Latest Blog Article: Leading in Times of Uncertainty with Stephanie Royal

Are You Speaking Up For Yourself Enough?

 

My daughter Megan recently graduated from the University of San Diego. Being the youngest in the family with two brothers who were Division 1 athletes, and who made it through college seemingly easily and now successfully into the ‘real world’, there have been some big shoes to fill (at least in her mind:). 

I’ve told her over the years that her traits of resilience, determination, hard work, and love for others cannot easily be taught, and those are the traits of some of the most successful people in the world.

I shared with her that greatness is often born from struggle. It’s as if G-d, the universe, or whatever higher power you believe in, wants to give us a big shove, see us fall on our face (maybe a few times), and see how we handle getting up, dusting off, and moving forward to see if we can handle what’s in store for us.

If we learn, grow, and persevere, that seems to be when the magic happens. The next step toward what we are truly capable...

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Need Leadership's Buy-in? Take Control with These 4 Strategies

 

Need Leadership's Buy-in? Take Control with These 4 Strategies

Have you ever had that brief yet vitally important window of time to speak with your leadership or board only to let your emotions get the best of you and feel disappointed at the outcome?

Whether negotiating an offer for a new title, a monetary raise, promotion, or buy-in on an idea, it’s vital to prepare your mindset AND that of your counterpart.

Here are a few tips to make sure you feel in control of your next crucial conversation:

  1. Have an ECO Mindset prior to entering into any high-stakes conversation. (Have "E"mpathy for the other, "C"uriosity for what he/she might feel/be experiencing, and "O"ptimism for how you’d like the conversation to turn out). If you’re not feeling the love, postpone the conversation. Anger and frustration, while 100% understandable, will likely come out in your tone/gesture which will not be helpful to your cause.
  2. Begin with acknowledging the other’s perspective. Be...
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The Cost of Worry and Uncertainty and (what you can do about it)

New leadership is often one of the biggest drivers of worry and uncertainty, both for the employees and the new leader themselves. This is because new leadership typically brings about changes and a shift in organizational culture, which can understandably lead to anxiety and stress for those involved.

While extremely normal, it’s not so great for innovative ability, productivity, or profitability, especially during disruptive or challenging times.

For employees, a new leader may bring uncertainty about their job security or the direction of the organization. They may worry about whether the new leader will have the same values and priorities as the previous leader, or whether they will be able to work effectively with the new leader.

Similarly, for the new leader, taking on a new role can be overwhelming and stressful. They may worry about whether they will be able to live up to the expectations of the organization, the board, and the employees, or whether they will be able...

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Podcast Episode #129: "Top Unintentional Innovation Inhibitors That Threaten Your Bottom Line" - an Interview with Gavriella Schuster

allies exclusion innovation Apr 13, 2023
 

Top Unintentional Innovation Inhibitors That Threaten Your Bottom Line

In case you missed my LIVE interview with the extraordinary Gavriella Schuster (DE&I Advocate, Global Business Executive, Board Director, Strategic Advisor, and Former Corporate Vice President at Microsoft), here are a few of the wisdom gems she shared:

  • 00:00:02 - The Importance of Allyship in Creating a Culture of Inclusion
  • 00:03:31 - The Importance of Inclusion in Times of Economic Uncertainty
  • 00:06:27 - Being an Intentional Ally in the Workplace
  • 00:09:36 - Taking Action as an Ally Through the A.L.L.I.E.S. Acronym -- Six Actions That You Can Take When You Recognize That Somebody May be Excluded
  • 00:12:35 - Speaking up in the Moment to Create Change
  • 00:15:40 - Becoming an Ally in High-Level Meetings
  • 00:18:50 - Lifting Up Others: Practical Ways to Be an Ally at Work
  • 00:21:46 - Gavriella Schuster’s A.L.L.I.E.S. Training Course Explanation

To be notified for future interviews be sure...

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Podcast Episode #128: "Creating Our Next Gen of Global Leaders" - an Interview with Monica Nyiraguhabwa

global impact mentor Apr 04, 2023
 

Creating Our Next Gen of Global Leaders

In case you missed my LIVE interview with the remarkable Monica Nyiraguhabwa (Executive Director at Girl Up Initiative Uganda), here are a few of the wisdom gems she shared:

  • 00:02:05 - The mentorship I received as a girl has shaped what I’ve become
  • 00:03:13 - Igniting change for girls in Uganda and beyond
  • 00:06:32 - Deepening impact and working with communities to address issues
  • 00:09:45 - The importance of impacting accurate information for adolescents
  • 00:12:40 - Empowering adolescent girls and shifting mindsets in Uganda
  • 00:15:49 - Supporting girls’ Education in Uganda
  • 00:18:28 - Visit www.girlupuganda.org

To be notified for future interviews be sure to connect with me here on LinkedIn AND to learn more about how to build the mindset and influence for real change, join our community at www.SherylKline.com.

