Podcast appearances and mentions of jennifer mccollum

In this episode, Andy Lopata revisits his conversation with Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Catalyst and author of In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO. Their conversation explores the unique challenges women face in advancing their careers, emphasising the critical role of sponsorship over mentorship. Jennifer shares personal and professional insights on how external biases often become internalised, holding women back from advocating for themselves. She highlights the importance of visibility, self-promotion, and making bold asks as key drivers of career progression. Andy and Jennifer discuss allyship—especially male allyship—and what it looks like at different levels of an organisation. They emphasise that allyship isn't just about grand gestures; small actions, such as giving credit where it's due or amplifying someone's voice in a meeting, can make a big difference. Their conversation also touches on the “third shift” burden placed on women to lead DEI efforts and the need to share that responsibility across all genders. Jennifer outlines four levers organisations can use to drive equity: inclusive culture, equitable talent systems, executive commitment, and targeted leadership development. The episode closes with reflections on authenticity in leadership and the value of diverse perspectives in reshaping outdated narratives around gender and success. Key Takeaways: 1. Sponsorship > Mentorship: Sponsors open doors and advocate actively, while mentors offer advice—women especially need sponsors to access opportunities. 2. Internalised Bias: Women often downplay their worth, believing hard work alone will lead to advancement—this mindset must be challenged. 3. Allyship Matters: Men can be powerful allies by amplifying women's voices, mentoring, and sponsoring talent. 4. Systemic Change Required: Organisations must address culture, talent systems, leadership development, and executive accountability to support gender equity. 5. Authentic Leadership: Success doesn't require women (or men) to conform to outdated masculine stereotypes—being authentic drives performance and belonging. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | Youtube Connect with Jennifer McCollum: X/Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram Podcast: Navigating Imposter Syndrome With Sajna Rahman and Caroline Flanagan Book: Business Networking and Sex: Not What You Think Book: Beyond the Boys' Club: Achieving Career Success as a Woman Working in a Male Dominated Field  

"

In this episode of the Connected Leadership Podcast, Andy Lopata's guest is Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Catalyst, a NY-based nonprofit focused on accelerating progress for women in the workplace. Andy and Jennifer discuss issues of gender equality, professional relationships, and ally ship in the workplace. Jennifer McCollum is on a mission to create better leaders and workplaces by advancing women and promoting inclusivity. She's an accomplished CEO, speaker, and consultant, and the author of the new book "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO." Using data and personal stories Jennifer sheds light on the unique challenges women face on their journey to leadership and providie actionable insights for aspiring leaders and organisations. Jennifer was the first female CEO at Linkage, a global leadership development firm dedicated to "Changing the Face of Leadership." Jennifer also shares insights from her journey to CEO, reflecting on the challenges faced by women in the corporate world, including pay inequity and the internalisation of external biases. She emphasises the importance of recognising one's value, advocating for oneself, and making bold requests to advance in leadership roles. The conversation examines the concept of ally ship, highlighting the role of sponsors in supporting women's advancement. Jennifer explains that while mentorship provides guidance and advice, sponsorship goes further by leveraging influence and networks to create opportunities for advancement. Andy and Jennifer explore the nuances of ally ship, emphasising the need for men to actively support women in the workplace. They discuss the importance of men recognising and amplifying women's contributions, as well as stepping up as sponsors and advocates. The importance of surrounding oneself with diverse talents and viewpoints to expand opportunities is another important area for discussion.  Andy and Jennifer emphasise the importance of creating a culture of inclusion and equity, measuring and ensuring fairness in talent systems, and gaining executive commitment to sponsorship and ally ship. Jennifer emphasises that these efforts not only benefit marginalised groups but also enhance the organisation as a whole. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of transparency and accessibility in formal sponsorship programmes, integrating them into the organisation's DNA for meaningful impact. Jennifer stresses the mutually beneficial nature of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, enriching not only the organisation but also the individuals involved. Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | Youtube Connect with Jennifer Mccollum: X/Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram Podcast: Navigating Imposter Syndrome With Sajna Rahman and Caroline Flanagan Book: Business Networking and Sex: Not What You Think Book: Beyond the Boys' Club: Achieving Career Success as a Woman Working in a Male Dominated Field  

Get ready to be inspired by Jennifer McCollum, President and CEO of Catalyst, as she reveals the blueprint for women's ascent to leadership roles. In this conversation with host Natalie Benamou, Jennifer talks about her book "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO," offering practical advice for women aiming for the top and the organizations championing their cause.In this conversation, Jennifer differentiates between mentorship and sponsorship and why we need male allies. Key TakeawaysWomen must be comfortable engaging men in their networks for allyship, mentorship, or sponsorship. Organizations need to recognize and amplify women's contributions in meetings and address the 'third shift' to create more equitable workplaces. AI tools may help reduce the burden of office housework traditionally falling on women. Sponsorship often cannot be requested but is earned, whereas mentorship can be a mutual and beneficial relationship cultivated over time. It is vital for C-suite executives, particularly men who hold the majority of leadership positions, to engage in creating a supportive environment for women leaders.1. "Leadership is a collective journey, shaped by mentors and sponsors, crucial for turning aspirations into achievements." - Jennifer McCollum on women's support systems in leadership.2. "Gender equality isn't just morally right; it's essential for business. Organizations flourish by utilizing their diverse talent." - Jennifer McCollum on the necessity of gender equity in business.3. "Inclusive leadership requires intentional actions, accountability, and commitment to ensure everyone's voice is heard and everyone can succeed." - Jennifer McCollum on inclusive leadership and gender equality.As we take in the wealth of knowledge shared by Jennifer McCollum, it becomes clear that empowering women to the top is not merely a matter of individual ambition. It requires a collective effort to transform corporate culture, to engage men as allies and sponsors, and to implement practical strategies that address the unique challenges faced by women in leadership.Thank you Jennifer McCollum for being a featured guest today. We especially appreciate HerCsuite® member Mylene Barizo for introducing us. You can meet amazing leaders like Mylene inside HerCsuite® network.This podcast is sponsored by HerCsuite® leadership memberships. Learn more at HerCsuite.comAbout Jennifer McCollum, President & CEO, CatalystJennifer McCollum is on a mission to create better leaders and workplaces, by advancing women and promoting inclusivity. She's an accomplished CEO, speaker and consultant, and the author of the new book "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO." This book uses data and personal stories to shed light on the unique challenges women face on their journey to leadership, providing actionable insights for aspiring leaders and organizations. Jennifer was the first female CEO at Linkage, a global leadership development firm dedicated to "Changing the Face of Leadership." With over 25 years of experience building teams and organizations, she has a unique talent for crafting powerful visions and inspiring teams to turn them into reality. Her expertise includes how to close the gap to gender equity; why the most effective leaders are inclusive leaders; and how to demystify inclusion for leaders and organizations. Effective April 2024, Jennifer becomes the new President & CEO of Catalyst, a global nonprofit organization focused on gender equity and workplace inclusion. Resources:LinkedIn  Website: www.jenmccollum.com •       Facebook: Jennifer.mccollum.58 •       Instagram: @jennifersmccollum •       X: @J_McCollum1Book: In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of LeadershipHerCsuite®HerCsuite® on LinkedInNatalie Benamou on LinkedIn

