Dive into the complete episode list for Chief Influencer. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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14 Jun 2023
Rob Sand on Communication & Transparency in Government - Chief Influencer - Episode # 003
00:49:54
This Chief Influencer is an elected official and a former prosecutor. Rob Sand is the State Auditor of Iowa and the author of The Winning Ticket. Rob is the only elected Democrat in state or federal office in Iowa. He shares his insights on communicating effectively in the twenty-first century, being accessible to his constituents, and amplifying great ideas from both sides of the aisle.
Takeaways:
As an elected official, Rob needs to influence the everyday people that comprise his constituency in order to begin making any impact. This is becoming more difficult with the growing partisanship of voters and the erosion of long-standing political coalitions.
Rob provides people with an open look into how the state government works. He tries to educate people on what he does as the state auditor and what is going on in the government in general.
Rob connects with the people of Iowa in two key ways. First, Rob travels to all 100 county seats in the state to talk with people in person. Second, Rob is very active on social media and actually manages the accounts himself.
Every Tuesday evening, Rob goes live on Facebook for “Transparency Tuesdays” to tell people the highlights of what he worked on in the prior week and what is going on in the government. He leaves time to address comments and questions at the end.
Many public-facing leaders avoid going live with their constituents as they are afraid of making a mistake and tarnishing their image. When Rob live-streams, he focuses on being himself, something that people really connect with.
Many elected officials seem very distant from constituents and by utilizing social media Rob is able to overcome traditional barriers and invite people in to look at what really happens. It creates an opening for dialog and community between Rob and Iowans.
When Rob comes across a great idea or innovative practice that each county could implement, he compiles those ideas and shares them with officials from every county each year. It doesn’t matter who came up with an idea, if it works, Rob will share it.
Quote of the Show:
“It's important for people to have a sense of the ability to reach their government, to reach levers of whatever degree of power and to actually have an interaction there” - Rob Sand
Annise Parker on Influence by Listening to Others (and to Yourself) - Chief Influencer - Episode # 043
00:54:01
Annise Parker is the President and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund & Institute; they endorse and financially support LGBTQ+ candidates through the Victory Fund and provide training and support to run for office and serve effectively through the Victory Institute. They also foster a network among LGBTQ+ elected officials, offering leadership programs and facilitating regular exchanges to ensure effective representation and advocacy for constituents.
Annise Parker was the first former elected official to lead the Victory Fund, serving as mayor of Houston and making history as the first openly LGBTQ+ mayor of a major American city. She gained global recognition, including being named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2010. Parker has also been praised for her leadership in addressing climate change and has received accolades from various organizations, solidifying her reputation as a visionary leader.
In today's episode, Annise Parker shares her journey from electoral setbacks to emphasizing the significance of listening, understanding, and direct engagement in leadership while discussing strategies for promoting LGBTQ+ representation in politics and fostering diversity and inclusion.
Takeaways:
A leader's ability to influence and effect change stems from being an attentive listener. Understanding your audience or community's experiences and perspectives is foundational to effective leadership.
Success often requires resilience. If you're passionate about making an impact, be prepared to face setbacks and learn from them. Your determination to get up and fight for what you want, as many times as you need, is crucial.
Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion must be more than performative. It should reflect your organization's core values, translated into tangible support for your team and community.
The willingness to admit mistakes and learn from them is a strength. Saying "You were right and I was wrong" fosters personal growth and builds trust within your team and with your constituents.
Anticipate potential criticisms and challenges to your initiatives. A prepared response or strategy allows you to remain steadfast in your mission and values, even under pressure.
Whether in public office or leading a company, having a genuine, unwavering commitment to your goals and principles will guide you through times of uncertainty and change.
Successful leaders are not only resilient but also adaptable. If a strategy or approach fails, be willing to analyze the reasons, learn from the experience, and adapt your tactics to meet your objectives better.
Quote of the Show:
“You have to be a good listener to be a good influencer. You have to understand what your audience experiences.” - Annise Parker
Jeffery J. Mondak on Facts vs. Opinions - Chief Influencer - Episode # 051
00:35:59
Jeffery J. Mondak is a renowned professor of political science at The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is known for his research on misinformation and his creative approach as a poet and songwriter for children.
In today’s episode, Jeffery and host Anthony Shop explore the impact of misinformation and the value of diversity and creativity in leadership. Jeffery shares compelling findings from his recent research on misinformation, revealing how nearly half of Americans struggle to differentiate between fact and opinion, highlighting the implications for leaders in navigating today's complex information landscape.
Jeffery highlights the impact of education, political bias, and misinformation on public opinion and societal divisions. Additionally, he reflects on his unique journey into children's poetry and songwriting, emphasizing the power of engagement and creativity in education. He underscores the value of inclusivity, critical and creative thinking, and the necessity of fostering a culture that appreciates diverse perspectives for richer, more effective outcomes.
Takeaways:
A true leader remains a lifelong student, openly admitting there's always more to learn from others, especially those they lead. Leaders need to understand the value of being open to new perspectives and ideas and effective leadership involves mutual influence and learning.
Encourage teams to think both critically and creatively. Empowering individuals to analyze and innovate ensures that they're not just consuming information but are actively engaging with it and contributing valuable insights.
Successfully navigating today's complex information environment requires distinguishing fact from opinion and recognizing one's own biases. Leaders need to train their teams in these skills, promoting a culture of critical discernment and open-mindedness towards different viewpoints.
A vibrant, innovative team is built on diversity. This goes beyond demographic factors to include diversity in thought, perspective, and experience. Incorporating new viewpoints fosters growth and breakthroughs, preventing stagnation.
Involving team members in problem-solving and decision-making processes boost creativity and ownership. A participatory approach to leadership cultivates a more dynamic and committed team.
Challenges and obstacles are opportunities for growth and creative problem-solving. Drawing inspiration from unexpected sources or situations leads to breakthrough findings and solutions.
Establishing a shared understanding of facts is crucial before delving into interpretations or strategic decisions. As leaders, ensuring that your team agrees on the factual basis of discussions can facilitate more productive and less polarized outcomes.
Quote of the Show:
“Leaders should keep in mind it's perfectly reasonable for people to have different points of view on things. There's this tendency in all realms when people interact, to think; if you disagree with me, I'm right and you're wrong.” - Jeffery J. Mondak
Reverend Darrell Goodwin on Building a Faith without Limits - Chief Influencer - Ep. 28
00:48:08
Reverend Darrell Goodwin serves as the first Executive Conference Minister of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ. He is the first openly LGBTQ Black person to serve as an Executive Conference Minister in the UCC. He is a member of the United Church of Christ Board, the UCC Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, and the Global Ministries Board. Reverend Goodwin joins Host Anthony Shop to discuss why diversity of all kinds strengthens the foundation of an organization, how to foster mutually beneficial partnerships, and what the power of owning your personal identity can do for leaders.
Takeaways:
Leaders should start every decision-making process with a focus on inclusion. For example. Ask how an initiative will cater to diverse groups. This strategy helps bring people together and ensure each group feels seen.
Find opportunities to collaborate with new partners beyond organizational or departmental borders and remove barriers. Leaders should ask who they're not talking to, seek new connections, and explore new possibilities.
Reverend Goodwin advocates for being transparent and owning your story. Taking this approach not only disarms those who might use your identity against you, but also makes it a centerpiece of your strength.
Organizations often limit themselves by adhering strictly to known patterns. Growth-minded leaders should question the established norms and be willing to be nimble, adaptive, and innovative.
Consider opposing viewpoints and open yourself up to criticism and opposition. Listen intently to all the feedback you receive, good or bad. If confronted with backlash for you or your organization’s opinions, it is important to be resilient and stay true to one’s beliefs.
Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger on Harnessing Data for Success - Chief Influencer - Episode # 085
00:42:52
In this week’s episode of Chief Influencer, we’re featuring Jennifer Bell Elwanger, President and CEO of the Data Quality Campaign. She discusses her career journey from a kindergarten teacher in the Bronx to leading a nonprofit organization dedicated to making data accessible and useful for educational and career decisions.
Jennifer emphasizes the importance of data in making informed choices and highlights her organization's efforts to provide timely and actionable data from early learning through workforce development. She shares insights on her roles in New York City's education system, Baltimore City Public Schools, and the U.S. Department of Education, where she focused on integrating data to support student success. Jennifer also talks about the challenges and triumphs of being a woman in data, the significance of storytelling in data communication, and the influence of mentors in her career.
Takeaways:
Data for Informed Decision-Making: Ensure data is accessible to all stakeholders for evidence-based decision-making.
Start with Questions: Define clear objectives and goals to guide purposeful and relevant data collection and analysis.
Clear Communication: Foster clear and simple communication, making complex data understandable to all audiences.
Challenge Preconceived Notions: Address biases and preconceived notions to build trust and competency within teams.
Mentorship and Accessibility: Build relationships through regular one-on-one meetings, fostering trust and support.
Trust and Collaboration: Create a culture of trust and collaboration, where team members feel secure sharing ideas and feedback.
Humanize Data: Remember the human element behind the data, creating relatable and actionable narratives for meaningful change.
Quote of the Show:
“Behind every data point is a person, a student, and a heartbeat.”
Peggy Rajski on The Power of Storytelling, Advocacy, and Allyship - Chief Influencer - (ReAir)
00:52:25
Peggy Rajski is an Oscar-winning filmmaker and a founder of The Trevor Project, the first 24/7 suicide prevention organization dedicated to serving LGBTQ+ young people. She recently concluded her 18-month term as Interim CEO of The Trevor Project. During that time, she focused on expanding crisis intervention services, strengthening partnerships with SAMHSA and Vibrant Emotional Health for the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, elevating Trevor’s prevention program strategy, and defeating anti-LGBTQ+ legislation through strategic advocacy.
The Trevor Project remains a leading force in crisis intervention, driven by Peggy’s mission-first approach and commitment to leveraging storytelling for social impact. In celebration of her tenure and passing the baton to The Trevor Project’s new CEO, Jaymes Black, we are thrilled to resurface this interview with Peggy Rajski!
In this insightful interview, Peggy discusses her inspiration for founding The Trevor Project after directing her Oscar-winning short film Trevor. She details the challenges and successes, including the crucial HBO airing with Ellen DeGeneres, and the night the first-ever 24/7 suicide prevention hotline for LGBTQ+ youth launched. She shares her thoughts on leadership, highlighting the importance of authenticity, allyship, and adaptability. Over 25 years, The Trevor Project has evolved with changes in media, and collaborated with notable figures like Daniel Radcliffe and Dylan Mulvaney. Peggy’s reflections underscore the power of passion, dedication, and resilience in making a significant impact.
Takeaways:
After directing the film Trevor, Peggy saw the massive need amongst LGBTQ+ youth for some kind of support system. This need was the inspiration behind forming The Trevor Project and its mission, “to end suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, & questioning young people.”
The motivation for Peggy’s film was seeing that LGBTQ+ young people were four times as likely to make an attempt on their lives than their straight peers. Peggy knew that the medium of film could be uniquely used to educate people on this issue.
The most important group Peggy had to reach was the young people in dire need of The Trevor Project. Crucial to this were the relationships Peggy built with voices in the media interested in this larger story.
When Peggy realized that there was nowhere for LGBTQ+ youth to get specialized support, particularly with suicide prevention, the choice to take action and create resources was clear.
It’s vital to share your message through communication channels already used by your audience. The night that Trevor was presented by Ellen DeGeneres and aired on HBO Family, The Trevor Project call center received over 1,500 calls.
Honesty is integral to building a cohesive brand that can speak uniquely to different stakeholders, such as donors, staff, and those being served. This requires being clear and consistent on what the brand stands for and its mission.
Evolving how you meet your audience where they are is critical. The Trevor Project expanded its services from primarily voice-based to chat-based. This mirrors the growing shift amongst younger generations toward text messaging. The Trevor Project must continuously adapt to the times to continue serving LGBTQ+ youth.
Peggy considers the expertise built up within The Trevor Project to be “open source” as the organization sits on many boards and commissions to help protect the mental health needs of historically underserved groups.
Leaders need to be storytellers every day of their lives, throughout meetings, introductions, etc. To be a great storyteller, you must be clear, concise, and compelling. Your stories should convey who you are, what you’re doing, and the difference you want to make.
Quote of the Show: “Film can make you feel things. When it's working, it bypasses the brain and it goes to your heart.” - Peggy Rajski
Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeggyRajski LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyrajski/ The Trevor Project Website: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Shout Outs: Dr. Jay Nagdimon - Mental Health Expert Ellen DeGeneres - Comedian and TV Personality Elton John - Musician Sting - Musician Daniel Radcliffe - Actor Dylan Mulvaney - Influencer and Activist Kara Swisher - Host of On With Kara Swisher Scott Galloway - Author and Host of the Prof G Pod Hard Fork - Podcast Longform - Podcast This American Life - Podcast Serial - Podcast Soul + Spirit - Podcast Ten Percent Happier - Podcast Tara Brach - Meditation teacher and Podcast Host
10 Jan 2024
Lisa Thurau on Educating Disparate Audiences - Chief Influencer - Episode # 033
00:40:20
Lisa Thurau is the Executive Director of Strategies for Youth. Lisa founded the nonprofit in 2009 aimed at improving police-youth interactions and reducing the disproportionate impact on minority youth. The organization provides its training, outreach programs, and policy reviews in 25 states, guiding law enforcement in their interactions with youth. Lisa joins Host Anthony Shop to discuss how to adapt core messages to resonate with many different audiences, how to make training effective, and how to influence hard-to-reach groups.
Takeaways:
Before affecting real change, it is crucial to identify and address information gaps. For example, Lisa understood that law enforcement officers and the youth they interact with had critical gaps in their understanding of each other. She created training to bridge these gaps, significantly improving interactions and reducing unnecessary conflicts.
Rather than settling for conventional methods of training or teaching, keep the information practical, relevant and easily digestible for its target audience.
Consider taking on a “mutual learning” approach. Lisa's organization trained both law enforcement officers and youth, giving each the knowledge of the challenges, rights, and responsibilities of the other. This mutual learning approach fostered empathy, improved interaction quality, and reduced conflicts.
Emphasizing equality in training is imperative. Providing training for both police and youth legitimizes both points of view while encouraging understanding.
Engage younger members of the community by incorporating gamification. For example, Strategies for Youth has the 'Juvenile Justice Jeopardy' game, a novel approach to connect with young people. The game educates youth about their legal rights and responsibilities through an engaging format.
Use research and real-world data to drive decisions and share your message with others. Lisa's initiatives were always backed by extensive research. She also used surveys to understand public perceptions and effectively align their initiatives.
Quote of the Show:
“We have to educate the kids and we have to educate law enforcement. And you gain legitimacy with both groups if you tell one you're training the other.” - Lisa Thurau
Danica Roem on Influencing Individuals to Impact Change - Chief Influencer - (Re-Air)
00:57:54
Danica Roem is the newly-elected delegate representing the 30th District in the Senate of Virginia. To congratulate Danica, we are re-sharing her interview with Anthony from during the campaign. Previously, Danica served three terms in the Virginia House of Delegates and helped her constituents by providing a free school lunch program and improving state infrastructure. Danica is most well known as the United States’ first openly transgender state legislator. She is also a heavy metal vocalist, award-winning journalist, and author of the bestselling Burn The Page. Danica shares how to drive impactful change, why individuals must take the initiative to create positive change, and how to overcome imposter syndrome as a leader.
Takeaways:
By truly listening to and understanding the needs and concerns of those around you, leaders can incorporate their perspectives into decisions and ensure that their actions align with the interests of those they represent. Danica learned this as a legislator first-hand. This approach strengthens relationships and leads to more effective and inclusive environments.
Leaders should strive to communicate authentically. Sharing personal stories, expressing genuine empathy, and conveying messages that resonate with others, fosters strong connections and builds trust.
To create change, you need to take the initiative. Danica shared her experiences of actively advocating for policy changes, such as improving transportation infrastructure or expanding support for LGBTQ+ communities.
Embrace compromises, but make sure that when you do, make sure it’s a well-informed decision. Leaders must balance personal values with the greater good, which can require making difficult choices, such as in the legislative process.
To counter imposter syndrome and insecurities, Danica encouraged leaders to recognize their qualifications, unique perspectives, and the support they have received from their electorate. By embracing their authentic selves and acknowledging their value, leaders can overcome imposter syndrome and lead confidently.
Embrace the hard work and effort required to achieve your goals, whether it's knocking on doors, making phone calls, or biking between constituents in rural areas.
Combine your instincts with thorough research and knowledge to make well-informed decisions. Danica shared how she relied on her intuition, along with years of living with and listening to her community, to guide her actions as a legislator.
Quote of the Show:
“Thrive because of who you are, not despite it” - Danica Roem
Coach Kathy Kemper is the CEO and Founder of the Institute for Education and a Co-founder of Computer Science at the University of Southern California’s coding camp. In today’s episode, join host Anthony Shop and Coach Kemper as they delve into diplomacy, innovation, and global engagement. She shares her extraordinary journey from a professional tennis player to a prominent figure in Washington's political and tech leadership circles.
Learn about Coach Kemper's innovative strategies to foster global engagement through the lenses of soft diplomacy, data, and innovation. Discover how she creates meaningful relationships across diverse backgrounds, emphasizing trust, transparency, and human connection as the cornerstone of her methods.
Coach Kemper's journey illustrates the power of unconventional paths in shaping global leaders. Through her tireless efforts, Coach Kemper has earned accolades such as being recognized as one of Washington Life Magazine's "Tech 25", highlighting her profound impact on the technology landscape.
Takeaways:
Integrating humor into interactions can create a relaxed environment, fostering comfortable communication and relationship-building. Authentic interactions and lightheartedness can significantly boost rapport among team members and stakeholders.
Integrate a mix of expertise and perspectives in any team or event. By combining different professional backgrounds, more innovative and comprehensive solutions can be generated.
As a coach, Kemper's main goal was to help others get better. Focusing on team members' continuous personal and professional growth. The satisfaction derived from improvement boosts morale and productivity.
Rather than static interactions, Kemper advocates for dynamic activities for team-building. Active engagement can foster better connections and team unity, whether it's a casual walk or a hands-on task.
Acknowledging and rewarding achievements can allow individuals to excel further in their fields.
Promoting continuous learning and upskilling can empower employees to grow and adapt to new challenges and technologies.
Rejection is a part of every journey. Coach Kemper emphasizes the importance of understanding that a 'no' provides more information and should not deter one from pursuing their goals. Resilience and tenacity are vital characteristics for leaders and their teams.
Quote of the Show:
“A coach has to learn how to get the best out of their students. Everybody loves getting better at something.” - Coach Kemper
Monica Goldson on Communicating Effectively with Every Stakeholder - Chief Influencer - Episode # 002
00:50:30
This Chief Influencer is a longtime educator and leader that has been recognized time and time again for her commitment to bettering her community. Dr. Monica Goldson is the CEO of the Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, one of the largest school districts in the nation. Dr. Goldson shares what she has learned about how to communicate with different groups of stakeholders, the importance of building trust as a leader, and knowing when to amplify other voices to make a greater impact.
Takeaways:
As a leader, you need to identify the stakeholders that you need to reach and the communication channels and formats that each prefers. For instance, Dr. Goldsons’ students primarily use Twitter and Instagram, so that’s how she alerts them of timely news or shares relevant messaging. Parents or teachers, on the other hand, rely on other forms of communication. To reach them, Dr. Goldson and her team use a wide range of tools including a weekly newsletter, automated phone messages, and “town hall” style meetings via telephone.
One example of how Dr. Goldson embraced two-way communication with stakeholders is the town-hall style meetings she held with parents through the pandemic. By doing this, she could share the latest school-health updates, field questions from parents, and bring on doctors to educate parents on pandemic-related health issues.
The message is just as important as the medium. Leaders should tailor their message according to what each group of stakeholders needs.
When you are communicating with your stakeholders, it’s important to remember that you need to listen. Make sure that people feel heard and are able to ask questions freely. This openness is a building block of trust in your relationship with them.
Consistency is also key to building trust. When you communicate consistently, people know what to expect from you, when to expect it, and through which channel.
You will not always be the most impactful voice for sharing certain messages with a given group. For example, Dr. Goldson realized when discussing certain topics, such as drug abuse, students are more likely to listen to fellow students. This led to an effective student-made video outlining the dangers of using drugs.
Don’t run from the media. Media outlets can be powerful allies to have in your corner as you lead your organization. Remember that media outlets do not only focus on negative stories; when you do something great, especially for others, reach out to see if there is interest amongst broadcasters in covering it.
Quote of the Show:
“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” - Monica Goldson
Dr. E. Anders Kolb on Mission-Driven Leadership - Chief Influencer - Episode # 061
00:52:29
Today, we are honored to host Dr. E. Anders Kolb, President and CEO of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
With a distinguished background as a pediatric hematologist oncologist, Dr. Kolb's journey is intertwined with a deeply personal commitment—fueled by his wife's battle with follicular lymphoma—to eradicating these diseases. Today, he leads LLS with a vision that combines compassionate patient care with pioneering research.
In this episode, Dr. Kolb shares his insights on fostering community engagement, driving scientific innovation, and advocating for health equity. His leadership style, marked by empathy and a steadfast dedication to improving patient outcomes, underscores his role in guiding one of the most influential organizations in cancer research and patient support.
Takeaways:
Embrace a Learner's Mindset: Always approach new situations with a willingness to learn, listen before acting, and consider experts' opinions. This mindset fosters continuous growth and effective problem-solving.
Understand the Business: Take the time to deeply understand the business operations and challenges, even if it requires a significant investment of time, such as through a listening tour or similar initiative.
Stay Connected to the Mission: Ensure that all team members remain focused on the organization's mission. Start meetings with a "mission moment" to ground everyone in the purpose of their work, which can keep the team inspired and aligned.
Advocate for Patients and Families: As a healthcare organization, always prioritize the needs of patients and families in your initiatives. This strengthens any organization's credibility and trustworthiness and ensures that efforts are patient-centered.
Inspire Through Communication: Use empathy in your interactions to connect emotionally with your team and motivate them. Sharing patient stories and emphasizing the impact of their work can enhance commitment and drive.
Lead by Example: Demonstrate humility and a willingness to learn from others, regardless of your position. This leadership style fosters a collaborative environment and encourages others to adopt a similar approach.
Solve the Big Problems: Lean into the challenges faced by the community you serve. Collect stories and data to identify systemic issues and work collaboratively to find meaningful solutions. This approach ensures that the organization addresses the root causes of problems effectively.
Quote of the Show:
"In our company meetings, we always start with a mission moment, grounding ourselves in the patient experience and celebrating exciting innovations from our research funding. This ensures everyone is present, inspired, and ready to dive into our work."
Nedra Dickson on Supplier Diversity and Personal Branding - Chief Influencer - Episode # 005
00:44:35
Nedra Dickson is the Managing Director and Global Supplier Inclusion & Sustainability Lead at Accenture. Nedra is also the Chair of the Board of Directors for WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council). Nedra shares what supplier diversity really means for a Fortune 500 company, how to use your shoes to kickstart connections, and why LinkedIn can be a great channel for communicating with coworkers.
Takeaways:
Supplier diversity requires companies to look at who they are purchasing goods and services from and ensure that those providers include diverse-owned businesses that are at least 51% owned by members of an under-represented or under-served community.
By emphasizing supplier diversity, large corporations engage with small businesses they would not have otherwise. Big companies need to find opportunities to integrate businesses from underrepresented groups into their supply chains.
Increasing supplier diversity makes an outsized impact on the economy, especially within traditionally marginalized communities. While it might seem small in comparison to a project’s overall budget, every $1,000,000 with a small, diverse supplier creates around ten jobs.