Download a transcript of Sheryl's interview with Monica Nyiraguhabwa.

Please enjoy the video...

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Want More Influence with Your Leadership and/or Board?

 

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to negotiate when lives are on the line, in deadly hostage stand-offs, with ISIS, or with an armed man with sniper weapons on the National Mall in Washington DC? Sounds terrifying, highly emotional, and exhausting, right?

Grant it that negotiations with your leadership and/or board may not be life or death, but they can be no less exhausting or frustrating when you’re not heard, valued, and respected for your ideas and initiatives.

I’ll be joining FBI and NYPD International Hostage Negotiator Chris Voss again (the first training was in October 2022 in NYC), so I can help you stand in your power even more for yourself, your company, and those leaders coming after you.

As we know all too well when women are not heard or don’t have a big enough voice at the table, it’s costly.

Consider that productivity has taken its biggest dip since 1947, and it’s costing U.S. companies north of 600 billion dollars a year,...

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4 Steps to De-escalate an Escalation

 

"Self-centered negative emotions and egoic behavior are like poison in a well. If they are not transformed, contained, or eliminated, they’ll contaminate the purest water.”
- Sheryl Kline

Do you want the good news or bad news first?

Let’s go with the bad and get it over with!

You may have a counterpart that’s a challenging personality type. Unless he is willing to do the work (ie: with a licensed therapist, NLP practitioner, or other licensed professional), he is not likely to change. Cognitive processing and behavior are strongly influenced from long ago, likely in childhood, and how we are treated by influential people in our life.

The good news…

You can follow a proven process to lower a colleague’s (or a family member’s) emotional state, by making him feel heard, cared for, and in control. This in turn puts you in a position to de-escalate a conversation, make it less emotionally charged, and for you to take your power back to influence the...

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The First Step to Defuse an Emotionally Charged Conversation

 

“When the pressure is on, you don’t rise to the occasion —

you fall to your highest level of preparation.”

- Chris Voss

I recently spent time with Chris Voss and a few of his Black Swan NYPD and FBI hostage negotiators in New York City. It was slightly terrifying (I’m half joking), but the quote above sums up why most emotionally charged conversations escalate and ultimately fail to be productive. 

Lack of preparation.

This is the first part of a live SOLD OUT masterclass series presented to the @theWITNetwork and the topic for an upcoming live event for @Coco Brown's amazing @the-athena-alliance, so I hope you find it helpful as well!

Most of us catastrophize about a potentially emotionally charged conversation which is understandable. Who wants to have an uncomfortable conversation? But, if the conversation is potentially emotional, it's likely an important one.

The first step to defuse an emotionally charged conversation is to make sure you...

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Hello 2023! Exciting News!!

 

Happy New Year!

I am incredibly optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead for women in leadership for 2023. With all the uncertainty with in economy, lay-offs, weather (as I watch the 20 waves in here in California), there is tremendous opportunity to rise while others speculate or are fearful of the ‘what ifs’.  

You are limitless, remember?:) Despite everything going on around you. 

For some, it’s been a very difficult time, and it’s with incredible respect and gratitude that I have for you to keep showing up and inching forward towards a better day. Take comfort in knowing that there is a proven process to help.

For others, opportunity has knocked, and you’ve opened the door wide open! You’ve raised your hand, and the universe has answered in a big way!  

Here are a few facts that I know and many that I didn’t know until I went to my husband’s dear friend, @Tiffany Shlain's opening exhibit at ...

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Is Your Executive Membership Falling Short?

The world seems to be in a precarious place, and I believe wholeheartedly that the course correction that we need to see right now will be led by women (and fueled by some incredible male allies). Do you agree?

As part of the Limitless Leader community, you’re undoubtedly committed to being a heard, valued, respected, and energized agent of change, with your family, peers, subordinates, and with your leadership while empowering others to do the same.

In addition to being lit up by what’s possible, sometimes leaning into our highest sense of contribution and change, can be challenging, frustrating, and downright exhausting! Where our passion meets our expertise is our Olympics, our legacy, and what the world
so desperately needs to see right now.

Like the work put in by Olympians, the thousands of hours and days leading up to the culmination of our life’s work, sometimes in solitude, and often with no fanfare or recognition, you keep going.

Just as Olympians dream of...

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