The Latest Insights from Leading NOW

Five years ago, I read Talent Wins: The New Playbook for Putting People First, a book by corporate governance expert Ram Charam, Dominic Barton of McKinsey & Company and Dennis Carey of Korn Ferry. Immediately, I knew these visionaries were onto something big. They forecasted the need for organizations to deploy talent as a critical function of business, warning CEOs that if they wanted to be successful, they needed to pull the talent initiative into the C-suite. Given where we are today with the war for talent, I'm still amazed at the foresight. CEOs must prioritize people and can no longer leave talent solely in the hands of HR. They need to focus on developing the next generation of leaders if they want their organization to survive, thrive and outperform their competition.

Many organizations that have implemented a hybrid work environment are now faced with the challenges (and reality) of how to navigate it. At the top of the list is keeping employees engaged and connected. The big question is, how do you do that if they’re not physically working together, side by side, every day? It’s not as hard as you may think if you consider there is one thing that all employees have in common — a desire to feel psychologically safe at work, whether working remotely, in person or both.

For nearly twenty years, Leading NOW has been a champion for the underrepresented and supported the advocacy of diversity, equity and inclusion for all. We believe all rights are human rights and recognize that everyone must do their part in order to foster a true culture of inclusion. As we kick off Pride month, we encourage our clients, partners, colleagues and associates to proudly let your LGBTQIA+ team members lead discussions in your organizations and incorporate their ideas into your plans whenever possible. To innovate, you must have all perspectives and voices at the table willing to speak up and be heard. Let’s encourage that and celebrate Pride all month long and beyond. #pride #LeadingNOW

BOSTON, MA – May 2, 2023 – Leading NOW, a global consultancy that provides customized leadership development solutions, is pleased to announce it has been recognized by HR Tech Outlook as a Top 10 Leadership Development Services Provider for 2023, and featured among an elite group of companies in the Leadership Development special edition of HR Tech Outlook magazine.

According to a recent article in CEO World, among the top 3 things that are keeping CEO’s up at night is the strength of their people. But it’s not physical strength that keeps them awake. It’s the strength of their current and future leadership talent that has them concerned.

Having a culture of Inclusion is not only about checking off the boxes for diversity. It’s about diversity of thought, and making sure everyone in the organization feels secure enough to express themselves without fear of retribution. It means creating a psychologically safe workplace where those on teams feel comfortable enough to take risks, express their ideas and concerns, ask questions, and admit mistakes – all without fear of negative consequences. How do you create a psychologically safe workplace and what are the benefits of doing so?

Creating a culture of inclusion takes work. A lot of work. And like most cultural and behavioral shifts, it starts with leaders understanding how their mindsets, actions, reactions and decisions affect how employees perceive them. As leaders striving to be inclusive, the first thing we must ask ourselves is whether those around us feel psychologically safe enough to share their thoughts and ideas without fear of reprisal. Unfortunately, many times, the answer is no.

Happy International Women's Day from your team @ Leading NOW

A dedicated professional development program to diversify leadership and empower underrepresented talent in the industry

Women-owned organization, Leading NOW, to support the women's leadership conference, C-Store Women's event.