By expressing her genuine personality through her love of shoes, Nedra created an easy jumping-off point for connecting with other people authentically. Others want to connect with people that embrace who they are.
Social media can be used to share the right information with the right people, both inside and outside of your company. For example, Nedra used social media to highlight success stories from her work to showcase the positive outcomes of supplier diversity.
Include as many voices as possible in the discussions you have about your field on social media by tagging the right people. For example, Nedra tags fellow members of professional organizations when relevant to get spark a richer conversation.
Adapt your message and formatting to include the right “language” for each platform because different platforms serve your message differently. For example, you need to utilize the right hashtags for each platform to reach your target audience.
Quote of the Show:
“If there's not a seat for you at the table, grab a chair” - Nedra Dickson
Dr. Gregory Fowler On How To Meet Today's Students Where They Are - Chief Influencer - Episode # 057
00:48:46
Authentic leadership originates from one's core character and values, which guide their actions and decisions. Embracing this approach enhances leadership effectiveness. It demands deep self-understanding and acceptance, as this authenticity steers our choices and inspires others.
In our latest episode, Dr. Gregory Fowler, President of the University of Maryland Global Campus, joins host Anthony Shop to discuss how authenticity impacts leaders and allows us to create connections with our audiences. Tune in to discover how authenticity inspires us all to be positive influences and shape a future where genuine self-expression leads to greater empowerment.
Takeaways:
Lifelong learning and adapting to new challenges are important for any leader. Leaders should model this by continuously seeking new knowledge and encouraging a culture of ongoing education within their organizations.
Learning practical skills can support any type of professional growth. These skills empower individuals to adapt, innovate, and excel in their careers, laying a solid foundation for long-term success and versatility in a dynamic work environment.
Intentional and transparent educational design is crucial for success. By clearly communicating the objectives and benefits, individuals can understand the path to their goals.
Be flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of diverse populations. This includes providing accommodations or flexibility as support.
Social media platforms can be a valuable tool for sharing success stories and connecting with potential audiences. By elevating real experiences, institutions can inspire and motivate others.
The traditional residential college experience is evolving, with more students seeking flexible, online, and competency-based education. Schools must adapt to this shift by offering programs that meet the needs of today's learners.
Leadership is often influenced by personal experiences and the support of family and community. Leaders can draw strength and inspiration from their backgrounds and use these stories to connect with and inspire others.
Quote of the Show: (Options)
“I say that we have to be like Sherpas on a mountain. We have to be capable. We can't climb the mountain for you, but we can climb it with you.”
Congressman Andy Kim On Integrity and Humility in Public Service - Chief Influencer - (ReAir)
00:40:16
Congressman and Chief Influencer Andy Kim was recently victorious in the NJ primary election for the United States Senate representing the Third Congressional District of New Jersey. Congratulations, Congressman Kim! In celebration of his achievement, we are pleased to revisit his insightful interview with our host, Anthony Shop, from earlier in the campaign season. As we approach Independence Day, it's inspiring to see leaders like Congressman Kim embodying the spirit of service and dedication to our nation.
In this episode, Congressman Kim delves into his journey from serving in various government roles, including at the Pentagon and in Afghanistan, to campaigning for the United States Senate.
As a career public servant and the first Democratic member of Congress of Korean descent, Congressman Kim emphasizes the importance of integrity, bipartisanship, and advocacy for democracy. He discussed his legal battle against New Jersey's 'county line' ballot system to promote fairness in elections. He also reflected on the personal and professional challenges faced when taking a stand against party norms. Highlighting the profound impact of his efforts to maintain the Capitol's dignity post-January 6th, Congressman Kim stresses the significance of authenticity and connecting with constituents through storytelling.
He also delved into the critical need for leadership that embraces risk, engages with diverse perspectives, and is rooted in a commitment to public service and democratic values. Congressman Kim emphasized the power of showing up, engaging earnestly in both digital and physical spaces, and maintaining a commitment to service above self.
Takeaways:
Leaders should always remember they are part of something larger than themselves. Engaging in public service or contributing to communal goals can guide decisions and actions, fostering a holistic approach to leadership.
In today's digital age, leaders need to be physically present and authentically engage through digital platforms. Direct access to social media allows leaders to showcase their genuine selves, building trust and rapport with their audience.
A key characteristic of influential leaders is their ability to take calculated risks after considering all available information. This willingness to step into the unknown while being informed can lead to monumental changes and growth.
Through storytelling, leaders can connect deeper, sharing personal motivations and beliefs. This cultivates a stronger, more personal connection with the audience, allowing leaders to communicate and inspire action effectively.
Creating an environment where honest and diverse opinions are valued is crucial for leaders. This ensures a well-rounded understanding of situations and fosters a culture of openness and trust.
Leaders must learn to be comfortable with discomfort to cultivate resilience and adaptability. This ability allows them to navigate challenges more effectively and take bold steps when needed.
By recognizing and valuing the contributions of others, leaders can foster teamwork and collective success. Leadership is not about individual accolades but about collaboratively working towards common goals.
Quote of the Show:
“If you're only having comfortable conversations in life, it means you're not talking to everyone you should be talking to.” - Congressman Andy Kim
Four Leading Voices on Leveraging LinkedIn for Success - Chief Influencer - Episode # 064
00:28:34
In this special episode of Chief Influencer, host Anthony Shop brings together highlights and lessons on LinkedIn from prominent leaders—Steven Taylor, President and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation, Johnny C. Taylor Jr., President and CEO of SHRM, Allan Golston, President of the United States Program at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Emma Wade-Smith, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America and Consul General.
The episode delves into how these leaders use LinkedIn to drive leadership and influence while maintaining authenticity. They discuss strategies for engaging with their team, combating isolation, and building a positive organizational culture through genuine interactions on LinkedIn. Key takeaways include the importance of authenticity, active engagement, and showing genuine care to leverage LinkedIn for impactful leadership
Takeaways:
Prioritize Authentic Engagement: Engage genuinely on LinkedIn by responding personally to comments and messages. Avoid fake posts and always use your authentic voice, even if it includes typos.
Listen with Heart and Mind: Show genuine interest in your team by listening to their concerns and taking actionable steps. Create structures that facilitate open communication, such as moving your office to a more accessible location.
Two-Way Communication: Foster a two-way exchange on LinkedIn. Engage with followers by responding to their comments and questions, showing that you value their interaction.
Personal Recognition: Use LinkedIn to recognize and uplift team members and colleagues by commenting on their achievements, birthdays, or work anniversaries. Personalized recognition can significantly boost morale.
Thoughtful Content Sharing: Share content that resonates with your audience. Incorporate visuals like videos and images to grab attention. Avoid overliking, and engage meaningfully in conversations.
Human-Centric Leadership: Demonstrate care for your team by acknowledging their hard work and involvement on social media. This builds a supportive and warm organizational culture.
Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Stay open to trying new LinkedIn features and techniques to see what best resonates with your audience. Adapt and innovate continuously to keep your engagement fresh and meaningful.
Dr. Joel Braunstein on Innovating with Integrity - Chief Influencer - Episode # 047
00:43:00
Dr. Joel Braunstein is the CEO and Co-Founder of C₂N Diagnostics, a company dedicated to the development and commercialization of diagnostics for Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative conditions.
In today's episode, Dr. Braunstein offers insights from his extensive experience in the healthcare sector, detailing his academic journey and highlighting the pivotal role played by C₂N in advancing Alzheimer's diagnostics over the past two decades. Engaging in conversation with host Anthony Shop, Dr. Braunstein traces the evolution of Alzheimer's disease diagnosis, from conventional methods to the groundbreaking blood test pioneered by C₂N, which provides a more accessible and less invasive diagnostic alternative.
Throughout the discussion, Dr. Braunstein underscores the importance of early and accurate diagnosis in Alzheimer's disease management, emphasizing its potential for treatment intervention and its profound impact on patients and their families. He also addresses the challenges inherent in navigating the healthcare industry and stresses the significance of stakeholder engagement. Furthermore, Dr. Braunstein reflects on the complexities of communicating scientific advancements to diverse audiences, including patients, clinicians, and policymakers, highlighting the delicate balance between ethical responsibility and the imperative of raising disease awareness effectively.
Takeaways:
Leaders should commit to relentless pursuit in their fields, especially when facing long-term challenges. For instance, Braunstein's dedication to Alzheimer's research underscores the importance of steadfast commitment to making a difference.
Be transparent and evidence-driven in your communication, especially when introducing new technologies or innovations. Leveraging reliable data to support claims builds trust among stakeholders, from patients to practitioners.
Develop a company culture rooted in a strong moral fiber. This moral basis helps navigate the complexities of balancing legal, marketing, and ethical considerations while ensuring the company's dealings enhance patient care and trust in the industry.
Use professional networks like LinkedIn to share progress and highlights with a broader audience. This can enhance visibility among stakeholders and keep them informed about important milestones and innovations.
Understanding and addressing the needs of patients and their families as primary stakeholders can significantly improve the effectiveness and reception of healthcare solutions. This places importance on simplifying the patient journey and making medical interventions more accessible and less invasive.
Leaders should recognize the importance of stress relief and personal well-being in maintaining a productive and happy team. Enabling team members to pursue passions outside of work can foster a balanced and innovative workplace environment.
Quote of the Show:
"It all starts with a high moral integrity, and this moral fiber permeates throughout all elements of the organization." - Joel Braunstein
Michael Ricci On The Two-Way Influence Of Social Media - Chief Influencer - Episode # 019
00:55:58
Michael Ricci is a Partner at Seven Letter, a leading strategic communications firm. Prior to his current role, Michael was a long-time leadership aide on Capitol Hill with senior communications roles in the speakerships of both John Boehner and Paul Ryan. Michael joins Host Anthony Shop for a discussion of how to build trust as a communicator, what type of communication is most effective in times of crisis, and how to approach incorporating new technologies into your communication strategy.
Takeaways:
Social media is an incredible two-way communication tool. For example, organizations can share broad or narrow messages for different audiences, and those audiences can share their specific perspectives and experiences with the organization at scale.
A great and often understated way to build trust and influence with others is to show them that you are listening to them and really care about what they have to share. Physically taking notes is a good way to convey that you are invested.
In times of crisis and when information is scant, many filters that typically govern communication fall by the wayside. For example, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, there were a lot of questions and few answers. However, Michael found that live-tweeting new information as he learned it helped get it into the hands of Maryland residents more efficiently and effectively than a press conference would have.
People care more about the content of the message than how well-polished it is. The COVID-19 information tweets were valuable because people could ask questions and get direct responses about exactly what they were asking, rather than a long, well-crafted written statement released to the press.
Too many people are afraid to say the wrong thing, which leads them to try and hide, however, it’s much better and more beneficial to be transparent. When leaders try to hide from something, it spawns mistrust and misinformation.
Before adopting a new communication technology or channel, ensure it aligns with your overall mission and message. Make a plan for using this new technology or channel to further that mission and message.
Quote of The Show:
“A culture of trust, not just trust in me as a leader, but in each other, is a big thing for me. There are going to be times when you'll have to rely on each other and trust in yourselves.” - Michael Ricci
Bill Furlong on The Shifting Landscape of B2B Marketing - Chief Influencer - Episode # 027
00:39:32
Bill Furlong is the CEO and Co-Founder of SquareStack and the Author of Appify Your Business, which helps small and mid-sized businesses find and employ cloud tech solutions to improve the way they work. Bill has been at the forefront of B2B marketing for decades. He was the Managing Director and Publisher of B2B Magazine and then went on to successfully launch multiple startups, including Bizo, which LinkedIn acquired. Bill and Host Anthony Shop discuss why the B2B marketing landscape has shifted closer to B2C, the importance of authenticity in modern marketing, and the impact of social selling.
Takeaways:
While building a company’s brand is essential, it is often equally or more effective to develop the personal brands of the leaders within the company because people want to be connected to and learn from actual humans, not just brands.
It’s crucial that leaders, especially those in the C-suite, have an active and authentic digital presence. Leaders should leverage their influence on social media platforms to forge personal connections, enhance their personal brand authenticity, and build digital relationships.
The internet has revolutionized B2B marketing, leading to B2B adopting strategies that mirror B2C marketing. The merging of professional and personal lives, the need for more human connections in business, and the rise of technology drives this shift.
Technology, especially AI, is now influencing marketing, creating virtual personas and automating drip campaigns. Be sure to avoid "over-automating," as this feels cold and impersonal. Interactions with your company should have a human touch.
Content marketing plays a key role in companies establishing themselves as thought leaders in their industries. Curating great content relevant to your audience can be just as important as creating new content.
While it can be challenging to measure the success of brand-building in the digital age, collecting and understanding first-party data are critical. Unifying customer data provides insights into the value of marketing and communication activities.
Quote of the Show:
“Authenticity and a conversational approach to your digital self is so important” - Bill Furlong
Chiquisha Robinson is a career public defender with nearly two decades as a top attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. As a Deputy Chief for the Prisoner and Reentry Legal Services Program in the Community Defender Division, she manages a team of attorneys to support and advance the rights of incarcerated adults and those living with a criminal record. To further help her most important stakeholders, Chiquisha authored the DC Reentry Navigator, a 900-page comprehensive compilation of expert knowledge and reentry resources for people arrested, charged, tried, and/or convicted under District of Columbia law. She is also an Adjunct Professor at The George Washington University. Chiquisha joined Host Anthony Shop in her personal capacity to discuss how leaders and communicators can learn to utilize their platforms for positive change, engage stakeholders early on, and navigate the delicate balance between promoting a cause and self-promotion.
Takeaways:
Leaders should bring stakeholders on board at the inception of a project. Making them part of the creation process boosts ownership and ensures its successful distribution.
True leadership involves empowering others to reach their potential, whether a service provider, family member, or client. Leaders should inspire and encourage others to develop and put their talents to use.
If you have information that can help others, you should be willing to share it, not withhold it. You have the responsibility to make sure the right information reaches the people who need it.
Leaders should reexamine their relationship with ambition and consider scaling the impact of their work as an ambitious goal. Leaders should not view ambition as a way to boost their ego but as a means to scale their impact.
Leaders have a significant opportunity to use their personal and professional brands to share important messages.
Be mindful to recognize and respect the individual journeys and experiences of others. Everyone deals with their unique struggles and challenges. Compassion and empathy will make a leader more approachable and trustworthy.
Quote of the Show:
“When you don't go from potential to producing, you are imprisoned by your idea” - Chiquisha Robinson
U.S. District Judge John Tunheim on Consensus, Communication, and Civic Engagement
00:49:26
How do we find consensus in a divided world? In today’s episode, we dive into an inspiring conversation with Judge Tunheim, Senior Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, who has proven time and again that even in the most polarized situations, common ground can be found. He shares remarkable insights from his tenure, where he successfully led a diverse bench of judges—appointed by different political parties and with varying backgrounds—toward consensus, even when many thought it was impossible.
Beyond the courtroom, Judge Tunheim’s experiences in helping to declassify critical records about a national tragedy, contributing to the formation of a new government, and writing a country’s constitution in six languages highlight his exceptional ability to unite people and navigate complex, high-stakes challenges. This episode is a testament to the power of collaboration, resilience, and the belief that leaders can always find a way forward, no matter how difficult the situation.
Takeaways:
Teach Young People About the Judiciary: Engage with students to educate them about the judicial system, its importance, and how it works. Use hands-on experiences like the Justice and Democracy Centers to make learning interactive and inspiring.
Emphasize Civics Education: Advocate for strong civics education programs in schools that teach the foundational elements of government and the importance of civic participation.
Reach a Consensus: Strive to achieve consensus in decision-making by engaging in detailed discussions, understanding differing perspectives, and seeking common ground that benefits the collective goal.
Thank People: Regularly thank colleagues and team members, acknowledging their contributions with personal gestures such as handwritten notes to show genuine appreciation.
Adopt New Technologies: Embrace new technologies, like Zoom, for meetings and court proceedings to enhance efficiency and flexibility, especially in geographically dispersed environments.
Model the Way: Lead by example, demonstrating the behaviors and practices you wish to see in others. Being a role model can inspire peers and subordinates to follow suit.
Address Difficult Issues with Soft Skills: Use empathy, communication, and negotiation skills to address and resolve difficult issues. Visit colleagues in their workspace to discuss and solve problems, fostering a respectful and cooperative environment.
Quote of the Show:
“ Finding common ground is really important. It takes hard work. And it sometimes takes a little sacrifice as well. But I think common ground can be found everywhere.”
Virginia Ali on Kindness and The Legacy of Ben’s Chili Bowl - Chief Influencer - Episode # 070
00:44:32
This episode is a tribute to Mrs. Virginia Ali, co-founder and matriarch of the iconic Ben's Chili Bowl, a true family-owned business. She recounts her early days in the Shaw community in Washington DC, her relationship with civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and how Ben's became a crucial gathering spot during pivotal historical moments.
Through her warmth and hospitality, Virginia helped the restaurant thrive for 66 years, making it an essential part of the city's cultural and social fabric. The episode also touches on her efforts to archive the restaurant's history and her notable interactions with high-profile dignitaries, including President Barack Obama. As she prepares to expand Ben's Chili Bowl, Mrs. Ali emphasizes the importance of community connection and consistent kindness.
Takeaways:
Treat Everyone with Kindness and Respect: Mrs. Ali treats everyone who walks into Ben’s Chili Bowl with a smile and kind words, making them feel like the most important person. Leaders should foster a culture of kindness and genuine respect within their teams to build strong and positive relationships.
Preserve Your Legacy: Mrs. Ali’s decision to document and preserve her family's and business's history will ensure that her legacy will last forever. Leaders should prioritize recording and preserving important documents and histories that can provide valuable insights and inspiration for future generations.
Stay Calm and Collected: Virginia Ali's philosophy of using a soft voice to turn away wrath is a powerful reminder that staying composed and using calm communication can defuse tense situations. Leaders can effectively manage conflicts and maintain a positive atmosphere by practicing patience and composed communication.
Be a Beacon During Tough Times: Ben’s Chili Bowl remaining open during the 1968 curfew period exemplifies the importance of being a reliable and supportive presence in the community during crises. Leaders should aim to be pillars of stability and support when their teams or communities face challenges.
Value Community Relationships: Mrs. Ali emphasized the mutual support between Ben’s Chili Bowl and their community. Leaders should actively engage with and contribute to their communities, understanding that these relationships can provide critical support during tough times.
Commit to Longevity and Adaptability: The success of Ben’s Chili Bowl over 66 years highlights the importance of persistency, adaptability, and a commitment to quality. Leaders should focus on these attributes to sustain long-term success and navigate ever-changing environments.
Stay Humble and Grateful: Despite receiving numerous awards, Mrs. Ali remained humble and focused on serving her community. Leaders should embody humility and gratitude, recognizing that their success is often a collective effort and continuing to prioritize service and kindness.
Quote of the Show:
“Influence doesn’t have to be loud, it can be kind and gentle.”
It Takes All of Us: Chuck Henderson on the Power of Teamwork and Collective Strength to Fight Diabetes
00:55:19
In this interview, Chuck Henderson, CEO of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), shares insights into his leadership journey, emphasizing teamwork and a mission-driven approach. Since joining the ADA in January 2020, Chuck has drawn on his private sector experience and athletic background to champion health equity, advocate for insulin affordability, and expand access to diabetes technologies.
He discusses the importance of understanding all aspects of an organization while staying authentic and accessible as a leader. Chuck also reflects on the transformational changes he’s driven at the ADA, with a focus on health equity and increased transparency. He highlights the role of social media—particularly LinkedIn—in strengthening the ADA's brand and mission.
Chuck also shares his personal connection to diabetes and the influence of his parents, as well as the organization's strategies for navigating remote work. The conversation concludes with a call to action for supporting the ADA during American Diabetes Month, underscoring the urgent need for awareness and resources to address the diabetes epidemic.
Takeaways:
Embrace a Team-Oriented Leadership Philosophy: Learning from Chuck's experience as an athlete, fostering an inclusive and team-centric environment is crucial. Ensure every member understands their role and how they contribute to the collective success.
Maintain a Mission-Driven Focus: Chuck's daily reflection on his impact highlights the importance of grounding leadership decisions in the organization’s mission. Regularly ask yourself what you've done to advance your mission and set clear, impactful goals.
Consistency in Communication: Regular touchpoints like monthly town halls, bi-weekly newsletters, and quarterly meetings are essential. This consistency keeps the team aligned, engaged, and informed about strategic directions and wins.
Be Intentional with Engagement: Whether it's giving out personal contact information, being active on social media, or responding to both positive and negative feedback, intentional engagement fosters authentic connections and builds trust.
Promote Organizational Brand: Use platforms like LinkedIn to share the organization’s achievements, highlight team members, and build new relationships. Prioritize showcasing the organization’s impact over self-promotion.
Show Up Authentically: Your presence, both online and offline, should reflect genuine commitment and transparency. Authenticity builds credibility and trust, encouraging open dialogue and collaboration.
Adapt and Innovate Continuously: Being proactive about adopting remote work, investing in training, and listening to stakeholder feedback are critical. Innovation and adaptation help in staying ahead and addressing emerging challenges effectively.
Quote of the Show:
“No one person is greater than the team. It takes all of us, each one of us has a role to play in this fight.”
Sharon McBride on Helping Others With a Servant’s Heart - Chief Influencer - Episode # 016
00:35:15
Sharon McBride is the Global Head of Mobilization at DoorDash. Sharon is a pioneer in the field of public affairs and grassroots mobilization, both in the United States and around the globe. She believes fervently in giving people a voice in government, and throughout her career, she's advocated for workers and small businesses, helping them connect with policymakers. Sharon joins Host Anthony Shop to share what it means to help others with a servant’s heart, the importance of in-person interactions with customers, and how to take the first steps toward building influence.
This episode is a special, live recording that was filmed at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management in collaboration with the George Washington University College of Professional Studies.
Takeaways:
Being an advocate for others can be particularly fulfilling because you are amplifying the voices of those folks who don't think they have a voice. Regardless of the situation, if you have connections or a platform, you should use your means to share the message of those who need to be heard.
Elected officials in Washington, D.C. really do want to hear what their constituents have to say and what issues impact them. Those officials genuinely want to represent the opinions and concerns of those they serve.
Spend time with your customers both in-person and over the phone. These two methods of communication are much more valuable compared to text-based communication such as email. These high-value touchpoints build the relationship with the customer.
To truly understand the perspectives of people that you serve, you need to walk a mile in their shoes. For example, Sharon shared that even those in Doordash’s C-Suite take part in “we-dashes” where they deliver actual Doordash orders to really understand what the experience is like for dashers.
If you struggle with promoting yourself, your company, or your accomplishments, pivot to elevating team members, peers, etc.
The first step toward influencing your community, neighborhood, and family is to start with bettering yourself, your family, your community, etc. Once you start making a difference that change will compound, gradually building to an immense total impact.
Quote of the Show:
“I believe the best way to influence either in a small way or in a large way, is to approach everything with a servant's heart.” - Sharon McBride
Ati Williams & Jess Banks on Renovating Representation in Media - Chief Influencer - Episode # 020
00:48:50
Ati Williams and Jess Banks are Co-Hosts of the wildly popular Netflix series, Hack My Home. Ati is the Principal at Honeycomb Residential, a remodeling company that functions as both designer and general contractor to help clients create a comfortable, personal, and functional home or business, to nurture their own unique “honeycomb”; Ati is also the Principal Broker at DC Home Buzz. Jess is the CEO and Founder of RockPaperRobot, a kinetic furniture company that transforms traditionally static furniture into interactive objects. Ati and Jess join Host Anthony Shop to discuss the work that great leaders put in behind the scenes, the benefits of involving multiple perspectives in decision-making, and the importance of representation and role models in media today.
