Lead to Soar: Career Advice and Guidance for Women + Guidance for Leaders Who Care About Advancing Women

In this mini episode of Lead to Soar, Michelle Redfern, author of "The Leadership Compass," shares a reading from the book's first chapter. Michelle reflects on a transformative leadership retreat and the journey to discovering her true calling as a leader.Episode Highlights- Transformational Retreat: A pivotal 2013 leadership retreat prompted Michelle to reflect deeply with the question, "Who are you called to become?"- Self-Discovery Journey: Michelle emphasizes the importance of listening to one's inner voice, reflecting on past experiences, and understanding personal and professional growth.- Mentorship Wisdom: Advice from a regional general manager about being a proactive leader and integrating career with personal life.- Practical Insights: Navigating career and family responsibilities, continuous self-improvement, and leveraging mentor advice to shape leadership style.Leadership Call to Action- Reflect on Your Calling: Consider the question, "Who are you called to become?" and document your reflections.- Self-Assessment: Regularly evaluate whether you're making things happen, observing, or feeling lost.- Seek Feedback: Get insights from mentors or colleagues to improve your leadership approach.- Integrate Life and Career: Maintain harmony between your career and personal life for sustainable leadership.- Embrace Lifelong Learning: Commit to ongoing personal and professional development to enhance leadership skills. You can find more about The Leadership Compass incuding where to purchase at www.michelleredfern.com/books

Show HighlightsHow are workplace dynamics evolving? What must leaders know and do to create workplaces of the future?- We need all hands on deck to contribute to innovation. There's room for everyone to contribute. Join us. AND it's ok to move the naysayers to another room; don't let them suck the energy away from those ready to do creative, innovative work.- Cultivate the environment for team members to take responsibility versus waiting to be granted authority- Don't conflate people and project managers.- Be specific about behaviors you value in managers and lead accordingly.Recognize and reward the good behavior you want to see more of in managers.- Leaders are responsible for building and maintaining the foundation of the house.- If someone on your team wants to be a better people leader, where's theLearning and Development budget for them?- You've gotta get rid of the brilliant kers. No exceptions.

n this milestone episode of Lead to Soar, Mel Butcher, Michelle Redfern and Erika Jefferson to discuss the recent FTC ruling banning non-compete agreements. They dive into the implications of this rule for employees and employers, exploring how non-competes have been used historically and why they are problematic. The conversation also touches on trust, leadership, and the essential elements of creating a high-engagement work environment.Episode Highlights- FTC Ruling on Non-Competes: In April 2024, the FTC announced a rule banning non-compete agreements, which traditionally prevented employees from working for competitors within a certain geographic area and time period.- Non-Competes as Control Mechanisms: Erica and Michelle discuss how non-competes are often used in industries to maintain control over employees and prevent them from sharing internal issues with competitors.- Industries and Impact: Erica highlights the prevalence of non-competes in high-tech industries and the medical field, where sensitive information and long contracts are common. Mel shares an example of a medical doctor restricted by a non-compete from pursuing preferred career opportunities.- Trust and Leadership: The episode emphasizes the importance of trust in leadership. High-trust organizations report significantly lower stress, higher productivity, and greater employee satisfaction and engagement.US Chamber of Commerce Response: The US Chamber of Commerce is suing the FTC over the ban, arguing that it undermines American businesses' competitiveness. The hosts critique this stance, suggesting it reveals underlying issues within organizations that rely heavily on non-competes.- Practical Advice for Leaders: Leaders are encouraged to trust their employees, set clear expectations, and avoid over-reliance on legal agreements to enforce loyalty. Instead, creating a supportive and engaging work environment is key.Leadership Call to Action- Evaluate Hiring Processes: Ensure your hiring practices are robust and focused on finding the right fit for your organization. This includes thorough vetting and clear communication of expectations.- Foster a Trusting Environment: Develop a workplace culture where trust is the foundation. This involves transparent communication, regular check-ins, and providing the necessary tools for employees to succeed.- Embrace High-Trust Practices: Move away from non-competes and towards practices that build trust and engagement. This includes recognizing and rewarding employees, offering growth opportunities, and creating a safe environment for feedback.- Ask the Right Questions: When interviewing new hires, inquire about non-compete and non-disclosure agreements to understand the company’s stance on trust and employee freedom.- Leadership Mindset: Shift your mindset to believe in the goodness and capability of your employees. Empower them to take ownership of their work and provide support to help them thrive.

