Workplace Forward

Even if you're committed to making your organization and its C-suite leadership more diverse, your network tends to look like you. And as a result, you build a team of people like you.

But if you seek out coworkers with complementary skills who are willing to challenge you, your team will perform better and have more fun doing it.

So, what can we do as leaders to create a more diverse talent pipeline at work?

D Sangeeta is Founder and CEO at Gotara, a career growth platform for women in STEM. Gotara provides mentoring and nano-learning programs based on the latest research with the goal of closing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math.

Sangeeta spent two decades in the corporate world, leading teams at Amazon, Nielson and GE Aviation before launching Gotara in June 2020. She has a PhD in Materials Chemistry from the University of Illinois, holds 26 patents and is the recipient of the Nielson CEO Award, the National Women of Color in Technology Award and the GE Latimer Innovation Award.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Sangeeta joins me to discuss what gets in the way of creating diverse leadership teams, challenging us to hold space for differing opinions and healthy conflict in our organizations.

Sangeeta explains how to create more diverse talent pipelines and why it's good for business, describing the Ally Stars and North Star Program Gotara offers current executives and emerging female leaders.

Listen in for Sangeeta's actionable advice on promoting diversity of thought at work and learn how Gotara can support you in building diverse leadership teams in your organization.

• What inspired Sangeeta to build a career growth platform for women in STEM
• What gets in the way of creating diverse leadership teams
• Growing your capacity to hold space for differing opinions and healthy conflict
• How to create a more diverse talent pipeline in your organization
• How a diverse leadership pipeline impacts top-line growth, productivity and net profit
• Gotara's Ally Stars program to help leaders remove bias and promote inclusivity
• How Sangeeta's North Star Program serves emerging female leaders
• What you can do from your seat today to promote diversity of thought at work
• Sangeeta's take on why leaders need to be willing to break the rules
• How Sangeeta's leadership has evolved through the volatility of the last 2 years
• Why leaders of the future need as much EQ as IQ and how women lead in crises

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Connect with D Sangeeta and follow Gotara on LinkedIn
• Follow Gotara on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook
• Learn more about Gotara at https://www.gotara.com/
• Request a demo of Gotara's Ally or North Star Program
• Explore the research around women leaders in a crisis

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

It's easy to feel attacked when a colleague volunteers a perspective that differs from your own.

But what if their way of seeing the world is not wrong? What if it's just different?

And what if their point of view is complementary to yours? What if, together, you can address each other's blind spots and support each other better because of your differences?

CEO Darrin Murriner and COO Kirsten Moorfield are the co-founders of Cloverleaf, a tech platform that provides automated coaching for teams, empowering colleagues to tap into each other's unique value, communicate effectively and work better together.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Kirsten and Darrin join me to discuss the power in inviting and leveraging diverse perspectives in our organizations and describe how Cloverleaf helps teams do just that.

Kirsten and Darrin explain why authenticity in leadership is important to them, exploring the opportunity we have as leaders to model authenticity when we don't have all the answers.

Listen in for insight on training people to appreciate diverse opinions and learn what you can do to help your team respect their differences and build strong relationships with each other.

• How Kirsten & Darrin found each other and why they decided to build Cloverleaf
• How Cloverleaf helps teams create psychological safety and develop an appreciation of diversity and diverse opinions
• How Cloverleaf provides customized coaching to improve interactions among coworkers
• Training people to understand how we can support each other through our differences
• What leaders can do to equip team members to build strong relationships with each other
• Why Darrin has focused on talking less and listening more in the last few years
• Kirsten's insight on differentiating between critical thinkers and critics
• Why authenticity in leadership is important to Kirsten & Darrin
• The opportunity to model authenticity that arises when a leader doesn't have all the answers and how it serves your people to admit to not knowing
• How leaders of the future will demonstrate good character and put people first

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Follow @cloverleafme on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok
• Learn more about Cloverleaf and start your free trial at https://cloverleaf.me/
• Connect with Kirsten and Darrin or follow Cloverleaf on LinkedIn
• Revisit my conversation with Sherianne James on Workplace Forward EP11
• Watch Kirsten's TED Talk on How to Leave Work Energized
• Read Darrin's book Corporate Bravery: Eliminate Fear-Based Decision Making

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

Are you pushing yourself so hard and so fast that you don't have time to think? Are you so busy getting through each day that you're not planning for the long term?