Takeaways:
When approaching complex problems, it’s best to include a wide range of perspectives that will each consider certain aspects more closely and aid in developing a holistic solution that addresses multiple issues simultaneously. For example, when brainstorming ideas for a certain space on the show, Ati thought about it from a top-down view in two dimensions, Jess’s approach was analytical and calculating, Brooks thought in “5D”, and Mikel explored concepts from a visual and textual perspective.
While the ideation and decision-making process may appear quick and straightforward on TV, the concepts created are actually the product of a lot of effort behind the scenes that is edited out. Don’t expect great ideas to appear out of nowhere whenever you need them, life isn’t a well-edited montage.
Don’t let the obsession with perfection stop you from starting a project and accomplishing the 85% of it that is enough to make the desired outcome. Getting 85% of something done is more important than figuring out how to attain the final 15% before you’ve even started working on the first 1%.
Embrace what makes you uniquely you. While plenty of other people are out there with similar roles and in similar industries, what part of your identity or personality makes you stick out. While this may seem overwhelming to some leaders, knowing who you are and sharing that with others is important to building influence.
Use your platform to be the source of inspiration you wish you could have looked up to. Others out there need to see and hear that someone like them can be successful and is willing to help them navigate their way up.
If you are trying to share a message that you don’t believe in or promote it through channels and formats that don’t feel natural to you, this can become a huge burden. Be genuine in what you say and share things how you share them, that will lead to a greater impact.
Quote of the Show:
“The thing that kept us going was knowing that there were young girls and young Black girls out there who needed to see themselves reflected in the things they’re interested in.” - Ati Williams
“A little bit of red lipstick in the same sentence as construction can go a long way.” - Jess Banks
Craig Newmark: The Paul Revere of Cybersecurity - Chief Influencer - Episode # 092
00:37:26
How can leadership in cybersecurity shape the future of national security and public awareness?
In this episode of the Chief Influencer Podcast, guest host Liesl Riddle, Dean of George Washington University's College of Professional Studies, sits down with Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, to discuss his philanthropic efforts. Craig, often compared to Paul Revere, has been at the forefront of raising awareness and driving action on cybersecurity issues critical to protecting American infrastructure. He shares his strategies for influencing key stakeholders and the importance of safeguarding both personal and national assets. Highlighting the need for mass mobilization, Craig emphasizes training veterans and fostering partnerships with universities and government agencies. The conversation also touches on his leadership approach, grounded in the Golden Rule, and his unwavering dedication to supporting military families and veterans.
Takeaways:
Mobilize the Whole Country on Cybersecurity: A national mobilization effort is needed to protect individuals, families, homes, jobs, and infrastructure from cyber threats. This involves raising awareness and actively encouraging everyone to participate in cybersecurity efforts.
Segment and Focus on Key Areas: Cybersecurity efforts should be segmented by targeting specific sectors, such as workforce development and training for veterans and their spouses, to address particular needs effectively.
Implement Cybersecurity Basics in Business: Businesses, especially utilities, should adopt basic cybersecurity hygiene, ensuring that employees and devices are secure both at work and at home. Employees should be educated on maintaining cybersecurity protocols in various environments.
Invest in Tools to Cut Through Confusion: It’s important to acquire advanced tools that simplify and clarify cybersecurity efforts, such as technologies that detect and manage anomalies or potential threats efficiently.
Be Ready for Adversity: Preparing for negative actions from adversaries, such as dirty tricks and cyberattacks, is crucial. Being ready means having robust defenses and contingency plans in place.
Quote of the Show:
“Prepare to be as agile as you can because everything is way more unpredictable than it ever was.”
Steven Taylor on How Leaders Can Show They Care - Chief Influencer - Episode # 049
00:43:40
Steven Taylor is the President and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding a cure and improving the lives of nearly 60 million Americans with arthritis. They align advocacy and science with patient priorities, drive progress through awareness, education, and research, and empower individuals with arthritis to live fuller lives.
Steven delves into his unique approach, characterized by his unwavering commitment to cultivating a supportive community, both internally and externally, while discussing their utilization of social media as a valuable tool for amplifying their mission. At the core of Taylor's leadership is a profound empathy, drawn from his personal journey, which drives his pursuit of impactful transformation.
Stay tuned to gain valuable insights into empathetic leadership, the significance of building inclusive communities, and the lasting effects of genuine care and recognition. Steven emphasizes the importance of enjoying life, saying yes to more, and saying no to less, highlighting the need for mutual inspiration and collaboration. This encapsulates the core of impactful leadership, illustrating how a supportive environment can lead to organizational success, whether enhancing quality of life or advocating for a cure.
Takeaways:
Leaders should prioritize genuine, open communication with their team and community. Personal stories and experiences inspire and connect people on a deeper level.
Publicly recognizing the work of volunteers, staff, and colleagues fosters a culture of appreciation and motivates everyone to continue their efforts.
Understanding and acknowledging the challenges others face, including chronic diseases or personal losses, make leaders more approachable and relatable.
Creating opportunities for engagement, such as virtual events or water cooler conversations, helps build a supportive community, especially in remote work environments.
Being active and visible on platforms like LinkedIn strengthens personal branding for leaders and shines a spotlight on their organization’s mission and achievements.
Whether adopting new technologies or embracing virtual worlds for team engagement, leaders must remain flexible and open to change to keep their organizations forward-thinking.
Leaders can achieve greater impact by seeking consensus and fostering collaboration across various stakeholders within and outside their organization.
Quote of the Show:
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” - Steven Taylor
Brian Saber - Fundraising for Introverts: Harnessing Our Powers for What Matters: https://a.co/d/bFW26Q1
26 Mar 2025
Anchored in Optimism: The Fight for Healthcare Rights | Elizabeth G. Taylor
00:40:47
Elizabeth G. Taylor, Executive Director at the National Health Law Program, is a passionate advocate who has dedicated her career to fighting for Americans' access to essential health programs like Medicaid. Starting as a public defender, Elizabeth has continued her fight, now representing the nearly 80 million Americans who rely on these programs. Her message is simple but powerful: Medicaid is vital to the health of millions, and cuts to these programs are not an option.
One of the key themes Elizabeth touches on is the power of collaboration. She discusses how she builds strong partnerships, depends on the wisdom of her colleagues, and facilitates meaningful dialogue, both within her organization and among partners. Her approach to influence and coalition-building offers valuable lessons for anyone in advocacy.
This episode is an inspiring reminder of the impact of persistence, partnerships, and clear communication in the fight for justice and health equity.
Takeaways:
Persevere in Advocacy: Stay resilient and committed when fighting for important causes, as sustained effort is key to making a difference.
Emphasize Key Issues: Clearly highlight the essential nature of critical programs, ensuring their importance is understood and cuts are not an option.
Engage Public Input: Leverage public commenting processes to collect personal stories, emphasizing the significance of expert voices and the administrative record.
Build Strong Partnerships: Cultivate and value key partnerships, recognizing the strength they bring through collaboration and shared wisdom.
Promote Open Dialogue: Foster transparent communication, both within your organization and among partners, to strengthen collective impact.
Share Successes: Showcase successful initiatives and real-world examples to demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of your efforts.
Adopt a Multi-Channel Strategy: Use a variety of approaches to spread your clear, concise message across multiple platforms to reach a wide audience.
Quote of the Show:
“ We are confident enough of who we are and what we bring to the table that we don't need sharp elbows.”
Bob Witeck on How Silence Is Not a Strategy - Chief Influencer - Episode # 044
00:36:31
Bob Witeck serves as the President of Witeck Communications, Inc., the oldest LGBTQ-owned business enterprise certified by the NGLCC (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce). The organization is known for pioneering communication strategies and is dedicated to advancing LGBTQ communities globally. Witeck Communications focuses on leveraging data and personalized narratives to encourage corporations to recognize the LGBTQ market as an opportunity and to promote inclusive, fair, and equitable corporate policies.
In this episode, Bob stresses the significance of authenticity and engagement, cautioning leaders against silence as a strategy amidst risks. He underscores that success lies in communicating values and engaging with diverse communities.
Bob advises leaders to utilize data and personal narratives, noting that while data provides credibility and insight, authentic storytelling fosters deeper connections, leading to meaningful influence and change. He urges leaders to recognize the importance of visibility and representation, emphasizing that embracing differences can empower communities and enhance brand relationships.
Takeaways:
Leaders need to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion not just as concepts but as strategic business imperatives that foster an environment of fairness and opportunity, thereby enhancing brand loyalty and corporate reputation.
Silence is not a strategy for addressing risks. Open communication and value articulation are vital.
Use both data and storytelling to make a compelling case for change. Data provides credibility, while stories connect on an emotional level.
Embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion as crucial to business success, not just social responsibility.
Understand the importance of visibility and representation in empowering communities and strengthening brand relationships.
Recognize that navigating controversies requires reaffirming brand values rather than retreating into silence.
Approach DEI initiatives boldly and clearly, being mindful of language to avoid triggering unnecessary backlash.
Foster an environment where differences are celebrated, and inclusivity is seen as a strength, seeking to connect with all aspects of the consumer base.
Quote of the Show:
“Embrace differences, celebrate values. Silence is not an option for authentic brands.”
Chris Ullman on the Incredible Impact of Using Plain Language - Chief Influencer - Episode # 022
00:47:41
Chris Ullman is the Founder and President of Ullman Communications, LLC. Chris is also the author of two books, Find Your Whistle and his newest publication, Four Billionaires and a Parking Attendant. Chris joins guest Host, Robert Krueger, the Executive Director of The Communications Board, to discuss the importance of humanizing communication, understanding different perspectives, and finding inspiration in your personal and professional life.
Takeaways:
Whether you’re working in public office or private equity, you need to know your audience and what matters to them. That way, you can simplify messages down to what they must know. That is a sign of effective communication.
Humanizing communication involves considering the audience receiving the message so they can understand it. A great example comes from the SEC initiative to make complex mutual fund documents easier to understand for everyday people.
Speaking in plain English is a crucial way for leaders to provide clarity of thought and language to their audience. Using plain English reduces the chance of a message being miscommunicated or misinterpreted.
For leaders trying to build influence and gain advocates within an organization, empathy and understanding different audiences are imperative. Whether working in the public and private sectors, you need to build bridges with stakeholders with different opinions or interests. Empathy allows for effective communication and collaboration with diverse groups.
Find sources of inspiration that uplift and push you to be your best self. For example, the incredible composer Beethoven is a great source of inspiration because he overcame personal challenges and created powerful music.
Quote of the Show:
“Humanizing my communications has been such an important theme in the work I've done.” - Chris Ullman
Chuck Schumer - Current U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader
John Kasich - Former Governor of Ohio
Ted Leonsis - Owner of the Washington Capitals and the Washington Wizards
Lou Gerstner - Former CEO of IBM
Glenn Youngkin - Current Governor of Virginia
Mitch Daniels - Former Governor of Indiana
Adena Friedman - President of Nasdaq, Inc.
David Rubenstein - Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of The Carlyle Group
Bill Conway - Philanthropist
10 Apr 2024
Congressman Andy Kim on Integrity and Humility in Public Service - Chief Influencer - Episode # 046
00:40:16
Congressman Andy Kim serves as a U.S. representative for the Third Congressional District of New Jersey. In today’s episode, Congressman Kim delves into his journey from serving in various government roles, including at the Pentagon and in Afghanistan, to campaigning for the United States Senate.
As a career public servant and the first Democratic member of Congress of Korean descent, Congressman Kim emphasizes the importance of integrity, bipartisanship, and advocacy for democracy. He discusses his legal battle against New Jersey's 'county line' ballot system to promote fairness in elections. He also reflects on the personal and professional challenges faced when taking a stand against party norms. Highlighting the profound impact of his efforts to maintain the Capitol's dignity post-January 6th, Congressman Kim stresses the significance of authenticity and connecting with constituents through storytelling.
He also delves into the critical need for leadership that embraces risk, engages with diverse perspectives, and is rooted in a commitment to public service and democratic values. Congressman Kim emphasizes the power of showing up, engaging earnestly in both digital and physical spaces, and maintaining a commitment to service above self.
Takeaways:
Leaders should always remember they are part of something larger than themselves. Engaging in public service or contributing to communal goals can guide decisions and actions, fostering a holistic approach to leadership.
In today's digital age, leaders need to be physically present and authentically engage through digital platforms. Direct access to social media allows leaders to showcase their genuine selves, building trust and rapport with their audience.
A key characteristic of influential leaders is their ability to take calculated risks after considering all available information. This willingness to step into the unknown while being informed can lead to monumental changes and growth.
Through storytelling, leaders can connect deeper, sharing personal motivations and beliefs. This cultivates a stronger, more personal connection with the audience, allowing leaders to communicate and inspire action effectively.
Creating an environment where honest and diverse opinions are valued is crucial for leaders. This ensures a well-rounded understanding of situations and fosters a culture of openness and trust.
Leaders must learn to be comfortable with discomfort to cultivate resilience and adaptability. This ability allows them to navigate challenges more effectively and take bold steps when needed.
By recognizing and valuing the contributions of others, leaders can foster teamwork and collective success. Leadership is not about individual accolades but about collaboratively working towards common goals.
Quote of the Show:
“If you're only having comfortable conversations in life, it means you're not talking to everyone you should be talking to.” - Congressman Andy Kim
Four Influential Voices on Fostering Community and Change - Chief Influencer - Episode # 066
00:29:44
In this special episode of Chief Influencer, hosted by Anthony Shop, we brought together four leaders from diverse sectors to share insights on inspiring, influencing, and connecting with communities.
Today’s guests include Daniel Buezo, Founder and CEO of Kids of Immigrants, Jennifer Sirangelo, President and CEO of Points of Light, Jean-Claude Brizard, President and CEO of Digital Promise, and Gina Schaefer, Co-Owner of a Few Cool Hardware Stores and Author of Recovery Hardware.
They discuss the importance of community, civic engagement, technology in education, and impactful events, from the Points of Light Awards to ComplexCon. Each guest emphasized the power of recognizing and supporting community efforts, fostering civic duties, and the mutual growth from leader-community interactions.
Takeaways:
Leverage Unexpected Ideas: Great ideas often come from unconventional places. Don't be afraid to look outside your immediate industry for inspiration and solutions.
Serve and Build Community: Dedicate efforts to building and serving your community. As demonstrated, community support can be a driving force and provide invaluable inspiration.
Embrace Continuous Learning: Never stop learning because each new experience brings valuable lessons. Even seasoned leaders can benefit from continuous education and reflection.
Recognize and Empower Others: Recognize the extraordinary contributions of individuals in your community. Formal recognition can inspire and mobilize people towards community service.
Utilize Technology Wisely: Use technology as an enabler to address challenges. Technology should complement and enhance your core vision and initiatives, not overshadow them.
Foster Open Communication: Encourage open dialogues within your community and organization. Honest conversations can highlight critical issues and foster stronger relationships.
Invest in Community Events: Hosting community events can significantly boost engagement and create a sense of belonging. It offers a platform for interaction that goes beyond traditional customer service.
Michael Manganiello on Advocacy’s Secret Weapon: How Small Wins Keep the Fight Going
00:44:22
This week's episode of Chief Influencer features a truly inspiring leader, Michael Manganiello, the President and CEO at Pyxis Partners.
After living for 40+ years as an HIV survivor and dedicated advocate, Michael’s journey has transformed medical research and patient care. After participating in groundbreaking clinical trials led by Dr. Anthony Fauci, he has been a beacon of hope for those living with HIV/AIDS.
As the first Senior VP of Government Relations for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, he played a key role in passing the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act and raising over $150 million for resources supporting the mobility impaired.
Takeaways:
Build Diverse Coalitions: Assemble coalition members who bring different strengths to the table. Including scientists, researchers, and passionate advocates ensures a well-rounded and influential group.
Leverage Non-Traditional Partnerships: Work with trusted community organizations to reach your target audience more effectively. People are more likely to listen to messengers they trust and encounter in their daily lives.
Understand the Importance of Incremental Victories: Celebrate small wins along the way. These victories help maintain momentum and morale when working toward long-term goals.
Educational and Strategic Insights: Acquire in-depth knowledge about your field. Being well-prepared and informed makes it easier to gain credibility and persuade influential stakeholders.
Humanize the Issues: To reduce stigma, put a face to the cause and show people real-life examples. This will make the issue relatable and less abstract.
Persistent Leadership: Lead by example and be persistent. Understand that effecting change is a long-term game that requires resilience and continuous effort.
Quote of the Show:
“You have to celebrate the incremental victories even if they’re small because that’s what keeps you going.”
Ghida Dagher on Empowering New American Leaders - Chief Influencer - Episode # 039
00:43:57
Ghida Dagher, President and CEO of New American Leaders, leads the only national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering immigrants, refugees, and their allies. Their mission is to provide the necessary tools for these individuals to realize their full potential and contribute to a more inclusive democracy. Whether through running for and holding elected office or engaging in civic action, Ghida and her team amplify immigrant voices, bringing them to the forefront of American politics.
Ghida's journey and career reflect a deep understanding of both struggle and opportunity, shaped by her multicultural background. Ghida firmly believes that her immigrant roots ground her, while her American experience propels her forward. Passionate about empowering underrepresented communities, Ghida has spearheaded numerous political campaigns, launched impactful policy initiatives, and served in Michigan, notably in Governor Whitmer's Executive Office as the Director of Appointments. Throughout her career, she has tirelessly worked to create opportunities and foster leadership within BIPOC and new American communities.
Ghida's dedication and achievements have not gone unnoticed. She has been recognized by publications such as Crain's Detroit Business and Arab American News. Most recently, the Carnegie Corporation of New York honored her as a "Great Immigrant, Great American," cementing her legacy as a trailblazer in the field of immigrant empowerment and civic engagement.
Takeaways:
Leaders must genuinely incorporate voices from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences into their spheres of influence, considering these perspectives in decision-making. The idea is to have these voices at the table and ensure they are heard and impact outcomes.
Authentic storytelling is a crucial element. Personal narratives and lived experiences could engage audiences more effectively than traditional, often impersonal, communication methods. By sharing authentic stories, leaders stand a better chance of forging meaningful connections and motivating and inspiring their audiences.
Leaders must embrace change, even when it brings unforeseen challenges. This involves altering the status quo, and leaders must prepare for the consequences of upsetting established norms.
Effectively using social media platforms is crucial and essential in making elected officials more accessible and relatable. Sharing experiences, engaging in authentic communication, and promoting representation.
Quote of the Show:
“Immigration is part of the origin story of America. It was yesterday, it is today and it will be tomorrow.” - Ghida Dagher.
Katie Harbath on Uncovering Your Unique Voice - Chief Influencer - Episode # 017
00:49:46
Katie Harbath is the Founder and CEO of AnchorChange, a civic tech strategies firm focused on developing solutions at the intersection of technology, policy, and business, focusing on global issues related to democracy, elections, and civic engagement online. She is also the writer of a popular Substack (AnchorChange), along with her work as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab, Senior Advisor for Technology and Democracy at the International Republican Institute, Fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and more. Katie joins Host Anthony Shop for an enthralling discussion of what success looks like in today’s changing media landscape, why leaders need to discover their own voice, and the keys to developing an audience online.
Takeaways:
While many leaders are used to discussing stories and topics from their company’s perspective, they have not put much time into thinking about how to tell their own stories. After leaving Facebook, Katie decided to proactively tell her own story and share her views. Her honesty and openness have been integral to her Substack’s success.
Leaders should focus on the number of people their message resonates with, instead of impressions, likes or engagement.
You don’t need to think up outrageous hot takes for your content to be successful. Instead, prioritize creating content that is valuable. Katie gave two examples: 1) Sharing job openings within a specific industry. 2) Curating links to the sources you use to keep up with the latest news in your industry.
No one does it all by themselves and no one’s life is always perfect, so don’t feed into this cultural facade. Rather, spotlight the people and resources that make your success possible.
As the social and mass media landscapes continue to fracture, it’s impossible for leaders to effectively share their message everywhere at the same time. Because of this, micro-influencers are becoming an increasingly important part of reaching target audiences wherever they are. For example, TikTok’s popularity has surged immensely, particularly among younger generations, making it a great channel to reach new voters. However, the app is banned on devices of anyone in the federal government. To circumvent this, federal leaders have worked with micro-influencers to create and share content about their message.
Quote of the Show:
“It's not just a numbers game, it's also a quality game” - Katie Harbath
Gina Schaefer on Building Communities & Instilling Culture - Chief Influencer - Episode # 010
00:48:04
Gina Schaefer is the Co-Owner of A Few Cool Hardware Stores, Board Member at CCA Global Partners, and the Author of Recovery Hardware, a book about Schaefer's path to building a business that revitalized her neglected urban community and provided opportunities for everyone to thrive, no matter their past. While expanding to 13 hardware stores in the Washington, D.C. Gina established a culture of acceptance, respect, and community. Gina shares why no question is a dumb question, how to develop greater buy-in from employees, and what happens when you treat everyone around you with the same respect without judging their past.
Takeaways:
For a successful business, the local community it is a part of is more important than the walls that support the company’s roof.
Put faith in people who society may have left behind. Your feelings towards someone should not be based entirely on the worst thing they’ve done, nor should they be based entirely on the best deed they’ve ever performed.
When leading with humility, influence, and culture are exchanged and built by both the leader and the follower.
Ace Hardware is not a franchise-based business. It operates on a Co-op model, which fosters stronger communities because everyone is mutually invested in working toward a successful outcome that is only achieved by working together.
Don’t be afraid to ask a question if you’re unsure about something. Ensuring everyone is on the same page is more important than trying not to embarrass yourself by asking a “dumb” question.
You don’t have to be a licensed professional to act in a professional manner in everything you do for your company. Gina emphasized how important it was to instill that a retail job is still an important part of anyone’s career and the more that her staff bought into that idea, they became more committed to giving their best effort.
As a leader, it’s crucial to know when you're out of your depth and to be humble enough to listen to your employees and trust their insights when they have greater expertise in a particular area.
Quote of the Show:
“When you're trying to build a business, you need every single body inside the business to be affecting everyone who walks through the doors.” - Gina Schaefer
Father Gregory Boyle - Founder of Homeboy Industries
Roberta McDonald - Former Marketer at Cabot Cheese
Zingerman’s Deli
31 Jul 2024
Ambassador Pitteloud On Diplomacy, Influence, and Trust - Chief Influencer - Episode # 062
00:46:35
Host Anthony Shop interviews the Honorable Jacques Pitteloud, Switzerland's Ambassador to the United States. Since his appointment in 2019, Ambassador Pitteloud has leveraged his extensive Foreign Service career since 1987, serving in diverse locations such as Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and Uganda.
Pitteloud passionately discusses his mission to redefine perceptions of Switzerland. He underscores the robust economic and technological bonds between Switzerland and the U.S., underscoring the need to tailor communications for different cultural contexts.
Addressing the evolving landscape of diplomacy, Pitteloud highlights his innovative use of social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube to foster engagement and transparency. Drawing from his leadership experience across organizations of varying scales, he advocates for public education as a tool against misinformation, emphasizing the importance of trust in leadership.
Takeaways:
Embrace Social Media: Leaders should be willing to leverage social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to communicate their messages effectively. While there's a risk, approaching it with positivity and humor can significantly enhance engagement and brand image.
Adapt Communication Style: It is crucial to understand and adapt to different communication styles based on cultural and linguistic contexts. Tailoring your message to fit the audience's expectations can build stronger connections and trust.
