Any time I deliver a talk - whether in person or virtual - I always setup a final prep call with the client about 48 hours in advance of the event. It's mostly for tech checks, but also to make sure I'm up to speed on any changes in the business since we last spoke, or recent company news or events that I should be aware of. In preparation for this virtual talk for FormFactor Inc., things were a little different.

I was in studio two weeks ago with the dynamic and bold Ashley Jarocki and Stephanie Markese to record an episode for Live Bold & Boss Up. We talk about everything from golf to building trust to coming out in college. More than anything, we talk about what it means to be a #RippleEffectLeader and how we can make a difference for the people in front of us.

I've been talking with many companies about coming in to speak to their organizations during Pride month in June. One conversation stuck with me in particular with someone at a Fortune 100 company.

To me, Andrew is joy, generosity, kindness, passion and integrity. He’s had an incredible growth path and even with all of his success, I find that it’s his humility, vulnerability and openness to learning that give his leadership so much power.

And it’s incredibly refreshing to meet someone who is so dedicated to their industry. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone as passionate about retirement as Andrew. He even traveled across the country for weeks producing a documentary about the inequities in America around saving for retirement.

I’m pleased to spotlight Andrew Meadows, SVP HR, Brand + Culture @ Ubiquity Retirement + Savings, and share his wisdom with you all!

Elias is not only a model HR leader, they’re a model human. And we need more model humans running our HR and People teams. To me, Elias is joy, love, generosity, connection and commitment. One of their superpowers as a leader is to tenaciously not let things go unsaid; a true practice in vulnerability.

What immediately strikes me about Brooke (aside from the joy she brings) is how seriously she takes her responsibility as a leader. As the Principal People & Talent Partner at Hyperproof, she knows the kind of impact she can have on people’s lives, and honors that with her level of commitment to the work. For Brooke, it’s not about checklists, roles and responsibilities. She is helping people thrive.

I sat down with EPN host Eric Dye to discuss current trends in the workplace and how building a coaching culture can help address some of the people and business challenges we can expect this year.

When I was working in corporate, I used to tell my friends that as the leader of our people function, I was the keeper of all secrets. Not in a gossipy way, but to illustrate that there is so much sensitive, emotionally charged, personal information that I would take in on a daily basis from people across the company. And complex, challenging, interpersonal situations to navigate. Plus, I’d often have to make decisions about things I’d never encountered before. If you’re a Head of People/VP HR (or similar role), you know what I’m talking about.

Meet a Change Agent is our interview series on professionals who have devoted their lives to social and environmental impact. This week, we met up with Chris Rollins to learn more about what inspired him to pursue purpose-driven coaching for people-focused leaders in Tampa, FL.

A simple question. But why can it feel so difficult to answer? It’s a question I ask in some form in all of my coaching sessions. What I often hear from people who are struggling to figure out what they want out of a job, their career, a relationship, a conversation or a key leadership decision is a desire for clarity. And perhaps there’s some frustration that comes along with not being able to figure out how to move forward.

When professional services network giant EY was thinking about its employee experience strategy last year—about employee engagement, about its return-to-office strategy, about the struggles facing the organization and its workers—there was one theme that executives kept coming back to in their conversations: wellbeing.

The pandemic pause brought us to a moment of collective reckoning about what it means to live well and to work well. As a result, employees are sending employers an urgent signal that they are no longer willing to choose one — life or work — at the cost of the other. Working from home brought life literally into our work. And as the world now goes hybrid, employees are drawing firmer boundaries about how much of their work comes into their life. Where does this leave employers?

While the world was experiencing widespread shutdown and companies promptly shifted to remote work from home, the focus was on how companies would adapt to this new normal of the pandemic.

One of the things I love about working with leaders in the HR/People space is they tend to be heart-centered, kind, empathetic humans. They care deeply for the people at their companies, which is reflected in their “people-first” approach to decision-making and operations for their organizations. But too much empathy can get in the way when it comes to your leadership.

You know that feeling when your brain feels kind of tingly after a conversation that stretches your thinking and pushes you for deeper understanding? Like you can almost feel the neurons firing to create new connections in your brain? That's how I felt after yesterday's QueeHR Monthly Meetup on the topic of "Inclusion in the Wake of Roe"...

This month, Joan Speicher, VP of HR at We Are Alexander, shares a heart-wrenching and inspiring story about how her identity as a lesbian both derailed and later inspired her career in HR. I’m so grateful for Joan’s vulnerability and commitment to serving others with compassion and grace.

I’m excited to share the unique insights and experiences from Joseph Levin-Manning, DEI Program Manager at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. We talked about community, the unique challenges of being mixed-race while holding other identities, equitable benefits, the importance of empathy, art as a connecter, and more. To me, Joe is depth, heart, humility, compassion and connection.

This month, I had the great pleasure of connecting with Rosa Scheepers, VP People and Operations at Legalpad, to talk about her career journey, coming out story, challenges and opportunities as a leader with intersecting identities, advice for other leaders and more.

It's so tempting to look at a leader you admire, or someone who seems to have it figured out, and try to emulate what they do. Or as it happens quite often, you expect there's a "right" way to lead, so you do all the research about good leadership and start changing yourself to fit into what's expected.

Leadership is not a title, it’s a choice.
Leadership is not a task, it’s a commitment.
Leadership is not given, it’s created.