Hear how we can all embrace the notion of productization, not fear it Today I bring to you an exceptional businesswoman and innovator whom I would also call a futurist, Eisha Tierney Armstrong. Eisha specializes in helping B2B companies transform their customized services into more scalable products. In other words, she helps them productize, which is also the title of her best-selling book. She shows businesses how to take a service that is delivered by people and standardize it, usually by automating it with technology. This is not to be feared, she says, but welcomed, because of the many possibilities it enables. Listen and share! Watch and listen to our conversation here Key takeaways from our discussion: B2B buyers are changing. They're more comfortable buying products, not talking to people, doing all their research on the internet.  The cultural attributes that make you a great professional services firm, like always knowing the answer to a client question, can actually get in the way of productizing. Because if you're productizing and trying to innovate, you don't necessarily know what the right answer is. You have to go out and learn and be open to failure and experimentation and not seeing failure as a bad thing.  One of the cultural attributes that's really important to do this successfully is the ability to learn and be open to change. People get afraid and they think, Am I going to lose my job? Am I still going to have value? How am I going to keep up with all the skills required? Those are very valid, important fears. But the most exciting thing about productization is the potential for growth. You can now grow faster than the rate at which you have to add headcount. You can serve new markets. You can impact more people and that can be very rewarding. We are at the precipice of a massive explosion in growth and if we focus on that, people will be more willing to embrace the change. How to connect with Eisha You can find Eisha on LinkedIn and her website Vecteris. You can also email her at eisha.armstrong@vecteris.com. Want to learn more about preparing your business for the future, now? Check out these: Unlocking New Opportunities: Exploring Blue Ocean Strategy® To Understand Your Future Customers Navigating The Future: The Vital Need For Leadership Training In The Post-Pandemic Era Jennifer Kluge—Meet The Leader To Build Your Business Into One Of The Best And Brightest Byron Reese—How Humans Learned to See the Future, and You Can Too! Additional resources for you My two award-winning books: Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business and On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights Our new book, Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success, co-authored by Edie Fraser, Robyn Freedman Spizman and Andi Simon, PhD Our website: Simon Associates Management Consultants Read the transcript of our podcast here  Andi Simon: Welcome to On the Brink With Andi Simon. Hi, I'm Andi Simon. I'm your host and your guide. My job is to help you get off the brink. I've been doing this for almost 400 podcasts now, and it's absolutely wonderful that you, our audience, keep enjoying it, sending us ideas about people whom we should interview and really celebrating the fact that you've gotten off the brink, picking up ideas from the people we bring to you to help you do something important for you to change. You need to see, feel, and think in new ways. I always say you take your observations and turn them into innovations, and today is particularly interesting. For that reason, I have Eisha Armstrong here. Jennifer McCollum (who was on this podcast in August of last year) brought her to us and suggested we should have a conversation, particularly about the work she's doing in the B2B world of professional services. But I think it's important for you listening to her to see what she sees out in the market and how that could help you do better for yourself and your business.  Now, I must say, I listen to Amy Webb at SXSW and her video is just wonderful, and I watch it as many years as I can. But she is talking about the fourth industrial revolution coming now, and I would tell you that you cannot wait. It's here. And that question is really important for you and your business. So we'll be weaving that in a little bit today as well. Who is Eisha? Eisha Armstrong is a co-founder and executive chairman of Vecteris. She's dedicated to helping business-to-business companies transform their customized services into more scalable products. Prior to co-founding Vecteris, Eisha held Senior Product Leadership roles at the E.W. Scripps Company and at CEB, now Gartner, the world's largest membership-based corporate performance research and advisory company. She has a best-selling book, Productize: The Ultimate Guide to Turning Professional Services into Scalable Products and her other book is Fearless: How to Transform a Services Culture and Successfully Productize. I think we'll talk about productize today a bit. I'm delighted to have you here. I should thank you for joining me. Eisha Armstrong: Well thank you, Andi, it's a pleasure to be here. Andi Simon: I am delighted you came back from Costa Rica in time for us to have a great conversation, although I have met with someone in Costa Rica for a podcast, so the world is very flat and small. Tell the audience about your own journey because you are at a point now that's very timely and important for them to know about you and about what we're going to talk about and Vecteris today. Who is Eisha Armstrong? Eisha Armstrong: Well, thank you Andi. So I started my career, as you mentioned, at CEB, which was purchased by Gartner about eight years ago. As a data scientist right out of undergrad, of course we didn't call them data scientists at the time, so my title was research analyst. But I was doing research on different corporate performance topics that were specifically focused on data analysis to uncover root causes of corporate performance, and I ended up spending a good 15 years of my career there, working my way up. CEB sponsored me to go to business school, so I was fortunate enough to get my MBA while I was there and that moved me into a very early product management role. And at the time, the company didn't have product managers. So we had to kind of define what that role meant, what that looked like, and learn from people in the software industry about what product management was. And by the time I left, I was leading a portfolio of products. Fast forward to 2018, and I co-founded Vecteris with a former colleague of mine, specifically to help B2B professional services firms learn how to, as you mentioned, the title of my book, productize, which means taking a service that is delivered by people and standardizing it, usually automating it, with some form of technology. Perhaps, delivering it in a more scalable fashion, which tends to improve profit margins. If they're selling, they can usually do that on a more subscription basis, which improves renewable revenue, and makes it easier to run their firms. So we've been focused on that for the last six years,and as you mentioned, I published two books. I have my third one coming out later this year because my passion is really understanding what are the keys to being successful in this type of transformation. So I've focused a lot of my time now on researching that and then publishing those findings. Andi Simon: So clarify for the audience, what professional services firms are. Eisha Armstrong: Oh great question. So it could be anything from a law firm, an accounting firm, management consulting firm, training and development, HR services, engineering and architecture, IT services. But usually where you have professionals who are providing you with their expertise and their time in exchange for money, versus a product company, which is providing a kind of a prepackaged set of features and value, in exchange for money. Andi Simon: And so we're going to take the people part and somehow turn it into something that you can sell that could be accessed without necessarily as much people interface on it. And this has interesting implications both for the company producing it and selling it and those who are buying it and their expectations. So I have a hunch that as you've gone through your six years into Vecteris now, I'm 23 years in business and I've watched many generations of changes come and go. This one is the most exciting for me because I do think it's transformational.  But for a B2B company, my accounting firm client, for example, I've been working with for six years, what could they do to sort of productize something? Is there something you can sort of share with us that you've seen work particularly well? Eisha Armstrong: Yeah. So we talk about productization in terms of different levels. The first level would just be what we call productized services, where they're still delivering value through people. But perhaps the engagement of this accounting firm, let's take an audit for example, is more standardized. So there's a set of templates and tools that their professionals can use to deliver that audit the same way for every client. And perhaps they have different packages. So rather than selling the audit engagement based on time and materials, we're going to charge $500 an hour. They say the audit's going to cost you $50,000 all in. If you want A, B, C type service, if you want to upgrade and get A, B, C plus D, then it's going to cost you $75,000. So they're doing kind of the same set of activities, the same way from client to client. They're able to package it up and price it more on kind of value-based pricing versus time and materials pricing. And there may also be some technology that their professionals are using in the background to help them deliver those engagements more efficiently. And perhaps generative AI is one of those technologies they're using. But most of the interface with the client is still human-to-human. So that's what we call productized services. Then you have more products which are not services. They're not delivered by humans. But, perhaps it's a piece of software that the accounting firm has developed and that they install at their client to help them improve reconciliation between their accounting software and perhaps some type of inventory management system or something like that. And then they're charging that client a monthly fee to license the software that this accounting firm has developed. And that would be an example of a product. So software is an obvious example, but data could also be another example of a product. You know, perhaps the accounting firm has developed some proprietary data set and they want to license it to their clients. That could be a product. It could be an off-the-shelf kind of online training program that their clients go in and access and take online training. So there's no human-to-human involvement in the delivery of it, but you still need humans for relationship development and account management and things like that. Andi Simon: This is so interesting because when you productize it like other Microsoft products, it comes with annual updates and upgrades. I love your monthly fees for service and a support staff that is located maybe in the Philippines. So there's all kinds of ways that you can now optimize the talent you have without simply adding more talent. Correct? And this becomes a mind shift, if I know enough about enough of my professional service firms to know that their minds are about doing what they do now better, maybe cheaper, faster, but not by making it into a product per se, but by simply having more talent. The pandemic gave them the options of having more attorneys who were remote, or more accountants who were remote. That sounded really unthinkable before the pandemic. And now it's quite normal. But, now you're talking about taking what we do and looking at it as a different thing. A product is different from a service. So we can talk about many of these things. One thing that you and I were sharing was that we must change the culture inside the firm and the firms that are using those services. I don't want to lose the opportunity in our conversation to talk about what that means as you move from people and services to a product and sales from a cultural point of view, and I have a hunch you're seeing that. You and I can share some cases, but what are you seeing? Eisha Armstrong: Yeah. Great question. So I think first of all, you have to take a step back and look at this as a fundamental transformation for most organizations. So if you're, let's say a law firm and now you want to also sell software alongside your legal services, this is a significant change because you're not only having to think differently about how you create value, because it's a little bit of a business model transformation, but you're going to need new skills, new technical skills, skills that people are skilled in, lean product development or agile, for example. It's just kind of a different way of operating, and so if you think about your business model transformation, digital transformation, trying to become more innovative, fast-paced, that is a very different culture than a traditional law firm.  And some people may find that very threatening, especially if you're saying, okay, we used to create value based on the expertise in Andi's head. Well, Andi, now we're going to create value based on the intellectual property of the entire firm that has been documented. Andi could deliver it or somebody else could deliver it. Or maybe it's delivered digitally. So we don't even need a person like that who can be very threatening to people who've defined their entire careers based on my expertise is what creates value. And so that's a big change. And I think it's important for organizations to think about that before they embark on a product decision strategy. Andi Simon: Have you seen any illustrative case studies you can share where they've done it well or where it blew up? Eisha Armstrong: Oh, yes. Countless. So one is a management consulting firm that we've worked with now for several years. And they go in and they work with manufacturing companies, industrial companies, and their consultants created an algorithm to help manufacturers batch custom manufacturing jobs and do it in a more productive way. And their senior partners were like, we could turn this algorithm into a piece of software and we could sell it and we could productize it and wow, you know, multiples on software businesses are much larger than multiples on the consulting businesses like this. This is a great idea. And we're like, yes, there's a great need. There was nobody else in the market doing this. They had the skill set. But let's think about the culture change and what's going to be required. So what they ultimately decided to do was to set it up as a separate organization and so they kind of insulated it from the primary consulting business. It had its own dedicated team that was fully funded full time working on this, this software product, not off the side of their desk.  They had different performance measures. They had a different name in the marketplace. So they weren't using the name of the parent company to really distinguish that this is not just kind of a different way of delivering value, but it's also a different culture. Yeah. And they've been quite successful operating this as kind of a separate business that still has the benefit of the strength of the balance sheet of the consulting firm, the client relationships where they're able to feed them leads. They're recognizing that it's a significant difference in cultures and operating them as two separate businesses. So that would be a great success story. Andi Simon: It is brilliant. But on their part, they understood that an artwork and a draft don't necessarily come out with something better. This was different and needed a whole different model for it to be successful. That is a brilliant company with amazing leadership to understand that. So often we work a lot on observation to innovation, a lot of innovation that never gets out of the starting gate, mostly because they try to add it on to their current staff whose minds are in a whole different place. You know, people say, what's culture? I say, it's what you do every day and believe it's the way we should do it. Let's not get too sophisticated here. But for those who are doing the service part, it is what we do every day. And for those who are developing the product, it has nothing to do with what we do every day. And unless you understand that you cannot succeed in prioritizing your services without a different way of doing that.  Eisha Armstrong: Absolutely. Yes.  Andi Simon: Now, with that in mind, as you're talking, I'm saying, okay, now how are they creating these products and are they eliminating the service part or are they just rapid fast forward using, I don't know, generative AI. What do you see happening on the productization part? Eisha Armstrong: So we see a couple of different what we call archetypes. So the first one is, we are going to develop products that are bundled in with our services. I mentioned perhaps there's a piece of software that's installed alongside some consulting work that might be done and that's sold as a kind of a single solution to a client.  Say, you have this problem. For example, you want to improve your ability to attract highly skilled talent. You need some consultants to come in and understand what type of skills you need. What might be preventing the organization right now from attracting that talent? But you might also need some compensation benchmarking data and you might need that to be updated monthly, and so it's a mix of the kind of data technology that is delivering value. And so we call that kind of the bundled solutions approach to productization. And I think it's actually, Andi, a brilliant move for a lot of professional services firms because it leverages their existing competitive advantage, which is their service professionals and the existing relationships that they have with clients. So they're bundling those products along with that. The other option might be like this management consulting firm that decided to kind of run it as a separate business because what they found is that the manufacturers that were interested in the software product were actually different from the manufacturers that they worked with on their consulting engagements. So it was an entirely new market. And that also fed into their decision to run it as a separate business because it really didn't make sense to bundle the two, given they were separate markets who were interested in the services versus interested in the software product. And then the third archetype is where you decide you're going to fully sunset being a services business, and you're going to transform to be a 100% products business that is less common. And when we do see it, it's usually with younger professional services firms who start offering professional services. They uncover a great need that they can meet with a product and aren't yet at the level of maturity where it doesn't make sense to sunset the services business. They can kind of eat that cost and transform and become a full products business. So those are the three different archetypes that we see. Andi Simon: So let me repeat them back. The first one bundles it, and the second one is segregated, and the third one is young and can see opportunities and aren't so wedded to the way we've always done it here that they can reinvent themselves. Eisha Armstrong: Correct. Yes. Andi Simon: And I love to summarize what you've said, because for the listener, Eisha has said some very important things. There isn't a single way that you can take what you do. So don't look at it as a thing. Begin to think about it. And I think it's very important outside in, it isn't. What you do is what a customer does and which customer wants or needs for this manufacturing service provider. Some of their customers probably are older and are much more set in their ways and are happy to talk to people. And younger may be very unhappy talking to people. I had one logistics company and their salespeople couldn't get the people they used to talk to to answer the phone. They were still doing calls. And when I interviewed the folks who they thought would be their buyers, they had retired. And the new folks who had come in were all 30 somethings who said to me very quietly, we don't use the phone. And I say that because the point is that times are changing fast, and the people in the times, they are changing fast and so assume nothing. You're in a startup mode. It's a whole new time for reinvention. Both of them have an understanding of what the new clients need because they're younger too, in many cases. You know, let's stop being angry about the fact that Gen Z is the largest workforce. And let's figure out how to work with them to change it. Now, what's interesting from just the lifespan of some of these products, they're startups in many ways now. Are they aggressively now elevating them to the next stage, or are they so happy they got a product? I was curious about how people see things. Got it, got the product. Now what? What do you see? Eisha Armstrong: So let's say we're working with a company who's noticing the same changes that you're talking about. B2B buyers are changing. You know, they're more comfortable buying products, not talking to people, doing all their research on the internet. They are more comfortable buying things on a subscription basis. Plus, they also see shifts in the competitive landscape. You have digital first startups who are saying this, solving the same problem that services companies used to solve. Plus, you have generative AI. Lots of things are changing and your labor force is getting more expensive. Wouldn't it be nice if you could grow and not have to add headcount at the same rate? So all of these things might lead a business leader to want to productize. And the first thing we talk about is, okay, this is a different way of thinking. Usually what you want is a portfolio, just like if you were a venture capitalist, because some of your product ideas are going to be home runs and some are going to be stinkers, and you don't really know right now which idea is going to be which. You may have some assumptions and hypotheses that we can go out and test and validate, but you don't have a crystal ball that's going to give you the answer. So let's think about this as a portfolio. What are some quick one things that are lower investment? Perhaps you've already validated because a couple of clients have asked for this and even helped pay for some of the R&D. They are really easy to bundle with your existing services or serve your existing clients. And then what are some of these moonshot ideas where there's perhaps more investment required over time, but perhaps much more value and potential. And what are some steps that we can start to take today to test and research and validate some of your hypotheses about those moonshot ideas. And then let's come back either monthly or quarterly, and look at the performance of this portfolio of product ideas and see how it's doing. Are our assumptions correct? If so, add a little bit more investment, just like a venture capitalist would. Or did we invalidate some of our hypotheses and realize that some of these great ideas are actually stinkers and we need to stop investing in them, sunset them, and put our efforts elsewhere. Andi Simon: I laugh listening to you because that requires a completely different mindset that detaches you from the products themselves. They aren't about you. I once taught at Washington University a course for entrepreneurs, and I brought in some entrepreneurs and they left some lasting things in my head. And one guy said, Well, I built three businesses. Some worked, some didn't. It requires a detached relationship with that product, because it isn't that you didn't have a good idea. Some work, some don't. So what? Move on. Right. But you need to have an open mind about what is working and be wise enough to know how to redirect investment as if you're your own investor as opposed to the runner of the business. And that changes the whole relationship. Even with each other and with a client and that's a maturity that could come in youth, but it requires a different sense of what this product is and how it operates. And what do I mean to it? And how am I almost like a business school case study as opposed to a real life thing? Does that make sense? Eisha Armstrong: It does. Absolutely. It's really interesting, Andi, because we talk to professional services firms, leaders, and say, look, the cultural attributes that make you a great professional services firm, like always knowing the answer to a client question, can actually get in the way of productizing. Because if you're productizing and trying to innovate, you don't necessarily know what the right answer is. You have to go out and learn and be open to failure and kind of experimentation and not seeing failure as a bad thing. So you've got this on the one hand, a cultural attribute of knowing that has made you a great professional services firm is now going to get in the way of learning and experimenting.  Andi Simon: And I'll put a pitch in for, again, an anthropologist to go out to those clients while you're introducing these things and observe. You have no idea how many times I work with clients who have launched products and assume they know how their customers are using them, and then I go, and I often love to take them with me, because if I see and they don't, they won't believe me. So I take them along and I say, Be an anthropologist, just hang out, watch. And they get shocked by the fact that this wonderfully complex thing that their engineers over-engineered isn't being used at all the way they thought, and they usually see one little piece of it so that it serves their purpose as opposed to the overarching complex services that they have productized without calling it that. But this is what they did. And it is interesting to me how we cannot see the world through our own eyes. You kind of look backwards. You know what's going on with the customer who think they gave you a good question to answer, and you answer that question, but it was the wrong question. It really had nothing to do with what they really needed. And I often find that particularly when the question has come down through a company and a more junior person has come to find a solution, only to realize they didn't really know what the question was that was being asked way up the line. And as a result, they come back with an answer that doesn't match. It's the old telephone game. It is so interesting. So you are in a moment of watching these companies potentially transform themselves, not quite putting the services sector out of business, but transforming the whole business. This is really cool stuff. We have a few more minutes, and I want to just talk briefly about the training and skill development. Are you finding them beginning to understand that they have to rethink the training and skill development of their teams? Eisha Armstrong: Oh, absolutely. I mentioned, for example, one of the cultural attributes that's really important to do this successfully is the ability to learn. So one of the skill sets that you could look for are people who have kind of a hypothesis-based research background: could be from hard sciences, social sciences, but people who are used to developing hypotheses, testing them and being somewhat removed in terms of the outcome. So they're dispassionate about that and try to put on their scientist hat as the great organizational psychologist Adam Grant calls it and be open to changing their mind. So that's one that's very important. Another one is, the ability to do what we call: think from a market segment standpoint. So market-minded, because professional services companies have been thinking very 1:1. What does Andi Simon need? Okay. I'm going to go and deliver exactly what she needs. Now you're thinking about, what is a market segment that is similar to Andi Simon. What does this entire market segment need and how can we deliver something of value that meets maybe 80% of their needs, but not 100% of their needs? And that's a very different way of thinking. Usually people who've done market research, you mentioned ethnographic research, people perhaps who have a finance background, can think about market segments, attractive market segments, market needs, things like that. And then the third one, which we can't forget, is digital literacy. And I say the word literacy very deliberately because often we think, oh, we need to go out and hire software engineers. And I'm like, no, that's digital fluency. I just want everyone in the organization to be digitally literate. Knowing kind of what are the tools out there and how could we use these in our day to day work would be digital literacy. And it's really shocking how many organizations we get brought into, Andi, where the leadership team is saying, we're going to make these investments in technology, we're going to productize, and there are people on the leadership team who have very, very low digital literacy. So they're not modeling that behavior for the rest of the organization. Andi Simon: The rest of the organization says, okay, you show me first and then I'll change, because change is literally pain. You know, we specialize in helping organizations and the people inside them change. And one thing the listeners should remember is your brain hates me. It hates to think about something in a new way. It doesn't like the energy it needs to learn something. The oldest reptilian part of the brain, the amygdala, hijacks it. It says, go away. I'm going to hate you. I'm going to flee you. I'm going to fight you. I'm going to appease you, but I'm not going to change. And that's just the way your brain works. It's there to protect you from all this foreign stuff coming at you called digital literacy. But it is a time where you probably should rethink your thinking and change your mindset. This has been such fun. You should give the audience 1 or 2 or 3 things you don't want them to forget, because they often remember the ending better than the beginning. And we've had a nice beginning and I've enjoyed our conversation. A couple of things you want them to remember. Eisha Armstrong: I think the biggest one, and you just brought it up, is that when we start talking about things like generative AI, the fourth industrial revolution, perhaps reducing the amount of services and delivering products, people get afraid and they think about, Am I going to lose my job? Am I still going to have value? How am I going to keep up with all the skills required? And yes, those are very valid, important fears to talk about. But the most exciting thing about all of this is the potential for growth. I mean, imagine again, if you're a B2B professional services firm, you can now grow faster than the rate at which you have to add headcount. You can serve new markets. You can impact more people and that can be very rewarding, not only from a financial standpoint, but also just from the personal reward that you get out of your work every day. And so the one thing that I try to stress with the executives that I work with is, let's talk about the opportunity rather than the change required. You know, yes, there is going to be change required, but that makes people afraid. And instead, let's paint that vision and talk about the growth opportunity. How can jobs become more rewarding? How can we serve more people? That's what I truly believe. We are at the precipice of just a massive explosion in growth and if we talk about that, I think people will be more willing to embrace the change. Andi Simon: I hope so. I know you're a research person by background. Have you started to collect the number of services firms that have productized? Is there any Gartner research that says, hey, guys, you know, of all of those, I don't know why percent have already started to productize. You're running late in the process. Any idea? Eisha Armstrong: Yeah, it's nine out of ten, so 90%. And again, that could be very early productized services where they're standardizing tech-enabled delivery of their services. But it's still kind of looks and feels the same way to the client all the way up to creating new separate software businesses. But yeah, nine out of ten organizations. And yeah, if you're not doing it yet, you are massively behind.  Andi Simon: I'm laughing. And that doesn't matter whether you're an attorney or management consulting firm, anything that is people-based is ready to be rethought. Not that the people are wrong or bad, but that the solutions to the problems are not going to necessarily be delivered by you and I talking about it. And I'm not going to say maybe I could have done this, but I was kidding around with my physician the other day and I said, your portal is so good. One day I'll just have it take a picture of my body and I'll tell me how my vital signs are. And he said, that's not so far away. And I said, it's not. Everything's going to be productized. It's very exciting. Well, this has been such fun. I should thank you. Where can they reach you? What's your website? Eisha Armstrong: It's Vecteris.com. And I love to connect with people on LinkedIn, so feel free to also connect with me on LinkedIn: Eisha.Armstrong. Andi Simon: It's been a pleasure. And thank you. And thank you, Jennifer McCollum, for introducing us. And I think we should do a follow up in six months to see what we have seen and what's working well, and you'll have your third book out and I'd love to celebrate with you. It's very cool stuff for our listeners and our viewers. Thank you for coming. As you know, we like to take observation and turn it into innovation. And as an anthropologist, my job is to help you see, feel and think in new ways. If you have not spent a day in the life of your customer, it's time, because they may be prioritizing already, leaving you behind in the process, but you don't really know what they're thinking until you go and just hang out. They say, what does an anthropologist do? We hang out and we listen to the things that you can't see because they can't even tell you what they're doing. So watch them and begin to think about what that means for you. My books are all on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights, the topic for this podcast, has won awards and been a bestseller, and people show it to me on the beach, wherever they're reading about how anthropology can help their business grow. Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business is about 11 women who did just that. And our newest book, Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success, all of whom have simply said, of course they can and have done extremely well, and their wisdoms are very wise for all of you men and women. And we've developed a program, we've productized the book into a program to help corporations and CEOs begin to think about how to harness the wisdom of women to optimize their business. And as an anthropologist, I was reading Gregory Beaton's work about how everything is the opposite. You know who you are by what you're not. And so maybe we should start seeing the benefits of difference as opposed to worrying about being identical. And I couldn't agree more. It's time for rethinking what we're trying to do with the talent that we have. It's been great fun. Thank you all for coming. I'm going to say goodbye to Eisha Armstrong. Thank you for joining me today. It's been a pleasure. Goodbye, everybody. Come again. See you now. Bye bye.     WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS® is a registered trademark of the National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO)

