Leading in a Lonely World

Meet George Washington, Jr., Chief Litigation Counsel for Orange Business.  George is a dynamic leader who describes his management style as “engaged.”  He manages litigation across the globe for Orange Business.  In this role, he partners with his HR group, finance group, and business managers, and directs his outside counsel teams where he collaborates to achieve the best possible outcomes for his company.  Since George manages a global practice, we talk about his observations on cultural differences and their impact in the workplace.  George candidly discusses the challenges he and many employees face working remotely and balancing child care, education, and household responsibilities while working from home.  George offers some strategies he has found effective for self-care, staying productive  and achieving a work -life balance.  Lastly, we discuss social issues, including gender and race equity and make some predictions for the future.

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.  

In our second podcast episode, Vanessa speaks to insurance professional Bob Mazey who is the President of the New Jersey Agents Alliance. Bob is a dynamic entrepreneur, industry thought leader, and inspiring leader.  He lives by the mantra that “not every good idea has been taken” and there is always room for innovation.  Bob enables his organization, which is comprised of independently owned insurance agencies, to compete and operate on a larger scale -- crucial for succeeding in today’s competitive world.  His leadership style focuses on analyzing data and making strategic decisions based on information because, without data, “everything else is just an opinion.”  He focuses his energies on recognizing his business’ greatest asset, employees, and never forgets that no matter how much technology enhances and simplifies, clients still want a personal connection.  If today’s pandemic has taught business owners one thing, it is that companies that embrace change and adapt stay “relevant” and can thrive.  “Change is good, change is fun, change helps you grow.”  His parting words of advice are:  “make work fun” and  don’t be afraid of failure, it is an “opportunity to do better.” Above all, leaders “must believe in themselves.”  Please join us for a deep dive into how to grow your business, collaborate, and adapt to change.

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.   

Meet Donna Hughes, Esq., Chief People Officer for the Emblem Health Family of Companies. Donna describes her leadership style as a “builder” and a “server” to enable her teams to thrive.  During our chat, we discuss how the HR profession has been fundamentally changed by the pandemic.  She shares her view that the focus had to be on the “human” in Human Resources.  HR professionals could “not just be personable – you needed to be personal. “  Donna describes how “HR became the First Responders.”  Please listen in as Donna shares her thoughts on overcoming her bias of keeping personal things out of the workplace and her own personal growth to “let the guard down and let people be people.”  As Donna shares: “People  need to express how they are feeling and we as leaders need to honor the right to feel that way when so much is going on and there is so much unfortunate pain in the world.”  Lastly we talk about diversity as a critical component of business success and how diverse teams perform better and are more competitive than non-diverse teams.  

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.   

“Leading in a Lonely World: Conversations with Transformative Leaders” is hosted by Vanessa Kelly, an employment attorney with Clark Hill PLC. In this podcast, we meet with business owners and entrepreneurs, C-suite officers, legal and HR professionals, and community leaders who share their thoughts on leadership against the backdrop of a tumultuous world. Tune in to exchange ideas on best practices with the goal of strengthening not only your own leadership skills but working to build strong leaders among your workforce and communities.