Remarkable Leadership Lessons

Ladies, what if we told you that you could thrive in IT? This impactful and high growth industry can offer you the opportunity to expand on lucrative skills while closing the gap in a space historically dominated by men. Careers in IT expand far beyond coding, and many people make a career in this industry without ever learning to code themselves. In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews l...

Part of being a good leader is knowing that things are bigger than you. But what does that mean for how we choose to handle these challenges? On the flipside, it's also important to assess your own self-worth. This applies whether you are a new leader or someone who has been leading teams for years. After all, how we see ourselves is the most quintessential part of leadership. In this week's episo...

Hybrid work means we can’t assume we can watch people work — now what? How do we go from working at our most efficient pace from home back to a 9 to 5 office environment? On the flipside, remote work really isn't quite as new as we seem to think. For those of us working in international organizations, remote work has been one factor of getting the job done for over 10 years. In this week's episode...

How would your life look different if you were part of a community that made you feel included and valued? In conversations about resilience in the face of disruptive change, community is often an undervalued resource. On the flip side, as community leaders, we often ask ourselves "how do I build a community that is welcoming, inclusive, and engaging?". It is easier said than done. In this week's...

We've all heard the phase, "the only constant in life is change". For people of color, and people from historically marginalized groups - we often have to adapt to the workplace in more ways than one. For us, the question becomes how do we level up our adaptability so that we are better able to thrive in our careers, rather than just cope with them? How do we remain adaptable when faced with insti...

I love my job, but hate my boss... what should I do? In this week's episode, the tables are turned as Denise Cooper gets interviewed for her take on how to handle a bad boss. She will answer questions like how do you know if you have an unskilled boss or someone who is intentionally bad? What should I do if my boss is intentionally picking on me? Denise Cooper shares her wisdom on how we can make...

How do we learn to rebuild trust after it's been broken? What role do forgiveness and redemption play in the workplace? In an age where DEI is more talked about than ever before, how do I make a mistake and still move forward?  In this week's episode, our host Denise Cooper talks us through the importance of trust in the workplace. More specifically, how can we learn to trust others when they...

We say often that employees are your great resource, but how do you know if you're in the right headspace to lead them? How we think about challenges gives us the courage to tackle tough issues. What do you do if you really like your employee, but they aren't performing up to business standards? How do you rely on cultural values and shared expectations to inspire them to become your greatest reso...

How do we bring our whole selves to work, when the system is not set up for historically underrepresented workers to be authentic? In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews Trudy Bourgeois for her take on why DEI, as it stands, does not work. How do we ensure that we move from superficial changes to genuine changes in the workplace? About Trudy Bourgeois: Trudy Bourgeois is a renowned and r...

What does it look like to lead with radical responsibility in your workplace? In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews certified High-Performance Coach, International Speaker and Author, Eva Medilek. Eva shares with us her take on how to have it all without sacrificing it all. Listen in to learn how you can solve the problem of burnout, stress and overwhelm through creating health, well-be...

What would it mean to achieve success without sacrificing a sense of authenticity? In this week's episode, an award-winning CEO and communications expert, Sabrina Horn shows how authentic leadership eliminates the need for the shortcuts that sabotage success. “Fake it till you make it” just doesn’t work—at least not long enough to build a sustainable business. In this episode, we will discuss stra...

Trust is the glue that holds teams, organizations, and our workplace cultures together. Tune in for this week's episode to hear a futurist's view on what do you do when you don't know what to do. How do we move past our baggage around change? How do we get out of the "blame game" cycles with our employees, and truly understand them as people? Our guest on this episode, April Rinne is a “change nav...

How well do you know your own values? If we don't know what's most important to us, how will we ever find ourselves taking part in an aligned team or organization? In this episode, writer, coach, and speaker, Karen Ann Bulluck talks to us about why it is not enough to know your own values. You have to communicate them to your teams and the people around you. When we start to have necessary convers...

