This episode features a conversation between Lori Nishiura Mackenzie, co-founder of the Stanford VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab and faculty member of Leading Women Executives; and Deb DeHaas, CEO, Corporate Leadership Center. Lori and Deb talk about Stanford’s recent research and playbooks around board diversity and culture, along with Deb’s real-life experience and advice across her many years of serving on corporate, nonprofit, and higher education boards.

SHOW NOTES:

4:27 The Impact Lab

6:07 Inclusive seats of power

8:24 The importance of focusing on building an inclusive board culture

10:07 Playbooks for Board diversity and culture

16:00 Setting norms with Boards

22:10 Building interpersonal relationships on boards

21:52 Engaging with and across differences

29:48 Defining board culture and looking forward

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:

1. What ideas from this discussion can you take back to any Boards you are involved with that could help create a more inclusive Board culture?

2. What other ideas have you seen that work to create cultures of inclusion on Boards?

3. As you think about these playbooks, what might you take from them to also incorporate a stronger culture of inclusion in your teams?

This episode features Robin Blackmon, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer at Aflac. Robin shares her wonderful, winding journey in Finance and HR that led her to where she is today. You’ll also hear insights on learning from others in big and small ways, the importance of relationships and practice when it comes to boards, and a few tips on wellness and stress management.

SHOW NOTES:

2:41 The goal was not necessarily to end up here

6:11 The value of gaining HR experience to succeed in Finance

10:20 Thoughtful transitions for leadership

11:56 Tips on presenting to the Board

12:42 Having good working relationships with your business partners

16:02 Building out the team and working towards optimization

17:39 Taking care of your own health and wellness

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:

1. How might you be able to start developing or further cultivate relationships with your Board members?

2. What are some of the things your peers or team members do in their work that you admire and could incorporate into your own work or style?

3. How might you be able to strengthen relationships with business partners that are important to you and to your team?

4. What are ways that you can pay more attention to your health and wellness and to that of your team members?

This episode features Laura Kohler, Chief Sustainable Living Officer, Kohler. Laura shares insights about the legacy of Kohler and her journey within the company, and Kohler’s culture of innovation, sustainability and purpose. Laura also discusses the importance of re-skilling, the role of technology in sustainability, and how her personal values have played a role in her leadership journey.

SHOW NOTES:

1:51: Kohler's Legacy Values: Resilience, Persistence and Innovation

6:49: What started as cast iron farm implements

11:20: The importance of sustainability and DEI as cultural competencies and behaviors

16:33: Innovation and Purpose: People are more than the job they do

20:07: Dealing with roadblocks when building a culture of innovation

22:05: Smart products to serve sustainable living

24:41: The importance of reskilling and a 70-20-10 model

29:48: The thrill and challenge of career pivots

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

We encourage you to connect with your peer board, team or colleagues to discuss the podcast. Please use the following questions to guide your conversation:

• If you were to further cultivate your own resilience, persistence, and innovation, how might that serve you well in your ongoing leadership journey?

• What opportunities might exist to further cultivate sustainability and DEI as cultural competencies and individual behaviors in your own organization?

• Are you leaving money and talent on the table by not fully activating your own team members? What might you do to better activate them?

• What could you do to foster a culture of innovation in your team and how might you be able to influence that more broadly in your organization?

• What skills and competencies of your own do you need to update, and what is your plan to do so?