Libby Gill's Blog, page 4
May 12, 2021
Giving Wings to Dreams with Tammera Holmes
Libby is joined by President & CEO of Aerostar Consulting Corporation Tammera L. Holmes. In 2016, Holmes launched her non-profit The AeroStar Avion Institute to begin opening doors for youth in a career field that for most is still very foreign. Her focus is to get more youth, African Americans, females, and other underserved and under-represented populations interested in STEM careers, particularly in the Aerospace industry. Her goal is to promote access to jobs in Aviation and Aerospace. She is an upstanding role-model and leader within the United States and the Aviation community. Her AeroStar programs are literally giving “Wings to Dreams.
Libby and Tammera discuss:
How Tammera got her start in the aviation industryThe false sense of security that academia has createdHow AeroStar is helping the industryWhy she is a huge advocate for serving children and under-represented populationsHow she maintains a sense of balance between being a leader in the aviation industry, a parent, a wife, and moreWhy you should be taking inventory on where you’re putting your time, talent, and treasureGrowing up in a crime-ridden west suburb of Chicago, Tammera understands the impact the current climate in Chicago has on young peoples’ ability to expect greatness beyond what they see. Tammera was named a National Afterschool Ambassador with the Afterschool Alliance based in Washington, D.C. She was inducted in the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame receiving the “Spirit of Flight” award for her work. She’s also received The Bessie Coleman Aviation Award from the Chicago Defender Charities as well as congressional recognition as an outstanding community partner from Representative Danny Davis amongst several other accolades.
Connect with Tammera:
www.avioninstitute.org/team/tammera-l-holmes/
Giving Wings to Dreams
Libby is joined by President & CEO of Aerostar Consulting Corporation Tammera L. Holmes. In 2016, Holmes launched her non-profit The AeroStar Avion Institute to begin opening doors for youth in a career field that for most is still very foreign. Her focus is to get more youth, African Americans, females, and other underserved and under-represented populations interested in STEM careers, particularly in the Aerospace industry. Her goal is to promote access to jobs in Aviation and Aerospace. She is an upstanding role-model and leader within the United States and the Aviation
community. Her AeroStar programs are literally giving “Wings to Dreams.
Libby and Tammera discuss:
How Tammera got her start in the aviation industryThe false sense of security that academia has createdHow AeroStar is helping the industryWhy she is a huge advocate for serving children and under-represented populationsHow she maintains a sense of balance between being a leader in the aviation industry, a parent, a wife, and moreWhy you should be taking inventory on where you’re putting your time, talent, and treasureGrowing up in a crime-ridden west suburb of Chicago, Tammera understands the impact the current climate in Chicago has on young peoples’ ability to expect greatness beyond what they see. Tammera was named a National Afterschool Ambassador with the Afterschool Alliance based in Washington, D.C. She was inducted in the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame receiving the “Spirit of Flight” award for her work. She’s also received The Bessie Coleman Aviation Award from the Chicago Defender Charities as well as congressional recognition as an outstanding community partner from Representative Danny Davis amongst several other accolades.
Connect with Tammera:
www.avioninstitute.org/team/tammera-l-holmes/
May 10, 2021
What Parenting and Leadership Have in Common with Greg Brenner
Libby speaks with Greg Brenner, also known as The HR Dad. Greg loves all things “people in the workplace,” which is why after years of working in operations and being a business owner, he wanted to become a human resources executive. He also loves his biggest and most fulfilling role, Dad. Through humor and wisdom, Greg helps others gain a completely new insight into the career adventure of their lives by helping them see how their work and their personal lives intersect to bring out their greatness in both realms.
Libby and Greg discuss:
Soft skills versus hard skills (it’s not what you think)Female leadership and where it startsTaking lessons from leadership and bringing them into the home and vice versaManaging expectations in order to be set up for successBehaviors that define leadershipWhat Greg suspects will change with leadership in the coming yearsGreg is the podcast host of EVERYDAY PEOPLE, a keynote speaker, a Marshall Goldsmith Certified Stakeholder Centered Coach as well as a master’s trained executive coach, plus the author of the Smack Dab in the Middle of Life series.
Connect with Greg:
What Parenting and Leadership Have in Common
Libby speaks with Greg Brenner, also known as The HR Dad. Greg loves all things “people in the workplace,” which is why after years of working in operations and being a business owner, he wanted to become a human resources executive. He also loves his biggest and most fulfilling role, Dad. Through humor and wisdom, Greg helps others gain a completely new insight into the career adventure of their lives by helping them see how their work and their personal lives intersect to bring out their greatness in both realms.