Jennifer McCollum is an acclaimed speaker, consultant, coach, and author of the fab book "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO." It's the focus of her book, where Dan and Jennifer discuss several different facets of importance regarding gender equity and gender-related issues. With two decades of experience leading and building businesses in the leadership space, her expertise includes how to close the gap to gender equity, why the most effective leaders are inclusive leaders, and how to demystify inclusion for leaders and organizations. She has delivered workshops, keynotes, webinars, and podcasts to thousands of leaders globally on live and virtual stages. Jennifer is also the former CEO of Linkage, a SHRM company, where she oversaw the strategic direction and global operations of this global leadership development firm. Linkage has been consistently ranked as a top 20 training company worldwide, providing assessments, training, coaching, consulting, and conferences. Prior to Linkage, Jennifer spent 10 years in Atlanta working for The Coca-Cola Company. She also spent a decade growing businesses within Korn Ferry and the Corporate Executive Board (CEB), now Gartner. At CEB, she led product management within the leadership division, driving innovative solutions that helped organizations select, develop, and place leaders at all levels. She also ran CEB's Leadership Academies business, which developed more than 30,000 professionals in 2,100 companies throughout 50 countries. Previously, Jennifer served as CEO of IntraVision, a leadership consultancy she founded and grew over the course of 8 years. She worked with public companies, start-ups, associations, and nonprofits. Her passion is creating vision, executing strategy, and managing cohesive teams toward aspirational goals, with a special focus on supporting women in leadership roles. More about Jennifer's book "In Her Own Voice" at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/731273/in-her-own-voice-by-jennifer-mccollum/ More about Dan Pontefract and the Leadership NOW program at www.danpontefract.com/podcast

Today's guest is on a mission to create better leaders and workplaces, particularly by advancing women and promoting inclusivity. Her journey has taken her through organizations like Coca-Cola, and she made history as the first female CEO at Linkage. With over 25 years of experience in leadership, she has a unique talent for crafting powerful visions and inspiring teams to turn them into reality. She's an accomplished speaker and consultant and the author of "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO." This book uses data and personal stories to shed light on the unique challenges women face on their journey to leadership, providing invaluable insights for aspiring leaders and organizations alike. She is a remarkable leader in the world of leadership, empowerment, and accelerating inclusion in organizations. Please join me in welcoming Jennifer McCollum.  Join us as we dive into Jennifer McCollum's inspiring journey from a driven child to the first female CEO at Linkage and explore her insights on leadership, empowerment, and advancing inclusivity in organizations. In this episode, we discuss:

Are you ready to learn leadership lessons from someone who has climbed to the top echelon of the corporate world?In the newest episode of Daring to Leap, Loree Philip hosts a thought-provoking discussion with Jennifer McCollum, the first female CEO of Linkage and author of In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO. With over 25 years in the leadership development space, having worked with giants like Coca-Cola, Jennifer imparts illuminating advice on navigating the nuanced challenges faced by women in professional settings.This episode is more than a career chronicle; it's a masterclass in leadership from the perspective of a woman who has successfully navigated the corporate maze. Listeners will gain invaluable insights as Jennifer discusses the often invisible obstacles that women leaders face and how to overcome them with grace and strategy.Tune in to discover:Effective strategies for demonstrating value without falling into the trap of overextension.The art of clarity in leadership, learning to lead by inspiring rather than micromanaging.Techniques to master yielding control without losing influence, ensuring you empower others while ascending professionally.Actionable advice for gracefully making 'the ask' in your network, fostering reciprocity and driving career momentum.How to embrace and utilize moments of reflection to reinforce your leadership vision and presence.Prepare to be inspired by a leader who dares to challenge norms and pave the way for others. Press play to absorb Jennifer McCollum's leadership lessons and watch how they ignite your own journey.Connect with Jennifer:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferscherermccollum/GET YOUR FREEBIE! Career Energy Boost GUIDE: 5 Strategies To Add Life And Vibrancy To Your Career - Grab your copy HERE.Are you ready to shed self-doubt and fears that are keeping you from taking your leap?Let's chat! Book a FREE Confidence to Leap call with Loree Philip: HEREConnect with Loree:Instagram - @loreephilipLinkedIn - @loree-philip

