Future-Proofing Leadership with Dr. Rosie Ward

Jason Ells, the Senior Vice President at Custom Concrete, is passionate about creating a culture of purpose and well-being in a traditional blue-collar industry. He believes that by developing an environment where people know the company has their back, employees will be more likely to pour into the organization.

In this episode, Jason shares how he's made Custom Concrete a destination employer by encouraging employees to dream and helping them bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Listen in to learn how he helps leaders equip their people to understand how they fit into the bigger picture so they can reach goals together.

Additional Resources:

• Get your copy of The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly
• Get your copy of The Freak Factor by David J. Rendall
• Check out Kristin Neff's work on self-compassion
• Listen to Rosie's episode with Lynne Twist

Does it feel like you're spinning your wheels trying to achieve your vision, find clarity, and maximize your impact?

Andrea Butcher, CEO of HRD and podcast host of Being [at Work], says the solution is to go big picture. In this episode, she shares her four-step visioning process and discusses the importance of knowing exactly what you're working toward. Listen in to hear how to go from reacting to challenges and responding to them instead within the context of your goals.

Additional Resources:

• Get your copy of The Power in the Pivot
• Check out Andrea's Podcast, Being [at Work]
• Learn more about HRD on Linkedin, Facebook, or Instagram
• Take a listen to Brené Brown's podcast episode with Lisa Lahey

It is human nature to care what other people think; however, when we let that define us, we lose our capacity to lead. So often, we spend too much time seeking the approval and accolades of people whose opinions don't matter—and we steamroll over the people who matter the most to us.

Bessi Graham is a leadership coach and award-winning entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience helping businesses bring clarity and alignment to their organizations.

In this episode, Bessi shares the secret to achieving internal balance, and it starts with learning how to be a discerning leader. Bessi specializes in helping people understand and lead themselves before leading others. She believes that taking the time to pause and reflect is key to making effective decisions and having a positive impact. Listen in to learn why her best piece of leadership advice is to push back against action bias and instead pause to sharpen your axe.

Additional Resources:

• Check out Bessi's Podcast
• Connect with Bessi on Instagram and Facebook

When important work is at stake, the only place it will get done is in reality, not in your head.

So how do you take your big ideas and new initiatives and get them off the paper and fully implemented? Leadership coach and author, Brandi Olson, says the secret lies in effective prioritization and maximizing how value flows through your organization. In this episode, Brandi shares how she helps companies design their teams so they can get the right work done faster and better. Listen in for an in-depth discussion on adapting to change and understanding how to make room for focused work.

Additional Resources:

• Get your copy of Brandi's Book Real Flow
• Check out Brandi's Website

Many people think good leadership leaves no room for vulnerability. But in reality, the right level of empathy and humanness makes a workplace safe and inclusive.

In this episode, Emilia D'Anzica and Sabina Pons discuss the importance of nurturing our authenticity and taking care of ourselves while working in a highly competitive environment. Listen to learn how to maintain an authentically friendly but firm presence through the experiences of two successful leaders, authors, and mothers.

Additional Resources:

• Learn more about Growth Molecules
• Check out Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett
• Check out Thrive by Arianna Huffington
• Follow Emilia on Twitter: https://twitter.com/emiliadanzica
• Follow Emilia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emiliadanzica/
• Follow Sabina on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sabina_Pons
• Follow Sabina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabina_pons/
• Find Growth Molecules on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthmolecules
• Find Growth Molecules on Twitter: https://twitter.com/growthmolecules
• Find Growth Molecules on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growthmolecules
• Check out the Pressing On as a Tech Mom website: https://pressingonbook.com/

To be successful, businesses and leaders have to be willing to embrace opportunities for change. This has played out in recent years as modern workplaces have openly acknowledged the importance of diversity. As part of this critical shift, more leaders are focsing on creating environments where employees feel safe being their authentic selves. Unfortunately, doing so is often easier said than done.

Gianna Driver, Chief Human Resources Officer of Exabeam, teaches leaders how modeling vulnerability can empower their teams and establish a more positive, inclusive workplace. One of the first and most important steps is prioritizing humanness by recognizing that we are humans first and employees second.

In this episode, Gianna explains why authenticity is key to developing a work culture that promotes not only learning and innovation but also kindness and communication. Listen to learn how reflection, a willingness to make mistakes, and a focus on empathy can enable transformation and growth.

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable! Taking risks and forcing yourself to work outside your comfort zone is the best way to ensure your own personal and professional growth and your company's growth as a collective organization.

In this episode,Caralyn Cooley, Chief People Officer with Bowery Farming, discusses her unconventional background and how she used it to enhance and inform the company culture at Bowery Farms. Listen in to learn why it is as equally essential to teach and develop your employees as it is to allow them to share their unique gifts and talents.

Key Takeaways:

• Take risks and force yourself outside of your comfort zone to create irreplaceable opportunities for development
• Listen to your employees and make them co-creators to create a culture based on humanness and authenticity
• Focus on a few strong core company values and make them the cornerstones of your culture

Diversity is key to the success of the organization. It fuels creativity and innovation by merging different perspectives and experiences. But empowering all members of the organization to embrace their whole authentic selves can be tricky if leaders don't listen to their struggles and concerns. Amplifying the voices of marginalized groups and minorities can help the human power of a business reach its fullest potential.

In this episode, Brian McComak, Founder and CEO of Hummingbird Humanity, breaks down the benefits of taking feedback when leading an organization with humanness. Tune in to learn more about how promoting a healthy dialogue can create a better environment for people to succeed.

Additional Resources:

• Connect with Hummingbird Humanity on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hummingbird-humanity/

We're celebrating Show Up As A Leader's second anniversary!

That's two years of phenomenal guests sharing insights on humanizing workplaces, fifty episodes for people ready to be their fully authentic selves and work through the messy middle of life, and a handful of solo episodes with our host, Dr. Rosie Ward.

For this special episode, Rosie sits on the other side of the mic to be interviewed by Nikki Lewallen, Founder of the PeopleForward Network. Listen in to hear about the impact the show has had on Rosie and pick up some leadership nuggets Rosie thinks are incredibly relevant right now.

Resources:

• Check out the lyrics to "Chances Are" by Michael Pollack