Inclusive leadership is more important than ever. But what does it actually take to be a leader that shows the skills needed to be a good and inclusive leader? Our guest this week shares practical tips and strategies for being a better leader. This week’s episode 38 of How Women Inspire Podcast is about the essential skills needed to become an inclusive leader!
With high hopes and tons of aspiration, fresh from business school, Dr. Debra Clary started her career as a Frito-Lay Route Driver. In this role, which required long hours of physical labor, she learned the value of hard work and the value of an education. Dr. Deb has nearly three decades of experience with Fortune 100 Companies, holding executive roles at Frito-Lay, Coca-Cola, Brown-Forman (marketing Jack Daniel’s), and currently, Humana, a leading health and well-being company.
Her roles span from sales management, operations, and marketing, to strategic planning and executive leadership development. While serving as the VP of Strategy for Brown-Forman, Dr. Deb earned her doctorate degree at George Washington University in Leadership and Organizational Development. Today, she works with leaders that want to improve their impact and contribution. She is a student and teacher of narrative leadership (storytelling), resilience, transformation, and change. She draws on her corporate experiences, academic research, and her performance as a standup comic to inspire others striving to live with purpose.
In this episode of How Women Inspire Podcast, Julie Castro Abrams and Dr. Debra Clary share the importance of leadership skills if you want to join boards and actionable steps you can take right now to be a thoughtful leader who truly listens to those around them.
Some of the talking points Julie and Debra go over in this episode include:
An innovative approach to inclusive leadership and why it’s so important.
The four characteristics of inclusive leadership, which are visible commitment, humility, awareness of your blind spots, and curiosity.
Structural ways to put these into practice so that you can become a better leader.
Building these leadership skills through asking good questions and being curious.
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