One unique challenge women face in the workplace is asking for more money. Some are afraid to ask because they believe they will not receive it, while others build the courage to ask and still get told no.  How can you ask your employer for a higher salary and receive a yes? Listen to this episode of the "Int-HER-rupt" podcast to discover how women leaders can confidently ask the question. Linda Yates speaks with Linkage's CEO, Jennifer McCollum, about asking for more time, money, and opportunities.  Jennifer's insights are interwoven with personal experiences and practical advice, making this a must-listen for aspiring and established women leaders. Join us as we delve into the nuances of negotiating, relationship-building, and setting clear career goals in a male-dominated business environment. Mastering the Art of Asking for More Jennifer starts with a crucial piece of advice for women in the workforce: practice asking for more.  Starting with low-risk requests can condition leaders to expect these negotiations as a norm.  By sharing her own journey of making repeated asks on a male-dominated board, Jennifer illustrates how preparing with concrete data and a robust business case underpins successful outcomes. Activating Your Network When internal company data is scarce, Jennifer emphasizes the significance of reaching out to your network and leveraging external data to frame your negotiations.  This action fortifies your position and underscores the value of nurturing professional relationships and their power in paving the way for progress. Flexibility and Pivot Points Negotiations require adaptability, and Jennifer discusses the importance of being open to changing courses when an organization's values or compensation offerings do not meet one's needs.  This encompasses the broader strategy of aligning one's career trajectory with the right corporate culture and remuneration package. Challenging Gender Biases Linda and Jennifer recount instances where they've confronted stereotypes and biases in the workplace.  They shed light on the "double bind'' women often face and how to navigate perceptions around assertiveness and ambition in professional settings. Negotiating Titles and Future Paths Jennifer shares her tactical approach to negotiation when her company was acquired, highlighting the importance of having clear-cut career goals.  She also discusses how she advocated for her book, "In Her Own Voice," and laid the groundwork for her future within the newly structured company.  Linda complements this with her own experiences, reinforcing the significance of proving one's value and the power of saying "no." Dealing with Interruptions Gracefully Climbing the corporate ladder can be fraught with interruptions and "talk-overs," particularly for women.  Jennifer shares how she handles such situations with poise, seeing them as moments of lack of awareness rather than intentional disrespect.  Her strategy for responses restores the floor and educates on respectful communication practices. In this insightful episode with Jennifer McCollum, you'll learn crucial steps to help navigate leadership challenges. From mastering the art of negotiation to having the courage to ask for more, Jennifer's guidance is invaluable for any woman aiming to break through barriers in the workplace.  Don't miss the full podcast for a deep dive into achieving your career goals gracefully and determinedly. Tune in to hear Linda Yates and Jennifer as they explore these empowering strategies. “So there's a real bias against women specifically asking for money, but there's also a perceived bias. We have been conditioned to ask for only what we think would be acceptable or a watered-down version of what we can get. And it is a huge issue because it created the gender pay gap. By the time women in similar roles to men are 30 plus years into their careers, white women will have lost about $750,000, black women a little over a million, and Latin women closer to a million five. So it's a significant issue.” - Jennifer McCollum. Resources Jennifer McCollum on LinkedIn “In Her Own Voice,” by Jennifer McCollum If this episode connected with you, reach out to Linda and let her know. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode's sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won't miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.

Here's a sneak peek at what's happening with Brave Women at Work in 2024. I am working on building a course for you. Yes, that's right, a new course with a group coaching component is coming your way. I am looking for women to interview about professional confidence, so if you would like to be part of my research, email me at hello@bravewomenatwork.com. You can also always find me on LinkedIn and send me a private message there too. One of the key themes I am finding in my research is women struggling with communication at work. It may be fear of sharing because they don't want to be seen as incompetent, having to twist their communication a certain way to get others to do things, act like they don't know something and play the damsel in distress, so they don't come off as a know-it-all or intimidating, I feel like I've heard it all. And you know what? It's sad that in 2024, we as professional, capable women often feel like we can't own our voice and stand in our power. This and so many other things act as large barriers to our ascent into leadership. So, let's change that, shall we? My guest today, Jennifer McCollum, and her new book In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership, aims to do just that. During my chat with Jennifer, we discussed:1. Jennifer's own professional journey to CEO of Linkage.2. What stirred Jennifer to write the book.3. Why she believes only 10% of women are Fortune 500 CEOs and less than 30% are senior leaders.4. What are some of the barriers that hold professional women back and what we can do about it.5. How our male counterparts and companies as a whole can support women and their professional growth.6. And the benefits of women-led companies.

Ever feel like there's a voice in your head doubting every decision you make as a leader? That's your inner critic, and it's holding you back. This voice can be a real pain, always second-guessing you and shaking your confidence. It can spill over into how you lead your team, affecting everyone's vibe and performance. So how do you face this self-doubt head on?In this episode of the HAPPINESS SQUAD Podcast, Ashish and Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage, discuss how to recognize your self-doubt, understand why it's there, and start turning that inner critic into constructive thoughts. As the CEO, Jennifer oversees the strategic direction and global operations of Linkage, a renowned leadership development firm. With the mission to change the face of leadership, Linkage has dedicated over 30 years to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally. Jennifer has recently released her own book, "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO, Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership."Here are some of the highlights in this episode:The impact of relationships and personal fulfillment on happinessThe Role of the Inner Critic in Personal and Professional GrowthBalancing Masculine and Feminine Energies in LeadershipThe concept of the “Become”CommitmentAdvancing Women and Inclusion in the WorkplaceReady to kick that self-doubt to the curb and boost your leadership game? Tune in now and start leading with confidence!

Today's guest is Jennifer McCollum a CEO, speaker, and author of the book In Her Own Voice - A Woman's Rise to CEO. With over 25 years of experience in leadership, Jennifer has a unique talent for crafting powerful visions and inspiring teams to turn them into reality. Her journey has taken her through organizations like Coca Cola and she made history as the first female CEO at Linkage, an SHRM company that has dedicated more than 35 years to advancing women and accelerating inclusion in leaders and organizations. Jennifer has also been published in The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Chief Talent Development Officer, CEO Refresher, and Real Leaders. She is a member of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches. "The razor blade is part of my authentic self." - Jennifer McCollum In today's show, we talk about what Jennifer has learned as a CEO and how you can apply it to your career and life.  We also talk about how to embrace being The Only, how to step into your leadership, and why it's important to define what success looks like for you. Listen in to learn how to quiet your inner critic and how to embrace the changing face of leadership. "What it takes to be a woman and a leader as they rise in leadership ranks is very unique and we need women to understand those challenges so that they can be more aware, and we need to support women in overcoming them." - Jennifer McCollum Show Notes: How to embrace being an Only What does the power of the Only mean to Jennifer McCollum How do Onlys get stuck What is it like to step into a CEO position How to quiet your inner critic What is the double-blind for women Where do women thrive in business What is next for Jennifer McCollum "I stepped right into: 'I am the Only and I am going to embrace the Only." - Jennifer McCollum 3 Action Steps: Prove your value Clarity Make the ask "This is never about fixing women or fixing the Only." - Jennifer McCollum Brand and Resource Mentions: Get a copy of In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership by Jennifer McCollum Connect with Jennifer McCollum: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter Thanks for being a part of this bold and powerful conversation on The Power of The Only! Whether you feel like the only one in your company, industry, or community or the only woman in the room, we're here to support you in stepping up, speaking up through power, presence, and representation, to make an impact in your personal and professional life. Want even more insider tips, resources, and training to help you own your voice and power and step into your leadership?  Join me in my free, invite-only YOU, Amplified!™ community! You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. Learn more about this episode of The Power of The Only with Angela Chee at www.angelachee.com/81

If you missed episode # 189 with Jennifer McCollum, author of the new book: In her own voice: A woman's rise to CEO , here is the bonus recap with Adrian Gostick & Chester Elton.Key Highlights:

What's the evidence that women face unique hurdles in advancing to executive leadership roles? Jennifer McCollum shares the data based on 25+ years of research conducted by Linkage. The facts are real. In this conversation, we focus on the actions women can take to overcome these hurdles – and what men can do to be effective allies and executive sponsors. You will love Jennifer's passion for this topic and her transparency in describing some of her own experiences. Jennifer is the former CEO of Linkage, a SHRM company, where she oversaw the strategic direction and global operations of this leadership development firm. Linkage's mission is to “Change the Face of Leadership” and over the past 35 years the company has been dedicated to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally.  Jennifer has 20 years of experience building and leading businesses in the leadership space. She's a highly sought-after consultant and speaker, with deep expertise in Inclusive Leadership and Advancing Women Leaders.  She's a member of Marshall Goldsmith's 100 Coaches and the author of the new book, In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership. Highly recommended for women and men alike! You'll discover: Why the Inner Critic is the “uber” hurdle that impacts the other 7How the Compassion Center's 4 steps can help you shift from judging yourself or othersThe distinction between External Bias and Internal BiasThe importance of Recognized Confidence, a step beyond self-confidenceWhat men can do to support women and the role of Executive SponsorshipCheck out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedInFollow Meredith on TwitterDownload the free ebook Listen Like a Pro

In this exclusive episode, listen in for a deep dive into the unfolding stories of CEOs who navigated the intricate landscape of 2023, unwrapping the triumphs, challenges, and strategic moves that defined their leadership journey.Discover firsthand insights from visionary leaders as they share the pivotal moments that shaped their companies and set the stage for the future.Panelists:Doug Cardon, CEO, The Shield CompaniesJennifer McCollum, CEO, Linkage, IncJeremy Andrus, CEO, Traeger Pellet Grills, LLCModerated by: Derek Lundsten, President & Chief Culture Officer, LifeGuidesBIOSDoug Cardon is currently the co-founder and CEO of EcoShield Pest Solutions, a leading pest management company in the United States. His collaboration with now partner and Co-Founder, Greg Nygren, began with their joint efforts in building Safeguard, a residential pest services company. In 2006, they joined forces to establish EcoShield Pest Solutions.  The company ranks as the 4th largest privately-owned company in its sector and is among the top 10 pest management companies in the US.Beyond business success, EcoShield, under Doug's guidance, has become renowned for its commitment to community leadership. The company has initiated impactful programs, including Exterminate Hunger, Shield for Soldiers, and National Day of Service.Jennifer McCollum is CEO of Linkage, a SHRM company, where she oversees the strategic direction and global operations of this leadership development firm. With a mission to “Change the Face of Leadership,” Linkage has dedicated more than 35 years to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally. Linkage provides assessments, training, coaching, consulting and conferences, with solutions designed to Accelerate Purposeful Leaders; Advance Women Leaders; and Create Inclusive Organizations.Jennifer is a highly sought-after consultant and speaker, with deep expertise in Inclusive Leadership and Advancing Women Leaders. In addition, Jennifer is the author of the forthcoming book In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership, due in November 2023, as well as a contributing author to Leadership in a Time of Crisis.Jeremy Andrus is President & CEO of Traeger Grills, the original wood pellet grill brand that has taken the outdoor cooking world by storm. He and a financial partner acquired the company in 2014, transforming it from a small, regional, 26-year-old business into a multi-hundred-million-dollar brand that owns over 50% of the global wood pellet grill market. This was largely achieved by Jeremy leading an overhaul that would result in moving the company's headquarters from Oregon to Utah and rebuilding its team with an emphasis on the people and culture behind the company. Jeremy took Traeger public on the NYSE in July 2021.Jeremy was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016, MountainWestCapital Network Utah Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017, and was inducted into the Utah Technology Council Hall of Fame in 2018.Follow Doug on LI → https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-cardon-2913206/Follow Jennifer on LI → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferscherermccollum/Follow Jeremy on LI → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremybandrus/

When's the last time you got caught in the expectations others had for you? One person wants one thing, one version of you – another needs you to be someone else entirely… And who do you want to be? Do you even have time to think about that? The things people expect from us has a profound effect on how we act – we are social beings, after all. We aim, to please. Our guest today says that the burden of those expectations in the workplace fall unfairly onto women. Jennifer McCollum is the CEO of Linkage, devoted to advancing the real power of women leaders through leadership development. But how she got there has been a story of what Jennifer calls the double-bind of expectations on women. It's a story of what she's been called, too – a cupcake with a razor in it.  

In this episode I speak with returning guest and future superstar, Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage, a SHRM company, where she oversees the strategic direction and global operations of this global leadership development firm. She is the author of, "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO," whose wakeup calls have been her being able to quiet her inner critic re: becoming a CEO and recently becoming an international speaker and author. https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/pages/jennifer-mccollum.aspx

Advancing your career today is harder than ever for many reasons from economic pressures to competition, uncertainty, changing expectations, leadership commitment – the list is a long one. How do you tackle the problems that plague individuals such as perfectionism, exclusion, aspiration and confidence? And as a leader, how do you navigate the changing expectations of what you should be doing? Tune in for great advice based on an extensive data base analysis.