Being caught in execution mode isn't a bad thing. But you have to stop from time to time and ask yourself if what you're doing is, in fact, the RIGHT thing. The thing that will get you closer to your long-term goals.

So, how do you make space in your calendar to consider the long game? How do you become a long-term thinker in a short-term world?

Dorie Clark was named the #1 Communication Coach at the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards and one of the Top 50 Business Thinkers in the World.

Dorie also teaches at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School, and she is the bestselling author of several books, including The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Dorie joins me to explore why it's so challenging to commit to the long game and explain how to decide what's worthy of the long game for you.

She discusses the confusion around being busy versus being important, challenging leaders to maximize our time and make space in the calendar for long-term thinking.

Listen in for Dorie's insight on developing the clarity and character to achieve worthwhile long-term goals in your personal and professional life.

• Why long-term thinking is more difficult now than it was 10 years ago
• How to get clear about what's worthy of the long game for you
• Why it's so challenging to commit to the long game (and what to do about it)
• Dorie's take on why we confuse being busy with being important
• How to maximize your time to create open space for long-term thinking
• What you can learn from conducting a detailed time tracking study
• How Dorie applies the 'hell yeah' test to say no to good opportunities
• Being intentional about company culture in a remote or hybrid work setting
• What companies can do to promote diversity and tap into everyone's full capacity
• How to think about outsourcing anything that's not your highest and best use
• Recognizing good team members and understanding their long-term career goals
• The #1 question leaders of the future need to ask themselves

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Follow @dorieclark on Twitter and Instagram
• Connect with Dorie on LinkedIn or Facebook
• Learn more about Dorie's work at https://dorieclark.com/
• Get your copy of The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World
• Take Dorie's free Long Game self-assessment
• Register for Dorie's Trajectory Mastermind or Recognized Expert Course
• Explore Sylvia Bellezza's research on busyness as a status symbol
• Read Dorie's articles on time tracking in Harvard Business Review and Fast Company
• Read 'Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time' by Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy
• Learn more about Derek Sivers 'hell yeah or no' test
• Understand the gender stress gap and the idea of emotional labor

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

Whether you're looking to take the next big step in your career or leading an organization to the next level of growth, it requires a leap of faith.

But what is the best way to make decisions effectively when the future is unclear?

Julie Setser is Senior Vice President of R&D and Innovation at Procter & Gamble, where she is currently leading the company-wide digital transformation.

A strategic leader with 35 years of experience, Julie has expertise in driving transformation and disruptive innovation, and she is passionate about translating consumer insights into business growth.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Julie joins me to share her 5 Principles for Taking Leaps of Faith, explaining why it's crucial for leaders to embrace uncertainty and lead with clarity.

She describes how to make your assumptions explicit and get comfortable with low resolution, challenging us to ask 'what needs to be true' to take a given leap effectively.

Listen in for Julie's insight on going slow to go fast and learn how to apply her 5 Leap of Faith Principles to your own life and work.

• Julie's 5 Leap of Faith Principles for getting to the next level of growth
• How Julie designed the framework to make big decisions when the future is unclear
• Why it's crucial for leaders to resist the idea that the future is certain
• How to get clear on where you're going but be flexible about how to get there
• Knowing what needs to be true to take a leap effectively
• How making your assumptions explicit can help you move into a new business
• Getting comfortable with low resolution and developing the discipline of zooming in and out
• What it means to go slow in order to go fast
• Examples of how Julie applies the 5 principles in her own life and work
• What tactical habits leaders need to live the 5 Leap of Faith Principles
• Julie's insight on the power of networking and how it's evolved over time

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Connect with Julie on LinkedIn
• Explore the Lean Startup movement
• Learn more about Bionic

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

How do you feel about networking?

