Leadership is not easy, and it potentially gets a little more difficult as time goes by. Krista Skidmore of FlashPoint Leadership Consulting brings more than 17 years of experience to the mix and helps clients cope with the many ongoing changes. The prior year brought an emphasis on longer-term experiences and an increased focus on measurement (part of the firm’s brand promise). Trends for the new year are expected to be a rise in the importance of teams and the ongoing development of millennial leaders. We talk engaging employees in training, sustaining the lessons after the advisors are gone and more. Learn more:

Krista Skidmore and FlashPoint Leadership Consulting (including a January webinar on 2020 trends): www.flashpointleadership.com

Indiana Chamber’s Supervising and Managing People Workshop (offered six times a year): https://www.indianachamber.com/event/supervising-managing-people-workshop-feb-2018

The leader of her own human capital consulting firm says 50% of first-time CEOs are not successful in that role. Why? Among the leading reasons: Not reading the company culture correctly. Bermes & Associates strives to fix that, with executive onboarding the fastest-growing portion of its business. And with a financial cost of at least two times the executive’s salary (to recover, recruit, hire again, etc.), it’s best to do everything possible to avoid those failures. Bermes brings her background in research and evidence-based solutions to the table. She talks about effective teams, healthy conflict, a different take on gender disparity and more. Learn about Emily and the Fort Wayne-based company (with a Chicago office) at www.bermesassociates.com.

The complexity of the opioid (and other drug) epidemic is enormous. A sometimes overlooked – but vitally important – component is the impact on the workplace and the role of the employer. Enter Indiana Workforce Recovery (IWR). In less than two years, IWR has shifted the conversations and provided pathways for organizations to invest in their employees and offer solutions. Jennifer Pferrer of the Wellness Council of Indiana and Mike Thibideau of IWR are deeply involved with a variety of partners. They talk survey numbers, changes that have taken place, the still enduring stigmas and some of the next steps that need to take place. Learn more at www.wellnessindiana.org/recovery.

He’s a co-founder of the Culture of Good. She’s a leader with Ingram Micro Mobility. They are working together to implement the former at the latter with an ultimate goal of Ingram Micro being a company that “not only delivers products but delivers hope.” Or, in other words, making both the workplace and the world better places. It’s a proven process that helps organizations find a cause that aligns with their business strategy, incorporates key “promises” and makes the effort sustainable. Culture of Good is more than a program or an initiative; it’s a feeling that takes employee engagement and organizational success to new levels. Indiana Chamber members receive a discount on Culture of Good in a Box. Learn more at www.cultureofgood.com; www.ingrammicro.com

She’s 33 years old. She’s the president of a 36-year-old market research and insights organization (SMARI) started by her father. Her home is a ranch, where she takes care of a growing family of animals (delivering a calf at 3:00 a.m. and leading a high-powered business meeting a few hours later is a classic). Meet Katie Ittenbach of SMARI. She talks millennials, leadership, moving up the ranks from starting as an intern, how the research game is evolving, company culture, work-life balance (the television set falls into the rarely used category) and more. Learn about SMARI (https://smari.com).

Julie Benezet gave up a law career to enter real estate development and later was an early executive at Amazon. Both provided valuable lessons in overcoming the unknown – “we lived change every hour of every day” at Amazon – and adapting to evolving circumstances. Today, she coaches executives and guides companies on making the most of the rapid change that is taking place. Benezet shares best practices from her book titled The Journal of Not Knowing: How 21st Century Leaders Can Chart a Course Where There is None.

Learn more:
Julie Benezet (juliebenezet.com)
The Journey of Not Knowing (journeyofnotknowing.com/book)

When it comes to boosting the skills of your workforce, Joe Santana uses an old story to advise "look nearby before you go to a far off land." In other words, do all you can to build up current employees. Employee networks are an important ingredient, along with properly using diversity and inclusion to address challenges. Santana shares insights learned during his business career and consulting work. Learn more: http://joesantana.com/index.html

Donna Brazile first became involved in politics at the age of nine when she supported a City Council candidate who had promised to build a playground in her neighborhood. She has worked on 10 presidential campaigns, including Al Gore’s 2000 effort that ended up in the Supreme Court. She also served as the interim chair of the Democratic National Committee. Among her current roles: adjunct professor, author, syndicated columnist and television commentator. Find out what she terms her most meaningful activity, the importance of a return to the bipartisanship and civility that carried our country for so many years and the duty that all of us have to be informed and part of the process. And there’s a little talk of the Indianapolis Colts against her beloved New Orleans Saints.

Learn more:
Donna Brazile (www.donnabrazile.com)
Indiana Chamber 30th Annual Awards Dinner (www.indianachamber.com/event/30thad)

Dana Perino spent seven-plus years in the White House, including being the first Republican woman to serve as press secretary (for President George W. Bush). She now serves as a Fox News host, commentator and author. In our conversation ahead of her co-keynote (with Donna Brazile) at the Indiana Chamber’s 30th Annual Awards Dinner, she points out that when she left the White House in January 2009 she did not have a Twitter account. Learn which presidents she believes were communication trendsetters, what it will take to return civility to the political and policy process, potential next steps on health care and energy issues, and why compromise is not a bad word. Dana also gives back in some unique ways. It’s all in the debut episode of the season. Learn more:

Dana Perino (http://danaperino.com)
Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/person/p/dana-perino)
Indiana Chamber 30th Annual Awards Dinner (www.indianachamber.com/event/30thad)

Danielle Shockey has two decades of public education experience and is in her second year as CEO of the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana. The two factors are coming together with the recent announcement of the organization being a program partner in an all-girls school focused on STEM education. It’s a natural combination. The Girl Scouts have a rich STEM history and an ever-growing STEM focus. Our state and country have a desperate need for more young girls interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to become professionals with careers in those industries. Shockey shares how the idea originated, the reactions that have been received and next steps. Learn more:

Girl Scouts of Central Indiana (www.girlscoutsindiana.org)
School announcement (www.everygirlcanstem.com/featured-project)

Share your comments and suggestions for season three of the EchoChamber with host Tom Schuman at [email protected]