Speak up and Step Forward
Effective leaders don’t wait for certainty. They use their voice, act with integrity, and move forward even when the path is uncertain.
Lead from a Place of Calm Confidence
“I had the great fortune of interviewing President George Bush, and he said something I'll forever remember: The number one thing you as a leader must do is to project calm. He was the president when the Twin Towers were attacked on 9/11, and he said everyone is looking to see if you freak out. They're looking for their leader to be strong. Even if inside you're a disaster, your team has to see you project calm. No matter what's going on, your employee base is looking to you to lead and give them confidence that everything's going to be okay.”
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, President and CEO, SHRM
Listen Widely, But Act Decisively
“My dad says, ‘No one puts statues in the park commemorating committees.’ It’s important to listen to everyone while being hyperaware about the internal and external environments. Then, it is my responsibility as a leader to sift through all the available data and discern the helpful insights from the noise. Ultimately, I need to make informed decisions based on all the available data.”
Jeff Lindeman, Chief People, Culture & Capability Officer, WD-40 Company
‘Nobody is Sure, So Speak Up!’
“I had a boss who once saw me in a meeting struggling to find my voice. He just said, "Speak up, speak up." And I said, "Well, I'm not sure." And he said, "Nobody's sure!" I think a lot of people, particularly women and people of color, have that issue, whether it's imposter syndrome or just not wanting to say the wrong thing. That really helped me early on to understand the principles of fearless leadership and the importance of being authentic.”
Barbara Polk, Chief Operating Officer, Jobs for the Future (JFF)
Prioritize Integrity Over Position
“When I moved to the U.S., my new manager shared advice that I have used to guide my actions. His insight was that during your career, there will come a time when you need to choose between your job and your values. If you lose your job, you can find another one. But if you lose your values, you lose yourself. This mantra has enabled me to make sure that I have made decisions guided by my values.”
Simon King, Former Chief People Officer, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.
‘Don’t Build a Rocket Ship to Get to the Corner Market’
”Don’t be afraid to use your common sense. Many different decisions cross my desk, and I can pull any amount of analytics. But at the end of the day, sometimes the thing I’m left with is practicality. I’m just left with the prospect of using my common sense, and that’s been huge.
It’s important sometimes to take a step back and ask: Are we overshooting what we should be really looking at? Maybe the best adage is: ‘Don’t build a rocket ship to get to the corner market.’ ”
Lars Minns, CHRO, Mercedes-Benz, North America
Step Into Your Power by Trusting Your Wisdom
“The best advice I got was to use my voice. I am Jamaican and I grew up with the idea that, for those in authority, their word was the word — and the last word. Throughout my career, I’ve had leaders who said, ‘Why didn’t you share that in the meeting? That was a great point.’
“Over time, through help with executive coaches and great leaders who gave me feedback, I recognized that I needed to unlearn what I'd learned growing up. I learned to use my voice in a way that helps me show up stronger and better at work, but also to help others recognize that they too can use their voices.’
Prudence Pitter, Former Global Head of HR for Amazon’s Web Services Auto/Manufacturing division
Risk More to Achieve More
“‘If you are not failing, your strategy is not bold enough.’ One of my mentors shared that taking thoughtful risks and empowering your teams to experiment is an integral part of learning. Otherwise, following a tried-and-true method will only get you the results that have been previously achieved.”
Olesea Azevedo, Chief Culture and Transformation Officer, AdventHealth
Choose Candor Over Comfort
“Surround yourself with people who have the courage to tell you the truth.”
Sabrina Ellis, Chief People Officer, National Basketball Association
Let Go of the ‘Safety-First’ Reflex
“After I touted five years at our company without any legal claims, our COO came to me and said something interesting: 'Maybe we don't get sued enough.' He argued that our focus on avoiding risk could result in delayed action and cost the company more in the long run. We were too focused on HR decisions and not focused enough on bigger-picture business decisions.
“That reshaped my view on how HR can help the business take smart, strategic risks that drive results. We can’t be risk-averse gatekeepers. To be successful, we must weigh cost/benefit, ensure core values guide decisions, and stay deeply connected to business priorities. This taught me real impact comes from helping the business embrace risk intelligently at both transactional and strategic levels.”
Chris Courneen, Senior VP and Global Head of HR, MS International
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