Do you see it as extra work you just don't have time for? Or something you have to psych yourself up to do?

What if networking didn't have to be 'work' at all? What if we reframed it as a way of being? A mindset that prioritizes meaningful connection with others?

One of Forbes Top 25 Networking Experts, Michelle Tillis Lederman is an accomplished speaker, trainer and coach. As the CEO of Executive Essentials, she works with organizations and individuals to help them build real relationships for better results.

Michelle's impressive client roster includes Madison Square Garden, Johnson & Johnson and Michigan State University. She is also the author of four books, including The Connector's Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Michelle joins me to explore what it means to be a Connector, explaining how anyone can build the necessary skills and why diversifying connections gives us a competitive advantage.

Michelle walks us through the seven mindsets of a Connector, describing the spirit of generosity, openness and attitude of abundance that help Connectors cultivate strong relationships in our personal and professional lives.

Listen in for insight on maintaining connections as part of what you're already doing and learn how to ask your network for help without putting relationships at risk.

• What it means to be a Connector and why Michelle prefers the term over 'networking'
• The 7 mindsets of a Connector
• The impact of social isolation on our mental and physical health
• Why it's advantageous to expand your network and be an Inclusive Connector
• Why a spirit of generosity serves as the foundation of connection
• How having a clear vision cultivates connection
• How to ask for help without putting relationships at risk
• Moving up the Connector spectrum through responsiveness, initiation, breadth and depth
• The natural strengths and stretches of introverts and extroverts when it comes to being a Connector
• How to be open and accepting of your own 'unique charms' without overleveraging them
• Michelle's tips for maintaining connections as part of what you're already doing

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Subscribe to Michelle's LinkedIn Newsletter
• Gift The Connector's Advantage
• Take Michelle's Connector Quiz
• Access Michelle's Free Giftpack
• Visit Michelle's Website or Executive Essentials
• Follow Michelle on Facebook
• Get your copy of The Connector's Advantage and The 11 Laws of Likability
• Learn more about Sally Helgesen's How Women Rise
• Explore Marshall Goldsmith's What Got You Here Won't Get You There

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

Here at Bright Arrow, we interview the stakeholders of C-suite teams we're coaching. And the CEO and other CXOs are often surprised by the feedback we share.

Because even when senior executives open the door to conversation, the next line of leaders hold back. They nod their heads and say, 'Yes, everything's good.' Yet in confidential interviews, we uncover frustration and resistance.

So, how can senior leaders learn to listen deeply and read their team's subtle cues? And what can we do to train aspiring executives to speak up?

Sherianne James is a business-minded marketing leader with 25-plus years of experience unlocking the power of brands to create shareholder value. She has managed iconic brands like Kraft Singles, Planters Nuts, Black & Decker, Milk Bone and George Foreman.

In her current role, Sherianne leverages her consumer product marketing experience to build successful B2C and B2B go-to-market strategies for the optical industry, and she has been twice named to Vision Monday's list of the Most Influential Women in Optical as well as Dallas CMO of the Year.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Sherianne joins me to explain why the deliberate practice of listening is an essential skill for senior executives, describing how discontent and resistance can go undetected when we ignore nonverbal cues.

Sherianne offers advice on empowering the next level of leadership to act on the invitation to share honestly, challenging us to demonstrate our humanness with employees without losing our authority as C-suite leaders.

Listen in as Sherianne shares her experience as a woman of color in senior leadership roles and learn how to help aspiring executives communicate effectively, curating messages with both conciseness and clarity.