Libby and Greg discuss:
Soft skills versus hard skills (it’s not what you think)Female leadership and where it startsTaking lessons from leadership and bringing them into the home and vice versaManaging expectations in order to be set up for successBehaviors that define leadershipWhat Greg suspects will change with leadership in the coming yearsGreg is the podcast host of EVERYDAY PEOPLE, a keynote speaker, a Marshall Goldsmith Certified Stakeholder Centered Coach as well as a master’s trained executive coach, plus the author of the Smack Dab in the Middle of Life series.
Connect with Greg:
April 29, 2021
Lose Your Speaking Fear! with Laura Bresee
Libby is joined byExecutive Speech Coach, Laura Bresee. When your job requires frequent public speaking with little or no time to prepare, your vocal confidence and professional credibility are at stake. Lack of preparation or practice presenting often results in visible symptoms of speech anxiety. Laura is passionate about coaching Voice Mechanics strategies to busy professionals to ensure their spoken communication remains effective when speaking under pressure.
Libby and Laura discuss:
Speech analysisUnderstanding that every speech is different and how to prepare for different situationsThe performance aspect of public speakingThe importance of vocal warm-upsSpeech anxiety and how to combat itTips for finding confidence when it comes to speakingLaura is the Principal Owner of Memphis Speech Solutions and is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association. She approaches voice coaching with a holistic perspective using mind-body techniques from internationally acclaimed Heather Lyle Vocal Yoga and Fitzmaurice Voicework methods.
Connect with Laura:
www.linkedin.com/pub/laura-bresee/
https://www.instagram.com/laurabresee_slp/
April 25, 2021
2021 Oscars Awards Roundtable Discussion
In this episode Libby is joined by a few girlfriends, Chiquita Jones and Connie St. John to discuss the Oscars! The chat about all the strong contenders, films they want to win, and all things in-depth Oscars. Libby, Chiquita, and Connie discuss why bleak movies often win Oscar Awards, their favorite 2020 films, some film history and fun facts about some 2020 Oscar films, and more!
View the complete nominations list for the 2021 Oscars Awards here!
The Generosity Culture with April Shprintz
Libby speaks with April Shprintz, the founder of Driven Outcomes and creator of The Generosity Culture®. After spending 20 great years in a variety of industries solving problems and accelerating growth, April realized helping people is who she is, not just what she does. April left corporate America after her highest earning 7-figure year to form her own company and expand her impact.
Libby and April discuss:
Fear of becoming obsoleteHow vulnerability leads to innovation and growth within the workplaceHer experience on the front lines as a journalist for the Air ForceThe biggest impact that the military had on her and how it changed the trajectory of her careerWhy being liked isn’t as important as being effectiveWhen obliviousness can be a giftHer upcoming book, Magic Blue RocksWhen April is not teaching companies how to “pour into” their people, their clients, and their community, she invests her time with various nonprofits helping children, veterans, and those experiencing homelessness. April lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, with her shih tzu, Cowboy, who serves as the Chief Dog Officer of Driven Outcomes and makes cameos in her video productions.
Order Magic Blue Rocks: The Secret to Doing Anything by April Shprintz
Connect with April:
https://drivenoutcome s.com/book
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilshprintz/
https://www.facebook.com/thegenerosityculture
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd3-7foc4_nVtub5Lb0LDkg
https://www.instagram.com/aprilshprintz/
Clubhouse: @aprilshprintz
How To Keep Your Best People On Board with Dr. Troy Hall
This week Libby is joined by Dr. Troy Hall, an award-winning culture strategist, radio show host, speaker, author, and talent retention expert. His doctorate in Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship has sent him across the globe to help leaders create cultures of cohesion and to retain top talent in their organizations. As the author of the bestselling book, Cohesion Culture: Proven Principles to Retain Your Top Talent, and co-author of Mission Matters: World’s Leading Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Top Tips for Success, Dr. Troy was once told he did not have the talent to write. His mom, Fanny, reminded him, “It’s not the successes or failures that shape your life, it’s how you handle them.”
