Workplace Forward Bright Arrow Coaching

Even if you're committed to making your organization and its C-suite leadership more diverse, your network tends to look like you. And as a result, you build a team of people like you.
But if you seek out coworkers with complementary skills who are willing to challenge you, your team will perform better and have more fun doing it.
So, what can we do as leaders to create a more diverse talent pipeline at work?
D Sangeeta is Founder and CEO at Gotara, a career growth platform for women in STEM. Gotara provides mentoring and nano-learning programs based on the latest research with the goal of closing the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math.
Sangeeta spent two decades in the corporate world, leading teams at Amazon, Nielson and GE Aviation before launching Gotara in June 2020. She has a PhD in Materials Chemistry from the University of Illinois, holds 26 patents and is the recipient of the Nielson CEO Award, the National Women of Color in Technology Award and the GE Latimer Innovation Award.
On this episode of Workplace Forward, Sangeeta joins me to discuss what gets in the way of creating diverse leadership teams, challenging us to hold space for differing opinions and healthy conflict in our organizations.
Sangeeta explains how to create more diverse talent pipelines and why it's good for business, describing the Ally Stars and North Star Program Gotara offers current executives and emerging female leaders.
Listen in for Sangeeta's actionable advice on promoting diversity of thought at work and learn how Gotara can support you in building diverse leadership teams in your organization.
Themes explored in this week’s episode: What inspired Sangeeta to build a career growth platform for women in STEM What gets in the way of creating diverse leadership teams Growing your capacity to hold space for differing opinions and healthy conflict How to create a more diverse talent pipeline in your organization How a diverse leadership pipeline impacts top-line growth, productivity and net profit Gotara’s Ally Stars program to help leaders remove bias and promote inclusivity How Sangeeta’s North Star Program serves emerging female leaders What you can do from your seat today to promote diversity of thought at work Sangeeta’s take on why leaders need to be willing to break the rules How Sangeeta’s leadership has evolved through the volatility of the last 2 years Why leaders of the future need as much EQ as IQ and how women lead in crises Resources from this episode: Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript Connect with D Sangeeta and follow Gotara on LinkedIn Follow Gotara on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Learn more about Gotara at https://www.gotara.com/ Request a demo of Gotara’s Ally or North Star Program Explore the research around women leaders in a crisis I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me! 
Tweet me @TeganTrovato Email tegan@brightarrowcoaching.com Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at  https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/ 

It's easy to feel attacked when a colleague volunteers a perspective that differs from your own.
But what if their way of seeing the world is not wrong? What if it’s just different?
And what if their point of view is complementary to yours? What if, together, you can address each other’s blind spots and support each other better because of your differences?
CEO Darrin Murriner and COO Kirsten Moorfield are the co-founders of Cloverleaf, a tech platform that provides automated coaching for teams, empowering colleagues to tap into each other’s unique value, communicate effectively and work better together.
On this episode of Workplace Forward, Kirsten and Darrin join me to discuss the power in inviting and leveraging diverse perspectives in our organizations and describe how Cloverleaf helps teams do just that.
Kirsten and Darrin explain why authenticity in leadership is important to them, exploring the opportunity we have as leaders to model authenticity when we don’t have all the answers.
Listen in for insight on training people to appreciate diverse opinions and learn what you can do to help your team respect their differences and build strong relationships with each other.
Themes explored in this week’s episode: How Kirsten & Darrin found each other and why they decided to build Cloverleaf How Cloverleaf helps teams create psychological safety and develop an appreciation of diversity and diverse opinions How Cloverleaf provides customized coaching to improve interactions among coworkers Training people to understand how we can support each other through our differences What leaders can do to equip team members to build strong relationships with each other Why Darrin has focused on talking less and listening more in the last few years Kirsten’s insight on differentiating between critical thinkers and critics Why authenticity in leadership is important to Kirsten & Darrin The opportunity to model authenticity that arises when a leader doesn’t have all the answers and how it serves your people to admit to not knowing How leaders of the future will demonstrate good character and put people first Resources from this episode:  Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript Follow @cloverleafme on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok Learn more about Cloverleaf and start your free trial at https://cloverleaf.me/ Connect with Kirsten and Darrin or follow Cloverleaf on LinkedIn Revisit my conversation with Sherianne James on Workplace Forward EP11 Watch Kirsten’s TED Talk on How to Leave Work Energized Read Darrin’s book Corporate Bravery: Eliminate Fear-Based Decision Making I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!
Tweet me @TeganTrovato Email tegan@brightarrowcoaching.com Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at  https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/ 

Are you pushing yourself so hard and so fast that you don’t have time to think? Are you so busy getting through each day that you’re not planning for the long term?

