Gracious & Strong

How do you define giving? It's that time of year when we're all focused on giving – holiday gift-giving, charitable donations, or even giving of your time to serve an organization that is meaningful to you. This season makes us feel more connected to one another. And if you're like me, you've realized that COVID has also caused us to reprioritize and place focus on what matters to us most. Today on the Gracious & Strong Podcast, I am addressing this important topic about Giving Strategy. The act of giving can feel overwhelming with so many opportunities to give and serve, and it takes time to determine where and how to plug in and feel connected in a way that feels right to you and makes the most impact to those in need. Listen in today to Episode 13 as I share a formula for finding the right cause and getting started! I'm sharing 6 steps that will help you start creating your giving journey, as you think about how you can leave a legacy with organizations that matter to you most.

I'm thrilled to share that Part Two of my conversation with Ann Bordelon is now live. Ann is a long-time colleague and friend, and she currently serves as Vice Chancellor Finance and Administration at the University of Arkansas.  In our interview, Ann opens up about her personal story and how she's found great success on her CFO journey navigating various roles and organizations, complex situations, and different industries. Throughout her journey she has made significant impact through her influence in organizations including Walmart, Sam's Club, Ernst & Young, Mitchell, and ultimately, her alma mater - the University of Arkansas. In today's episode, she shares her perspective on: how important alignment and collaboration is within an organization - and tips on creating great alignment at all levels the concept of managerial courage as a key leadership competency developing the next generation of leaders through broadening experiences and championing intentional representation It was a true pleasure to have her join me for this two-part series. If you happened to miss Part 1, listen here. Thanks to Ann for joining me for this important conversation. 

Today kicks off the Part One of an interview with a person I consider one of the most confident, candid and smart leaders I know. Ann Bordelon is currently the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at the University of Arkansas - an ideal leadership role she has achieved following a track record of significantly impacting organizations large and small - both stateside and internationally.  The best thing about my conversation with Ann is the candor and realness she shared. She is as straightforward and as authentic of a leader as any business could dream of - and she's the first to roll up her sleeves and dive into learning a new business in order to improve organizational health.  Ann joins me today to talk about her journey through numerous financial roles leading to her success and impact as a CFO. Her career began as auditor in Little Rock before moving to Northwest Arkansas where she has served in roles at Walmart Inc (CFO of Sam's Club, CFO of Walmart Asia, and SVP of Finance & Strategy for Walmart US), stops at a variety of organizations along the way including Tyson Foods, Mitchell and even a startup company - a career that catapulted when she realized her ability to impact results through her breadth of vision, perspective and influence as a senior leader. This interview was full of a-ha moments for me and I hope you'll find a few inspiring takeaways, as well.  More specifically, Ann shares: the formula she uses for learning a business and how that curiosity has served her through financial roles in a wide range of industries some of the most pivotal moments of her career - particularly an unexpected one that changed her leadership story as she knew it her wisdom about the importance of clarity and how that impacts a team or leader's success her commitment to building relationships at every level of a company Join us for Part 1 of our conversation today. I know you'll enjoy hearing Ann's story as much as I enjoyed visiting with her. Hope you can join us for Part 2 next time.

What's the one thing you prioritize most in your leadership role? If it's not talent strategy, it should be! Leaders today are experiencing a war for talent - and retaining the right talent. And particularly in the HR/People space, talent and hiring decisions will always reflect on you, which is why I actually consider it the most critical responsibility for a leader. It's the most important asset you can have as an individual, leader and organization and finding the right talent should be the core goal as we're defined by the quality, success and growth of the talent we attract. I've thought about what I would change about my early leadership skills and priorities, if I could do it all over again. So today, I'm sharing those tips and stories about being a talent contributor instead of a talent user, including:  How you can distinguish yourself as the right talent Principles for staying relevant in a world of vast change Leadership competencies to keep in mind as you navigate the current talent war - no matter which side you're on. Over the next few months, I'll be introducing you to a few of the most talented leaders I've had the privilege to know and learn from. I'd love to hear from you about where you are on your talent journey. Hope you'll join me for this episode!

How can leaders go from being successful to significant? Today on the Gracious & Stong podcast, we're covering a topic that can be a real game-changer for you -- creating a personal mission statement. For me, a mission statement has been my North Star in both my professional and personal life, keeping me on track throughout the peaks and unexpected left turns. I'm confident having your own version can do the same for you. In this episode, we'll cover four steps to forming and living out your mission statement.  You'll discover:  The 7 Fs of the value system and which ones are most important to you Your “why” and what it means for your present and future The secret formula to writing your own mission statement How to take action on your statement  I hope this inspires you to create or reevaluate a mission statement that is noble and worthy of your leadership journey. 

What are the things that are holding you back as a leader? The concept of fear is very real and can be paralyzing, but courage is key when it comes to individuals understanding themselves - understanding their gifts, standing up for their beliefs, using their voice, and adapting in the face of adversity.  I was invited to speak at last week's Women in the Marketplace Connect event as we discussed the topic of overcoming self-limiting beliefs by leaning into our faith. This organization equips women to confidently grow in their faith and career by investing in faith-based resources, creating fellowship and impacting communities. In this episode, we'll cover:  What it means to lead in both your faith and your work Understanding your belief windows (limiters vs. catalysts) and techniques to face them head-on Focusing on your relationship with God and using the gifts you've been given by Him to the fullest Leading for YOU and no one else (not even your boss) I even share a story about the time I was ‘taken out to the trash cans' by my boss I'd love to have you join me on the podcast this week. No matter where you stand in your faith journey, I hope this encourages and inspires you to challenge any fears or limiting beliefs you may face and use them as catalysts - not limiters - to help you realize the authentic and resilient leader within you. If you're interested in learning more about Women in the Marketplace, you can visit www.womeninmarketplace.net. 