• Why the deliberate practice of listening is an essential skill for senior executives
• How a C-suite title can get in the way of team members sharing honestly
• The challenge of reading your team's subtle cues and how the issue is compounded by the dynamic way we work now
• Why Sherianne reserves complex conversations for days her team is in the office
• Sherianne's advice on empowering the next level of leadership to act on the invitation to share honestly
• Why discontent can go undetected and how senior leaders benefit from reading nonverbal cues
• The balance between demonstrating your humanness with employees and maintaining the weight of being a senior leader
• How Sherianne helps aspiring senior leaders communicate with conciseness and clarity
• Sherianne's experience as a woman of color in senior leadership roles
• How Sherianne has learned not to internalize resistance and to make strategic decisions re: when to react

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Follow Sherianne on LinkedIn

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato
• Email [email protected]
• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching
• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato
• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

Imagine taking on a new leadership role overseeing the supply chain at a global brand for the first time in your career.

Now imagine that your first week in this new role is the same week that North America and the EU shut down in response to the pandemic.

With more than a decade of experience leading retail, omnichannel and online businesses, Elain Boltz took on the role of Chief Operating and Transformation Officer at Crocs in March 2020.

Prior to joining Crocs, Elaine served as President of TJX Digital, SVP and General Manager of the Direct-to-Consumer Division at Chico's FAS and Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer of Ann, Inc.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Elaine joins me to discuss what she's learned about managing risk in a crisis and describe how she's grown in her ability to lead across systems in the last two years.

Elaine explains how to engage teams and build trust in the absence of the proverbial water cooler and explores how the unusual shifts in her career prepared her to lead through a pandemic.

Listen in for Elaine's insight on the come-as-you-are corporate culture at Crocs and learn how to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, build your confidence and lead well during a crisis.

• How Elaine's leadership has evolved to create emotional safety in times of uncertainty and see the opportunity in difficult moments
• What it looks like to engage teams and build trust in the absence of the proverbial water cooler
• The willingness to admit you don't know and why it's a strength in leadership teams
• How Elaine's skills in managing risk and leading systems have developed in the last 2 years
• How Crocs' cross-functional, systemic lens contributes to the company's success
• How the unusual shifts in Elaine's career helped prepare her to lead through the pandemic
• Why taking on assignments where you don't know what you're doing builds confidence and develops muscles for dealing with uncertainty
• The come-as-you-are corporate culture at Crocs and what it looks like in practice
• The flexibility employees are asking for as they work in an atmosphere of uncertainty
• Why leaders of the future must be comfortable with being uncomfortable

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Visit the Crocs website at crocs.com/
• Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Crocs' Walk the Talk program

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato

• Email [email protected]

• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching

• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato
• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

It's more important than ever to create a culture of psychological safety at work.

But what, exactly, does that look like in practice? What can we do as leaders to cultivate a space where team members feel comfortable speaking freely?

Brett Townsend is a thought leader in the realm of consumer insights and serves on the Board of Directors for the Insights Association.

He's led high-performing teams and developed scores of new products for some of the best-known brands in the world, including Pepsi, Lay's, Jack Daniel's and Dickies.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Brett joins me to discuss the benefit of getting to know your team as people and describes what he does to create a culture of psychological safety in the workplace.

Brett explains why it's crucial to meet employees with empathy and develop an awareness of their mental health, leaning into the leadership qualities of flexibility and grace in times of crisis.

Listen in to understand why Brett is known as the anti-Michael Corleone of the workplace and learn how he leverages vulnerability, openness and gratitude to create a safe space for his team at work.

• The size and scope of the interdepartmental teams Brett has led over the years
• Why Brett is referred to as the anti-Michael Corleone of the workplace
• Brett's personal leadership philosophy and the benefit of getting to know your team as people
• How Brett helps his team members get to know each other on a personal level
• Leaning into the leadership qualities of flexibility and grace in times of crisis
• Why it's crucial to meet employees with empathy and develop an awareness of their mental and emotional health
• What Brett does to create a culture of psychological safety in the workplace
• Brett's unique approach to one-on-ones and the 4-and-2 feedback model he uses with his team
• How a good boss expresses gratitude and plays to people's strengths
• Brett's advice to executives on seeking continued growth and development as leaders

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Follow Brett on LinkedIn or Instagram
• Learn more about the Insights Association
• Explore Adam Grant's work at https://adamgrant.net/
• Listen to my conversation with Justin Seamonds
• Discover the True Colors personality framework
• Read Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato

• Email [email protected]

• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching

• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato

• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

How do you successfully lead a restaurant through the uncertainty of a global pandemic?

