Let Go & Lead With Maril Macdonald

In the second part of his conversation on Let Go & Lead, world-renowned speaker and author Scott Halfordspeaks with Maril about good storytelling put to practice. They dive into strategies for crafting better stories, common pitfalls to avoid when telling them, the importance of mining your life for personal stories and a lot more — all grounded in neuroscience and the goal of better inspiring those we lead. Find the episode below. 2:07 Ways to make strategy presentations more engaging   9:57 The hallmark of a good leader in today’s world 13:21 The mechanics of good stories and what to focus on when crafting them 24:31 Why leaders should share personal stories 25:19 “Mining” your life for stories that resonate with employees 28:37 Common pitfalls to avoid when telling stories Listen to the first part of Scott’s conversation with Maril here. — Let Go & Lead is a leadership community created by Maril MacDonald, CEO and founder of Gagen MacDonald, more than a decade ago. It explores how leaders inspire

The human brain is wired to focus far more on dangers than on positive information. This is a reality business leaders navigate every day, as they work to be intentional, clear and engaging in their communications. It’s also where Scott Halford can help. Scott sees effective storytelling as a key part of leadership, and he believes that with deeper knowledge of neuroscience, we can get a lot better at both.     Scott is an internationally renowned keynote speaker, educator and advisor. He works worldwide to educate audiences about emotional intelligence, the neuroscience of achievement, effective performance and the success we create when we understand the intricacies of human interaction. He’s the author of the bestselling books Be a Shortcut and Activate Your Brain. Scott has been telling stories throughout his career — first as an Emmy Award-winning writer and producer and then as a professional speaker. He’s recognized as a Certified Speaking Professional by the National Speakers Association, and in 2014,

A workplace with four to five different generations of employees can be a challenge. Dr. Candace Steele Flippin knows it is also an opportunity. Candace is an expert on the multigenerational workforce, as well as a Senior Vice President and the Chief Communications Officer at Acuity Brands, a leading industrial technology company based in Atlanta, Georgia. She is an accomplished communications executive widely recognized for her transformational leadership in the industrial, financial services, medical device, biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Since 2016, Candace has been a Research Fellow at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, an appointed role. She uses her unique background as a communications executive, researcher and author to provide practical career insights on the future of the multigenerational workplace. She has been featured on Forbes, CNBC, CBS, and Today.com and named as one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine.

For Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, President and Chief Executive Officer of SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, now is the time to go beyond new policies and procedures at companies. It’s the time where, as a leader, you must re-assess and re-articulate your organization’s unique culture, vision and employee value proposition to attract and keep the best talent. As a global leader on the future of employment, culture and leadership, Johnny is a sought-after voice on an array of matters regarding work, workers and the workplace. He is frequently asked to testify before Congress on critical workforce issues and authors the weekly USA Today column, “Ask HR.” Johnny is a member of the White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board and chairs the President's Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Among his many accolades is being named Professional Society CEO of the Year by CEO Update in 2021.   In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Johnny speaks with Maril about the

Bill Novelli, the founder of Business for Impact at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, is always asking, “What’s next?” A master of reinvention, Bill’s career has taken him in a number of directions — from helping to create the concept of social marketing to co-founding his own public relations firm, Porter Novelli, to serving as CEO of the AARP. Bill’s latest book, Good Business: The Talk, Fight, Win Way to Change the World, challenges all of us to change the world for the better and is a blueprint for tackling today's critical issues.  In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Bill talks with Maril about doing well while doing good. He and Maril explore the courage and curiosity required to lean into reinvention, how to balance making a meaningful change versus taking an unwarranted risk, the key characteristics of successful transformations and even the state of our political climate.  Learn about: 6:41 — Inspiring reinvention within your work and life  8:48  — Finding the balance between em

Danielle Merfeld, Chief Technology Officer for GE Renewable Energy, is a true convener who models shared power and confidently elevates others within her organization. Known for leading teams of experts who possess very different technical expertise than she does, Danielle understands where she adds value to get things done. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Danielle shares techniques for breaking down organizational silos, leading through change, releasing control and igniting debate when leading remotely.

When Blake Jones co-founded Namasté Solar, he set out to transform both the energy industry and business itself. Determined to build a company that practices conscientious business, Blake and his co-founders wanted to positively impact each stakeholder group, from employees and customers to community, investors, the environment and partners. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Blake shares the key leadership and cultural tenets that have sustained Namasté Solar over the years, as well as what’s changed and evolved as the company has grown and scaled.