Advancing your career today is harder than ever for many reasons from economic pressures to competition, uncertainty, changing expectations, leadership commitment – the list is a long one. How do you tackle the problems that plague individuals such as perfectionism, exclusion, aspiration and confidence? And as a leader, how do you navigate the changing expectations of what you should be doing? Tune in for great advice based on an extensive data base analysis.

Creating cultures where we are all celebrated rather than tolerated is a passion of Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage and author of In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO. Jennifer explores the challenges and hurdles that women face in their journey to leadership positions, emphasizing the need for organizations to create inclusive cultures where women can thrive. Jennifer encourages everyone, regardless of gender, to be selective in choosing organizations that celebrate and support their growth.

Episode 311 | Creating cultures where we are all celebrated rather than tolerated is a passion of Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage and author of In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO. Jennifer explores the challenges and hurdles that women face in their journey to leadership positions, emphasizing the need for organizations to create inclusive cultures where women can thrive. Jennifer encourages everyone, regardless of gender, to be selective in choosing organizations that celebrate and support their growth. • 3 Steps to Build a Culture Where Teams Thrive: To provide lasting support to their people, organizations need to build a winning culture with inclusive, high-trust values that help their people succeed both at work and outside of it. Download and share this guide and help your organization align its culture and values with what's best for its people. https://pages.franklincovey.com/3-steps-build-culture-where-teams-thrive-p.html

Welcome to another episode of Inside Personal Growth. Today, it's my honor to be joined by a highly sought-after keynote speaker and consultant, Jennifer McCollum. She's here to share a glimpse about her book entitled In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership that will be released on the 14th of November.

Mary  interviews Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage, about her new book "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO." The book aims to help women at any stage of their career to overcome unique challenges and achieve their aspirations. She discusses the importance of recognizing and overcoming the inner critic, making the ask, and gaining clarity about one's purpose. They also highlight the evolving expectations of leadership and the value of women in leadership roles. Jennifer shares her personal experience of battling her inner critic when considering a CEO position. She recalls the negative thoughts that flooded her mind, questioning her readiness and worthiness for the role. This inner critic is a common hurdle for women, often leading to self-sabotage and missed opportunities. Get The Book:  https://www.amazon.com/Her-Own-Voice-Overcoming-Leadership/dp/1637744102 About Jennifer:  Jennifer McCollum is the CEO of Linkage, a company focused on changing the face of leadership. With over 25 years of experience in the leadership space, Jennifer has managed and grown leadership businesses for publicly traded companies and as an entrepreneur. She is the author of the book "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO," which aims to help women leaders achieve their full potential.   Key Takeaways: Women often face the hurdle of proving their value in the workplace, leading to burnout and dissatisfaction. The inner critic can be louder for women, preventing them from taking action and achieving their aspirations. Making the ask is a critical step for women in advancing their careers and creating equity in the workplace. Women possess unique strengths that align with the evolving expectations of leadership, such as openness, transparency, vulnerability, and inclusion. Gaining clarity and following one's passion can lead to finding purpose and making a meaningful impact in the world.      

Jennifer McCollum is a dynamic leader with a rich background that spans multiple cultures and continents. As the CEO of Linkage, she has been at the forefront of leadership development, with a particular passion for empowering women in the corporate world. Jennifer's journey, from her early years in Germany to her leadership roles in the U.S., has been marked by resilience, determination, and a commitment to breaking barriers. In this episode, Jennifer shares her unique upbringing as the child of American teachers in Germany, the challenges of transitioning to the U.S. during her middle school years, and the lessons she learned from being "scrappy" from a young age. Our conversation delves into her experiences leading Linkage, her dedication to creating environments where women thrive, and the importance of mentorship and sponsorship in fostering success. Discover more about Jennifer's initiatives and her vision for inclusive leadership: https://www.linkageinc.com/team-member/jennifer-mccollum/ In this episode you will learn: Jennifer's multicultural upbringing and its influence on her leadership style. The challenges and triumphs of leading a global leadership development firm. Insights into the barriers women face in the corporate world and strategies to overcome them. The significance of mentorship, sponsorship, and a supportive work culture in fostering success. Jennifer's perspective on the evolving landscape of leadership and the future of women in leadership roles.  And so much more... Preorder a copy of Jennifer's new book "In Her Own Voice" here - https://a.co/d/9qRObil  

This week's episode is brought to you by SHRM. Read on to learn more.  Jennifer McCollum has driven a long and winding road to her position in the C-suite. Today, she leads Linkage, a SHRM company, where she oversees the strategic direction and global operations of this leadership development firm.  This week, Carrie Fox sits down with Jennifer to talk about, well, a lot. In addition to her work as CEO, Jennifer has become an inspiring voice in the realm of women's leadership. Her book, "In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership," is a definitive take not only on what it takes for women to advance their careers but for any organization eager to improve gender equity at every level for this generation, and the next.  As McCollum explains, while women represent half the workforce, a stark drop-off occurs in the executive ranks. "When we look at the C-suite specifically, about 70% is still the leadership majority of white men," she says. McCollum's mission is to change that status quo.   The data is out and shows clearly the positive impact of women in leadership roles. What are organizations doing to help women face the unique challenges, societal expectations, and work-life pressures they face, while enabling these same women to do the best work? "To drive change, we must encourage women to bring their full, authentic selves to work," she says.  Through Linkage, McCollum has empowered thousands of women. Now, with her book, she hopes to reach women at all career levels with research-backed insights on overcoming hurdles and help them to truly thrive. Our great thanks to Jennifer McCollum for joining us this week.   Sponsor: SHRMSHRM provides solutions for 95% of Fortune 500 companies to transform talent management, accelerate executive development, elevate workplace culture, and build inclusive workplaces. SHRM promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging while advancing women leaders to construct better workplaces. Mission Partners routinely consults SHRM first when facing HR and best practice challenges and we're thrilled to be able to work with SHRM as the sponsor of this week's episode. Learn more at SHRM.org.

Join us today with our guests Jennifer McCollum and Susie Kelleher of Linkage. Jennifer is CEO of Linkage, Inc., where she oversees the strategic direction and global operations of the Boston, MA-based leadership development firm. And Susie Kelleher leads the entire consulting team at Linkage, delivering coaching and training to leaders at all levels. Each of them has spent more than two decades designing and delivering leadership solutions and are frequent speakers and consultants. With a mission to “Change the Face of Leadership,” Linkage has dedicated more than 30 years to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally. Linkage provides solutions to Accelerate Purposeful Leadership; Advance Women Leaders; and Create Cultures of Inclusion, using assessments, training, coaching, consulting and conferences.

Join us today with our guests Jennifer McCollum and Susie Kelleher of Linkage. Jennifer is CEO of Linkage, Inc., where she oversees the strategic direction and global operations of the Boston, MA-based leadership development firm. And Susie Kelleher leads the entire consulting team at Linkage, delivering coaching and training to leaders at all levels. Each of them has spent more than two decades designing and delivering leadership solutions and are frequent speakers and consultants. With a mission to “Change the Face of Leadership,” Linkage has dedicated more than 30 years to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally. Linkage provides solutions to Accelerate Purposeful Leadership; Advance Women Leaders; and Create Cultures of Inclusion, using assessments, training, coaching, consulting and conferences.