Trust Your Team: Building trust within your team is essential. Start by assuming that your team members are competent and letting them do their jobs. Micromanaging can stifle creativity and productivity.
Stay Educated: Continuous learning is vital for effective leadership. Regularly reading and staying informed about industry trends, history, and current events can provide a deeper understanding and better decision-making.
Balance Personal and Professional Brands: Authenticity in leadership can be enhanced by blending personal passions and professional responsibilities wisely. Sharing personal interests or hobbies can make leaders more relatable and approachable.
Address Misinformation Strategically: Given the rise of misinformation, it is vital to educate your audience and provide well-analyzed, contextually rich information. Immediate responses are less valuable than meaningful interpretations of events.
Lead with Humor and Positivity: Humor and positivity in communication can make leaders more approachable and their messages more memorable. Self-deprecating humor, in particular, helps create a connection without offending others.
Quote of the Show:
"There are so many embassies, so many countries vying for two minutes of attention from decision-makers. How do you distinguish yourself from the crowd? If social media is a means to achieve that, as long as it remains nice, decent, and sometimes even funny— why not? So, we made the video, and suddenly it was reaching hundreds of thousands. There were a few other instances, and then there was the Instagram thing. On We Are The Embassy of Switzerland, which I never thought would reach the 3.4 million mark. I mean, if Kim Kardashian needs some paying advice from me, she can call me."
Allan Golston On the Reciprocal Nature of Influence and Trust - Chief Influencer - Episode # 055
00:54:40
Allan Golston is the President of the United States Program at The Gates Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to advancing educational opportunities and ensuring equitable academic and economic outcomes for all students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds and students of color.
Allan's unique leadership approach hinges on the power of influence through reciprocity, authenticity, and storytelling. In today's episode, Allan delves into his career journey from public accounting to philanthropy, the importance of building trusted partnerships, the evolution of leadership styles, and leveraging digital platforms like LinkedIn for reciprocal influence.
Stay tuned to gain valuable insights on balancing data-driven decision-making with personal storytelling to drive impactful change and the importance of creating authentic connections in both personal and professional spheres.
Takeaways:
Treat leadership as a continuous practice, not a destination, and continuously strive for self-improvement. Allan Golston emphasizes that leadership is an ongoing process. He makes it a point to learn and grow each day, preparing to be even better the next day. This practice of self-reflection and ongoing improvement can help leaders stay dynamic, relevant, and effective.
Be authentic in your leadership and influence based on genuine interactions rather than projecting a persona. Early in his career, Golston found that employers expected employees to project a certain persona or dress a certain way as part of instilling confidence in clients. However, as his career evolved, he realized that authenticity became crucial for effective leadership as his responsibilities grew. Leaders should focus on genuine connections and interactions, which build trust and authenticity.
Embrace a two-way influence model. Listen and be open to being influenced while also trying to influence others. This influence needs to be reciprocal. Authentic listening and a willingness to be influenced are as important as trying to guide or direct others. This approach builds mutual respect and understanding.
To drive meaningful impact, deeply understand your audience. This is crucial for making informed and impactful decisions. Leaders must invest time learning about their internal and external teams and stakeholders and broader audiences to tailor their actions and communications effectively.
Aim to ensure equitable outcomes in your leadership practice and organizational goals. Leaders should prioritize creating inclusive environments and opportunities that benefit all, especially the underrepresented or marginalized groups.
Openly share your personal stories and learn from the stories of others. This practice fosters a deeper connection and understanding within the team, helping to build a cohesive and empathetic workplace culture.
Start interactions with personal concerns and show genuine interest in your team’s well-being. Instead of diving straight into work-related discussions, begin with personal conversations. Asking about someone's well-being or family circumstances shows empathy and builds a culture of care and support.
Quote of the Show:
“I fundamentally believe that influence has two key dimensions. Number one is that it has to be reciprocal. You have to be open to being influenced as much as you are trying to influence. The second is that you have to know when it’s best to influence directly or empower others to influence and carry the critical messages.” - Allan Golston
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. on Modeling Civility and Disagreeing Better - Chief Influencer - Episode # 050
00:40:12
Johnny C. Taylor serves as the President and CEO of SHRM, a global organization dedicated to advocating for the interests of workers and workplaces. With a membership of 325,000 individuals spanning 165 countries, SHRM is a leading authority and convener on contemporary workplace issues, impacting millions of workers and families worldwide.
At the core of Johnny's leadership philosophy lies a belief in the transformative potential of personal branding and workplace civility. He underscores the importance of authenticity, urging leaders to remain true to themselves across professional and personal spheres. Johnny distinguishes himself as a leader committed to fostering positive influence and meaningful connections by prioritizing trust and civility.
In today’s episode, Johnny shares his approach to embracing change and prioritizing his digital presence. He discusses the challenges of navigating difficult conversations and promoting inclusivity while highlighting the strategic significance of personal branding in cultivating trust and influence. Moreover, Johnny offers insights into modern leadership complexities, advocating for embracing change and exploring the integration of AI in the workforce.
Takeaways:
The world is evolving rapidly, and leaders must cultivate a mindset that welcomes change as an opportunity for growth and innovation. By practicing adaptability, leaders can navigate challenges and seize new opportunities more effectively.
Authenticity is crucial in today’s workplace. Leaders need to be genuine, transparent, and true to their values. This builds trust and credibility, creating a stronger connection with their teams.
The shift to remote and hybrid work models has shown the importance of trusting employees. Leaders should focus on outcomes rather than monitoring every step, fostering an environment of empowerment and respect.
Disagreements are inevitable, but how we handle them makes all the difference. Leaders should promote healthy, respectful discourse and encourage teams to 'disagree better,' enhancing collaboration and understanding.
Inclusion goes beyond diversity numbers. It’s about making every individual feel valued and heard. Leaders must strive to create workplaces where everyone feels they belong, contributing to a more cohesive and productive environment.
With AI and automation reshaping job landscapes, leaders must guide their teams toward embracing new technologies. This includes identifying new skill requirements and preparing employees for future challenges and opportunities.
Leaders should prioritize effective policy-making that benefits the workforce and the organization over political considerations. This approach ensures decisions are made based on data, fairness, and the company's and its people's long-term well-being.
Quote of the Show:
“We have to create an environment where we can disagree better. Where we can have a civil conversation, and that doesn't mean you compromise on your values and what you believe in.” - Johnny C. Taylor
Matthew Algeo on Telling Big Stories Through Small Moments - Chief Influencer - Episode # 025
00:43:05
Matthew Algeo is the Author of When Harry Met Pablo, along with six other books, including Harry Truman’s Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip, named one of the best books of 2009 by the Washington Post. Matthew and Host Anthony Shop discussed the importance of how leaders show up in small moments, how some of the most influential presidents of the United States have capitalized on communication breakthroughs and the importance of building trust with your audience.
Takeaways:
Great leaders are willing and able to meet with people who hold different viewpoints than their own. They are willing to listen to others and assess the value of their ideas without dismissing them altogether.
Small stories can be compelling because they help to flesh out the character of the person you’re writing or speaking about. Showing how leaders show up in everyday moments can inform the next generation of leaders how to act.
Some of the most impactful Presidents in US history were early adopters of new media forms, allowing them to communicate more directly with voters. For example, Franklin D. Roosevelt embraced the radio, and John F. Kennedy took advantage of television.
Understand the key decision-makers you need to influence and figure out how to communicate with them directly when you need to. For example, President Truman spoke directly with the leading columnists when an issue arose over how a state-sponsored art exhibit was covered in the press.
While delivering bad news can be tough, it’s an important skill to have as a leader and a communicator. A key aspect of being able to deliver the truth, whether good or bad, to people is building a foundation of trust with them.
Quote of the Show:
“I think you can use the smaller stories to reveal a lot about the character of the people you're writing about.” - Matthew Algeo
In this episode, Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science and Executive Publisher of Science News, shares her inspiring journey. From founding the Global Fund for Children at just 23 years old to revitalizing Society for Science, Maya has pioneered impactful initiatives.
This show highlights her role in establishing a vast grassroots network for vulnerable children, her strategic transformation of the Science News Media Group and her work ensuring a strong future for the Society’s world-class STEM competitions. Maya's leadership emphasizes the power of storytelling and community engagement in education and youth empowerment, offering valuable advice on fostering entrepreneurial spirit and leveraging storytelling for influence in leadership roles.
Takeaways:
Empower Your Team: Hire exceptionally smart people and give them the freedom and support to innovate. Allow them to bring their best ideas forward and give them opportunities to take initiative.
Leverage Storytelling: Storytelling is a powerful tool for making connections and influencing others. Personal, relatable stories can build lasting connections and help convey your organization's mission and values.
Promote Community Building: Actively reach out to and engage with your community members, whether alumni, employees, or partners. Building an organic, engaged community can lead to valuable collaborations and stronger support for your mission.
Innovate Through Feedback: Listen attentively to your audience's needs and adapt your products and services accordingly. Engaging with your users, like teachers or students, can provide critical insights that drive innovation and improvement.
Develop Young Talent: Create programs and opportunities to bring in and nurture young talent. Encouraging project-based learning and offering platforms for young people to showcase their skills can lead to the discovery and development of future leaders.
Capitalize on Serendipity: Be open to opportunities that arise unexpectedly. Networking and building relationships in unconventional situations can lead to significant support and partnerships.
Intrapreneurial Culture: Foster an intrapreneurial spirit within your organization. Encourage your team members to think like entrepreneurs, bring their ideas to the table, and drive projects that can transform and grow the organization.
Quote of the Show:
“Failure gives you more answers than you know. Science opened my mind to new ways of thinking about the world.”
Richard B. Fisher: Former Chairman of Morgan Stanley
Dr. Prem Parkash Sehgal
Dr. Vickers Burdett
Dr. Margaret Hollyday
John Hecklinger: Co-CEO of Global Fund for Children
Hayley Roffey: Co-CEO of Global Fund for Children
Kennedy Odede: Founder and CEO of Shining Hope for Communities
Meg Garlinghouse: Vice President, Social Impact for LinkedIn
Dr. Cheryl Dorsey: President of Echoing Green
Wendy Young: President of Kids in Need of Defense
21 Jun 2023
Peggy Rajski on The Power of Storytelling, Advocacy, and Allyship - Chief Influencer - Episode # 004
00:51:11
Peggy Rajski is an Oscar-winning filmmaker and the Founder of The Trevor Project, the first 24/7 suicide prevention service dedicated to LGBTQ young people. Peggy is a venerated supporter of the LGBTQ community and was recognized as a Live-Action Icon by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts. In addition to producing award-winning films, she has taught at New York University and served as the Dean of Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television. Peggy shares how to connect with audiences through film, align an organization firmly with its mission, and innovate to adapt to the ever-changing digital world.
Takeaways:
After directing the film Trevor, Peggy saw the massive need amongst gay or questioning youth for some kind of support system. This need was the inspiration behind forming the Trevor Project and its mission, “to end suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, & questioning young people.”
The motivation for Peggy’s film was seeing that gay or questioning youths were four times as likely to make an attempt on their lives than their straight peers. Peggy knew that the medium of film could be uniquely used to educate people on this issue.
The most important group Peggy had to reach was the young people in dire need of The Trevor Project. Crucial to this were the relationships Peggy built with voices in the media interested in this larger story.
It’s vital to share your message through the communication channels already used by your audience. The night that Trevor was presented by Ellen DeGeneres and aired on HBO Family, the Trevor Project call center received over 1,500 calls.
Honesty is integral to building a cohesive brand that can speak uniquely to different stakeholders, such as donors, staff, and those being served. This requires being clear on what the brand stands for and its mission.
Evolving how you meet your audience where they are can be critical. The Trevor Project is transitioning its services from primarily voice-based to chat-based. This mirrors the growing shift amongst younger generations toward text messaging. The Trevor Project must adapt to the times to continue serving LGBTQ youth.
Peggy considers the expertise built up within The Trevor Project to be “open source” as the organization sits on many boards and commissions to help protect the mental health needs of historically underserved groups.
Leaders need to be storytellers every day of their lives, throughout meetings, introductions, etc. To be a great storyteller, you must be clear, concise, and compelling. Your stories should convey what you’re doing, what you want to make, and who you are.
Quote of the Show:
“Film can make you feel things. When it's working, it bypasses the brain and it goes to your heart.” - Peggy Rajski
Scott Galloway - Author and Host of the Prof G Pod
Hard Fork - Podcast
Longform - Podcast
This American Life - Podcast
Serial - Podcast
Soul + Spirit - Podcast
Ten Percent Happier - Podcast
Tara Brach - Meditation teacher and Podcast Host
03 Apr 2024
Candice C. Jones on Leading with Purpose & Passion - Chief Influencer - Episode # 045
00:45:45
Candice C. Jones is the President and CEO of Public Welfare Foundation. The Foundation seeks to catalyze a transformative approach to justice in the United States that is community-led, restorative, and racially just by supporting the creation and implementation of an alternative vision of justice rooted in communities.
This week's episode delves into the profound impact of Candice’s experiences, including her involvement in tackling gun violence in Chicago, advocating for juvenile justice reforms, and supporting educational programs for incarcerated youth. Her experiences have profoundly shaped her approach to philanthropy and social justice. Candice underscores the importance of collaborating with people rather than titles and stresses the indispensable role of sustained, long-term efforts in effecting meaningful change.
You will gain insights into the vital role of strategic influence, both inside and outside organizations, in driving systemic change and the significance of maintaining balance, resilience, and focus over the long arc of justice work.
Takeaways:
Building genuine relationships goes beyond official roles. Leaders must value and engage with people across all levels of an organization, acknowledging their contributions, regardless of their title.
Accept that entering any new role or undertaking comes with a learning period. Effective leaders recognize that they won't have all of the answers on day one and commit to a journey of continuous learning and adaptation.
Assemble a trusted circle of advisors or mentors who can provide sage advice and diverse perspectives. This network of support is invaluable for troubleshooting, strategizing, and maintaining perspective.
Understand that meaningful change does not happen overnight. Engaging in long-term campaigns that gradually win hearts and minds requires consistent effort, patience, and resilience.
Success involves initiating action and the will to repeatedly revisit, remind, and reinforce your vision and goals, especially in the face of setbacks or resistance.
Acknowledge that the path towards meaningful progress is long, with the ultimate reward of achieving justice. Stay focused on the broader horizon, even when immediate gains seem elusive.
Welcome the experiences you encounter as opportunities for personal and professional growth. A leader's openness to learn from every situation translates into wisdom that enriches their ability to lead effectively.
Quote of the Show:
“You have to engage with people, educate them, keep moving them along… progress is not a clean line.” - Candice C. Jones
Yasmine Arrington Brooks on Remembering “You Never Know Who’s Watching” - Chief Influencer - Episode # 041
00:41:21
Yasmine Arrington Brooks is the Founder of ScholarCHIPS, a D.C. nonprofit aiding youth with incarcerated parents. She is also a speaker, model, author, poet, and host of Millennial Minds. Yasmine has been honored as a 2023 CNN Hero, and 2021 Washington Business Journal Top 40 Under 40, among others in recognition of her community service and engagement.
In today’s episode, she delves into her journey that began in high school at the age of 16, when she initiated ScholarCHIPS as a social venture within the LearnServe Fellows Program. Since then, she has overseen ScholarCHIPS' distribution of over $450,000 in scholarships to 88 scholars. Furthermore, Yasmine reflects on the remarkable milestones she has achieved in establishing and leading ScholarCHIPS and shares insights on leadership, the importance of authenticity, and maintaining personal and professional balance.
Takeaways:
Maintain authenticity in all aspects of leadership. Authenticity allows you to connect with your audience, team, or stakeholders at a deeper, more personal level, leading to greater trust and stronger relationships.
Don’t limit yourself by your current resources or capabilities. Dream big and take bold action to reach your goals. This attitude can also inspire and motivate your team to do the same.
Steward influence with care, as it is a delicate thing. As a leader with influence, you should be cautious about how your words and actions may impact others, especially those who look up to you.
Do not shy away from using your personal brand to further your professional objectives. Sharing your stories and experiences can help you connect on a deeper level with your audience and stakeholders.
Nurture a growth mindset, keen for learning and experimenting. A growth mindset encourages continuous learning, fuels creativity, and leads to innovation.
Remember that as a leader, your actions and words have the power to impact many people. Thus, always strive to be a source of positivity and motivation.
Seek out inspiration from diverse sources outside your immediate field. This can provide a refreshing perspective on your own work and keep creativity flowing.
Quote of the Show:
“You never know who's watching. So try your best to be who you really are, your authentic self. - Yasmine Arrington Brooks
Anne Rancourt on How to Leverage Listening - Chief Influencer - Episode # 024
00:39:59
Anne Rancourt is the Communications Director at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, otherwise known as NIDA, where she oversees communication of the world's largest investment in research on drugs and addiction. Joining Anne is special guest Host Dr. Liesl Riddle, Dean of the George Washington University College of Professional Studies. Anne shares the importance of listening in every communications plan, why communicators should adopt a long-term view of their messaging and tactics, and how to be a great mentor for your team.
Takeaways:
Despite all of the technological tools available to modern communicators, the most important is listening. Communicators should be listening to their audience from the start of an initiative and at every successive step of that initiative.
Anne highlights a great example of why listening is so important when recounting the impact of hearing from the community who are working on the frontlines of the drug overdose crisis. Through listening, Anne heard ways that NIDA could better assist in addressing overdose and drug addiction. This also highlights how leaders can give a voice to those without a voice by listening intently.
Often, the feedback that is hard to listen to is what can inspire the best ideas and solutions. Pay attention to harsh feedback when you get it because that is when you will hear the truths and real information you need to succeed.
Communicators should adopt a more iterative approach to their messaging and tactics. Recognize that executing the tactic is not the end goal and treat it like an ongoing process that can be adjusted over time to improve results.
In a post-pandemic world, the impact of showing up to events and meeting people in person is now more effective than ever. Showing up in person is a powerful symbol of how important a person or meeting is.
Leaders need to show up as their whole selves. The best way to lead and communicate with your team is to be authentic to who you are. Don’t feel you need to take on an archetypal role, just be yourself.
As a leader, it is essential to provide mentorship opportunities to your team. Encourage them to step into new and unfamiliar situations, providing them with the necessary tools and support, while also instilling trust and belief in their abilities. This enables them to grow and prove themselves, ultimately fostering a strong pipeline of talent for the future.
Quote of the Show:
“It can be tough to hear feedback, especially when it's not glowing, but that's really when you have to pay attention because that's when you get the real information on how you can do a better job” - Anne Rancourt
Dean Fealk on Becoming a Citizen Statesperson - Chief Influencer - Episode # 009
00:40:18
Dean Fealk is the Co-Managing Partner of DLA Piper, founding member of the Halifax International Security Forum, Co-Founder of Transatlantic West, and Co-author of the Wall Street Journal Best-selling book Impact the World, a motivational guide to becoming a superpowered individual committed to improving your community―and the world―through your values and actions. Dean shares how he defines being a “citizen statesperson” and how everyone can make an impact on the world by adopting this framework.
Takeaways:
A citizen statesperson refers to a civic-minded person that wants to drive change and use the incredible technological tools at their disposal to do more. They want to affect meaningful change both at home and abroad.
Anyone can raise their hand and decide that being a citizen statesperson is a role that they want to play in their community and in the world. And it's not something you have to wait for someone else to bestow upon you.
You don't always have to be the expert in the room. If you're the one who listens and synthesizes what the experts say that sometimes is one of the most valuable things that you can contribute to a conversation.
If you notice that there is not a group focused on fixing a specific issue, it’s up to you to start that initiative. Even if you’re not an expert on a topic, you still have valuable experiences and insights that you can bring to be part of the solution.
There is immense value in being the person that brings leaders together, no matter the size of the group. For example, Dean shared how bringing together Bay Area CEOs to meet the Mayor of Seoul, South Korea led to the start of many new initiatives.
Seek out young voices and listen to them for inspiration as they have a different way of viewing the world.
Quote of the Show:
“It's never too late to be a citizen statesperson.” - Dean Fealk
Camille Stewart Gloster on Empowering Change Through Tech and AI - Chief Influencer - Episode # 068
00:35:19
Camille Stewart Gloster, the former White House cyber and AI czar, shares her experiences and insights. Her background includes working in the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and Google. Camille discusses her journey from a legal fellowship to becoming an expert in cybersecurity and AI, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives. She highlights the necessity of creating policies based on values rather than specific technologies and underscores the importance of collaboration between government, industry, and civil society. Camille also advocates for empowering people through technology education and discusses her involvement in initiatives like 'ABCs of Cybersecurity' to promote these fields among diverse communities.
Takeaways:
Understand Stakeholders' Motivations: Before engaging in any negotiation or attempting to influence others, it's crucial to understand the motivations and priorities of the stakeholders involved. This knowledge will help find common ground and build a foundation for productive discussions.
Articulate a Clear Vision: Successful leaders set a clear, affirmative vision that resonates with their audience's fundamental values and aspirations. This approach inspires and motivates people to align with the leader's goals and objectives.
Foster Collaboration: It is essential to bring together various stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, and different government agencies. Leaders must facilitate collaboration by highlighting shared goals and balancing different motivations to advance a common agenda.
Be Transparent and Communicative: Open and transparent communication is key to building trust and aligning competing priorities. Leaders should consistently update stakeholders on progress, challenges, and any areas of confusion to maintain a candid dialogue.
Encourage Proactive and Resilient Policies: Instead of reacting to threats or technological changes, focus on policies that protect core values and establish a proactive, resilient framework. This approach allows for better adaptation to future challenges and technological evolutions.
Promote Education and Empowerment: Leaders should advocate for education and empowerment in technology and cybersecurity. Engaging communities and providing the necessary tools and knowledge will ensure broader participation and resilience in the digital age.
Recognize the Importance of Diversity: Diverse perspectives are critical in addressing complex issues like national security, cybersecurity, and AI. Leaders should strive to include individuals from various backgrounds to foster innovative solutions and create an inclusive environment.
Quote of the Show:
“It is important for people to feel empowered in and through technology. There's a lot of opportunity, economic, career, and creative, and I don't want people to get or feel left behind."
Bill Smith on Uniting Leadership, Passion & Policy - Chief Influencer - Episode # 048
00:46:43
Bill Smith is the Founder and CEO of Inseparable, an organization dedicated to advancing mental health policy. Additionally, he holds the position of Chair at Civitas Public Affairs Group, a firm he co-founded. At Civitas, he guides philanthropists, foundations, and donor collaboratives on various policy objectives alongside national non-profit organizations striving for progressive policy advancements.
In today’s conversation with host Anthony Shop, Bill shares insights into his impactful journey of shaping mental health policy and empowering the LGBTQ+ community politically. He delves into the founding motivations behind Inseparable, stressing the significance of research and genuine communication in driving policy transformations. Bill also discusses successful strategies for achieving significant policy victories across different states.
Together, they explore leveraging research for influence, simplifying intricate messages effectively, and harnessing authenticity and encouragement to propel social change. Bill advocates for leaders to recruit individuals smarter than themselves, fostering a culture of brilliance and collaboration within organizations, thereby ensuring success through collective intelligence and expertise.
Takeaways:
Be yourself in your communications and leadership style. Authenticity resonates with people and builds trust. Establish a genuine connection with your team, stakeholders, and audience.
Surround yourself with people who are more intelligent than you. This approach enhances your team's overall capabilities and fosters learning and innovation.
Determine the core areas or issues that need addressing and concentrate your efforts there. A focused approach ensures impactful outcomes and better allocation of resources.