According to Justin Seamonds, you start with clarity, focusing on what you can control and inspiring your team with a mission that matters.

Justin is the Prime Minister of Fun and Chief Executive Officer at Roti, a Mediterranean-inspired fast casual brand on a mission to serve food that loves you back.

With more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Justin led upscale grocery market Dean & DeLuca before taking the helm at Roti in early 2020 to build the new brand philosophy: Crave Better.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Justin joins me to discuss the importance of clarity in leadership, describing the sense of purpose you need to lead well in uncertain times.

Justin shares his experience leaning into collective leadership at Roti through the pandemic and explains his commitment to democratizing truth and transparency with his team.

Listen in for Justin's advice around leading with authenticity and learn how Roti leveraged the pandemic to get clear on who they wanted to be and initiate the Roti Revolution.

• Roti's unique mission and how it informs Justin's approach to leadership
• Justin's insight on the sense of purpose you need to lead well in uncertain times
• How Justin leveraged clarity to keep Roti frontline employees and customers safe during the pandemic
• Justin's experience leaning into collective leadership at Roti throughout the pandemic
• How the pandemic facilitated what Justin calls the Roti Revolution
• Justin's commitment to democratizing truth and transparency with his team
• How the demands of the last couple of years affected the way Justin communicates and his appreciation for speed
• The benefit of generating collective energy around decisions involving intuition
• Justin's advice on leading with authenticity in your personal and professional life
• Justin's take on how leaders of the future will 'crave better'

• Follow Roti on Instagram or Facebook
• Learn more about Roti
• Download the Roti App

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato

• Email [email protected]

• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching

• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato

• • Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/

As leaders, we're responsible for making informed decisions. And that means gathering data in the form of feedback from others or more formal statistical analysis.

But what do you do when there is no precedent for what you're up against? How do you make key decisions for your organization in the absence of data?

Dane Mathews is the Vice President of Precision Marketing at Conagra Brands, where he leverages enterprise agility, personalization, technological enablement and advanced analytics to lead the organization's digital marketing transformation.

Dane has 15-plus years of experience leading the development of transformative consumer experiences at several prominent companies, including Caesars Entertainment, Target and McDonald's.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Dane joins me to explain why leadership doesn't have to be lonely, exploring how he taps into the experience of others to co-create the transformation he's leading.

Dane describes how to leverage collaboration, agility and practice to accelerate growth in an organization and shares his own personal growth in the realm of risk-taking and making intuitive decisions when data isn't available.

Listen in for Dane's insight on democratizing innovation across teams and learn the art (and science) of making key leadership decisions—with or without data.

• The idea of precision marketing and how it's grounded in evidence and consumer behavior
• Why Dane doesn't believe leadership is lonely
• How Dane taps into the experience of peers to co-design the digital transformation he's leading
• How Dane leverages collaboration, agility and practice to ensure that his leaders aren't operating from an island
• Being declarative about time and using it as a tool to flesh out what you really need to be successful
• The power of celebrating wins with buy-in and recognition from senior leadership
• How Dane saw risk-taking as a growth area for his leadership prior to the pandemic
• Dane's intuitive decision to move 20% of Conagra's media spend to eCommerce platforms
• How Dane reframes his fear of making decisions that might be seen as imperfect
• Why it's crucial for leaders of the future to democratize innovation across their teams

• Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript
• Follow Dane on Twitter or LinkedIn
• Learn more about Conagra Brands
• Explore Precision Marketing

I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

• Tweet me @TeganTrovato

• Email [email protected]

• Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching

• Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato

• Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/