Learn how you can fight gender bias so women leaders can succeed  As you know, I do a lot of work around women leadership. The title of my second book is Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business, and I have recently co-written with Edie Fraser and Robyn Freedman Spizman a third book, Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success, due out September 26th. So I'm all about helping women in business succeed. My guest today, Jennifer McCollum, is the same, having dedicated the last 20 years of her career to helping leaders and teams and organizations fulfill their potential, particularly women leaders. She helps women find their passion and their purpose, and I'm thrilled to have her on today's podcast. Her mission is to change the face of leadership by accelerating the advancement of women leaders. Mine too. Listen in, learn, and please share. Watch and listen to our conversation here Nine key takeaways from our discussion today 1. Clarity is much more challenging for women than it is for men. It's one of the biggest hurdles that women face. And by clarity, I mean, if I were to ask you, Look ahead one year, three years, five years…what does success look like for you in your life, in your role, in your environment? 2. Women tend to define success through the lens of others: my team's success, my company's success, my family's success. As a woman, you need to develop the skill of creating clarity for you, your own future. 3. Jennifer's new book, In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership, takes 25 years of Linkage data and research and calculates what it will take to accelerate the advancement of women in terms of the unique challenges that women face on their path to leadership and how we can all support approaching gender equity in the workforce. 4. Gender bias has been internalized, so much so that we women may be preventing our own advancement, consciously or unconsciously. 5. We know that women and men ask for things equally. It could be money or title, but it also could be resources or flexibility or staff. But women tend to retreat when they're told no. And we can learn a lot from our male counterparts who tend to go back in. So how do you make the ask, when do you make the ask? 6. All leaders need to be developed, but women need to understand the unique hurdles they face. We don't need to fix the women. They're fabulous leaders. We need to help them in overcoming the obstacles that exist to their advancement. 7. At the CEO level, we've just crossed the 10% barrier in terms of the number of CEOs who are women. But of those, only 1% are women of color. 8. The numbers still aren't changing quickly enough. We have about 28% women in the executive leadership ranks and 26% in the leadership ranks, the VP level. But as you go down, director all the way to the manager level, we're just not making enough progress at all. 9. All of us can do something. All of us may not be in positions of power and influence to be executive sponsors but all of us are in a position to be allies. How to connect with Jennifer You can reach out to Jennifer on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or the Linkage website, or send her an email at jenniferscherermccollum@gmail.com. For a deeper dive into women and leadership, check out these 3 blogs:  Blog: What Can Women Do To Challenge Gender Stereotypes In The C-Suite? Blog: How Can Women Overcome The Roadblocks To Building Their Businesses? Blog: Best Tips And Tricks For Women To Work In Male-Dominated Industries Additional resources for you My two award-winning books: Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business and On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights Our website: Simon Associates Management Consultants Read the transcript of our podcast here Andi Simon: Hi, welcome to On the Brink with Andi Simon. I'm Andi Simon, I'm your host and your guide. And as you know, my favorite listeners, our job is to help you get off the brink. How do we do that? We want you to see, feel and think in new ways and understand that change is painful. On the other hand, if you begin to get the kinds of tips and tricks to begin to see things in a new way, you go, Oh, that's how it's done. That's how someone else did it. And I can as well. So I have a wonderful guest with us today, Jennifer McCollum. Jennifer and I met through the Women Business Collaborative, and it's a wonderful organization for women of all kinds and all companies to come and participate as we collaborate to propel women forward. But Jennifer is here today because I just love what she's doing to help train and develop women so that they can become the best that they can be. So, Jennifer, thank you for being here today. I appreciate it. Now, let me tell you about Jennifer and then she's going to tell you about herself. And as you know, in our format, she does a much better job than I can. But here's Jennifer. Jennifer grew up in an entrepreneurial home in Germany. And there's a story there, I'm sure. And her unique childhood not only instilled in her grit and resourcefulness and an ironclad work ethic, but she describes herself as a hustler by 15 and a desire to help others, which I think is the important part here, to excel like she has to her full potential. You know, someone in our past offers us an opportunity to do something in our future, and sometimes we're not aware of it, but all of a sudden we go, Oh, I did that. Someone else can do a little bit more. She's on a mission to help talented women rise higher and higher in positions of leadership. And on the other side of that, to help organizations understand how to enable them to do just that, to create the cultures where women can excel, thrive and together, men and women can really do better. The winding road she's traveled led to her current position as CEO of Linkage. Linkage is now part of the SHRM organization (Society for Human Resource Management) and together they have visions for how to take Linkage, quite frankly, to a new place. It's really going to be exciting. She oversees the strategic direction and global operations of the leadership development firm. The mission is to change the face of leadership. It's dedicated more than 35 years to advancing women and accelerating inclusion in leaders and organizations. Jennifer is an acclaimed speaker, a consultant and author, and I love the fact that her book is coming out in November. So we're going to time this so that you can see it. She's going to show you a picture of it in her own voice. It's got a really interesting story to it. And it's a very important time for her to share where she is. And that's what this whole podcast today is about. My last little thought, because I sometimes forget this myself, she's a wonderful mother of three children, all guys. And I say guys because they're sort of grown up children and I have a happy husband and they love to travel. She loves to ski. And Jennifer and I have a lot in common. So today's talk is going to be very collaborative. Jennifer, thank you for coming today. Jennifer McCollum: It's always very humbling to have someone else talk about you and introduce you. So I appreciate you. Andi Simon: Well, you know, sometimes you say, Who is that she's talking about and laugh sometimes because we haven't heard of ourselves. It's hard to get a mirror that looks at you and says, Oh, that's who I am. Jennifer, it's important for the audience to know more about you. That bio is lovely, but at the end of the day, who is Jennifer? Tell us about your journey and then how do we get to the next stage where you're helping women? All kinds of different ways. Please, who's Jennifer? Jennifer McCollum: That's such a big question. I have dedicated the last 20 years of my career to helping leaders and teams and organizations fulfill their potential. And there's been a really special place in my purpose and my passion around helping women leaders. So even back, you know, 30 years ago, I was creating pro bono visioning webinars to help women leaders find their passion and find their purpose and as luck would have it, I ended up five years ago as the CEO of Linkage. And as you said, our mission is to change the face of leadership. A big chunk of our work is focused on accelerating the advancement of women leaders, but also helping all leaders become more inclusive and purposeful. I can take you back a little bit further. I have 20, 22, 23 years in the leadership space. I run leadership businesses at publicly traded companies. Now, at Linkage, which was just sold to a wonderful organization called SHRM. Before that, I grew up at the Coca-Cola Company and traveled around the world working on the Olympics and the World Cups and sports marketing. And then I evolved my career into leadership at the Coca-Cola Company and beyond. Andi Simon: People often ask about our own journeys. You know, I'm an anthropologist, but I'm also an entrepreneur, and I was a corporate executive. How do you know where you're going? Early in those years, are we sampling? Have I found myself? People talk about imposter syndrome. As I said, I've always been an imposter. I was never quite sure I was competent or capable. Others saw me that way and I said, Oh, that's interesting. How about yourself? Was there a plan to your journey or did you just sort of make it happen? Jennifer McCollum: I love your use of the word sampling. I would even expand that into dabbling. So, you know, this was advice that was given to me early on in my career and if it's helpful to others, this was a senior executive at Coca-Cola who said, “In your 20s, try a lot of things. Don't worry about money, don't worry about titles. Try and get a sense of what you're good at and what you're passionate about.” So through my 20s, yes, I started in public relations and sports marketing and evolved into public affairs, but I knew in my 20s, somewhere around 26 or 28, that I was good at it, but it wasn't fueling my passion or my purpose. So then the executive said, “Okay, in your 30s, really double down and take a lot of risks and figure out where you can apply your skills and your passion.” And it was in my 30s that I jumped ship from Coca-Cola to the world of the internet. And it was part of the first internet kind of boom and bust. And that gave me the confidence to then create my own consulting firm. And so I became a consultant in the leadership space. Coca-Cola had trained me to do that, and that's where I really started to find what drove me. And so I was working with leaders and teams all around the world, but really buoyed by Coca-Cola's belief in me, and that was my launchpad to becoming a consultant in the leadership space. And then the executive said, “In your 40s, put your head down and work really hard. Make a lot of money so you can retire in your 50s.” What that meant to me was actually doubling down on what my passion was. So throughout my 40s, I went back to the publicly traded world. I worked for multiple companies, running businesses and the leadership development space, and really then found that it actually wasn't the designing and the delivering of the consulting as much as the management and the growing of the businesses designed to make the world's leaders a better place. And I have to say, now in my 50s, it's a beautiful decade to be. I feel so aligned to that purpose. Andi Simon: Well, and part of what you're sharing is that we can plan, but part of it is knowing ourselves. And I don't think that's inconsequential. It's not the job. It's really getting to know what makes us. You know, the good news is, you were very successful regardless of which of those jobs you were in. But now the question is, what's my purpose? You know, what have I mastered? And how do I have the autonomy to go and do that in a way that gives me great pleasure. And I smile when I wake up every day. It's pretty cool. Jennifer McCollum: And you're hitting something really important, and I'll call that clarity. And sometimes that's the discovery of purpose, discovery of strength, discovery of passion. Some of us are lucky enough to grow up knowing exactly what we want to do, exactly the contribution we want to make in the world. That actually isn't the case for most of us. And there's this process and this is actually much more challenging for women than it is for men. It's one of the biggest hurdles that women face. And by clarity, we mean, if I were to ask you, Look ahead one year, three years, five years…what does success look like for you in your life, in your role, in your environment? Women tend to define that through the lens of others: my team's success, my company's success, my family's success. And so that we call it the kind of the skill, the muscle of creating clarity for you, for your own future is something that I've worked really hard at from my 20s, which gave me the confidence to leave Coca-Cola all the way now into my 50s. And I do it very regularly. Andi Simon: That point of clarity is so interesting because I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I spent 20 years in corporate in a very entrepreneurial fashion, and nobody quite knew what an anthropologist in business was supposed to do so I could play that one out all the time. And you found that people weren't quite sure if I should have a PhD or not. But I began to think that I knew I wanted to be in my own business and after 9/11, I said, good timing. So that's 22 years ago. But like you, I knew who I was. I'm a creator, I'm an entrepreneur now. How do I do that in a way that can be very successful? And I always thought of it for our clients being the beneficiaries of who we are and what we can do. So that's what we do, then what they need. So it's a really interesting story. You share now that you're at a point that your book is very much of a cataclysmic moment. You know, it's important. Books are important. You know, my third book is coming out in September. And every time I write a book, it's less about the book than about what it can do to help others. And I have a hunch this new book is very full of wisdom that you want to share. And I would just love you to tell the story to our listeners about it because they will walk away saying, Oh, I gotta get that book. Tell me what's in the book. Jennifer McCollum: Well, and thank you for asking, and going back to the clarity. If you look back on the vision documents that I created all the way back into the early 2000s, it always says, I am an author, I am a speaker, I am on stages impacting thousands. And it is now finally the result of a lot of hard work and you've done multiple of these. This is my first book. This is the executive summary, In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership. It's actually coming out in November, so anyone can pre-order it. But what I am so excited about for this book is, it takes 25 years of Linkage data and research and frameworks and experience on what it will take to accelerate the advancement of women. It puts it together with very personal stories, not only my stories, but other CEO and C-suite women, to help all of us, women and men, understand what are the unique challenges that women face on their path to leadership and how we can all support approaching gender equity in the workforce far faster than the World Economic Forum is predicting, somewhere around the 125 year mark. Andi Simon: Well, 125 years is almost impossible to imagine since you and I want it to happen tomorrow. My question is always about why it's so hard to see the opportunities. And it's two sides. Part of it is the way women see themselves in others. And part of it is the way our society and our culture see men and women and their different roles. In the book, though, you've really begun to master to lay this out. Talk to me a little bit without giving away too much about the thinking behind it In Her Own Voice. The title itself is telling you a great deal, right? Jennifer McCollum: So you framed it perfectly. There's really two sides to this. One is what we have more control over as women leaders. So deepening our understanding not of the external bias that exists in the world. And we could talk a lot about that another time. And it's real, but it's really how that bias has been internalized and how we may be preventing our own advancement, consciously or unconsciously. So just to give you a little sneak preview, Linkage has studied and we support it through coaching and assessment and development and our big Women in Leadership Conference. We support the individual woman leader and overcoming some of those hurdles. The top three are clarity, which is what we just talked about. The second one is proving your value, where women tend to give and say yes and volunteer to more and more and more. And we call it putting your head down and overthrowing the boat, hoping that someone will notice and they usually don't. And then the third one is making the ask. So we actually know that women and men ask for things equally. It could be money or title, but it also could be resources or flexibility or staff. But we know that women tend to retreat when they're told no. And we can learn a lot from our male counterparts who tend to go back in. So how do you make the ask, when do you make the ask? So those are three of the seven or eight hurdles that we cover. The other side of this, which I love that you framed it this way, is what can organizations do? We actually call that the organizational surround. And we study these things. We know that there are very specific levers organizations need to pull. The first is around their culture. Do women feel valued? Do they feel like they belong? The second one is around their talent systems. Is there equity in the talent systems, all the way from acquisition to pay to high potential selection to succession? The third one is what we call executive action and commitment. This is one of the lowest scoring ones and this is, are the executives truly committed to advancing women leaders? Are they doing more than saying the right things? Are they actually doing and modeling and sponsoring women or other underrepresented populations? And then the fourth one is the one that Linkage does a lot of work in, and that's leadership development for women. So again, we know that, you know, all leaders need to be developed, but women need to understand the unique hurdles they face and they need some, you know…we don't need to fix the women. They're fabulous leaders. We need to help them in overcoming the obstacles that exist to their advancement. Andi Simon: You know, as an anthropologist and I also have three leadership academies for three different kinds of organizations, the questions are very profound and very important to me in the work that we do, as well as to my emerging leaders who are trying to understand all this. But I often find that people don't know what to do. They say the words, they have good intentions, but then when the time comes for action, they go back to old habits. And we know so much about the neurosciences and the brain and the cognitive sciences, that the habits are very comfortable. And so they go to whatever they learned early, whatever happened to them that seemed to work okay. And the idea of moving out into a foreign place where they're uncomfortable, the amygdala hijacks the whole idea and says, That's dangerous, go away. And so part of the work that we do is almost like theatrical performance. I said, We're going to change. You used to play Macbeth, and I share this with you because the metaphor seems to be comfortable for people to get. And now you're going to play Hamlet. And in Hamlet, the women get promoted and they get advanced. But you don't have a script for it and you haven't had any rehearsal time. And both of you need to play a different role in a different theater. That is life. And I share that with you because what I realized without rehearsal time, they don't practice. They don't know what it is they're going to do. Have you found the same or do you have a different perspective on it? Jennifer McCollum: Well, interestingly, I would actually use that kind of frame on both sides. So first, let's talk about the women themselves. And yes, what is comfortable we can extract you from your workplace. We can develop and coach and assess and send you to very inspirational conferences and you will go back into the workplace if left to your own devices. It's scary. It's uncomfortable. How do you start to flex that new muscle? And so in our very best, you know, clients and the very best scenarios, women are doing this through community, so they're not doing it alone. And we will have, and I'll give a big shout out to Disney as an example. Disney will send 100 to 150 women to our conference across their business units, but they bring them together and then they find ways to keep them together in communities so they're supporting each other. Andi Simon: Before you go on to the second, let me emphasize to the viewer or the listener that we're monkeys. We model ourselves over watching others. And so that community isn't inconsequential. Because if I think, This is what they want me to do and I don't see anyone else doing it, I flee it. But if I watch someone else doing it, I can model it and bond over it. So those communities aren't inconsequential. They're essential. Does that make it consistent with what you're saying? Jennifer McCollum: I'll go to my second point in a minute, but just based on that, I want to give you a really specific example this weekend. So it was the 4th of July weekend. I'm part of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches Organization. It means the world to me to be part of this. There were a couple hundred people in the group. About 150 of us gathered in Nashville just a few days ago. And this group is full of authors, thought leaders, academics, CEOs, coaches.  