Before embarking on any major project or initiative, invest in research. Understanding the opinions and needs of your audience is essential for crafting messages that resonate and to make informed decisions.
Research and data are invaluable; let them guide your communications, decisions, and strategies. Even if the findings challenge your assumptions, being open to data-driven insights can lead to more effective outcomes.
Develop messaging that is straightforward and resonates with your audience. Simplifying complex ideas into relatable, engaging narratives can amplify your influence and the impact of your messages.
Personalize your communication to build deeper connections. Whether through emails, social media, or direct engagement, sharing your journey, challenges, and successes can inspire and engage people more effectively.
Quote of the Show:
“At the end of the day, you have to listen to research because if it's done well, it's telling you what people think and it's telling you what you need to hear.” - Bill Smith
Bruce Mehlman on Sharing Insights Freely - Chief Influencer - Episode # 008
00:48:22
Bruce Mehlman is the Founding Partner of Mehlman Consulting and a renowned lobbyist. Bruce shares quarterly infographic analyses for free which are packed with high-level insights that aren’t found anywhere else. Bruce explains why you should share your discoveries publicly, the importance of using brevity in your content, and why elevating others around you is so important!
Takeaways:
When you discover a new insight, it’s better to share it freely with others rather than hide it behind a paywall. As you become a source of knowledge, your influence in your niche will expand. Even if your competitors draw from your research, it only shows the value of your work. For example, when discussing the use of his research by a competitor, Bruce shared that recipients of that information will want to work with him more because he is the source of the insights they received.
Brevity goes a long way. Making a message longer does not make it easier to understand. If three paragraphs get the message across, don’t write five pages.
Use visuals to illustrate the ideas that are difficult to verbalize. Imagery can make your overall message more impactful
Positivity and Feedback Drive Results. While negativity may have a short-term impact, a positive approach is more effective for long-term influence. Providing constructive feedback and celebrating the achievements of your team members cultivate a culture of growth and motivation, resulting in greater overall success.
Create content that you would want to read and avoid perpetuating harmful narratives. When posting on social media, Bruce suggests trying to “un-spin” the conversation as much as possible and get to the root of the story or issue.
Elevate those around you that enable your success. Recognizing the members of your team for the work they do provides validation for them, a short-term dopamine boost for you, and strengthens the long-term relationship between you and your team.
Quote of the Show:
“Sharing the work more widely makes it more valuable” - Bruce Mehlman
John Chambers - Founder of JC2 Ventures and former CEO of Cisco
Jim Collins - Business researcher and Author of Good to Great
14 Feb 2024
Kimberly Driggins on Moving at the Speed of Trust - Chief Influencer - Episode # 038
00:42:37
Kimberly Driggins is the Executive Director at Washington Housing Conservancy (WHC), which is pioneering the transformation of urban landscapes in the D.C. region. With a keen focus on creating thriving, inclusive, mixed-income communities, Kimberly's leadership at WHC since its inception in 2019 has been nothing short of revolutionary.
With a stellar background in urban planning and real estate development, including pivotal roles as Director of Strategic Planning for the City of Detroit and Associate Director for Citywide Planning for the District of Columbia, Kimberly brings unparalleled expertise to the table. What truly sets Kimberly apart is her tireless commitment to uplifting community and residents' voices and her innovative approach to placemaking. As a board member of the National Landing Business Improvement District and former Chairperson of the Gehl Institute, Kimberly's influence transcends conventional boundaries, shaping cities for the people, by the people.
In this episode, you'll gain invaluable insights from Kimberly as she joins Host Anthony Shop to share her groundbreaking tactics for redefining urban spaces. From her strategic vision to her hands-on experience and how she helps create inclusive communities that thrive and inspire.
Takeaways:
Engage the community and be consistent. A consistent presence and genuine commitment are crucial when rebuilding trust in communities. Showing up in-person and making meaningful connections over time builds trust.
Trust your gut and take risks. Stepping out of one's comfort zone, coloring outside the lines, and going against the grain can have an incredibly transformative effect.
Leaders must be humble and empathetic, understanding that sometimes they must take responsibility for past injustices or mishaps, even if they were not directly involved.
Celebrating small wins while working towards the long game is crucial for building trust and motivating stakeholders, thereby creating lasting change.
One of the keys to influence in the urban redevelopment and placemaking sphere is the effort to expand the definition of affordable housing. By making it more inclusive, it can be able to change perceptions and invite innovative solutions.
Translate bold visions into tangible goals that various stakeholders can understand and rally behind. Kimberly emphasizes the critical role this translation plays in enabling her to implement innovative solutions in her work, hence showing the need to communicate effectively and convincingly.
Quote of the Show:
“You can only move at the speed of trust.” - Kimberly Driggins
“I really believe in being true to my word and living my values.” - Kimberly Driggins
Robert Krueger & Anthony Shop Reflect on Season 1 - Chief Influencer - Episode # 030
00:36:04
In this special episode, Host Anthony Shop and Executive Producer Robert Krueger take a moment to reflect on some of the key themes and messages that have stood out to them through the first season of Chief Influencer. Robert and Anthony discuss some of their favorite episodes, the themes that have stuck out to them, and what they’ve learned from the guests featured in Season 1.
Max Friedman on Making Giving Fun for Today's Changemakers - Chief Influencer - Episode # 054
00:47:23
Max Friedman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Givebutter, an all-in-one nonprofit fundraising and CRM platform that has powered nearly $2 billion in donations. Having started the company in his college dorm room, Max's journey highlights the blend of self-taught technical skills and a mission-driven approach to make online giving fun, social, and transparent.
In this episode, you’ll learn how Givebutter's unique branding and commitment to transparency have contributed to its success and how Max's leadership strategies, especially in a remote work environment, emphasize values and culture to drive impact and growth.
Additionally, Max shares insightful advice on engaging the next generation of donors, adapting nonprofits to modern fundraising techniques, and the importance of building a strong team culture even when remote. Tune in to discover how Givebutter is revolutionizing the fundraising landscape and inspiring change across the nonprofit sector.
Takeaways:
Transparency should be a throughline in everything you do, from your mission to your operational policies. Ensure your team and customers have a clear view of your pricing, product roadmap, and internal guidelines. Implement transparent pricing models and make your company's mission and vision public. Consider making internal documents like handbooks and guides accessible to everyone, including potential new hires and the public.
Even in a fully remote environment, creating a strong and cohesive culture is possible by establishing clear values, vision, and operational guidelines that everyone understands and adheres to. Develop a comprehensive handbook that includes your company’s mission, vision, values, and operational rules. Use this as a cornerstone to onboard new employees and to maintain cultural consistency.
Personal connections can significantly enhance your fundraising efforts. Utilize peer-to-peer fundraising to tap into personal networks, making it easy for individuals to share your cause within their communities. Develop programs that encourage your supporters to become ambassadors for your nonprofit. Provide them with easy-to-use tools to share their experiences and solicit donations from their networks.
Create a feedback loop where customer inputs are regularly collected, analyzed, and acted upon. Ensure they are communicated back to the customers once improvements are made. Implement a system to aggregate customer feedback and make it publicly accessible so that users can see the status of requested features or reported issues. Notify customers when their feedback has led to concrete changes or new features.
Recognize that remote work requires flexibility and autonomy. Understand that employees value the ability to manage their schedules and workflows in a way that suits them best. Encourage flexible working hours and remote work options. Set clear expectations upfront about what remote work entails and provide support for employees to adapt to this mode of working.
Utilize platforms like Slack to create interactive channels that mimic the social aspects of an in-person office. These channels can include common interests like pets, sports, and hobbies to foster connections. Create multiple Slack channels around different topics and encourage employees to join. Introduce standing social meetings where employees can connect informally.
Building and maintaining personal relationships is critical in fundraising. A simple thank you call soon after a donation can significantly increase the likelihood of future donations. Implement a process where donors receive a personalized thank you call or message within 24 hours of their donation. Use this as an opportunity to build a genuine relationship rather than just an impersonal transaction.
Quote of the Show:
“Break through the noise and get the next generation of modern changemakers involved.”
Jeff Farrah on Shaping Tomorrow: Policy and Advocacy for Autonomous Vehicles - Chief Influencer - Episode # 088
00:38:02
Jeff Farrah, CEO of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA), shares his insights into the rapidly evolving autonomous vehicle (AV) industry. With an extensive background in association leadership and policy advocacy, Jeff discusses the current state of AV technology, addressing common misconceptions and emphasizing the significant progress being made in states across the country.
He highlights the societal benefits of AVs, such as improving mobility for those unable to drive and enhancing supply chain logistics. Jeff also outlines AVIA's efforts to establish a federal policy framework for AVs, stressing the importance of maintaining American leadership in this transformative field. Throughout the conversation, Jeff offers strategies for effective advocacy, the role of storytelling in policy communication, and the challenges of managing diverse business interests within AVIA.
Takeaways:
Foster Growth and Innovation: Continuously develop strategies to drive growth, increase revenue, and expand impact. Regularly assess and refine your management and operational approaches.
Communicate Effectively: Deliver clear, compelling messages by combining data with emotional storytelling to effectively convey your vision and objectives.
Emphasize Benefits: Highlight the broad benefits of your innovations or policies—such as safety improvements or economic gains—to build support and address concerns.
Know Your Audience: Tailor your message to the specific interests and needs of your stakeholders, showing how your initiatives align with their priorities.
Promote Opportunities: Recognize and showcase the economic and social benefits of new technologies or policies, demonstrating how they can improve quality of life and increase access for communities.
Balance Data and Emotion: While data is essential, balance it with emotional narratives to create a persuasive and relatable message. Compelling stories often inspire action.
Build Strong Foundations: When launching new initiatives or organizations, focus on establishing solid processes, culture, and operational norms. This foundation supports flexibility and innovation.
Quote of the Show:
“The reason we have language is to be understood. The reason we have advocacy is to be understood and be able to kind of move the needle on certain things. It's not about being the wonkiest person out there. It's about being the one who's most effective at delivering a message.”
Daniel Buezo on The Power of Community - Chief Influencer - (Re-Air)
00:55:14
Since our interview with Daniel Buezo last year, Kids of Immigrants has announced exciting new collaborations with Nike and Hasan Minhaj. To coincide with New York Fashion Week, we wanted to reconnect with one of today's most influential fashion entrepreneurs, Daniel Buezo, the visionary Founder and CEO of Kids of Immigrants, a trailblazing streetwear brand born in Los Angeles. Alongside his Co-Founder Weleh Dennis, Daniel has taken the fashion world by storm, teaming up with powerhouse brands and icons like Apple, Nike, Vans, and the one and only Bad Bunny. In this exciting episode, Daniel sits down with Host Anthony Shop to share the captivating story behind the brand’s rise from humble beginnings, reveal why his most pivotal meeting is with himself, and discuss how they remain true to their mission despite their phenomenal success.
Takeaways:
A major factor behind the launch of Kids of Immigrants was the goal of bringing people of all backgrounds together. This was in contrast to the often exclusive attitude proliferating the world of fashion and streetwear.
Daniel and Weleh wanted to create clothing that genuinely represented who they are and their experiences. This was something they found lacking in many of the popular and readily available clothing brands in the United States.
When launching the brand, Daniel and Weleh realized that even if the brand evolved, there would be a constant factor tied to the company: they were “Kids of Immigrants.” Their roots and community are interwoven into the initial creation of the brand and its continued evolution.
Daniel says that his most important meeting of the day is with himself. Taking a moment to reflect or meditate gives him a chance to communicate with his inner self, which helps him find a sense of calm, make tough decisions, and become inspired.
Recognize that productivity and inspiration are two separate things. While Daniel’s days can get very busy, allowing him to be very productive, he knows that to find inspiration, he needs to get out of the office and have time alone. Taking the time to find what inspires you is crucial.
Quote of the Show:
“We were kids of immigrants yesterday. We're kids of immigrants today, and we'll be kids of immigrants tomorrow. We knew that wouldn't change.”
Eric Pan on Respect, Enthusiasm and 100 Years of Mutual Funds - Chief Influencer - Episode # 067
00:42:25
This episode of Chief Influencer features Eric Pan, the President and CEO of the Investment Company Institute (ICI). The conversation explores Eric's background, including his roles with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, his tenure as a law professor, and his transition to leading ICI.
Eric emphasizes how effective communication is crucial in addressing diverse audiences and achieving industry goals. Just because you aren’t an expert in a certain industry, doesn’t mean that you can’t understand certain topics. In addition, Eric shares how clear and respectful messaging tailored to different groups ensures that information is accessible and relevant.
He highlights the role social media plays as a two-way communication tool, enabling organizations to not only share information but also gather valuable feedback from their audience.
He shared that balancing factual data with emotional storytelling enhances engagement and makes complex topics more relatable. He emphasized that as technology continually evolves, adapting communication strategies to incorporate new tools and platforms is essential for staying current. Additionally, he noted that understanding and addressing stakeholder perspectives allows for more effective advocacy and aligns industry efforts with the needs and concerns of various groups.
Takeaways:
Be Genuine: When communicating complex information, be genuine in your enthusiasm and interest. Your passion can make others care about the topic too.
Respect Different Viewpoints: Recognize that everyone has a valid perspective. Understanding and respecting those views can help in effectively communicating your message.
Use Both Data and Stories: Combine logical data-driven points with emotional, human-interest stories. This dual approach can help you connect with a wider audience.
Adapt Across Platforms: Different platforms attract different audiences. Being active on various social media channels like LinkedIn can help leaders reach a diverse set of stakeholders.
Leverage Social Media Authentically: Treat your social media presence as an authentic voice for your opinions and initiatives. Use it to articulate key viewpoints and engage directly with your audience.
Two-Way Communication: Influence is not just about pushing your message out but also about listening to feedback. Utilize platforms that allow for this two-way interaction.
Empower Your Team: See social media as an organizational tool, not just an individual one. Encourage other members of your team to also have a voice and contribute to the collective message.
Quote of the Show:
“Just like fund investing is the democratization of finance, social media is the democratization of communication.”
Patrick Sallee on Owning Your Story - Chief Influencer - (Re-Air)
00:45:27
This week we are resharing our interview with Patrick Sallee, the President and CEO of Vibrant Health KC and the author of The Solitary CEO. In his book, Patrick generously shares stories that require immense of vulnerability and humility, as well as the lessons he's learned and applied in his personal and professional life along with his road to sobriety. Patrick and Host Anthony Shop discuss how to break out of the siloes leaders build around themselves, address the specific needs of multiple stakeholders, and engage with a community to create profound change.
Takeaways:
Leaders should break down the silos they build around themselves and their work, reconnecting with the purpose of their work to foster connection, succeed, and avoid becoming defensive or resentful toward their team and organization.
Prioritize the needs of the people you serve. For Patrick, in the nonprofit sector, the key to handling the needs of multiple stakeholders is keeping the mission and the lives of those being served at the forefront.
The focus of your leadership should not be on yourself; it should be on the mission you are working to accomplish. Addressing the needs of different stakeholders requires a specific strategy for each group. Ensuring that all these strategies align with the mission makes it possible to manage the completion of the mission.
The best way to understand community members' issues is to talk with them and engage them in developing solutions to those problems. There is no better way to gain buy-in for a project than by listening to stakeholders' feedback.
When dealing with complex problems, if members of the community lack the skills or knowledge to understand the problem and possible solutions properly, leaders should take the time to bring them up to speed and teach them the necessary disciplines so they can make informed decisions to solve the problems they face.
Own your mistakes and don’t try to hide them. Whether you’re interviewing for a job or negotiating a deal, if you try to conceal past mistakes, you risk others using them against you. Be upfront and honest about who you are.
Quote of the Show:
“If I own it, and I say it first, you can't use it against me”
Greg Kihlstrom on Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable - Chief Influencer - Episode # 037
00:47:39
Greg Kihlstrom is a best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur, who serves as an advisor and consultant to top companies on marketing, technology, marketing operations, customer experience, and digital transformation initiatives. Greg is the Host of an award-winning podcast, The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström Podcast, and has written numerous books, the latest of which is Priority is Action. Greg joins Host Anthony Shop for an insightful look into the way leaders should respond to advances in technology like generative AI, why it’s so important to try new things that push your limits, and how to influence lasting change within an organization.
Takeaways:
Business leaders need to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. In an era characterized by digital transformation and constant change, leaders should be open to trying new things, even if they feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable. This is a part of learning and growth.
Leaders should comprehensively understand current technologies, even if they are not technologists. The utilization of AI and automation tools is becoming increasingly important across various sectors, so leaders need to know how these technologies can be used within their organizations and how they will impact their work.
View failure as an opportunity for learning and growth rather than a setback. Leaders should not be ashamed of the projects they have stopped or the initiatives that didn't work out. These can serve as valuable learning experiences for future endeavors.
Influential leaders prioritize tasks based on their value-added and potential return on investment. There needs to be a discerning understanding of what they can do personally, delegate, and automate.
Business leaders should adopt the mentality of lifelong learners. The ability to continuously learn new skills and stay adaptable in the face of change is crucial in today's rapidly evolving business landscape.
Quote of the Show:
“Get comfortable being uncomfortable.” - Greg Kihlstrom
Jeff Todd on Collaboration, Relationship Building, and Core Values - Chief Influencer - Episode # 094
00:45:27
How can building strong relationships and fostering collaboration drive success in leadership and organizational growth?
In this interview, Jeff, CEO of Prevent Blindness, reflects on his career in public health and leadership. Since joining in 2003, Jeff has led key initiatives like the National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health and the Focus on Eye Health National Summit.
He discusses the importance of advocacy in shaping public policy and securing funding for eye health, balancing data with storytelling for effective outreach. Jeff also highlights how digital platforms like LinkedIn help maintain critical relationships.
Throughout the conversation, Jeff emphasizes the value of relationships and collaboration, drawing from his experience as CEO and on boards. He shares insights into tackling challenges such as misinformation and ensuring equitable access to eye care while staying true to Prevent Blindness' mission.
Takeaways:
Building Strong Relationships Over Time: Build relationships proactively by engaging regularly and supporting others' initiatives, creating a foundation for future collaboration.
Combining Data with Storytelling: Influence stakeholders by blending compelling narratives with data; real stories paired with data make your message powerful and memorable.
Use Both In-Person and Digital Tools for Relationship Building: Leverage LinkedIn to stay connected, keeping interactions meaningful by staying informed on your network's achievements.
Advocacy is Key for Non-Profit Success: Engage in coalition-building and bipartisan efforts to advance legislation and secure funding, ensuring eye health is included in broader healthcare discussions.
Celebrate Team Members and Their Achievements: Publicly recognize and celebrate team milestones to boost morale and emphasize each member's importance to the organization's mission.
See Yourself as a Team Member First and a Leader Second: Approach leadership roles as a facilitator, respecting others' input and promoting group success over individual authority.
Quote of the Show:
“The relationship between the CEO and a board really is a partnership. It’s about figuring out what their need is, what your need is, and how to bring that together to advance the mission that you’re a part of.”
National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health
Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health National Summit
National Youth Violence Prevention Center
Vision 2020 USA Board
International Agency for the Prevent of Blindness
02 Oct 2024
Renee DiResta on Invisible Rulers and Responsible Influence - Chief Influencer - Episode # 071
00:54:25
In this episode of Chief Influencer, host Anthony Shop, speaks with Renee DiResta, a leading expert on misinformation, social media, and online influence, as well as the author of Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality.
Renee shares insights on false information trends on social media and the challenges of combating them. The discussion also explores the changing media landscape, the role of influencers, and the significance of ethical communication. Renee emphasizes the need for transparent influencer disclosure laws and offers advice for experts on effectively navigating and influencing public discourse.
Takeaways:
Build and Leverage Your Network: It's not enough to just post content; your real reach comes from others who amplify your message. Encourage supporters and interested parties to share and engage with your content to maximize its impact.
Establish a Strong and Diverse Network: One significant problem for institutions today is that many haven’t prioritized networked communication. Focus on building connections and relationships with key players and communities that can help spread your message.
Utilize Unique Opportunities: Take advantage of increased online engagement to connect with a broader audience. These moments can help you establish a more extensive following.
Maintain High Standards for Information: Authoritative voices should be held to higher standards than random influencers. Ensure your communications are accurate and reliable to build and maintain trust.
Manage Content Distribution: Recognize the difference between people finding your content through search and having it proactively pushed onto them by platforms. Aim for strategic content distribution that considers both methods.
Enhance Transparency and Disclosure: Be transparent about relationships and sponsorships, especially for influencers. Transparency is critical for maintaining credibility and trust with your audience.
Actively Engage in Conversations: Engage actively on social media and other platforms where public opinion is formed. Do not rely solely on traditional methods like press releases. Participation in ongoing conversations is crucial for influence.
Quote of the Show:
“For influencers in particular, ethics are essential. It's important to recognize the power you have and to use it responsibly.”
Healthcare Leaders on the ROI of LinkedIn - Chief Influencer - Episode # 095
00:48:37
The National Health Council (NHC) Leadership Conference brings together leaders from top patient organizations and nonprofits to foster connections, discuss leadership topics, and share best practices in nonprofit management. This year's theme, "The Future of Leadership," focused on the evolution of leadership in response to changes in healthcare, technology, policy, and crisis management. The conference equips leaders with tools to navigate current challenges and future opportunities, ensuring their leadership adapts to a rapidly changing world.
At the event, host Anthony Shop moderates a powerful panel of CEOs who discuss their roles as Chief Influencers on LinkedIn. The panel features Chuck Henderson, CEO of the American Diabetes Association; Katie Schubert, President and CEO of the Society for Women's Health Research; and Steve Taylor, President & CEO of the Arthritis Foundation. They share insights into their success on LinkedIn, focusing on how they have built trust, maximized engagement, and fostered personal connections through the platform.
The CEOs offer practical tips on content strategy, posting frequency, and how to engage with comments and tags. They highlight the impact of their social media presence in achieving meaningful outcomes such as talent recruitment and securing major funding. The discussion emphasizes the value of using LinkedIn to reach wider audiences and the importance of commenting, liking, and reposting relevant content to amplify organizational messages.
Takeaways:
CEOs see ROI from LinkedIn: Make it a habit to regularly connect with peers, industry leaders, and your audience. For instance, the speaker encourages everyone to connect with him on LinkedIn as a first step toward meaningful engagement.
Faces Are the New Logos: Personal presence is key to building trust. Share your personal experiences and stories to create a deeper connection with your audience. Remember, trust is built through people, not just organizational logos.
Share the Stage: Celebrate and promote others. Instead of focusing solely on your own achievements, highlight the successes and contributions of colleagues and partners. This not only amplifies your message but also uplifts others.
Build Internal Champions: Cultivate a strong internal network within your organization. True external support begins with advocacy and engagement from within your own team.
Embrace the Gray: Blend your professional and personal brand by showing up authentically. While different contexts may call for varying levels of personal sharing, authenticity should always be at the core.
Engage with Content: Actively like, comment, and share relevant posts. This increases visibility and sparks conversations, making networking just as important as posting your own content.
Schedule and Be Consistent: Use scheduling tools to ensure regular content posting at optimal times. Reposting or sharing valuable content with your own insights can further boost engagement. Repurposing content from other platforms, like Instagram, can also be effective on LinkedIn.
Shawn Martin on Being a Relatable and Consistent Communicator - Chief Influencer - Episode # 053
00:48:05
Shawn Martin is the Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), a medical specialty organization representing 130,000 family physicians and medical students nationwide. In his role, Shawn provides strategic leadership to the AAFP and directs the mission-driven work of the nation's largest primary care organization.