In this milestone episode of Lead to Soar, Mel Butcher, Michelle Redfern and Erika Jefferson to discuss the recent FTC ruling banning non-compete agreements. They dive into the implications of this rule for employees and employers, exploring how non-competes have been used historically and why they are problematic. The conversation also touches on trust, leadership, and the essential elements of creating a high-engagement work environment.Episode Highlights- FTC Ruling on Non-Competes: In April 2024, the FTC announced a rule banning non-compete agreements, which traditionally prevented employees from working for competitors within a certain geographic area and time period.- Non-Competes as Control Mechanisms: Erica and Michelle discuss how non-competes are often used in industries to maintain control over employees and prevent them from sharing internal issues with competitors.- Industries and Impact: Erica highlights the prevalence of non-competes in high-tech industries and the medical field, where sensitive information and long contracts are common. Mel shares an example of a medical doctor restricted by a non-compete from pursuing preferred career opportunities.- Trust and Leadership: The episode emphasizes the importance of trust in leadership. High-trust organizations report significantly lower stress, higher productivity, and greater employee satisfaction and engagement.US Chamber of Commerce Response: The US Chamber of Commerce is suing the FTC over the ban, arguing that it undermines American businesses' competitiveness. The hosts critique this stance, suggesting it reveals underlying issues within organizations that rely heavily on non-competes.- Practical Advice for Leaders: Leaders are encouraged to trust their employees, set clear expectations, and avoid over-reliance on legal agreements to enforce loyalty. Instead, creating a supportive and engaging work environment is key.Leadership Call to Action- Evaluate Hiring Processes: Ensure your hiring practices are robust and focused on finding the right fit for your organization. This includes thorough vetting and clear communication of expectations.- Foster a Trusting Environment: Develop a workplace culture where trust is the foundation. This involves transparent communication, regular check-ins, and providing the necessary tools for employees to succeed.- Embrace High-Trust Practices: Move away from non-competes and towards practices that build trust and engagement. This includes recognizing and rewarding employees, offering growth opportunities, and creating a safe environment for feedback.- Ask the Right Questions: When interviewing new hires, inquire about non-compete and non-disclosure agreements to understand the company’s stance on trust and employee freedom.- Leadership Mindset: Shift your mindset to believe in the goodness and capability of your employees. Empower them to take ownership of their work and provide support to help them thrive.

On this episode, Mel Butcher and Erika Jefferson (founder of Black Women in Science and Engineering, BWiSE) discuss the latest on the state of women in STEM. Hear from Erika what trends she is seeing in STEM heavy industries for talent recruitment, attrition, employee priorities, and what leaders can do to attract and retain the best and brightest.Reference Links:Study, Women in STEM are Struggling in the WorkplaceWomen Making Gains in STEM Occupations, But Still UnderrepresentedDiversity and STEM: Women, Minorities and Persons with DisabilitiesLead to Soar is a global online network for businesswomen, a podcast, and we host live-streaming and in person events to help women have a career that soars! The podcast is hosted by Mel Butcher (melbutcher.com) and Michelle Redfern (michelleredfern.com)

In this episode of Lead to Soar, Mel, Michelle and Erika explore the ethical challenges of layoff culture and executive decision-making. Inspired by Seth Godin's Akimbo podcast, they discuss how stock options influence corporate decisions and the importance of ethical frameworks like ESG. The conversation covers the impacts of layoffs on employee trust and morale, differences in labor laws, and strategies for leaders to foster ethical practices.Episode HighlightsEthics in Leadership:Importance of compliance and ethics frameworks.Universal ethical standards in business.Incentives and Decision Making:Impact of executive stock options on business decisions.Examples of strategic profit-driven decisions, like Google’s email promotions.Layoff Culture:Negative effects of frequent layoffs.Labor law differences between the US and Australia.Trust and Employee Relations:Building trust in leadership.The erosion of trust due to layoff culture.Unionization and Employee Advocacy:Unionization as a response to unethical behavior.Importance of diverse and ethical board governance.Practical Advice for Leaders:Strategies for influencing ethical practices.Importance of personal integrity and aligning actions with values.Leadership Call to ActionImplement Ethical Frameworks: Establish and enforce clear ethics and compliance frameworks.Foster Trust: Create an environment where employees feel valued and trusted.Encourage Board Diversity: Advocate for diverse and accountable board members.Promote Open Communication: Allow employees to voice concerns without fear.Prepare for Unionization: Address underlying issues that lead to unionization.Reflect on Leadership Values: Align your actions with personal and organizational ethical standards.