It's an incredibly inspiring group. Three quarters of the group are like you. They have published book after book and they're very confident as authors and thought leaders. So I showed up at this event. I have a box of 200 of these and my literary agent has said, You will ensure that this gets in the hands of every one of that network. I got there and I realized something was going on with me. I'm incredibly confident as a CEO. I'm confident as a team leader and manager and mentor. I'm confident as a mother, a wife and a friend. I took that box. We call these things monographs, and I hid them behind the piano at the Belmont Auditorium in Nashville, this beautiful auditorium. And the monographs are hidden in a box. And I would take one out at a time and would kind of sheepishly show one person at a time. And finally, it took a group. There happened to be this group of women that were surrounding me. And they said, Well, where can I get one of these? And said, Well, they're in a box behind the piano. And they said, What is wrong with you? Here you are a thought leader, an author, and you're hiding your gifts behind the piano. And it hit me that I needed that monkey tribe, right? I needed a community to help build my confidence. And it was such a big lesson for me. I was trying something new. I'm flexing a new muscle. Okay, so that's that story. Well, that's not going to go to the second piece. Andi Simon: Don't lose that story because for the viewer or the listener, those are the kinds of stories that will change the way you think about what you're doing. And when you go to that meeting, you're going to hand out business cards. And I've heard people say, I've left the meeting because I didn't feel comfortable. I said, Push, go in there, hand out those cards. Be real. Next point. Jennifer McCollum: So well, and actually, just to finish that, on that point, when this is a huge problem with women, we call it recognized confidence.  And it's another one of the hurdles. Look, you mentioned imposter syndrome just a little while ago when we were getting ready for this call. We know you can't beat confidence into anyone. You also can't beat imposter syndrome out of someone. But here's what you can do. You can develop the skills to promote yourself like I was trying to do over the last couple of days. But if you don't feel ready to do that, I wasn't ready to self-promote as an author. I phoned a friend and this is what women can do a lot better. Surround yourself with people, women or men who will help hand out that card. What happened was, they started grabbing 10 and 20 and were handing them out for me. And the response I got from people overwhelmingly helped me build that confidence. So that's kind of another tip and trick to phone a friend. You don't have to do it on your own. This was okay. Well, what if, you know, we invest in companies? Do they invest all the time in their women leaders? And those women leaders come back full of hope and confidence and optimism, but their companies don't change. Their manager doesn't understand what they've been through. They don't get access to that stretch assignment. The talent systems don't change. The executives don't really act on what they've learned or what they've invested in. And this is one of the biggest challenges. And I'll tell you another story. And he's one of my favorite ones, Tom Greco, who has up until recently been the CEO of Advanced Auto, a big client of ours. I was on a webinar with him about a year ago when they launched their Women in Leadership program, and he said, “As the CEO, I will tell you, our leadership does not represent our customer base. We need more women. We need more people of color. And I have done this before when I worked for Frito-Lay and Pepsi, and I am going to commit to this and I will become a sponsor. My direct reports, their direct reports. By the way, there are 2025 of us and we are overwhelmingly white men. And that is going to change on my watch.” So that's an example of executive commitment in action, and that's what companies need to do. What do they need to do proactively to change their culture, proactively to change their talent systems. And we help with that as well. Andi Simon: And I'll add one more dimension because I've had to work with boards who are also the white guys. And even if the executives were advocating, they always often rolled their eyes as if this was a sidebar, not the bar. And conversations at board meetings weren't about…I can't tell you how many times I was the only woman on that board and or at a board meeting where there were 49 men and just me. We didn't say very much. And people said to me, That sounds like a joke, depending on what time in our evolution it was. But the point is that there are different barriers along the way to transformation. And to your point, if the leadership really commits to it, now the question is, How do the the men, the women and the leadership begin to see a different reality, almost a different visual of the whole world that we're living in with a whole different interactions and training each other to talk to each other? It's like a foreign language coming together. Jennifer McCollum: And I'm glad you mentioned the board level there. I mean, as you and I both know, being very deeply entrenched in the Women's Business Collaborative where we are making the most progress is that the board level now, it's not as fast as we would like, but we are making more progress there than anywhere else. At the CEO level, we've just crossed the 10% barrier in terms of the number of CEOs who are women. You know, only 1% are women of color. So we can talk about that separately where we tend to focus as we move down in the pipeline. The numbers still aren't changing quickly enough. So we've got about 28% women in what I'll call the executive leadership ranks and 26% in the leadership ranks, kind of the VP level. And then as you go down, director all the way to the manager level, we're just not making enough progress at all. And so it takes a couple of things. One, we can't wait for CEOs or boards to become enlightened all at once. We've got to focus on this from many different lenses. And one thing I love, especially because I know your listeners are a very broad range across gender, across role, across age and across experience. All of us can do something. And I talk a lot about this spectrum, from allyship to mentorship to coaching, all the way up to executive sponsorship. All of us may not be in positions of power and influence to be executive sponsors. All of us are in a position to be allies. In fact, that's what happened to me this weekend. The people who surrounded me said, Look, phone a friend, I'm going to help you. They were all my allies and it was a really beautiful thing. Andi Simon: Well, but your story is a very powerful one as well, because in some ways you weren't sure how to ask for their support, but they saw an opportunity to reach out and help someone who wasn't mentoring, wasn't sponsoring, it was collegiality, in a very sorority-like fashion. But I have a hunch that the guys began to catch on to some of this as well. And I do think that there is a desire to do better. Do you have any of the data to share on why the diverse, inclusive companies do better and why that's so hard to get people to pay attention to? Jennifer McCollum: Even have an anecdote. The data is so clear. Andi, you and I have seen all the various studies around when you have diversity. We can talk about gender diversity. We can talk about racial diversity. Those were where most of the studies sit. But whether it's at the board level, at the C-suite level or at the leadership level, whether it's financial metrics like revenue and margin or whether it's operational metrics like more effective decision making and better innovation, or whether it's internal metrics like engagement and retention. By and large, gender diversity and racial diversity, by every single count, it's better. So here's my favorite story. Dr. Tanya Matthews is the CEO of the International African American Museum. It's just opening now in Charleston. So if you're in the Charleston area, run to that museum. And about two years ago, we were thinking about writing this book. And in all of my presentations, I was leading with a lot of the data. And I finally just got fed up and said, Dr. Tanya, I don't understand why it's just so mind blowing that the data is so clear and any rational leader in a position of power to hire or promote diversity, why don't they just do it? And she said, and I quote, “Girl, if it were all about the numbers, we would have solved this problem a long time ago.” I can hear her saying that. I love her so much. And she said, “The forces for change have to be more powerful than the forces for the status quo.” That is true, that it's not going to be numbers and data. It's going to be appealing to the head and the heart, appealing to the emotion of fathers with daughters saying, I want something different for my daughter. I want to make sure that if she wants to be a CEO, she has a better chance than 10% of the Fortune 500. Or It's the Tom Grecos of the world. “I need my staff to be reflective of my customer base.” And that's not everybody that's ready and aware. But that's where our starting point is at Linkage. We choose the clients who have, that awareness in that readiness. Andi Simon: Well, and that's a good point to try to work with a client who hasn't come to their own aha moment or the realization of it is very difficult because you're going to be pushing this ball up the hill. But your point about the data shouldn't be underestimated because as an anthropologist, we learned early that out of context data do not exist. And I used to teach a course “Is your data talking to you and can you hear it?” And it's the hearing part, because you'll take that data and manipulate it to do anything you like with it, including ignoring it. You know, doctors love to delete the data that don't conform to the way they like to do things. Learned that early on. But to your point, the data is very compelling and whether it's your KPIs or whatever else you're looking to achieve as a leader, make sure that you've got alignment around that with the right people who can get you there, as opposed to pointing fingers, complain and blame and find all kinds of excuses because often the resources are there and the gap is not that you don't have the resources, it's that you're not using them wisely. And to your point, then that requires a different mindset, a different set of values. And my last point before I go back to you is that we decide what the heart and the eyes, and that's extremely important. The data is in the head. I've got to see it. So storytelling with the data is not inconsequential. What does this tell you? Jennifer McCollum: I guess the other thing I'd say is, what are you tracking? We spend a lot of time with our clients who say, We're tracking our talent acquisition. We're tracking our diversity metrics and we're tracking our retention. And, you know, we just say, You know what, that's great. Those are all leading indicators. You've got to get ahead and start tracking the leading indicators. So when McKinsey a year ago reported that there's a huge issue at the director level, so for every one woman who is promoted, two women leave. At Linkage, we weren't surprised by that at all because we've been tracking. We've got about 20,000 women in our database and with our Women in Leadership Institute every year, we're gathering thousands and thousands of women's perceptions around their organization. So we're actually at a macro level looking at what do they feel, what do they think about their culture, their talent systems, their executive action and their leadership development as a woman, But also what is their commitment, their engagement, their values fit and their net promoter score? And by every count, especially the Net Promoter score, that director level was a zero, which basically meant, Don't believe anything. They didn't care at all to promote that their company was a great place to work for women, and their commitment was less than 50% which said, if I'm offered another job that is similar to yours, I'm out of here. McKinsey's The Great Breakup is grounded in, unfortunately good data, bad experiences. “I see what's happening. I'm not stupid. I'm out of here. And I'd rather go, being, you know, a success in my own business.” You were or I am. And not to fuss around with this other system that's evaluating us in a way that I can't get ahead. So I often say, Look, we know, and this is super interesting. I mean, you may remember, many more women lost their jobs during Covid than men. And there was this big concern across 2020 and 2021 that women in the workforce were the lowest that they'd been since the 1980s. And there was this thought that, Oh, my gosh, this is going to not only delay gender equity by a decade, which is what the World Economic Forum came up with, but how long is it going to take us to get back to above where we were with women in the workforce in the 80s? It only took two years. The women all came back to the workforce. But it's not that women are leaving the workforce, it's that they're leaving you. They're leaving your organization. And so, our question to the organization is, Look, if you're having trouble retaining women and attracting women, that's on you. Why is that? Let us help you figure that out. Andi Simon: Oh, I could tell you many stories. I'm not going to share them for now. We are just about ready to wrap up. You and I could talk for much longer about an issue of great importance to both of us, mostly because we both have lived our ways through this, personally and professionally, and we have a bigger purpose, which is to help others and their organizations really understand the richness that comes with diversity of all kinds: cognitive diversity and challenging ideas, beginning to see curiosity, all kinds of things that will open up possibilities for them. I enjoyed this tremendously. Jennifer, one or two things you'd like to end with so that folks can remember the wisdom that you've brought today. Jennifer McCollum: I'm happy to offer a few things. I'm at a really interesting, pivotal point in my career with the book coming out. And as we integrate Linkage into SHRM, it's kind of like landing the plane on a five year journey. And I always think these are really important inflection points in life. So I'll leave with two things that are really helpful for me. If they're helpful for your listeners, I hope so. Number one is, grab the opportunity when you see it. And this takes tremendous courage. And I'll go back to my first leadership role in a publicly traded company when I was running a business unit and my peers left and I saw the opportunity to run a much bigger part of the organization. And just as my boss was saying, we need to get your peer replaced. I went in and said, I don't want him replaced. I want to run it. And so I'm now thinking about what that looked like at this stage in my career? So that's the first thing. And the second thing that goes along with that is, don't move quickly until you have that clarity. And I can tell a lot of stories about how I jumped reactively a little bit earlier, just even five years ago in my career and made a mistake because I wasn't clear about what I wanted. So you're the entrepreneur. I'd worked at multiple publicly traded companies and I landed in that sweet spot of the private equity-backed small to mid-market company. And that was my landing place, but only because I gained clarity. So I will offer up those two things. And finally, if you are a woman who aspires to advance in her career, or a man or woman who aspires to support the women leaders in your life, please, please, please consider In Her Own Voice. It launches November 13th, but it's on pre-order on Amazon now. Andi Simon: And I know Amazon awaits you with joy, as does Jennifer. Jennifer, this has been joyful. If they would like to talk to you further, is there a best place where they can reach you? LinkedIn or someplace else? Jennifer McCollum: Absolutely. So Jennifer McCollum, Linkage CEO, a SHRM company. I am available on LinkedIn. And you can also go to our website at Linkageinc.com. And Simon: And as you can tell, Jennifer is a wonderful mentor, sponsor, colleague, idea person. And sometimes you just want to use her time very wisely. But also the book is full of her thinking that will help you as you begin to pursue your own career. And there is no straight line. The one thing you should understand is that while you may think there's a goal at the end here, there's really a path that takes you there. And the path is as much fun when you look back on it and as it is to be certain. Humans want certainty. It doesn't work that way. So I want to thank all of you who come to our podcasts and who who put us above the 5% globally of all podcasts, which is really an honor. We enjoy sharing with you and our book, Women Mean Business, comes out September 26th. It is a compilation of 102 women who share their wisdom with you. And if you think of the two books as a collage, you're going to have lots of interesting points of insight, and they always say, turn a page and change your life. That's what we're all about. How do we help you become the best that you can be? My other books are available on Amazon: On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights is about anthropology and how it can help your business. And Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business is about women who smashed the myths of women in business. We keep wanting to help you change. And so today I will say goodbye with great joy. Jennifer, thank you for joining me. It's been fun and I love your conversations. We'll be back. Bye bye now.