In this episode, Shawn shares his journey from being the son of a rural family physician to heading the AAFP, discusses the evolving role of leaders in the digital age, and explains his strategies for managing stakeholder dynamics and combating misinformation.
Shawn also explains his innovative communication approaches, including using media ambassadors, and how he balances personal and professional branding on social media. Listen to gain insights into consistent and disciplined communication and the importance of being present and relevant as a leader in a digital world.
Takeaways:
Cultivate and train members within your organization to become media ambassadors. This strengthens your message through authentic, expert voices, enhancing brand presence and credibility.
Establish a predictable communication rhythm with your team, board, and external stakeholders. This will build trust and ensure that your message is clear and cohesive across all channels.
Leaders should engage in social media to authentically represent their brand and connect with their audience on a personal level.
Promote and amplify expert voices within your field to position your organization as a reliable source of truth. This will counter misinformation and build public trust.
Regular media training for your spokespeople can vastly improve their effectiveness in representing your brand accurately and positively in public forums.
Whether it's celebrating new members or industry achievements, taking time to recognize and honor these moments fosters a positive organizational culture and strengthens community ties.
Stay true to yourself and your organizational values while remaining relevant and engaged in the current discourse. This will humanize your brand and strengthen connections with your audience.
Quote of the Show:
“Leaders have to be relatable in the modern social media era. People want to know that you're not always scripted, and you're out there, you have opinions, and you're willing to engage in this public discourse that's taking place.” - Shawn Martin
Influential Voices: A Celebration of Women Leaders - Chief Influencer - Episode # 090
00:51:37
Today, we’re featuring some of the most inspiring guests we’ve had on the show - and it just so happens they are all women. You’ll hear from Oscar winner turned Trevor Project Founder Peggy Rajski, former Houston Mayor Annise Parker, CNN Hero Yasmine Arrington, White House Cyber Czar Camille Stewart Gloster, ad agency legend Cary Hatch, Points of Light CEO Jennifer Sirangelo, healthcare innovator Silvia Taylor, Science luminary Maya Ajmera, Substack influencer Lia Haberman, and Accenture diversity champion Nedra Dickson.
This powerful episode dives into authentic leadership and the art of influencing both within large organizations and in the wider community. The conversation covers a range of impactful topics, from translating marketing and finance to engaging younger audiences, combating misinformation, and building personal brands. The guests share their personal journeys and invaluable insights on overcoming challenges, embracing failure, fostering inclusivity, and championing supplier diversity.
Takeaways:
Translate Across Disciplines: Understand different terminologies, such as finance and corporate speak. As a leader or influencer, being fluent in the languages relevant to your stakeholders is essential to gaining credibility and a seat at the table.
Prioritize Listening and Learning: Authentic listening is key. Leaders should intentionally create opportunities to hear from their audience, staying connected and responsive to their needs.
Address Misinformation Proactively: Focus on spreading credible, fact-based information rather than chasing down every piece of misinformation. Tailor your message to highlight benefits and facts that resonate with your audience.
Commit to Solving Problems: Recognize critical moments and take decisive action when challenges arise. Whether it's creating new solutions or improving existing ones, proactive problem-solving is essential for leadership.
Be a Good Listener: Effective influence begins with listening. Understanding your audience's needs and perspectives allows for more impactful communication and decision-making.
Embrace Failure as a Learning Tool: Use setbacks as opportunities to learn. Embracing failure and applying those lessons can sharpen your approach and enhance your influence.
Build and Maintain a Personal Brand: Actively define and promote your personal brand. Whether within an organization or externally, a strong personal brand helps you connect with your audience and drive impact.
Luke Frazier On Passing The Baton and The Power of Inclusion - Chief Influencer - Episode # 001
00:41:52
Today, we spoke with a special guest that is committed to creating opportunities for the next generation of music makers and lovers through touring live shows, assisting underserved schools, and providing free children's programming. Luke Frazier is the Founder and Music Director of The American Pops Orchestra. Luke shares his unique insights into envisioning a future unconstrained by the status quo, the importance of providing many points of entry for your audience, and the power of a community-focused organization.
Takeaways:
Challenge the predictable and formulaic elements of everything you do. For example, many people regard going to an orchestral performance as very expensive, however, Luke has worked to change that thinking by innovating his pricing structure.
Creating a welcoming, accessible, representative environment allows you to connect with more diverse audiences. For example, consider how representation, through a presenter or performer, creates a more inclusive space.
Don’t accept the status quo. Luke focused on incorporating diversity of all kinds into his concerts, both amongst those performing and what they were performing. By committing to diversity, even a simple concert can make a bigger impact.
Consider how leaders in other industries have solved issues similar to those you might be facing. For instance, Luke shared he was influenced by subscription streaming services in developing the pricing strategy for his concerts.
Financial transparency is crucial to Luke because it allows the communities he serves to see where their monetary support goes, whether it is better art or better administration.
When an organization is supported by a community, instead of a few wealthy donors as is typical for orchestras, it is not beholden to the tastes of the fortunate few. Because of this, an organization can be more representative of the community at large and cater to their collective interests.
If you want your marketing to reach the right audience you need to research them and meet them where they are. This is a much more sustainable way to grow than forcing people to go somewhere else just to communicate with them.
Quote of the Show:
“I believe all people need to have that voice and all people need to feel seen and represented from a stage.” - Luke Frazier
Emma O’Brian on Quiet Influence and the Business of News - Chief Influencer - Episode # 089
00:45:39
Emma O’Brian, the Senior Vice President of Strategy for Dow Jones, delves into her career trajectory, the role of business intelligence, and the evolving media landscape. She heads growth and innovation efforts at Dow Jones, overseeing strategy, M&A, and R&D initiatives, and serves as a member of the executive leadership team. She differentiates between news for general consumers and business intelligence for professionals, emphasizing the importance of providing relevant and context-rich information for both.
Emma also discusses adapting media output to varied consumer preferences, leveraging technology for personalized content, and maintaining journalistic integrity as fundamental to her approach. Her journey, which started as a TV booker and evolved into strategic leadership roles, underscores the value of pragmatism, neutrality, and data-driven decision-making. The dialogue further explores the balance between current audience needs and future market adaptations, emphasizing internal influence and strategic stakeholder management.
Takeaways:
Lead Growth and Innovation: Strive to be at the forefront of growth and innovation within your organization. Always seek new opportunities to expand and improve.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with various teams and departments. Bringing diverse teams together can help solve complex problems efficiently.
Continuously Upskill: Invest in your education and skills. Advanced degrees or certifications can help you stay competitive and open doors to new career opportunities.
Embrace New Media and Personal Branding: Build and maintain a strong personal brand. In today's digital world, personal brands can be as powerful as corporate logos.
Build Internal Influence: Focus on building trust and working behind the scenes. Being an honest broker can be more effective than seeking the limelight.
Inclusive Decision-Making: Ensure all relevant stakeholders have a voice in decision-making processes. This fosters trust and leads to better, more inclusive decisions.
Data-Driven Decisions: Base strategies and decisions on data rather than intuition. Test and validate ideas before full implementation to ensure they are grounded in factual insights.
Quote of the Show:
“It's not so much a career ladder, but more like a walk around a mountain. You keep taking new opportunities and growing. Eventually, you look back and realize that you've arrived, not by climbing a straight path, but by gaining the experience that gives you a holistic view of what it takes to run a business, manage a P&L, and understand the true outcomes.”
Leadership Lessons from 2024's Top Chief Influencers - Chief Influencer - Episode # 083
00:38:49
In this special episode of Chief Influencer, we reflect on the influential leaders who appeared on the show in 2024. We are featuring insights from Jennifer Sirangelo, Candice Jones, Congressman Andy Kim, Allan Golston, Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud, Eric Pan, Virginia Ali, Terry Szuplat, Charles D. Henderson, and Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr.
We are revisiting the stories of leaders from both corporate and nonprofit sectors, showcasing their efforts in driving organizational success and creating a lasting societal impact. Key topics include stakeholder management's importance, leadership accountability, and the cultural nuances that shape communication.
The episode highlights the role of influence in personal and professional spheres, with notable guests sharing their experiences working with diverse groups—from board members and global affiliates to policymakers and the public. Emphasizing authenticity and mutual respect, they discuss effective leadership and initiatives focused on social justice, healthcare access, and community well-being, illustrating how these leaders navigate challenges to drive positive change.
Takeaways:
Engage and Diversify Stakeholders: Understand the importance of different stakeholders, including board members, affiliates, and external NGOs. Tailor your approach based on their unique needs and contributions.
Leverage Volunteerism and Civic Engagement: Volunteerism and civic engagement are crucial for fostering a sense of community and addressing social issues.
Empower Authentic Leadership: Influence should come from authenticity rather than a persona.
Adapt Communication for Cultural Contexts: Effective communication varies significantly across cultures, and it’s important to adapt your style to fit the audience.
Promote Mutual Influence: Influence isn't one-sided; it's about being open to influence as well.
Utilize Strategic Storytelling: Quality storytelling can influence public perception and drive policy changes.
Focus on Socioeconomic and Health Disparities: Addressing health and socioeconomic disparities is essential for equitable progress.
Patrick Sallee on Owning Your Story - Chief Influencer - Episode # 023
00:45:27
Patrick Sallee, is the President and CEO of Vibrant Health KC and the author of The Solitary CEO. In his book, Patrick generously shares stories that require immense vulnerability and humility, as well as the lessons he's learned and applied in his personal and professional life along with his road to sobriety. Patrick and Host Anthony Shop discuss how to break out of the siloes leaders build around themselves, address the specific needs of multiple stakeholders, and engage with a community to create profound change.
Takeaways:
Leaders should break down the silos they build around themselves and their work and reconnect with the purpose of their work to foster connection, succeed, and avoid becoming defensive or resentful towards their team and organization.
Prioritize the needs of the people you serve. For Patrick, in the non-profit sector, the key to handling the needs of multiple stakeholders is to keep the mission and the lives of those being served at the forefront.
The focus of your leadership should not be yourself; it should be the mission you are working to accomplish. Addressing the needs of different stakeholders requires a specific strategy for each group; ensuring that all of these strategies align with the mission makes it possible to manage the completion of the mission.
The best way to understand community members' issues is to talk with them and get them engaged in developing a solution to that problem. There is no better way to get buy-in for a project than by listening to the stakeholders' feedback.
When dealing with complex problems, if the members of a community lack the skills or knowledge to understand the problem and possible solutions properly, leaders should take the time to get them up to speed and teach them the necessary disciplines so that they can make educated decisions to solve the problems they face.
Own your mistakes and don’t try to hide them. Whether you’re interviewing for a job or negotiating a deal, if you try to conceal past mistakes, you allow others the chance to use those past mistakes against you. Be upfront and honest about who you are.
Quote of the Show:
“If I own it, and I say it first, you can't use it against me” - Patrick Sallee
Steve Schwab on Fueling a Movement With Authentic Leadership - Chief Influencer - Episode # 093
01:02:00
How can a mission greater than yourself fuel meaningful change and inspire others to join the movement?
Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation shares key lessons he learned from Senator Dole, including the importance of having a mission greater than yourself for true health and vitality.
Steve discusses how authentic storytelling and persistence helped grow the Elizabeth Dole Foundation’s mission into a nationwide movement, through the Hidden Heroes Campaign, with support from influencers like Tom Hanks and Savannah Guthrie. He reflects on the power of coalition-building and leadership, stressing the need to never give up, even when the path to change is challenging.
Takeaways:
Clear mission or purpose: Having a mission larger than yourself drives personal motivation and organizational success, fueling health, vitality, and passion for your work.
Authentic partnerships: Successful coalitions are built on genuine, passionate connections with partners who are sincerely committed to the cause, leading to long-term collaboration and impact.
Balance evidence with storytelling: Combining factual evidence (science) with emotional storytelling (poetry) makes your message more credible, relatable, and impactful, especially in advocacy campaigns.
Authenticity in endorsements: When selecting influential figures to endorse your cause, ensure they have a true connection to it for more meaningful, long-term advocacy support.
Persistence pays off: Achieving long-term goals requires persistence. The passing of the Senator Elizabeth Dole Act highlights the importance of pushing forward despite setbacks and obstacles.
Self-reflection and planning: Regular self-reflection and planning, through practices like quiet time, weekly sessions, or yoga, help maintain clarity, purpose, and proactive focus.
Leveraging LinkedIn: Using platforms like LinkedIn to share achievements, highlight partnerships, and promote your mission strengthens relationships, increases transparency, and broadens your reach.
Quote of the Show:
"It’s incredibly important to recognize the divisive times we are in, and that people are hungry for things that unite us and bring us together."
In this compelling episode, we are joined by Cary Hatch, a revered entrepreneur and brand advocate who has transformed MDB Communications into an industry powerhouse and now serves as Senior Counsel at Hart.
Cary shares her journey from purchasing her employer at age 30, to leading through numerous economic challenges, and building robust relationships. Recognized among the 100 most powerful people in Washington. She’s been named to the Washington Business Journal's Power 100 and is an American Advertising Federation Silver Medal honoree.
Cary offers invaluable lessons in grit, leadership, and influence. From advising on managing corporate reputations to reflecting on the evolving role of consumers, Cary underscores the need for leaders to blend financial fluency with strategic communication to navigate today's complex business landscape.
Tune in for a deep dive into the intersection of marketing, governance, and consumer engagement, and learn why having a communications expert on your board could be crucial for your brand's success.
Takeaways:
Fear of failure is a very powerful feeling. Instead of letting it paralyze you, use it as fuel to propel yourself forward. Leveraging this fear can drive your determination and commitment to succeed against the odds.
Give yourself permission to try, ask questions, and learn. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and seek new knowledge. Continuous learning and curiosity are crucial for personal and professional growth.
Be fluent in the language you need to gain a seat at the table and be taken seriously. Understanding metrics, terms, topics, and even, “board speak” is essential to communicate the value of marketing and communications effectively. This fluency bridges the gap between marketers and others, fostering better collaboration.
Overperform to ensure that you're memorable, and overdeliver to ensure that you're taken seriously. Exceeding expectations ensures that you stand out in your field and build a strong personal and professional reputation. Consistently delivering exceptional results will solidify your credibility and influence.
Not everything important is measurable and not everything measurable is important. Focus on setting both hard and soft metrics to evaluate success comprehensively. Understand that qualitative impacts can be just as crucial as quantitative ones in driving long-term value.
Know the intersection of your brand and your customers' needs, both internally and externally. Aligning your brand's values with the genuine needs and concerns of your audience builds trust and loyalty. Demonstrating this alignment through actions rather than mere statements is key to authenticity.
Over-delivering for your customer fosters strong, lasting relationships. Going above and beyond in your service or product offerings can transform transactional interactions into loyal partnerships. Small, thoughtful actions that surprise and delight your customers leave a lasting positive impression.
Quote of the Show:
“For the people who are always told what they can't do, and then they prevail, that's what inspires me.”
Ted Leonsis: CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Kevin Plank: Founder and Executive Chairman of Under Armour
23 Oct 2024
Elected Officials on Two-Way Influence - Chief Influencer - Episode # 074
01:01:47
Today’s special episode of Chief Influencer highlights four inspiring elected officials: Danica Roem, a member of the Virginia State Senate; Andy Kim, U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 3rd District; Rob Sand, Iowa Auditor of State; and Tony Woods, Secretary of Veterans Affairs at the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs.
The episode features leaders from various sectors and highlights the importance of collaborative change and diverse legislative influences. It underscores the value of transparency, accessibility, and genuine engagement in leadership.
Each guest shared their personal insights on important themes like inclusion and the challenges of decision-making. They highlighted how vital it is for leaders to share their own stories and create welcoming spaces for everyone. They also delved into topics like overcoming misinformation and battling imposter syndrome, emphasizing the need to balance personal beliefs with the collective responsibility of serving the public.
Takeaways:
Communicate Openly and Authentically: Embrace a communication style that is open, human, and transparent. Engage in open dialogue to build trust and credibility by being honest about both successes and failures.
Influence Through Mutual Engagement: Recognize that leadership involves being open to influence as well. Actively listen to constituents or team members, understand their needs, and incorporate their feedback into decision-making.
Leave No One Behind: Create an inclusive environment where every member feels valued and heard. Focus on integrating marginalized or underrepresented groups into the larger mission.
Show Rawness and Vulnerability: Demonstrate vulnerability by sharing your struggles and failures. This authentic approach fosters personal connections and reflects your true self.
Share Personal Stories: Use storytelling to connect with your audience. Relating personal anecdotes makes your message more compelling and provides insight into your values and leadership style.
Understand Key Issues Thoroughly: Develop a deep understanding of critical issues affecting your community or organization. Stay informed and continuously educate yourself to make more effective decisions.
Engage Thoughtfully with Opposing Views: Address tough questions and criticisms respectfully, even in disagreement. Thoughtful responses can help bridge divides and foster a cooperative environment.
Danica Roem on Influencing Individuals to Impact Change - Chief Influencer - Episode # 007
00:57:21
Danica Roem is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and is currently a candidate for the Virginia State Senate. Danica is most well known as the United States’ first openly transgender state legislator. She is also a heavy metal vocalist, award-winning journalist, and author of the bestselling Burn The Page. Danica shares how to drive impactful change, why individuals must take the initiative to create positive change, and how to overcome imposter syndrome as a leader.
Takeaways:
By truly listening to and understanding the needs and concerns of those around you, leaders can incorporate their perspectives into decisions and ensure that their actions align with the interests of those they represent. Danica learned this as a legislator first-hand. This approach strengthens relationships and leads to more effective and inclusive environments.
Leaders should strive to communicate authentically. Sharing personal stories, expressing genuine empathy, and conveying messages that resonate with others, fosters strong connections and builds trust.
To create change, you need to take the initiative. Danica shared her experiences of actively advocating for policy changes, such as improving transportation infrastructure or expanding support for LGBTQ+ communities.
Embrace compromises, but make sure that when you do, make sure it’s a well-informed decision. Leaders must balance personal values with the greater good, which can require making difficult choices, such as in the legislative process.
To counter imposter syndrome and insecurities, Danica encouraged leaders to recognize their qualifications, unique perspectives, and the support they have received from their electorate. By embracing their authentic selves and acknowledging their value, leaders can overcome imposter syndrome and lead confidently.
Embrace the hard work and effort required to achieve your goals, whether it's knocking on doors, making phone calls, or biking between constituents in rural areas.
Combine your instincts with thorough research and knowledge to make well-informed decisions. Danica shared how she relied on her intuition, along with years of living with and listening to her community, to guide her actions as a legislator.
Quote of the Show:
“Thrive because of who you are, not despite it” - Danica Roem
Jean-Claude Brizard on Creating a Community of Masterpieces - Chief Influencer - Episode # 018
00:47:04
Jean-Claude Brizard is the President and CEO at Digital Promise, a non-partisan non-profit organization focused on shaping the future of education and advancing equitable education systems by bridging solutions across research, practice, and technology. Jean-Claude was recognized by the Carnegie Corporation of New York as a member of the 2023 Great Immigrants, Great Americans class. Jean-Claude joins Host Anthony Shop to discuss how to create meaningful change inside of a system and the importance of meeting influential community members where they are.
Takeaways:
The keys to making a difference are identifying the key “protagonists” and leaders within a community or group, understanding the different influential nodes within the community where these leaders cross paths, and discovering which specific levers can be used to result in different behavioral outcomes.
Meet people where they are and communicate to them when and where they're willing to listen. Spend time with them and learn how they view the world from different perspectives.
Create open communication channels to reach your community and for your community to reach you. Jean-Claude shared a great example of this when he spoke with students who called into his radio show about their bad lunches. Jean-Claude listened to them and showed that he cared by going to the school and testing the food himself. This way he could empathize and work with students to create a new, alternative solution that suited their needs better.
Engage with people at every level of your organization regularly and listen closely to them. This gives you a better overall understanding of the state of the organization, which levers lead to change at which levels, and where issues could arise in the future.
One person alone cannot overturn or revolutionize a system immediately by themselves and in opposition to everyone else in the organization. To create meaningful, lasting impact, you need to obtain the buy-in from everyone else. Without being bought into the vision, those within the system or organization won't work to further it.
Don't back down or shy away from opportunities to have conversations with the people you're trying to help and need to work with. Even if they are upset and that might cause you some temporary discomfort, their ire and discontent can help you uncover problems that are hidden or hard to see from your vantage point.
Quote of the Show:
“Every child is a work of art, we have to create masterpieces.” - Jean-Claude Brizard
Graham Davies on the Importance of Collaborative Leadership in Music Streaming - Chief Influencer - Episode # 052
00:42:50
The majority of us stream music as part of our daily routines, often without considering the intricate process that enables us to access our favorite tracks. Drawing upon his expertise in streaming policy from the UK and beyond, Graham Davies is the President and CEO of DiMA, the Digital Media Association, in the United States. He shares why we should care about streaming and highlights its diverse stakeholders, particularly focusing on the creators of the music itself.
With a focus on promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in the music industry, Graham leverages his influential position to advocate for policy changes that support a fair and balanced music streaming environment.
In this episode, Graham joins host Anthony Shop to discuss the imperative for leaders to embrace ongoing change through strategic development, problem-solving, and a continuous pursuit of learning and listening. They also explore the importance of fostering open communication and integrating diverse perspectives to foster collaborative and innovative solutions.
Takeaways:
Leaders should view change as an opportunity for growth and seek new challenges to push their and their organization's boundaries.
Fostering an open and collaborative environment is crucial for innovation. In order to achieve industry-wide progress leaders need to bring different stakeholders together and emphasize the importance of collective effort to reach shared goals.
Building and maintaining relationships across an industry facilitates mutual understanding and cooperation. Collaborating with various entities leads to more holistic and beneficial outcomes for all involved.
Clear and effective communication is foundational for influence and leadership. Sharing a vision and ensuring it's understood is essential for rallying support and driving change.
Understanding differing perspectives and striving for compromise is vital in negotiations and leadership. Thus, recognizing the importance of compromise ensures that leaders achieve sustainable solutions.
Leadership requires a clear strategic vision and direction. It is a necessity to have a strong, forward-thinking plan to guide organizational and industry evolution.
Optimism and resilience in the face of challenges encourage progress and innovation. Leaders need to understand the value of perseverance in achieving long-term goals.
Quote of the Show:
“As a leader, you've got to be open at all times to hearing what people have to say.” - Graham Davies
Daniel Buezo on The Power of Community - Chief Influencer - Episode # 015
00:55:14
Daniel Buezo is the Founder and CEO of Kids of Immigrants, a Los Angeles-based, purpose-driven streetwear brand. Alongside Co-Founder Weleh Dennis, Daniel has collaborated with top brands and celebrities such as Apple, Nike, Vans, and Bad Bunny, among many others. Daniel joins Host Anthony Shop to discuss the story of how the brand came to be from humble roots, why Daniel’s most important meeting of the day is with himself, and how they stay committed to their mission in the face of all of their success.
Takeaways:
A major factor behind the launch of Kids of Immigrants was the goal, of bringing people of all backgrounds together. This was in contrast to the often exclusive attitude proliferating the world of fashion and streetwear.
Daniel and Weleh wanted to create clothing that genuinely represented who they are and their experiences. This was something they found lacking in many of the popular and readily available clothing brands in the United States.
When launching the brand, Daniel and Weleh realized that even if the brand evolved, there would be a constant factor tied to the company, which was that they were “Kids of Immigrants.” Their roots and community are interwoven into the initial creation of the brand, and its continued evolution.
Daniel says that his most important meeting of the day is with himself. Taking a moment to reflect or meditate gives him a chance to communicate with his inner self, which helps him find a sense of calm, make tough decisions, and become inspired.