I'm thrilled to share that Part 2 of my interview with Gisel Ruiz is now live. In this episode, Gisel shares insight on what fuels her drive to succeed and overcome very real and challenging obstacles. We will also dive deeper into her Latina heritage and how that empowered her throughout her 26-year career as she took on roles including EVP and COO at Walmart US, EVP of People at Walmart International, and EVP and COO at Sam's Club.  She shares her thoughts on:   > How the odds her family faced instilled in her the resilience needed to overcome her own challenges as a Fortune 1 leader,    > The role active listening played in navigating her executive career at Walmart,  > Surrounding yourself with great talent by hiring people who are better than you,    > And how to empower your team to know and live out their value and purpose. This is truly a moving episode, and I hope you'll gain insight from her wisdom. If you missed Part 1, I invite you to listen in.

I'm back with a brand new episode for you this week featuring one of my friends and former colleagues, Gisel Ruiz. If you don't know Gisel, she is not only an authentic and insightful woman but an accomplished globally minded leader who recently retired from a 26-year career with Walmart, Inc. Gisel and I had such a great conversation, I've decided to break this episode into two parts so you can fully focus and digest all the nuggets of information. For starters, she shares stories from her journey from a Walmart store manager to the corporate office and the insights she gained along the way. We also talk about her Latina heritage and the lessons she learned growing up as the daughter of two field workers who became small business owners. More specifically, she shares:   > the importance of listening to and valuing the gifts of others as a leader   > how she never saw the odds as being stacked against her but rather in her favor   > how she found harmony between home life and work life I know you'll enjoy hearing from Gisel as much as I enjoyed sitting down with her for this conversation. Join us for Part 1 of our conversation today. Hope you can join us for Part 2 next time. 

This week's episode comes straight from the heart as we prepare to celebrate Mother's Day and the crucial role mothers play in our lives. In honor of this special day, I've asked the most important person in my life to join me in one of the most candid discussions I've yet to have on the podcast. That person is of course, my daughter, Kyndall Swanson. She is my greatest joy and this is truly a special and insightful conversation. We sat down and asked each other very real questions and gave very honest answers on what it was like for each of us to navigate the nuances of work, life, parenting and leadership. More specifically, we share: what it was like for Kyndall to have both a career-minded mom and a stay-at-home dad how we managed to inspire one another to be stronger, more resilient women insight on how to navigate your role either as a parent, daughter/son, or member of a strong family

As we continue to re-enter the workplace, it's evident that things simply won't be the same as we once knew. One of the biggest differentiators among leaders is resilience -- the ability to bounce back from setbacks.    I recently was invited to speak to students and industry leaders at Western Michigan University's virtual 55th Annual Food Marketing Conference, “Thriving in the Age of Uncertainty”. I spoke on one of my most relevant and most-requested topics – Mastering Change. This time, I put extra focus on a couple of topics resonating with leaders now more than ever.   In today's episode of the Gracious & Strong podcast, I'm sharing an excerpt from the conference where I examine two emerging leadership concepts: Resilience and Psychological Safety.   Here's a preview of what we'll discuss: Positive influences of resilience on work satisfaction, engagement (and even your own health and wellness) Finding ways to excel and learn in “untested” situations 5 skilled (and less-skilled) behaviors of resilient people The power of our support systems Creating an environment of empathy, conducive to growth We've all experienced likely the biggest setback of our lifetime, but it's given us the opportunity to set ourselves apart as leaders who consider the needs of our teams, and not just ourselves.

As the nation turns a corner with vaccinations and corporate America slowly reopens, we as leaders are faced with a wave of decision making about how to remain safe as we return to the workplace and embrace what is to come. That is why our ability to master change and make sense as we re-engage in the face of uncertainty will be absolutely critical. Today's podcast is all about ‘Six Strategies for Mastering Change and Building More Resilience', which is the #1 issue I'm asked to speak about and, of course, it's top of mind as we experienced the past year.  We'll dive into: The six steps for mastering disruptive change Three core assets of the most resilient leaders and best determining your level of resilience  How to combat the greatest enemy to growth -- complacency I also share a story about how we identified top leaders within the talent development division at Walmart U.S. based on six core leadership competencies. The tables are turning. Can you feel it? Are you ready for it?

I recently had a fireside chat with the team at Bic Company during their North America town hall event. Their focus for Women's History Month was to hear from women who were the 'firsts' in their company and/or their industry. In this episode, I share some of the good, the bad and the ugly of the hard-right decisions and sacrifices that were made by both myself and my family. I even share thoughts about the very abrupt experience of losing my husband to a sudden heart attack at the height of my career. As you listen, we'll walk through: What to do when you keep hitting a glass ceiling Work-life integration (because I DON'T believe in balance) The good and bad impacts of moving to a virtual workplace model How organizations can revamp their pipelines to ensure their best talent reaches the top Should women self-promote themselves to reach the top? (you may be surprised by my answer to this one) How to break through your most captive limiting beliefs

The unknown can manifest itself in so many ways. During my career at Walmart Inc. - I led teams through seven CEO transitions under the most scrutinizing circumstances. Each new CEO brought their own priorities and leadership style. Some came from inside the company and culture; some joined from the outside. In every case, there was disruption and a sense of insecurity as we all adjusted to the new leader. So, for the very first episode of my new Gracious & Strong podcast, I've chosen to kick off with one of my favorite topics - The Gracious and Strong Mindset. I'll unpack how the very best and most compelling leaders use this mindset to ignite a sense of purpose within themselves and those around them. I even share a very personal experience of how I faced the unknown after I was diagnosed with COVID-19, which I am thankfully fully recovered from.