Recommend this show by sharing the link: pod.link/2Pages My new book is on the near, near horizon. It's called How to Work with (Almost) Anyone, and if you interact with other human beings in your life, this might be a helpful book for you. It goes live on June 27th, and I've got some terrific pre-order bonuses, which you can find linked below.  In this episode, you'll hear about one of the five questions of the keystone conversation; the ‘bad day' question. Then, Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage, shares a story that builds delightfully on that very question. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/   Michael reads from Chapter 5 of his newest book, ‘How to Work with (Almost) Anyone.' [reading begins at 1:12]   Hear us discuss:  “There is ‘wisdom in the wound.'” [4:33] | The contributing factors in the death of a working relationship: “It wasn't just you and them, the time and place always influence what happens.” Jennifer McCollum on her worst possible relationship: “Regardless of whether or not I'm the leader, I learned that I need to honor and value the uniqueness that each team member brings.” [7:14]

Today we are going to focus on how to get cutting edge tips & tools for top performance from our new website: www.eblifebook.com and our online learning programs with a free 7-day trial to check it out. We will highlight the key areas where you can get ongoing tips and strategies from Drs. Greenberg and Nadler along with any other thought leaders and top performers like Marshall Goldsmith and Daniel Goleman on leadership, Jennifer McCollum from Linkage on Women in Leadership, Marsha Reynolds and Michael Bungay Stanier on masterful coaching, and Chester Elton on gratitude to name a short selection. You will find expert tips in Leadership, Stress & Success, Your Fearless Future, and a section on how to get started with an Emotional Intelligence assessment. We will also look at: • What is Emotional Brilliance and how does it compare with Emotional Intelligence? • How to navigate your emotions using the NAME process. • What is your “Go to” and examples of leaders using it. eblifebook.com

Today we are going to focus on how to get cutting edge tips & tools for top performance from our new website: www.eblifebook.com and our online learning programs with a free 7-day trial to check it out. We will highlight the key areas where you can get ongoing tips and strategies from Drs. Greenberg and Nadler along with any other thought leaders and top performers like Marshall Goldsmith and Daniel Goleman on leadership, Jennifer McCollum from Linkage on Women in Leadership, Marsha Reynolds and Michael Bungay Stanier on masterful coaching, and Chester Elton on gratitude to name a short selection. You will find expert tips in Leadership, Stress & Success, Your Fearless Future, and a section on how to get started with an Emotional Intelligence assessment. We will also look at: • What is Emotional Brilliance and how does it compare with Emotional Intelligence? • How to navigate your emotions using the NAME process. • What is your “Go to” and examples of leaders using it. eblifebook.com

In this episode I speak with Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage, a leadership development firm whose wakeup call was realizing that DEI research and programs weren't making a difference and her company discovering a way to make that difference. https://www.linkageinc.com/

Today we are going to focus on how to get cutting edge tips & tools for top performance from our new website: www.eblifebook.com and our online learning programs with a free 7-day trial to check it out. We will highlight the key areas where you can get ongoing tips and strategies from Drs. Greenberg and Nadler along with any other thought leaders and top performers like Marshall Goldsmith and Daniel Goleman on leadership, Jennifer McCollum from Linkage on Women in Leadership, Marsha Reynolds and Michael Bungay Stanier on masterful coaching, and Chester Elton on gratitude to name a short selection. You will find expert tips in Leadership, Stress & Success, Your Fearless Future, and a section on how to get started with an Emotional Intelligence assessment. We will also look at: • What is Emotional Brilliance and how does it compare with Emotional Intelligence? • How to navigate your emotions using the NAME process. • What is your “Go to” and examples of leaders using it. eblifebook.com

Today we are going to focus on how to get cutting edge tips & tools for top performance from our new website: www.eblifebook.com and our online learning programs with a free 7-day trial to check it out. We will highlight the key areas where you can get ongoing tips and strategies from Drs. Greenberg and Nadler along with any other thought leaders and top performers like Marshall Goldsmith and Daniel Goleman on leadership, Jennifer McCollum from Linkage on Women in Leadership, Marsha Reynolds and Michael Bungay Stanier on masterful coaching, and Chester Elton on gratitude to name a short selection. You will find expert tips in Leadership, Stress & Success, Your Fearless Future, and a section on how to get started with an Emotional Intelligence assessment. We will also look at: • What is Emotional Brilliance and how does it compare with Emotional Intelligence? • How to navigate your emotions using the NAME process. • What is your “Go to” and examples of leaders using it. eblifebook.com

Jennifer McCollum is the CEO at Linkage, which is a Boston based leadership development firm that focuses on improving leadership effectiveness and gender equity in organizations globally. Jennifer's relentless commitment to changing the face of leadership has led to a complete revolution of how this 30+ year old firm is serving leaders. Most recently she co-created an innovative approach to developing inclusive leaders in organizations that is sure to revolutionize the conversation we're having around this important topic today. She's also served in senior executive roles at Korn Ferry Hay and CEB, which is now part of Gartner. Jennifer's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferscherermccollum/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferscherermccollum/) WHAT YOU WILL DISCOVER FROM THIS EPISODE: Growing up in Europe and where Jennifer developed her scrappiness for business. The amazing story of her first job at Coca-Cola during the 1996 Olympics in Barcelona that positively impacted the next 20 years of her career.   How to turn a big opportunity into an even BIGGER one. Career advice for those in their 20's.    Why just working hard doesn't mean people will notice. The productivity hack that Jennifer uses to cultivate her network. What you need to understand about Linkage, and it's inspired mission. Career advice for those from underrepresented groups in the C-Suite. The importance of modeling the behavior you want to see in others. How Alan Mulally (former CEO, Boeing Commercial Aircraft and Ford) impacted her CEO career during the global Pandemic.  Why, as the leader, you must talk the least. The one trait she wishes she could instill in every employee… self-awareness. The importance of getting honest feedback and how it helps you grow as a leader. Interesting findings from Linkage's recent research.  Jennifer's personal story of how bias and engagement impact all levels of the organization. A time when a career twist led to her growth down the road. HIGHLIGHTS: Advice for a young aspiring leader: Experience everything you can. Try a lot of things. Figure out what you like and what your passion is. Start to formulate your purpose. Cultivate a network. In the Purposeful Leadership model, Leaders need to: Inspire Engage Innovate Achieve Become QUOTES: “It's not enough to work hard; others must notice.”  “Instead of focusing on creating a network; focus on cultivating it.” “Serve first.” “We want leaders who are modeling inclusion, creating an inclusive culture. and are investing in their people.” “As a leader, you must talk the least.” “Self-awareness leads to self-discovery which leads to impact.” ------------------- https://www.benfanning.com/the-ceo-sessions/ (Apply to be on the show) ------------------- https://www.benfanning.com/the-ceo-sessions/ (Connect with Ben:) https://www.linkedin.com/in/benfanning/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benfanning/) https://www.instagram.com/benfanning1/ (https://www.instagram.com/benfanning1/) https://twitter.com/BenFanning1 (https://twitter.com/BenFanning1)

Women and people of color are systematically underrepresented in business. That's a problem for woman and people of color. But, it turns out, it's a problem for businesses as well. In today's episode, we'll learn what work, and what doesn't, in the effort to create an inclusive workplace.

Today we are going to focus on how to get cutting edge tips & tools for top performance from our new website: www.eblifebook.com and our online learning programs with a free 7-day trial to check it out. We will highlight the key areas where you can get ongoing tips and strategies from Drs. Greenberg and Nadler along with any other thought leaders and top performers like Marshall Goldsmith and Daniel Goleman on leadership, Jennifer McCollum from Linkage on Women in Leadership, Marsha Reynolds and Michael Bungay Stanier on masterful coaching, and Chester Elton on gratitude to name a short selection. You will find expert tips in Leadership, Stress & Success, Your Fearless Future, and a section on how to get started with an Emotional Intelligence assessment. We will also look at: • What is Emotional Brilliance and how does it compare with Emotional Intelligence? • How to navigate your emotions using the NAME process. • What is your “Go to” and examples of leaders using it. eblifebook.com

Today we are going to focus on how to get cutting edge tips & tools for top performance from our new website: www.eblifebook.com and our online learning programs with a free 7-day trial to check it out. We will highlight the key areas where you can get ongoing tips and strategies from Drs. Greenberg and Nadler along with any other thought leaders and top performers like Marshall Goldsmith and Daniel Goleman on leadership, Jennifer McCollum from Linkage on Women in Leadership, Marsha Reynolds and Michael Bungay Stanier on masterful coaching, and Chester Elton on gratitude to name a short selection. You will find expert tips in Leadership, Stress & Success, Your Fearless Future, and a section on how to get started with an Emotional Intelligence assessment. We will also look at: • What is Emotional Brilliance and how does it compare with Emotional Intelligence? • How to navigate your emotions using the NAME process. • What is your “Go to” and examples of leaders using it. eblifebook.com

Join us today with our guests Jennifer McCollum and Susie Kelleher of Linkage. Jennifer is CEO of Linkage, Inc., where she oversees the strategic direction and global operations of the Boston, MA-based leadership development firm. And Susie Kelleher leads the entire consulting team at Linkage, delivering coaching and training to leaders at all levels. Each of them has spent more than two decades designing and delivering leadership solutions and are frequent speakers and consultants. With a mission to “Change the Face of Leadership,” Linkage has dedicated more than 30 years to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally. Linkage provides solutions to Accelerate Purposeful Leadership; Advance Women Leaders; and Create Cultures of Inclusion, using assessments, training, coaching, consulting and conferences.

Join us today with our guests Jennifer McCollum and Susie Kelleher of Linkage. Jennifer is CEO of Linkage, Inc., where she oversees the strategic direction and global operations of the Boston, MA-based leadership development firm. And Susie Kelleher leads the entire consulting team at Linkage, delivering coaching and training to leaders at all levels. Each of them has spent more than two decades designing and delivering leadership solutions and are frequent speakers and consultants. With a mission to “Change the Face of Leadership,” Linkage has dedicated more than 30 years to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally. Linkage provides solutions to Accelerate Purposeful Leadership; Advance Women Leaders; and Create Cultures of Inclusion, using assessments, training, coaching, consulting and conferences.

Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage, Inc., discusses the changes that executives have made to stay current and relevant in our time of crisis. Jennifer also shares her personal leadership journey. www.linkageinc.com

How can HR professionals make an impact in developing inclusion during these challenging times?This week on the HR Power Hour, Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage discusses how organizations need to merge inclusion into leadership development thus making inclusion part of ongoing expectations, ongoing measurement and development of an overall broader leadership development effort.

Join us today with our guests Jennifer McCollum and Maria Howard of Linkage. Jennifer is CEO of Linkage, Inc., where she oversees the strategic direction and global operations of the Boston, MA-based leadership development firm. And Maria Howard is Chief Revenue Officer who oversees sales and marketing…and also delivers keynotes and development experiences as a Linkage Principal Consultant. Both guests have spent nearly two decades designing and delivering leadership solutions and are frequent speakers and consultants. With a mission to “Change the Face of Leadership,” Linkage has dedicated more than 30 years to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally. Linkage provides solutions to Accelerate Purposeful Leadership; Advance Women Leaders; and Create Cultures of Inclusion, using assessments, training, coaching, consulting, and conferences.

The strength and the passion I have aligns with my purpose. I want to help individuals, teams and organizations fulfill their potential. That's my measure of success. -Jennifer McCollum No one is born a leader. The traits and characteristics of a great leader evolve over time as an individual “becomes” the best version of themselves. What's more: the best leaders aren't in it for themselves, they are in it for the greater good. Meet a woman whose career has been woven around building and managing businesses that focus on leadership. Her name is Jennifer McCollum and she is the CEO of Linkage, Inc. a global leadership development firm based in Boston. Using its signature “purposeful leadership” model, Linkage is leading the way when it comes to advancing women leaders and creating a culture of inclusion. When you are the CEO of a company whose main focus is leadership, the pressure to lead is pretty demanding, but Jennifer is up for the challenge. A wife and mother of three, Jennifer shares what she has learned on her career path from 20, to 30, to 40 and now to age 50, explaining the importance of “taking a step back and realizing that testing, learning, failing and being disappointed doesn't mean you can't start over!” The daughter of two teachers, Jennifer was raised in Germany where she credits her mother with giving her the perfect balance of independence and responsibility. Of the many pieces of advice her mother gave her, Jennifer says these words of wisdom are her favorite: “Set the intention for what you want and then let go of how you are going to get it.” She credits mentors, colleagues and friendships with other women as her greatest source of strength. In fact, when her own “inner critic” might be getting the best of her, it is her friends who set her straight. For a look inside the mindset of an insightful, compassionate female leader in the C-suite, grab a paper and pen and start taking notes! #leadership #womenleaders #inspiringstories

Join us today with our guest Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage, Inc., where she oversees the strategic direction and global operations of the Boston, MA-based leadership development firm. With a mission to “Change the Face of Leadership,” Linkage has dedicated 30 years to improving leadership effectiveness and equity in hundreds of organizations globally. Linkage provides solutions to Accelerate Purposeful Leadership; Advance Women Leaders; and Create Cultures of Inclusion, using assessments, training, coaching, consulting and conferences.