Being caught in execution mode isn’t a bad thing. But you have to stop from time to time and ask yourself if what you’re doing is, in fact, the RIGHT thing. The thing that will get you closer to your long-term goals.

So, how do you make space in your calendar to consider the long game? How do you become a long-term thinker in a short-term world?

Dorie Clark was named the #1 Communication Coach at the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards and one of the Top 50 Business Thinkers in the World.

Dorie also teaches at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School, and she is the bestselling author of several books, including The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World.

On this episode of Workplace Forward, Dorie joins me to explore why it’s so challenging to commit to the long game and explain how to decide what’s worthy of the long game for you.

She discusses the confusion around being busy versus being important, challenging leaders to maximize our time and make space in the calendar for long-term thinking.

Listen in for Dorie’s insight on developing the clarity and character to achieve worthwhile long-term goals in your personal and professional life.

Themes explored in this week’s episode:
Why long-term thinking is more difficult now than it was 10 years ago How to get clear about what’s worthy of the long game for you Why it’s so challenging to commit to the long game (and what to do about it) Dorie's take on why we confuse being busy with being important How to maximize your time to create open space for long-term thinking What you can learn from conducting a detailed time tracking study How Dorie applies the ‘hell yeah’ test to say no to good opportunities Being intentional about company culture in a remote or hybrid work setting What companies can do to promote diversity and tap into everyone’s full capacity How to think about outsourcing anything that’s not your highest and best use Recognizing good team members and understanding their long-term career goals The #1 question leaders of the future need to ask themselves
Resources from this episode: 
Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript Follow @dorieclark on Twitter and Instagram Connect with Dorie on LinkedIn or Facebook Learn more about Dorie’s work at https://dorieclark.com/ Get your copy of The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World Take Dorie’s free Long Game self-assessment Register for Dorie’s Trajectory Mastermind or Recognized Expert Course Explore Sylvia Bellezza’s research on busyness as a status symbol Read Dorie’s articles on time tracking in Harvard Business Review and Fast Company Read ‘Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time’ by Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy Learn more about Derek Sivers ‘hell yeah or no’ test Understand the gender stress gap and the idea of emotional labor
I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!

Tweet me @TeganTrovato Email tegan@brightarrowcoaching.com Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at  https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/ 

Whether you’re looking to take the next big step in your career or leading an organization to the next level of growth, it requires a leap of faith.
But what is the best way to make decisions effectively when the future is unclear?
Julie Setser is Senior Vice President of R&D and Innovation at Procter & Gamble, where she is currently leading the company-wide digital transformation.
A strategic leader with 35 years of experience, Julie has expertise in driving transformation and disruptive innovation, and she is passionate about translating consumer insights into business growth.
On this episode of Workplace Forward, Julie joins me to share her 5 Principles for Taking Leaps of Faith, explaining why it’s crucial for leaders to embrace uncertainty and lead with clarity.
She describes how to make your assumptions explicit and get comfortable with low resolution, challenging us to ask ‘what needs to be true’ to take a given leap effectively.
Listen in for Julie’s insight on going slow to go fast and learn how to apply her 5 Leap of Faith Principles to your own life and work.
Themes explored in this week’s episode: Julie’s 5 Leap of Faith Principles for getting to the next level of growth How Julie designed the framework to make big decisions when the future is unclear Why it’s crucial for leaders to resist the idea that the future is certain How to get clear on where you’re going but be flexible about how to get there Knowing what needs to be true to take a leap effectively How making your assumptions explicit can help you move into a new business Getting comfortable with low resolution and developing the discipline of zooming in and out What it means to go slow in order to go fast Examples of how Julie applies the 5 principles in her own life and work What tactical habits leaders need to live the 5 Leap of Faith Principles Julie’s insight on the power of networking and how it’s evolved over time Resources from this episode:  Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript Connect with Julie on LinkedIn Explore the Lean Startup movement Learn more about Bionic I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!
Tweet me @TeganTrovato Email tegan@brightarrowcoaching.com Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at  https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/ 