Do you want better performance in the workplace? Learn how to give and receive better feedback. A strong work culture cultivates open communication and honest feedback so leaders can thrive. In this week's episode, I interview author & publisher, Meredith Bell. In this interview, she shares with us the importance of safety and trust in the workplace. She gives us the secrets to communication t...

Have you ever wondered how to get more buy-in for your ideas? Do you have trouble leveraging data in meaningful ways? Storytelling is your missing ingredient. In this week's episode, I interview Melissa Reaves, a professional and award-winning storyteller and a storytelling coach to executives. Her sales and marketing background includes more than 20 years in technology enterprise sales, as well a...

Alexa Greer and Taylor Beaven are two twenty-somethings who support me at Remarkable Leadership Lessons. Unfortunately, too many underestimate those labeled as Generation Z. Here they talk about common misconceptions of people their age, their opinions on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) that affect their generation, and why companies need to pay attention to what matters to the next gen...

What is an accomplice in the workplace? And why should you aim to become one? In today's episode, Dr. Akilah Cadet walks listeners through the process of becoming an accomplice in the workplace. Dr. Cadet dismantles white supremacy daily as the Founder and CEO of Change Cadet consulting firm which offers a broad array of anti-racism and diversity services including strategic planning, crisis rebui...

Top research and many organization say feedback is essential. However, if your company focuses on developing talent, women often don't get the feedback or the assignments that prepare them for senior leadership roles.  F inancial literacy is key to an executive's success, yet it is often missing in leadership development programs. Jo Ousterhout, CEO of Accmen8, answers the question, "what doe...

Join us for this week's episode featuring our guest Gerry Valentine. Gerry Valentine inspires people to build resilience, overcome setbacks, and understand that adversity can be a source of opportunity. Gerry’s an executive coach and public speaker, and author of an exciting new book, “The Thriving Mindset—Tools for Empowerment in a Disruptive World”   With 27+ years of Fortune 100 leade...

In this week's episode we will be taking a deep dive into wellness in the workplace and why YOU own DEI in the workplace, not HR. Vivian Acquah walks us through her take on the most relevant challenges to well-being in the workplace in this inspiring episode. As an inclusive Workplace Wellness Advocate, Vivian Acquah advises managers on how to keep their team members engaged, energi...

Season 4 is about to launch. Denise Cooper, host of Closing the Gap talks about the personal lessons she's learned while ascending the corporate ladder. They include Be clear on the Goal, Activate and inspire through storytelling and Turning potential into performance. Do you remember when you realized you were a leader? This is the one question you should ask and hear how it shapes your views. Fi...

In this week's episode, we will be revisiting a fan-favorite episode with Laura Fredricks. Ever wonder why some people can ask for something and get it while others struggle? What if there's a formula that could improve your odds of getting a raise, increasing donor giving, or getting a promotion or job? Laura Fredricks, based in New York City, is the Billion-Dollar ASK-Maker Powerhouse. As an att...

In this week's episode we are revisiting an interview with Carla Carlisle, Mental Health Champion, Author & Speaker. When we talk about work/life balance seems like employees are expected to get it right and managers have little to do. What would be different if we recognized we live integrated lives? There's no leaving our personal life at the door. What kind of workplace is needed to achieve...

Nathaniel “Nat” Alston has a successful track record of success by handling subtle but offensive comments, actions and stereotypes that keep us from achieving executive levels. Our conversation is filled with practical suggestions for black Americans to develop mental awareness, a psychological game plan, and an increased level of business savvy in order to negotiate the minefield of the white wor...

During this week's episode, we are revisiting the 3 biggest life lessons our guest Robert Gerst has learned throughout his life. Robert “Bob” Gerst has been a senior executive for over 25 years and an adjunct professor for about as long. In this podcast, he shares his guiding principles and how he used them to stay at the top of his game, even as if life. Robert “Bob” Gerst is currently the VP, Hu...