Michele Skerl, a renowned horsemanship teacher, horse trainer and breeder, and MaryCay Durrant, a skilled facilitator and sought after executive business transformation coach, share a passion for bringing out the best in leaders through horses. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, MaryCay and Michele reveal how horses can help leaders live into their authenticity, ignite energy and build trust.

Commander Rorke Denver has led Navy SEAL special-forces missions around the world and run every phase of Navy SEAL training. Today, as Founder of Ever Onward, Rorke uses SEAL principles to call leaders to take action and be bold so they can perform at their highest levels. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Rorke shares stories that underscore the importance of clear decision making, calm and composed leadership, training for extreme scenarios and building mental fortitude to strengthen personal resilience.

Francesca Gino, award winning-expert on the psychology of organizations, professor at Harvard Business School and author of “Rebel Talent: Why it Pays to Break the Rules in Work and Life,” shares that not only do rebels have a bad reputation, but they are arguably the best suited to lead business forward in a world of continual disruption. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Francesca shares stories from rebel leaders, tips on how to hire effectively for rebel characteristics and how to spark constructive rebelliousness within an organization.

Richard Sheridan, CEO, Co-founder & Chief Storyteller, Menlo Innovations, launched the software firm in 2001 with the intention of creating a joyful work environment that people loved. He knew things could be better and that work could be filled with camaraderie, energy, creativity and productivity. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Rich and Maril discuss how to create and sustain human energy in the workplace, share how leading with joy increases fulfillment and builds trust and offer how anyone can begin making cultural changes within his or her organization.

Malaika Myers, Hyatt’s Chief Human Resources Officer, is a beacon for the company’s purpose: to care for people so they can be their best. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, recorded prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaika shares how Hyatt’s purpose is lived each day, offers practical tips on creating a culture of belonging and challenges us all to turn fear into love.

Dr. James Madara, CEO and executive vice president of the American Medical Association, joins Maril for the kick-off of Let Go & Lead’s third season. In their conversation, recorded just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, they discuss how the AMA captures and champions physician voices from across the nation. Dr. Madara shares insights on connected power, effectively leading multiple stakeholder groups and adapting to new environments with curiosity and humility.

We’re excited to share that the third season of Let Go & Lead will premiere on April 14. We have some fantastic guests for you, including award winning organizational psychologist Francesca Gino, Hyatt’s Chief Human Resources Officer Malaika Myers and U.S. Navy SEAL Commander Rorke Denver. Thanks for listening and for being a part of the Let Go & Lead community!

Tom Wilson, Chair, President and CEO of Allstate, is passionate about the purpose of individuals and the purpose of business. He recently shared the stage with Maril at an Executives’ Club of Chicago event. Their conversation, released here as the Season 2 finale of Let Go & Lead, dives into leading through change, balancing visionary leadership with detail oriented execution, making effective decisions and of course, leading with purpose at Allstate.

Jenn Hulett, Vice President of People for Ericsson North America, shares her region’s transformation story. Following a downturn, and harnessing the team’s energy and readiness to change, Jenn led the development of the team’s transformation strategy, putting the business on a path to long-term success. In this episode, Jenn shares how this journey began, progressed and also coincided with her own personal transformation journey.

Devry Boughner Vorwerk, CEO of DevryBV Sustainable Strategies and former head of Global Corporate Affairs and Communication at Cargill, is known for her courageous leadership and expertise building coalitions at the intersection of government, NGOs and the private sector. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Devry shares what makes a successful coalition, the distinction between a coalition and a movement and how she sees the future of leadership.

Peggy Alford, SVP of Core Markets at PayPal, has had a big year. She returned to PayPal after a stint with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and was named to Facebook’s Board of Directors. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Peggy, who is known for curating strong, diverse, high performing teams, shares her tips on leading, coaching and mentoring others in today’s world of accelerated digital transformation and growth.

Dave Hollis, CEO of The Hollis Company, gets to work alongside his wife, New York Times best-selling author Rachel Hollis, every day. As a senior executive at the Walt Disney Company, Dave had a career that looked great on paper, yet deep down he yearned for something deeper. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Dave shares his journey from Disney to The Hollis Company, how he’s moving from a fixed mindset to growth mindset and how success must be defined by oneself, not others.

Ginger Hardage, CEO of Unstoppable Cultures and former SVP of Culture at Southwest Airlines, knows a thing or two about building and sustaining the healthy, authentic and world-famous organizational culture at Southwest. In this episode of Let Go & Lead, Ginger showcases how deliberately investing in culture can differentiate an organization, build authentic brand zealots and deliver positive business results.