” - Dr. Gail Ayala Taylor

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gailataylor/ 
• RISE Career Launch: https://www.risecareerlaunch.com/ 
• The Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth: https://www.tuck.dartmouth.edu/ 

Reverend Darrell Goodwin serves as the first Executive Conference Minister of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ. He is the first openly LGBTQ Black person to serve as an Executive Conference Minister in the UCC. He is a member of the United Church of Christ Board, the UCC Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, and the Global Ministries Board. Reverend Goodwin joins Host Anthony Shop to discuss why diversity of all kinds strengthens the foundation of an organization, how to foster mutually beneficial partnerships, and what the power of owning your personal identity can do for leaders.

Takeaways:

• Leaders should start every decision-making process with a focus on inclusion. For example. Ask how an initiative will cater to diverse groups. This strategy helps bring people together and ensure each group feels seen.
• Find opportunities to collaborate with new partners beyond organizational or departmental borders and remove barriers. Leaders should ask who they're not talking to, seek new connections, and explore new possibilities.
• Reverend Goodwin advocates for being transparent and owning your story. Taking this approach not only disarms those who might use your identity against you, but also makes it a centerpiece of your strength.
• Organizations often limit themselves by adhering strictly to known patterns. Growth-minded leaders should question the established norms and be willing to be nimble, adaptive, and innovative.
• Consider opposing viewpoints and open yourself up to criticism and opposition. Listen intently to all the feedback you receive, good or bad. If confronted with backlash for you or your organization’s opinions, it is important to be resilient and stay true to one’s beliefs. 

Quote of the Show:

• “Trust fast, fail forward.” - Reverend Darrell Goodwin

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rev-darrell-goodwin-58b0967/ 
• Personal Website: https://www.revgoodwin.com/ 
• Southern New England Conference of The UCC Website: https://www.sneucc.org/ 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rev.darrellgoodwin9821/featured 

Bill Furlong is the CEO and Co-Founder of SquareStack and the Author of Appify Your Business, which helps small and mid-sized businesses find and employ cloud tech solutions to improve the way they work. Bill has been at the forefront of B2B marketing for decades. He was the Managing Director and Publisher of B2B Magazine and then went on to successfully launch multiple startups, including Bizo, which LinkedIn acquired. Bill and Host Anthony Shop discuss why the B2B marketing landscape has shifted closer to B2C, the importance of authenticity in modern marketing, and the impact of social selling. 

Takeaways:

• While building a company’s brand is essential, it is often equally or more effective to develop the personal brands of the leaders within the company because people want to be connected to and learn from actual humans, not just brands.
• It’s crucial that leaders, especially those in the C-suite, have an active and authentic digital presence. Leaders should leverage their influence on social media platforms to forge personal connections, enhance their personal brand authenticity, and build digital relationships.
• The internet has revolutionized B2B marketing, leading to B2B adopting strategies that mirror B2C marketing. The merging of professional and personal lives, the need for more human connections in business, and the rise of technology drives this shift.
• Technology, especially AI, is now influencing marketing, creating virtual personas and automating drip campaigns. Be sure to avoid "over-automating," as this feels cold and impersonal. Interactions with your company should have a human touch.
• Content marketing plays a key role in companies establishing themselves as thought leaders in their industries. Curating great content relevant to your audience can be just as important as creating new content.
• While it can be challenging to measure the success of brand-building in the digital age, collecting and understanding first-party data are critical. Unifying customer data provides insights into the value of marketing and communication activities.

Quote of the Show:

• “Authenticity and a conversational approach to your digital self is so important” - Bill Furlong

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wkfurlong/ 
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/wkjfurlong 
• SquareStack Website: https://squarestack.com/ 
• Appify Your Business: https://a.co/d/24QqycR 

Shout Outs:

• Scott Galloway: https://www.linkedin.com/in/profgalloway/ 
• Scott Brinker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjbrinker/ 
• Thích Nhất Hạnh: https://plumvillage.org/#filter=.region-na 
• Brian Morrissey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmorrissey/ 

Gale Wilkinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galevc/