Libby & Dr. Troy discuss:
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and how it relates to retentionThe importance of giving your best as an employee and a leaderWhy companies often get it wrong when it comes to talent retentionThe number one attribute of an effective leader of cohesionCultural superiority and ethnocentric thinkingDirect, cooperative, and collaborative leadership stylesThe talent retention model found in his bookHaving the will to get the skillAnd being a connectorWith more than 40 years of practical leadership experience and a Ph.D. in Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship, Dr. Troy’s passion is helping others succeed. His consulting and executive coaching sessions have positively impacted organizational leaders around the globe on how to create cultures of cohesion to retain their top talent. From the U.S. to Canada and the United Kingdom, from the Middle East to Africa, Asia, and Australia, Dr. Troy has spoken at global conferences as a subject matter expert on the topics of culture & leadership, strategy, and change.
“You don’t have to know everything, you just need to be teachable.” – Dr. Troy
Connect with Dr. Troy Hall:
April 7, 2021
The Single Biggest Problem in Communication
Communication – customized for your listener – is one of the most critical elements of leadership. Here are some strategies to demystify the process.
George Bernard Shaw famously said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
As leaders, we have to eliminate illusion and instead create clarity by using language that’s so concise and compelling that your team not only understands the task at hand, but is also excited at the prospect.
Easier said than done, right?
Start by customizing these messages— what I call the “language of leadership” —and incorporating them into your everyday conversations.
“This is the vision.”
As a leader, you want to share your perspective on the competitive landscape of your industry with your team as often as possible. Yes, you’re dealing with some proprietary and confidential matters that can’t be discussed, but strive for transparency and inclusion in your communication. When you’re an open book, people rightly feel that you have nothing to hide, that you trust them enough to confide in them, and that you want them on your team.
“Here’s the plan.”
Because you’re still the boss of the organization, division, or project team – despite the increasingly popular “we don’t have titles, we’re all equals here” mentality – people expect you to step up and have a plan.
Look one year ahead and start working backwards, quarter by quarter, month by month, week by week. What are the results you’re looking for? Be clear and concise about anticipated outcomes. Set your high-level objectives, critical tasks, milestone markers, and project ownership. Avoid ambiguity and corporate-speak – everything needs to be crystal clear to everyone on the team. Let your team or task leaders concern themselves with the details of the process and how to meet expectations. Most of all, remember to keep it simple!
“What do you need from me?”
Check in regularly – at least as often as the milestone markers you’ve established – to make sure everyone is on task and on time. Know what your people do well and tap into their talents. Find out what each team member needs, directly or through your managers if you’re in a large organization, to get the job done effectively. Resolve conflicts quickly and give feedback frequently. Blend kindness with candor but don’t waste time sugarcoating reactions or pussyfooting around problems. Not only will you make things worse, you’ll teach others to follow your conflict-avoiding behavior.
“How can we improve?”
Keep a “we’re good but we can always be better” attitude and encourage everyone to regularly contribute strategies and suggestions to improve the workplace. Sometimes referred to as kaizen, literally meaning “change for the good,” after the Japanese auto manufacturers’ practice of encouraging workers at all levels to offer ideas for increased quality and productivity, ongoing improvement should be part of your organizational DNA.
While you may be doing fine right now, if you aren’t making ongoing enhancements to efficiency, productivity, and communication, it won’t be long until your competitors bypass you. As a leader, you need to get out, ask questions, and solicit creative ideas from people at every level of the company so that continuous improvement is a team sport and not a competition.
“Woohoo. Let’s celebrate!”
Celebrate success along the way. Not just the big scores, but also the small wins, including meeting your milestones. Institutionalize large-scale celebrations that fit your unique culture, but don’t ignore the small ones either. Even a good old Friday afternoon beer bash just for the heck of it can improve communication and increase collaboration. And that’s no illusion.
March 31, 2021
Time for the “Bad-Assery Audit” with Kelly Charles-Collins
Libby is joined by Kelly Charles Collins. Kelly is an Attorney, Author, Unconscious Bias Expert, CEO of Ladies Who Leverage, Author, and Podcast Host. Her contrasting personality and an awareness that minds make generalizations based on first impressions has led her to a career based on uprooting assumptions about people in order to make a difference.
Libby and Kelly discuss:
Freedom papers, what they are, and how Kelly received hers Why she created Ladies Who LeverageNetworkingWhy Kelly wanted to be a TEDx SpeakerKnowing, understanding, and leveraging your powerHow to have productive and courageous conversationsHow to perform a bad-assery auditAfter moving to the United States from Kingston, Jamaica at a young age, Kelly accelerated her education. She jumped ahead in her classes, graduated high school at 16, and immediately entered college at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. She earned her A.S. in Fashion Merchandising and B.S. in Retail Marketing and Management.
Connect with Kelly:
http://kellycharlescollins.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kellycharlescollins22