How do you feel about networking?
Do you see it as extra work you just don’t have time for? Or something you have to psych yourself up to do?
What if networking didn’t have to be ‘work’ at all? What if we reframed it as a way of being? A mindset that prioritizes meaningful connection with others?
One of Forbes Top 25 Networking Experts, Michelle Tillis Lederman is an accomplished speaker, trainer and coach. As the CEO of Executive Essentials, she works with organizations and individuals to help them build real relationships for better results.
Michelle’s impressive client roster includes Madison Square Garden, Johnson & Johnson and Michigan State University. She is also the author of four books, including The Connector’s Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact.
On this episode of Workplace Forward, Michelle joins me to explore what it means to be a Connector, explaining how anyone can build the necessary skills and why diversifying connections gives us a competitive advantage.
Michelle walks us through the seven mindsets of a Connector, describing the spirit of generosity, openness and attitude of abundance that help Connectors cultivate strong relationships in our personal and professional lives.
Listen in for insight on maintaining connections as part of what you’re already doing and learn how to ask your network for help without putting relationships at risk.
Themes explored in this week’s episode: What it means to be a Connector and why Michelle prefers the term over ‘networking’ The 7 mindsets of a Connector The impact of social isolation on our mental and physical health Why it’s advantageous to expand your network and be an Inclusive Connector Why a spirit of generosity serves as the foundation of connection How having a clear vision cultivates connection How to ask for help without putting relationships at risk Moving up the Connector spectrum through responsiveness, initiation, breadth and depth The natural strengths and stretches of introverts and extroverts when it comes to being a Connector How to be open and accepting of your own ‘unique charms’ without overleveraging them Michelle’s tips for maintaining connections as part of what you’re already doing Resources from this episode:  Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript Subscribe to Michelle’s LinkedIn Newsletter Gift The Connector’s Advantage Take Michelle’s Connector Quiz Access Michelle’s Free Giftpack Visit Michelle’s Website or Executive Essentials Follow Michelle on Facebook Get your copy of The Connector’s Advantage and The 11 Laws of Likability Learn more about Sally Helgesen’s How Women Rise Explore Marshall Goldsmith’s What Got You Here Won’t Get You There I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!
Tweet me @TeganTrovato Email tegan@brightarrowcoaching.com Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at  https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/ 

Here at Bright Arrow, we interview the stakeholders of C-suite teams we’re coaching. And the CEO and other CXOs are often surprised by the feedback we share.
Because even when senior executives open the door to conversation, the next line of leaders hold back. They nod their heads and say, ‘Yes, everything’s good.’ Yet in confidential interviews, we uncover frustration and resistance.
So, how can senior leaders learn to listen deeply and read their team’s subtle cues? And what can we do to train aspiring executives to speak up?
Sherianne James is a business-minded marketing leader with 25-plus years of experience unlocking the power of brands to create shareholder value. She has managed iconic brands like Kraft Singles, Planters Nuts, Black & Decker, Milk Bone and George Foreman.
In her current role, Sherianne leverages her consumer product marketing experience to build successful B2C and B2B go-to-market strategies for the optical industry, and she has been twice named to Vision Monday’s list of the Most Influential Women in Optical as well as Dallas CMO of the Year.
On this episode of Workplace Forward, Sherianne joins me to explain why the deliberate practice of listening is an essential skill for senior executives, describing how discontent and resistance can go undetected when we ignore nonverbal cues.
Sherianne offers advice on empowering the next level of leadership to act on the invitation to share honestly, challenging us to demonstrate our humanness with employees without losing our authority as C-suite leaders.
Listen in as Sherianne shares her experience as a woman of color in senior leadership roles and learn how to help aspiring executives communicate effectively, curating messages with both conciseness and clarity.
Themes explored in this week’s episode: Why the deliberate practice of listening is an essential skill for senior executives How a C-suite title can get in the way of team members sharing honestly The challenge of reading your team’s subtle cues and how the issue is compounded by the dynamic way we work now Why Sherianne reserves complex conversations for days her team is in the office Sherianne’s advice on empowering the next level of leadership to act on the invitation to share honestly Why discontent can go undetected and how senior leaders benefit from reading nonverbal cues The balance between demonstrating your humanness with employees and maintaining the weight of being a senior leader How Sherianne helps aspiring senior leaders communicate with conciseness and clarity Sherianne’s experience as a woman of color in senior leadership roles How Sherianne has learned not to internalize resistance and to make strategic decisions re: when to react Resources from this episode:  Read along with this Workplace Forward Podcast episode's text transcript Follow Sherianne on LinkedIn I would love to hear from you! Have an idea for a podcast or a question you want me to address? Interested in additional support, resources and workshops? Here are all the ways you can interact with me!
Tweet me @TeganTrovato Email tegan@brightarrowcoaching.com Follow me on Facebook @BrightArrowCoaching Follow me on Instagram @TeganTrovato Connect with me on LinkedIn: Tegan Trovato Download free tools and sign up for my newsletter, coaching and workshops at  https://www.brightarrowcoaching.com/