Recognize that productivity and inspiration are two separate things. While Daniel’s days can get very busy, allowing him to be very productive, he knows that to find inspiration, he needs to get out of the office and have time alone. Taking the time to find what inspires you is crucial.
Quote of the Show:
“We were kids of immigrants yesterday. We're kids of immigrants today, and we'll be kids of immigrants tomorrow. We knew that wouldn't change.” - Daniel Buezo
Ever wonder how we can find our authentic voice in a world full of competing messages?"
This week’s episode is a special bonus edition! We’re bringing you exclusive content from our live interview with Terry Szuplat, a speechwriter for President Barack Obama. This interview was recorded at George Washington University and is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!
The focus of this episode is on audience questions and hearing Terry’s insights on career advice, aligning with an organization’s values, and finding one’s voice as a communicator. He also shares his experiences with public speaking, the evolution of Obama as an orator, and the dynamic between leaders and their speechwriters. The conversation emphasizes the importance of communication skills, mutual respect in leadership, and the value of continuous learning and adaptation.
Takeaways:
Align with organizations and individuals whose values reflect your own: Partnering with like-minded people fosters a more harmonious, productive environment and strengthens shared goals.
Develop your unique voice as a communicator: Cultivating your authentic voice sets you apart, making your communication more impactful. Embrace authenticity and stay true to yourself.
Meet the speaker where they are: Understanding and empathizing with the perspective of your audience leads to more meaningful, effective communication.
Quote of the Show:
“Crises are great character revealers, aren’t they? I worked for Barack Obama for eight years, and not once did he raise his voice at me, despite the many reasons he could have. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders, yet never lost his cool. If the President of the United States could maintain composure, treat people with respect, and keep it together, that’s the kind of boss we all deserve.”
Molly Lenore is the Co-founder and President of Moey Inc., a pioneering company dedicated to crafting technology-infused experiences, installations, products, and exhibits at the convergence of art, science, technology, design, and education. With a focus on conceptualization, design, and realization, Molly specializes in curating technology-driven installations within interactive public spaces. Molly has graced prestigious institutions as a guest lecturer, including NYU, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Columbia University, Parsons School of Design, and the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. Beyond her professional endeavors, Molly channels her passion into LGBTQ+ sports, viewing them as a catalyst for community and inclusivity. Her involvement extends to serving on multiple boards, such as the National Gay Flag Football League, the New York Gay Football League, and the Big Apple Softball League.
In today's episode, Molly discusses the company's approach to creating exhibits that effectively communicate distinct messages. They walk the client through the ideation, design, and creation stages, focusing on building a narrative and understanding the audience. Molly also discusses how they have adapted to societal changes, specifically the pervasive use of smartphones. Furthermore, she discusses the importance of cross-generational and audience-centric design, developing trust with clients through honesty and openness.
Takeaways:
Understanding the audience and tailoring the experiences to their needs, whether a museum exhibit or a leadership presentation, is crucial to understanding your audience's perspective, expectations, and interests.
A compelling message isn't just about influencing the audience but also about being open to the audience's influence. Leaders must balance imparting their vision while accommodating audience insights and feedback. This two-way interaction ensures messages resonate more deeply.
Creating experiences that cater to and bridge different generations is crucial, thus fostering cross-generational communication and enhancing shared understanding.
Leaders must pilot initiatives or seek feedback before implementing ideas by creating prototypes and conducting user tests to adjust and perfect their projects.
The impact of technology on audience behaviors, like the self-portrait culture sparked by smartphones, requires leaders to adapt their communication and engagement strategies accordingly.
Incorporating joy into any experience, be it an exhibition or a workplace meeting, can enhance engagement and success.
Quote of the Show:
"When you put a design out into the world, it's no longer yours" - Molly Lenore
Terry Szuplat on How to Say It Well and Find Your Voice - Chief Influencer - Episode # 072
00:39:35
This week's episode features an in-person discussion with Terry Szuplat, a former White House speechwriter for President Barack Obama and author of Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind. Inspire Any Audience.
Terry emphasizes the importance of authenticity, simplicity, and personal storytelling in effective communication. He shares insights on public speaking, leveraging personal narratives, and avoiding jargon, offering actionable advice for students and professionals in the field. The discussion also addresses the impact of social media and how AI is involved in communication. The session concludes with an appreciation for Terry’s contributions and a reminder to engage in authentic human communication.
Takeaways:
Talk Like a Human: Simplify your language and communicate in a relatable way. Avoid jargon and buzzwords to enhance relatability and impact.
Know Yourself Deeply: Understand your identity, values, and story before inspiring others. Clarity in who you are will resonate with your audience's authenticity.
Utilize Personal Stories: Incorporate personal anecdotes in your speeches. Unique experiences will engage your audience and create a personal connection.
Prepare Thoughtfully: Use the 50-25-25 rule for preparation: spend 50% on planning and research, 25% on content creation, and 25% on practicing and refining your delivery for a polished presentation.
Embrace Authenticity Over Perfection: Prioritize being genuine over delivering a flawless performance. Audiences appreciate sincerity and your true self.
Quote of the Show:
"When you tell the stories that only you can tell, then no one can steal your words, ever."
Dr. Gail Ayala Taylor on Building A Sense of Belonging - Chief Influencer - Episode # 029
00:46:33
Dr. Gail Ayala Taylor is a Clinical Professor of Business Administration at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Dr. Taylor is also the Founder of RISE Career Launch and CEO of Ayala Halloran Taylor Group, LLC. She founded RISE Career Launch after years of witnessing extremely talented women and individuals from underrepresented groups struggle in their transition from college to career. Dr. Taylor joins Host Anthony Shop for a conversation highlighting the importance of creating an environment that is conducive to learning, her journey to launching the RISE framework, and how to set your career up for success.
Takeaways:
Professor Taylor emphasizes that learning is a two-way process, it’s not just broadcasting information but also engaging in a dialogue to truly connect with others. Her teaching style relies on making students comfortable enough to share their knowledge and learn from each other.
The RISE framework helps promote two-way communication between junior employees and their managers. There are four parts of the framework: Relationships, Inquiry, Skills, and Expectations.
The 'R' in the RISE framework stands for Relationships. Professor Taylor emphasizes the importance of building effective, positive personal and professional relationships. It is crucial for new entrants to connect with their peers, supervisors, and people at all levels of the organization.
The 'I' stands for Inquiry. The framework encourages individuals to ask meaningful questions and gather information. The key is to be intentional with the questions you ask of your managers and those around you.
The 'S' represents Skills. The RISE framework highlights the need for functional, interpersonal, and technical skills. Recognizing personal strengths and areas for improvement can help navigate conversations with managers about career growth and skill development.
The 'E' signifies Expectations. It strongly emphasizes understanding and meeting the basic expectations as a priority before striving to exceed them. The focus is to ensure there are no surprises in performance reviews and that employees are on the same page as their managers.
Marketing is a process of making and keeping promises to customers, focusing on offering high-quality products and services backed with exemplary customer service.
Quote of the Show:
“We all can learn from each other, it's not just a one-way street. I might be in the front of the classroom, but I'm just the conductor of trying to help others connect and share their knowledge.” - Dr. Gail Ayala Taylor
Arun Gupta on the Future of Public Service: An Entrepreneurial Approach to Solving Big Problems
00:50:29
This week’s episode of Chief Influencer features Arun Gupta, CEO of NobleReach. He shares his journey from venture capitalism to nonprofit leadership, focused on integrating entrepreneurial principles with public service.
Arun discusses his work with top universities like Georgetown and Stanford and his organization’s efforts to place innovation-driven talent into federal government roles. Inspired by his book Venture Meets Mission, promoting a model where individuals can make a positive impact while creating or growing private mission-driven companies.
The conversation explores the challenges of gaining government buy-in, the importance of scaling solutions, and trust's role in building effective partnerships. Gupta also highlights the growing shift among students toward purpose-driven careers and advocates for a bipartisan approach, emphasizing the need to create a collaborative ecosystem that brings together government, the private sector, and academia to address complex societal issues.
Takeaways:
Purpose-Driven Work: Leaders should recognize that the younger generation is increasingly seeking purposeful work, and highlighting the mission-driven aspects of roles can attract top talent, as Arun Gupta notes about students' desire for purpose in their careers.
Building Trust: Trust is foundational to successful leadership in both public service and nonprofits. Gupta emphasizes that investing in building and maintaining trust with partners, customers, and team members is crucial for long-term success.
Encouraging Experimentation: Leaders should foster a culture where experimentation is welcomed, and failure is viewed as a learning opportunity. Gupta advocates for allowing teams the freedom to try new things and learn from their outcomes.
Dual Citizenship: Leaders should encourage talent that can navigate both public and private sectors. Gupta highlights the value of having 'dual citizenship'—experience in both areas—to tackle complex problems more effectively.
Scalability: When designing new initiatives, leaders should always consider scalability. Gupta stresses the importance of creating models and systems that can be replicated and scaled efficiently to achieve broader impact.
Humanizing Organizations: Understanding the human aspect of organizations helps bridge gaps and foster a cohesive work culture. Gupta emphasizes the need to view government as a group of individuals working with positive intent, rather than as an opaque institution.
Valuing Diverse Career Paths: Leaders should promote and value diverse career experiences across sectors. Gupta advocates for a non-linear career approach, encouraging individuals to move between sectors to gain valuable insights and skills.
Quote of the Show:
"There's no one more optimistic than an entrepreneur—because you have to be if you're going to venture out there. And there's no one more optimistic than college students, which is why faculty enjoy being on campus."
Bill Smith on Uniting Leadership, Passion & Policy - Chief Influencer - (Re-Air)
00:46:43
Bill Smith is the Founder and CEO of Inseparable, an organization dedicated to advancing mental health policy. Additionally, he holds the position of Chair at Civitas Public Affairs Group, a firm he co-founded. At Civitas, he guides philanthropists, foundations, and donor collaboratives on various policy objectives alongside national non-profit organizations striving for progressive policy advancements.
Bill shares insights into his impactful journey of shaping mental health policy and empowering the LGBTQ+ community politically. He delves into the founding motivations behind Inseparable, stressing the significance of research and genuine communication in driving policy transformations. Bill also discusses successful strategies for achieving significant policy victories across different states.
Together, they explore leveraging research for influence, simplifying intricate messages effectively, and harnessing authenticity and encouragement to propel social change. Bill advocates for leaders to recruit individuals smarter than themselves, fostering a culture of brilliance and collaboration within organizations, thereby ensuring success through collective intelligence and expertise.
Takeaways:
Be yourself in your communications and leadership style. Authenticity resonates with people and builds trust. Establish a genuine connection with your team, stakeholders, and audience.
Surround yourself with people who are more intelligent than you. This approach enhances your team's overall capabilities and fosters learning and innovation.
Determine the core areas or issues that need addressing and concentrate your efforts there. A focused approach ensures impactful outcomes and better allocation of resources.
Before embarking on any major project or initiative, invest in research. Understanding the opinions and needs of your audience is essential for crafting messages that resonate and to make informed decisions.
Research and data are invaluable; let them guide your communications, decisions, and strategies. Even if the findings challenge your assumptions, being open to data-driven insights can lead to more effective outcomes.
Develop messaging that is straightforward and resonates with your audience. Simplifying complex ideas into relatable, engaging narratives can amplify your influence and the impact of your messages.
Personalize your communication to build deeper connections. Whether through emails, social media, or direct engagement, sharing your journey, challenges, and successes can inspire and engage people more effectively.
Quote of the Show:
“At the end of the day, you have to listen to research because if it's done well, it's telling you what people think and it's telling you what you need to hear.” - Bill Smith
Bryan Corbett on Data-Driven Storytelling in Leadership - Chief Influencer - Episode # 60
00:45:31
In this episode, host Anthony Shop introduces Bryan Corbett, President and CEO of MFA, the voice of the global alternative investment industry. The conversation explores Bryan's extensive background in both public and private sectors, including his tenure at the Carlyle Group and his role in the George W. Bush administration.
Key topics include the significance of alternative investments, MFA's approach to member engagement, effective communication strategies, and leveraging social media. Bryan also shares insights on leadership philosophy, teamwork, and accountability, offering valuable lessons for leaders on internal and external influence, underscored by the importance of clear goals and consistent communication.
Takeaways:
Effective Communication: Emphasize the importance of clear and focused communication, both internally within the organization and externally with stakeholders. This includes tailoring messages for different audiences and ensuring they are concise and relevant.
Member Engagement: Develop a coverage model where each member is assigned an executive responsible for maintaining the relationship. This personalized approach ensures members feel valued and addresses their specific needs.
Proactive Media Strategy: Highlight the shift from a reactive to a proactive media strategy, stressing the importance of conveying the industry’s message first, building media relationships, and preparing for TV appearances with clear, simple messages.
Utilizing Social Media: Illustrate the significance of using LinkedIn for outreach and communication to maintain relationships and share key content effectively.
Goals and Accountability: Establish clear, organization-wide goals that cascade to individual teams, fostering alignment, accountability, and performance tracking. This practice was essential for building trust and ensuring focus on shared objectives.
Team Collaboration and Leadership: Leverage team input and foster a collaborative environment in leadership style. Recognizing the value of collective insights, empowerment of the team drives better decision-making.
Adapting Practices from Other Industries: Implement a coverage model borrowed from investment banks to enhance member engagement. This adaptability demonstrates the importance of learning from other industries' practices and customizing them to fit organizational needs.
Quote of the Show:
"Whenever there's skepticism, you have to address it. It's not just about having a good story; you need the data and research to back it up."
Jason Trimiew on The Impact of Supplier Diversity - Chief Influencer - Episode # 032
00:45:11
Jason Trimiew is the Director of Global Supplier Diversity at Meta. Under his leadership, Meta became a leader and innovator in supplier diversity. They have spent more than $10 billion cumulatively with US companies certified as minority, women, veteran, LGBTQ, or disabled-owned. Prior to joining Meta, Jason designed and delivered the community impact initiatives for Super Bowl 50, resulting in more than $20 million in grants for Bay Area nonprofits and contracts for local, diverse-owned businesses. Jason and Host Anthony Shop discuss the leverage of radical transparency, the value in obtaining prompt feedback, and how embracing transformative technologies can increase equity in supply chains.
Takeaways:
Leaders should actively champion supplier diversity through strategic partnerships, prompt payment practices, and making diversity a component of their corporate culture.
Integrating businesses of different backgrounds into your supply chain aid both businesses and their communities, cultivating a diverse, inclusive economic environment and helping companies access the best talent.
Quicker payments to these suppliers stimulate further growth in their communities, as the faster flow of capital aids in the creation of new jobs and wage increases.
Using effective technology can minimize friction for new suppliers. Things like single sign-on systems, automation, and proactive nudging, help provide access to opportunities sooner.
Seek genuine feedback from various stakeholders to gauge the effectiveness of your initiatives and make necessary, swift adjustments.
As companies develop supplier diversity programs, businesses should share both their successes and failures, allowing others to learn from their experiences, encouraging collaborations, and inspiring improvements.
Celebrate and acknowledge the achievements of your team members, fostering a culture of positive competition and inspiration. For example, Meta uses a system of rewards to highlight positive contributions toward supplier diversity within the company.
Quote of the Show:
"Supplier Diversity is a business strategy. It's us wanting to have the best talent competing for our business and helping us execute against our mission as a company, and that's why it's so effective” - Jason Trimiew
Lesley Lopez on The Power of Authenticity in Public Service
00:45:22
In this special episode of Chief Influencer, we feature a new leader at our partner The George Washington University. Lesley Lopez is the Director of the Graduate Program for Public Relations and Communications at the Graduate School of Political Management.
An elected Maryland State Delegate, Lesley is a Chief Influencer in her own right. She recently transitioned from her role as an adjunct professor to lead the Graduate Program for Public Relations and Communications, where she is developing new approaches to engage professional students about the issues that matter in today’s world. Lesley emphasizes the importance of two-way influence, coalition building, and authenticity in politics. She also highlights her innovative initiatives at GW, including a focus on AI in communications and social impact, and invites listeners to engage with the program and its offerings.
Takeaways:
Embrace Authenticity in Leadership: Be genuine in your interactions and share real experiences to build trust and credibility.
Develop Your Unique Leadership Style: Reflect on your personal strengths, passions, and experiences to carve out a leadership style that feels natural to you.
Master the Art of Conflict Resolution: Understand where others are coming from and build bridges despite disagreements to foster cooperation and inclusive decisions.
Be Transparent and Accessible: Regularly engage with your audience, even informally, to demystify your role and build a deeper connection with your constituents.
Leverage Social Media for Genuine Connections: Use social media to share personal stories and behind-the-scenes glimpses into your life, making your digital presence more relatable and engaging.
Balance Visibility with Humility: While being proactive in sharing your work is important, demonstrating humility and serving genuinely can resonate deeply with the public.
Continual Learning and Adaptation: Stay informed about new trends in communications, technology, or public policy, and be prepared to incorporate them into your leadership toolkit.
Quote of the Show:
“You have to step outside of that image of who you think a politician is supposed to be and just be a real person. Just speak from the heart.”
Patrick J. Kennedy on The Unifying Power of Mental Health - Chief Influencer - Episode # 087
00:53:20
The Honorable Patrick J. Kennedy is a leading advocate for mental health and addiction. As a former Congressman, Patrick was instrumental in passing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 and has spent years fighting for policy change. After leaving Congress, he founded The Kennedy Forum and co-founded One Mind to advance brain health.
In this episode, Patrick delves into the challenges and stigmas faced by those struggling with mental health and substance use disorders and the impactful decision to share his own story in his book, A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction; and the courageous stories of others in his more recent book, Profiles in Mental Health Courage.
Takeaways:
Be authentic and vulnerable: Share your own story, including struggles and failures, to create genuine connections and inspire others. Authenticity can turn adverse events into strengths, as people appreciate honesty and are more likely to support you when they see you are genuine.
Build coalitions: Diverse coalitions can drive impactful change. By bringing together different perspectives and points of view, you can create a broader consensus and develop policies or solutions that are more robust and widely accepted.
Forge bipartisan support in times of polarization: Build bipartisan support by focusing on shared goals and values, using persistence and personal connections to bridge divides in polarized times.
Connect with your audience through storytelling: Use stories and analogies to make complex issues more relatable and to motivate people to join your cause or mission. Tailored storytelling can rally support and drive collective action.
Persist through adversity: Use challenges as learning experiences and opportunities to build resilience. Persistence, even in the face of setbacks, is key to achieving long-term goals and making a difference.
Leverage personal experiences for advocacy: Use your story to highlight broader issues, fostering empathy and inspiring change.
There is no health without mental health: Advocate for integrating mental health into healthcare, highlighting its connection to physical health and the need for community-based support to reduce costs and improve recovery.
Quote of the Show:
"We live in a polarized world, but the shared human experience of our mental health can unite us across all divides. These issues transcend the toxic reactivity between opposing sides."
“A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction”: https://a.co/d/2ObOEdP
24 Jan 2024
Ju'Riese Colón on Building Trust With Transparency - Chief Influencer - Episode # 035
00:46:37
Ju’Riese Colón is the Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the nation’s only
independent nonprofit committed to building a sport community where participants can work and learn together free of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and misconduct. Before her Center tenure, Ju’Riese served as National Vice President of Child & Club Safety for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, developing and leading the child safety policies and initiatives for over 1,100 U.S. Boys & Girls Clubs organizations and nearly 4,300 Boys & Girls Club locations. Prior to that, Ju’Riese served as Executive Director of Prevention & Outreach for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Ju’Riese joins Host Anthony Shop to discuss the process for establishing a basis of trust with a community, holding yourself accountable as a leader, and how to create a supportive environment for those working in an emotionally difficult role.
Takeaways:
To build trust, leaders must demonstrate the highest levels of integrity and accountability in their actions and expect the same of their team. Internal and external accountability paves the way for organizational improvement and growth.
Maintaining open lines of communication with your team, stakeholders, and the public is crucial. Take the time to provide updates on the important details of your work with the stakeholders who need to know.
Take time to listen to feedback from key stakeholders and use that insight to shape your strategic plan. It’s important to invite stakeholder feedback at every stage and on every part of their experience with your organization.
Emphasize the mental well-being of your team members. Taking care of your team is just as important as taking care of your stakeholders.
How Persistence Fuels Success: Bob Cusack on Surviving and Thriving in Media
00:48:07
This week's episode features Bob Cusack, Editor-in-Chief of The Hill. The discussion explores Bob's extensive career in Washington politics and the changing landscape of journalism. Bob reflects on the media industry's transformation due to the internet and social media, highlighting the need to balance speed with accuracy in news reporting. Personal anecdotes shed light on Bob’s early career persistence and his unique background in acting, which has shaped his journalism skills. The conversation also covers the role of personal connections in advocacy, the growing influence of social media, and the challenges and opportunities of building trust with the audience.
Takeaways:
Maintain Strong Ethics: Journalism companies must uphold strong ethics, label sponsored content clearly, and strive for balanced, unbiased reporting to ensure credibility and trust.
Build Personal Connections: Establish personal relationships, especially with policymakers or Congress members, as real-life stories and testimonials can be highly influential.
Build and Maintain Trust: Ensure transparency, admit mistakes, and maintain consistent ethics and quality to build trust, which can differentiate your organization.
Persistence Pays Off: Consistent effort and dedication can open doors, whether securing interviews, deals, or influencing key stakeholders.
Simplify Your Message: When explaining complex topics, simplify the content without oversimplifying, to expand audience reach and ensure resonance with a broad group.
Create Compelling Content: Ensure your communications are engaging, relevant, and valuable to capture and retain your audience's attention.
Quote of the Show:
“Persistence is key. You have to be persistent and remember that your reputation is the most valuable thing you have.”
Frances Reimers on Igniting Your Personal Brand Authentically - Chief Influencer - Episode # 014
00:50:35
Frances Reimers is the Founder and CEO of Firestarter Communications LLC and is a personal branding expert. Frances has helped some of the country’s leading high school, collegiate, and professional athletes, coaches, and sports executives develop, manage, enhance, and protect their brands. Among those that Frances has helped are the Denver Nuggets, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, San Francisco 49ers. Frances joins Host Anthony Shop to discuss how to build a personal brand that is authentically you, why experimenting with different platforms and formats is important, and how to build stronger relationships through digital channels.
Takeaways:
When developing your personal brand, it’s more important to be authentic than it is to be perfect. Imperfect yet genuine content resonates more with audiences. Don’t let perfection become a roadblock to getting started.
Similarly, building an authentic personal brand doesn’t require grand actions or carefully organized campaigns. The important part is to geter started by taking small actions to build your personal brand and experiment with new content or platforms to expand your reach.
Implement a weekly practice of reconnecting with three people you haven't spoken to in six months or more to maintain and strengthen relationships. For example, every Monday morning, Frances sends three LinkedIn messages to stay in touch with people she hasn’t heard from in a while.
No matter what industry you work in or what level you are at, you should leverage LinkedInas a platform to showcase your personall brand and engage with industry-related content to foster connections with your peers.
Different cohorts of people respond differently to certain content formats. As you build your brand, try to experiment with different types of content and platforms to engage your audience and stay relevant.
If you're a leader, empower and mentor young talents by sharing your knowledge and insights to help them build their personal brands and navigate their careers effectively.
Recognize the power of YouTube as a platform to share valuable insights, stories, and expertise, and consider incorporating video content into your strategy.
Quote of the Show:
"Personal branding has evolved over the past decade. Once upon a time, the leader was behind the corporate brand, and now I truly think the leader can step out in front …and lead the corporate brand." - Frances Reimers
Fabrice Houdart on Overcoming Self-Doubt to Influence the Boardroom
00:47:51
This week's episode features Fabrice Houdart, the Executive Director of the Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors. He explores his career dedicated to economic empowerment and advocacy for LGBTQ+ equality. Fabrice reflects on his transition from roles at organizations like the World Bank and the United Nations to founding initiatives aimed at increasing LGBTQ+ representation on corporate boards.
He discusses the challenges and successes of organizing underrepresented groups and offers insights into leadership and influence in corporate governance. The conversation also touches on his personal experiences with self-doubt and how he leverages platforms like Substack and LinkedIn to engage and inspire the community.
Takeaways:
Embrace Diversity for Better Outcomes: Ensure your leadership includes diverse voices (LGBTQ+, racial, ethnic, socioeconomic) as this can lead to better decision-making and outcomes. Representation is not just for the sake of it; diverse perspectives can provide unique solutions and innovations.
Be Authentic in Your Leadership Style: Leaders should find and embrace their own genuine style of influence rather than emulating a traditionally confrontational or aggressive approach. Authentic leadership fosters trust and loyalty.
Build a Supportive Board Culture: When creating or leading a board, involve people who bring different strengths and perspectives. Encourage a culture where voices are heard and valued, and work actively to remove barriers that have historically excluded underrepresented groups.
Leverage Influence Through Strategic Partnerships: Partner with other groups and allies who are focused on similar objectives. Interpersonal relationships between groups can enhance advocacy and impact. Cooperation over competition ensures progress for all underrepresented groups.
Consistent Communication Is Key: Regular and consistent communication through platforms like LinkedIn or Substack helps to build and maintain influence. Don’t underestimate the importance of staying connected and communicating your mission and values.
Seek and Value Diverse Opinions: In decision-making processes, involve a variety of voices to ensure broader perspectives and better-informed outcomes. Regularly seek advice and feedback from different stakeholders to improve your strategies and initiatives.
Acknowledge and Address Self-Doubt: Recognize that self-doubt is common and can be influenced by past experiences. Addressing it openly can be empowering and can help you move forward more confidently. Build a community or support network to help mitigate these feelings and reinforce your achievements.
Quote of the Show:
Starting to realize that people in leadership positions are actually people like us, and in many ways, they are not superhumans, really helped decrease my own self-doubt. Interacting with people in positions of leadership is what ultimately gave me more confidence in my own ability to lead."
Anthony Woods on Challenging Misconceptions & Promoting Inclusivity - Chief Influencer - Episode # 011
00:38:59
Anthony Woods is the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs. After serving two tours of duty in Iraq and earning a Bronze Star, Anthony was discharged from the US Army under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy. Through his work, and the work of many dedicated others, that law, which barred members of the LGBTQ community from serving openly in the military, was repealed and Anthony rejoined the US Army. Anthony shares the importance of using inclusive language when communicating with veterans, what to do to attract the next generation of leaders, and how his military service prepared him for a career in both the public and private sectors.
Takeaways:
To reach veterans where they are and to make the term “veteran” more representative of the full breadth of servicemen and women in this country, it is important to tell a broader range of stories that better reflect the experiences of everyone that has served.
The widely held stereotype of a military veteran as a straight, white male that saw frontline combat is not wholly representative of the diversity of the men and women of all races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations that have sacrificed for the United States.
One way to overcome this stereotype is by asking, “Have you served?” instead of “Are you a veteran?”. In particular, many women who have served in the military don’t think of themselves as “veterans” because of the connotations associated with that term.
Only approximately 40% of female veterans utilize at least one of the benefits available to them, which they earned through their uniformed service.
Companies competing for talent need to know that potential Gen Z job applicants value authenticity and can easily sense when being pandered to. This means that pictures of diverse groups of employees or promises about DEI on a company website won’t hold much weight in the minds of this generation. Companies need to make real efforts to back up their commitments.
For those that are hesitant toward promoting themselves or their work, Tony’s advice is to focus on promoting their team or organization and the work they are doing. Promoting the great work of your team is a critical way to grow support for broader organizational goals among new and existing audiences.
Quote of the Show:
“Take those calculated risks, do what you think is right, and if it doesn't work out, you'll bounce back.” - Tony Woods
Monica Goldson on Communicating Effectively with Every Stakeholder - Chief Influencer - (Re-Air)
00:50:30
This week, we are revisiting a remarkable Chief Influencer—Dr. Monica Goldson, a dedicated educator and visionary leader whose unwavering commitment to improving her community has earned her widespread recognition. Dr. Goldson is the former CEO of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, one of the largest school districts in the nation.
We are thrilled to congratulate her on her new role as President & CEO of Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, a dynamic nonprofit organization that is transforming the lives of youth in the D.C. Metro area. Through hands-on education in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship, Junior Achievement is equipping the next generation with the tools they need to succeed.
Key Takeaways:
As a leader, you need to identify the stakeholders that you need to reach and the communication channels and formats that each prefers. For instance, Dr. Goldson’s students primarily use Twitter and Instagram, so that’s how she alerts them of timely news or shares relevant messaging. Parents or teachers, on the other hand, rely on other forms of communication. To reach them, Dr. Goldson and her team use a wide range of tools including a weekly newsletter, automated phone messages, and “town hall” style meetings via telephone.
One example of how Dr. Goldson embraced two-way communication with stakeholders is the town-hall-style meetings she held with parents through the pandemic. By doing this, she could share the latest school-health updates, field questions from parents, and bring on doctors to educate parents on pandemic-related health issues.
The message is just as important as the medium. Leaders should tailor their message according to what each group of stakeholders needs.
When you are communicating with your stakeholders, it’s important to remember that you need to listen. Make sure that people feel heard and are able to ask questions freely. This openness is a building block of trust in your relationship with them.
Consistency is also key to building trust. When you communicate consistently, people know what to expect from you, when to expect it, and through which channel.
You will not always be the most impactful voice for sharing certain messages with a given group. For example, Dr. Goldson realized when discussing certain topics, such as drug abuse, students are more likely to listen to fellow students. This led to an effective student-made video outlining the dangers of using drugs.
Don’t run from the media. Media outlets can be powerful allies to have in your corner as you lead your organization. Remember that media outlets do not only focus on negative stories; when you do something great, especially for others, reach out to see if there is interest amongst broadcasters in covering it.
Quote of the Show:
“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” - Monica Goldson
Jennifer Sirangelo on The Power of Listening - Chief Influencer - Episode # 036
00:48:19
Jennifer Sirangelo is the President & CEO of Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, which mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. She is the recipient of the Gold Stevie® Female Executive of the Year Award for women in business and was named to Fast Company’s annual list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business. She is a member of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women and the Forbes Nonprofit Council. Additionally, Jennifer serves as a Council Chair for the America 250 Foundation and is a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow. Jennifer joins host Anthony Shop to discuss the power of personalized stakeholder engagement, cultivating a listening culture, and adapting strategies for cultural and civic engagement.
Takeaways:
Personalize experiences for your stakeholders, from board members to employees. Understand their preferences, respond according to their unique needs, and involve them in the activities that suit them best. This will enable better engagement and align their efforts with your organization's mission.
Promote a culture of listening within your organization. Allow space and time for staff members to voice their thoughts, ideas, and concerns openly. This can foster a more inclusive, appreciated, and engaged team.
Embrace opportunities to learn from external trends, technologies, and demographic changes. It is critical to understand the specific needs of Millennials and Gen Z and how they shape the future of culture and civic engagement.
Personal touches, such as handwritten notes, phone calls, and dedicated one-on-one time, can significantly impact personal and professional relationships. These small personal touches often carry more weight, even in an increasingly digital world.
As a leader, develop and trust your instincts. Don't dismiss your gut feelings, especially when they warn you about potential issues or guide you in making decisions.
Lia Haberman on Building A Potent Personal Brand - Chief Influencer - Episode # 030
00:49:20
Lia Haberman is a digital marketing expert, strategist, and speaker who is best known for her popular newsletter, In Case You Missed It. She has amassed nearly 20,000 subscribers across Substack and LinkedIn by sharing industry trends and insights in an easily digestible and entertaining format. Lia is also a lecturer for UCLA Extension's leadership management communications programs and corporate education courses. Lia and Host Anthony Shop discuss building your personal brand as a thought leader, how to share insights online as an introvert, and the keys to creating a great newsletter.
Takeaways:
As a business leader, it's crucial to embrace personal branding. A unique and strong personal brand helps distinguish you, resonates with your audience, and amplifies your influence. In the long run, putting effort into shaping your online narrative pays off.
Consider utilizing newsletters as a part of your personal branding strategy. Newsletters allow direct interaction with your audience, providing them with regular, digestible content, and building community.
Any effective newsletter must have these three elements: consistency, brevity, and audience awareness.
Newsletters must be published regularly so the audience can depend on them.
The content needs to be brief or presented in a way that’s easy to understand.
Above all, the content should cater to the audience's specific needs, providing them with valuable insights and updates that assist them in decision-making or staying informed.
Make sure to choose the right platform to reach your audience. Explore LinkedIn and Substack for their robust visibility and user-friendly nature. Consider platforms like WhatsApp if your audience is international. Make sure the platform aligns with your brand and meets your audience where they are.
Quote of the Show:
“Just announcing the news is no longer enough. You have to bring a point of view.” - Lia Haberman
Highlights from Robert Krueger’s Favorite Episodes - Chief Influencer - Episode # 021
00:44:00
In this special episode of Chief Influencer, Rober Krueger, Executive Director of The Communications Board joins the show to highlight some of the key insights and common threads that our amazing guests have shared in their conversations with Host Anthony Shop. We hope you enjoy this curated selection of moments from each of our first twenty episodes!
Takeaways:
Take a hands-on approach to your social media presence and activity. Avoid simply handing over the keys to someone else. By logging in, liking, and engaging personally, you can maintain authenticity and connect with your audience.
The message is just as important as the medium. Leaders should tailor their message according to what each group of stakeholders needs.
“It's important for people to have a sense of the ability to reach their government, to reach levers of whatever degree of power and to actually have an interaction there” - Rob Sand
As noted by Secretary Tony Woods, to reach veterans where they are and to make the term “veteran” more representative of the full breadth of servicemen and women in this country, it is important to tell a broader range of stories that better reflect the experiences of everyone that has served. This lesson can apply to other communities as well.
“It's not just a numbers game, it's also a quality game” - Katie Harbath
“We were kids of immigrants yesterday. We're kids of immigrants today, and we'll be kids of immigrants tomorrow. We knew that wouldn't change.” - Daniel Buezo. For Daniel and his team, this quote signifies the pride they have in identifying as the children of immigrants. They embrace this fact, regardless of the highs and lows, because it is part of what makes them unique.
Put faith in people who society may have left behind. Your feelings towards someone should not be based entirely on the worst thing they’ve done, nor should they be based entirely on the best deed they’ve ever performed.
“I believe the best way to influence either in a small way or in a large way, is to approach everything with a servant's heart.” - Sharon McBride
The keys to making a difference are identifying the key “protagonists” and leaders within a community or group, understanding the different influential nodes within the community where these leaders cross paths, and discovering which specific levers can be used to result in different behavioral outcomes.
Stacey Hanke on Influencing Monday To Monday - Chief Influencer - Episode # 013
00:46:06
Stacey Hanke is a renowned orator, speaking coach, and Owner of Stacey Hanke, Inc. Stacey is also the Author of two books, Influence Redefined and Yes You Can!: Everything You Need From A to Z to Influence Others to Take Action. Stacey helps leaders become more effective communicators, build trust, and drive engagement. In her conversation with Host Anthony Shop, Stacey defines what it means to communicate with influence “Monday to Monday,” the connection between great speakers and Michael Jordan, and how to address the three communication issues that cause most problems in business.
Takeaways:
Communicating with influence Monday to Monday requires consistency in your body language and messaging across environments. That means you show up in the same way regardless of the setting. Your verbal and non-verbal communication is authentically you, whether you’re in a virtual or in-person environment.
If you act differently to others in one setting than you do when in another, those around you will begin to question your authenticity, thereby undermining your credibility as a leader with influence.
If you are leading a meeting, your job is to ensure your listeners understand your message and to motivate them to take action. One of the best ways to ensure you accomplish both parts of your job is by embracing brevity.
A cornerstone of building and growing trust is staying connected with the individuals in your audience anytime you’re speaking, whether it's virtual or in person. You should only be speaking when you're connecting with a pair of eyes. This allows you as the communicator to stay focused and constantly read your listeners to make sure that they feel personally involved in the conversation, which is crucial to keep them attentive, engaged, and connected.
Becoming a great communicator and an impactful influencer is similar to becoming a professional athlete. How? Through constantly practicing and making the most of every opportunity, you have to get feedback on your speaking progress. Build time into your schedule to practice every day.
Most problems that arise in companies are caused by either a lack of communication, communicating the wrong message, or using non-verbal body language distracting from the verbal message.
Quote of the Show:
“Communicate with influence, Monday to Monday. Every interaction is an opportunity to practice." - Stacey Hanke
In this special episode of Chief Influencer, we wanted to highlight some of the key insights that our amazing guests have shared in their conversations with Host Anthony Shop. We hope you enjoy this curated selection of moments from each of our first eleven episodes!
A Few Key Takeaways:
“I believe all people need to have that voice and all people need to feel seen and represented from a stage.” - Luke Frazier, Founder and Music Director of The American Pops Orchestra - Episode #001
When you discover a new insight, it’s better to share it freely with others rather than hide it behind a paywall. As you become a source of knowledge, your influence in your niche will expand. Even if your competitors draw from your research, it only shows the value of your work.
Take a hands-on approach to your social media presence and activity. Avoid simply handing over the keys to someone else. By logging in, liking, and engaging personally, you can maintain authenticity and connect with your audience.
Many public-facing leaders avoid going live with their constituents as they are afraid of making a mistake and tarnishing their image. When Rob Sand, Iowa State Auditor, live-streams, he focuses on being himself, something that people really connect with.
Leaders need to be storytellers every day of their lives, throughout meetings, introductions, etc. To be a great storyteller, you must be clear, concise, and compelling. Your stories should convey what you’re doing, what you want to make, and who you are.
“Thrive because of who you are, not despite it” - Danica Roem, Member of the Virginia House of Delegates - Episode #007
Put faith in people who society may have left behind. Your feelings towards someone should not be based entirely on the worst thing they’ve done, nor should they be based entirely on the best deed they’ve ever performed.
“If there's not a seat for you at the table, grab a chair” - Nedra Dickson, Managing Director and Global Supplier Inclusion & Sustainability Lead at Accenture - Episode #005
Brooks Bell on Leading from Behind to Prevent Cancer - Chief Influencer - Episode # 063
00:42:33
In today’s episode host Anthony Shop introduces Brooks Bell, a technology entrepreneur who shifted her career focus after being diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at age 38. Brooks founded Lead From Behind, a campaign powered by the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, aimed at destigmatizing colonoscopies through celebrity awareness, significantly increasing public participation in the screening.
She also discusses her new venture, Worldclass Clothing, designed to make colonoscopies more approachable and funding procedures for underinsured communities. The conversation highlights the importance of early detection, effective health communication, and leveraging humor and celebrity influence in public health campaigns.
Takeaways:
Identify Influencers: When promoting an initiative, identify key influencers whose personal stories or backgrounds align with your cause. This can significantly enhance the credibility and reach of your campaign. For example, the success of having Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney involved in the colonoscopy campaign shows the impact celebrities can have in normalizing and promoting essential but often stigmatized procedures.
Leverage Personal Stories: Personal experiences can be powerful advocacy tools. Brooks Bell used her diagnosis of stage 3 colon cancer to inspire and educate others about colon health. Leaders should explore how personal stories within their organization or community can be leveraged to advance their mission.
Stay Informed and Adapt Regulations: Awareness of regulatory changes is crucial. For instance, the change in the recommended screening age for colonoscopies from 50 to 45 in 2021 highlights the importance of staying informed about updates. This allows leaders to make timely and relevant adjustments in their advocacy and policies.
Rebrand for Broader Appeal: Sometimes, a new brand or sub-brand can effectively reach a wider audience. Brooks Bell's insight to create Lead From Behind, a brand that doesn't mention colon, rectal, or cancer, made the message more appealing to healthy individuals who might not typically engage with cancer-related content.
Highlight Positive Outcomes: Emphasizing the positive results of an action can encourage participation. For example, informing people that their colonoscopy showed no signs of disease means they won't have to think about it for another decade can motivate them to get screened. Leaders can highlight these long-term benefits to promote engagement.
Collaborate with Experts: Collaborations with agencies or experts in branding and public relations can significantly enhance a campaign. The partnership with Maximum Effort, a film production company owned by Ryan Reynolds, to build and launch Lead From Behind demonstrates how expert involvement can create a strong, recognizable brand.
Quote of the Show:
"Cancer is sad and scary. Before my diagnosis, recognizing my mindset then, that's the audience we need to reach. We had to create something people would wear that's funny and energizes the cause without making them uncomfortable.
The Awkward Conversation That Led to My Colon Cancer Diagnosis at Age 38: https://www.today.com/health/essay
04 Dec 2024
The Power of Listening: Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr. on Influencing Organizations, Transforming Systems, and Shaping Public Policy
01:00:36
In this interview, Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr., CEO of the American Psychological Association (APA), reflects on his career and contributions to the nation’s approach to mental health. He discusses his public policy background and tenure as Commissioner of Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services.
Dr. Evans stresses the importance of redefining mental health as a universal issue that affects everyone, not just those with diagnosed conditions. He shares strategies for influencing policymakers and the public, advocates for community-based solutions, and highlights innovative approaches like using murals to reduce stigma.
Dr. Evans also explores the role of technology in improving psychological practices and promoting psychologically healthy workplaces for all. The conversation highlights APA's increasing/growing shift to outward-facing initiatives, leveraging psychological science to address societal challenges. Dr. Evans concludes by offering insights on organizational growth, adapting messaging while staying true to core values, and the role of inspiration in leadership.
Takeaways:
Use Knowledge to Address Societal Issues: Leverage your organization's expertise and data to tackle pressing societal issues. Ensure that your actions align with your field's core mission and values, as this alignment can increase stakeholder engagement.
Build Necessary Infrastructure: Success stems from having the right infrastructure in place. Organizations should be designed to achieve desired outcomes, which often means setting up mechanisms for rapid research dissemination and effective communication to stakeholders.
Measure Impact with Clear Metrics: Track the effectiveness of your initiatives by looking at practical measures such as media mentions, partnerships formed, and the degree to which others use your information. This helps in validating the success and outreach of your initiatives.
Communicate Based on Facts, Not Emotions: Especially in politically charged environments, it’s crucial to present information objectively and grounded in solid data. This approach lends credibility to your work and helps maintain a long-term, bipartisan influence.
Promote a Healthy Work Environment: Implement policies that focus on employee well-being, such as regular mental health days, and utilize employee feedback, such as surveys. Encouraging employees to genuinely take time off and address their stressors can vastly improve workplace health and productivity.
Engage and Listen to the Community: Actively participate in community events and listen to both their needs and their ideas for solutions. This approach ensures that your policies and initiatives are rooted in the real, lived experiences of the communities you aim to serve.
Inspire Your Team: Keep your team motivated by regularly connecting their daily tasks to the larger organizational mission. Signing off communications with encouraging messages, such as 'stay inspired,' helps maintain a motivated and engaged workforce.
Quote of the Show:
“Inherent in every community is the wisdom to solve its own problems. When you listen to communities, hear what their issues are, and their understanding of the solutions, you get some very innovative solutions.”
Silvia Taylor on Championing Science and Staying the Course - Chief Influencer - Episode # 086
00:43:14
In this episode of Chief Influencer host Anthony Shop sits down with Silvia Taylor, Executive Vice President, Chief Corporate Affairs and Advocacy Officer at Novavax, a leading biotechnology company.
Silvia shares her wealth of experience in marketing, communications, and branding within the healthcare industry. She takes us through her work in creating innovative marketing strategies, securing financing, and advancing groundbreaking products like inhaled insulin and flu vaccines.
Silvia also dives into Novavax’s swift development of a COVID-19 vaccine, underscoring the importance of clear, consistent messaging and combating misinformation in the healthcare space. She discusses the need for tailored communication for diverse audiences, the role of effective internal communication, and the significant impact of mentorship in her career. Silvia wraps up by looking ahead to the future of healthcare, highlighting the importance of industry preparedness and collaboration for overcoming global health challenges.
Takeaways:
Stay Consistent with Messaging: The importance of maintaining a consistent message across all communication channels cannot be overstated. A consistent message builds trust among stakeholders—employees, consumers, investors, and the general public. It's vital to ensure that your team is on the same page and speaks with one voice.
Understand Your Audience: Customizing your message for different audiences is key to effective communication. Know where your audience is coming from, what they need to hear, and what their concerns and fears might be. This enables you to tailor your message in a way that resonates with them.
Harness the Power of Internal Communication: Your employees are your most important messengers. Equip them with the knowledge and understanding of the company’s mission, vision and values so they can effectively convey them externally. Internal communication is crucial for aligning the team and ensuring consistent external communication.
Embrace Change and Innovation: Introducing new and disruptive technologies requires clear and compelling communication. Articulate why the change is necessary and how it benefits both the organization and its stakeholders. Use innovative approaches to capture attention and convey your message.
Leverage Diverse Perspectives: Diversity in thought, background, and experience enriches decision-making and problem-solving processes. Champion diverse voices within your organization to foster a more inclusive environment and generate comprehensive solutions.
Address Misinformation Proactively: In an age of widespread misinformation, it’s vital to proactively communicate credible, science-backed information. Identify and address common misconceptions directly while staying true to your core message and values.
Mentorship and Continuous Learning: Invest in mentorship programs to build the next generation of leaders. Mentor others by helping them identify and work on their career development goals. This not only helps individuals grow but also strengthens the organization as a whole by fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.
Quote of the Show:
“Consistency in message builds trust, even in times of rapid change. Stay the course, at the end of the day we’re championing science and we’re championing the things people can do to keep themselves and their loved ones well.”
Emma Wade-Smith on using Social Media in Global Diplomacy - Chief Influencer - Episode # 006
00:39:48
Emma Wade-Smith is His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America and Consul General in New York representing the United Kingdom. Emma shares how to leverage social media platforms to transform your personal and professional brand while remaining authentic, increasing engagement, and spreading positive messaging.
Takeaways:
Take a hands-on approach to your social media presence and activity. Avoid simply handing over the keys to someone else. By logging in, liking, and engaging personally, you can maintain authenticity and connect with your audience.
Find the right balance between personal and professional in your social media content. Some things are better shared from a personal account than a company account. For example, leveraging personal interests like football while delivering the message.
Understand the strengths and characteristics of each social media platform. LinkedIn works well for longer-lasting, substantive content, while Twitter is more news-oriented and in-the-moment. Tailor your messages and formats accordingly.
Major industry events can be leveraged as prime opportunities to connect with targeted people and convey important messages. These events provide a platform to engage with senior officials and decision-makers who may otherwise be difficult to reach.
Great social media content is a team sport. Work closely with your content producers, marketing, and communications teams to brainstorm ideas, leverage their expertise, and create engaging content together.
Focus on highlighting positive stories, successful investments, and the impact of your work. Use social media to showcase the extraordinary things people and companies are doing, even during challenging times.
Stay true to your personality and let your enthusiasm and energy shine through your social media presence. Connect with your audience by sharing your passion for the work you do, engaging them with your genuine interest and enjoyment.
Quote of the Show:
“It was really important to me, right from the very start, that people got a sense of who I am and the passion and the energy that I personally bring to the role” - Emma Wade-Smith
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