As this summer winds down, I’m reminded of one of my favorite songs. We sang it around the campfire at sleepaway camp while roasting marshmallows, but its message is much more serious than I realized as a kid.

Throughout my life, I’ve returned to this song, “Flowers Are Red,” as a metaphor – reminding me of the importance of creativity, ownership and kindness. In particular, at work, when it comes to leadership styles. I’m grateful to have that. And it’s also relevant to the type of people I like to spend time with — ones who don’t see life in black and white, but all the colors of possibility.

🎶 The Song

“Flowers Are Red” was written by Harry Chapin in 1978. He was a folk singing icon whose lyrics told powerful stories. One of my professors in college recounted teaching Chapin in his famous Psychology course and the ways that human behavior influenced his writing. I recap the song’s themes below. Sing along if you know the chorus. Watch Chapin perform here (video below).

The song tells the story of a little boy on his first day of school. He started to draw flowers with many different colors, but the teacher quickly told him he was wrong – there’s only red and green in the flowers. But the little boy replies innocently and strongly:

“There are so many colors in the rainbow. So many colors in the morning sun. So many colors in a flower. And I see every one.”

Unfortunately, the teacher puts him in timeout for this response. But it’s so honest and sincere. And eventually, very sadly, the little boy shifts to her closed mindset, only coloring in green and red. Ultimately, he leaves the school and enrolls in a new class with a kind teacher who notices he is leaving out all of the other beautiful colors, and she encourages him:

“The teacher there was smiling. She said, “Paintings should be fun. And there are so many colors in a flower. So let’s use every one.”

But the previous teacher has made a negative mark, and the little boy is scared. He’s lost his spark. It’s unclear by the end of the song whether or not there’s hope for the little boy again. But Chapin ends with optimism and I believe it’s never too late to change back to what he once was.

3 Leadership Lessons Learned

🎨 Creativity

The little boy sees so many colors in the rainbow when he draws and paints flowers for the first time. He isn’t limited. And that is incredible. But all that changes quickly and the teacher takes this optimistic spirit away from him.

Lesson: Seek out the leaders who encourage you to dream and see the many colorful possibilities you can make happen in your work. Work should be a blank canvas that you can design. This relates to so many fields. And in life – seek out the people who embrace positivity, flex their routines and believe in you.

♟️ Ownership

After his drawing is criticized by the teacher, the little boy loses his independent thinking. The first teacher takes that power away from him, but the second teacher encourages him to return to that creative mindset.

Lesson: Find the leaders who empower you. The ones who know you have the expertise and can be trusted to make it happen independently. And in life, find the people who don’t try to take away your sparkle by telling you what to do because they think they know what’s best for you.

💙 Kindness

The first teacher doesn’t show empathy – she tells the little boy what to do, puts him in time-out, and negatively impacts him. The second teacher is caring and tries to support the little boy with encouragement.

Lesson: Look for the good people to work for. Observe how someone treats their team, the way they react when there’s disagreement, debate or discussion. It’s a lot of what Mister Rogers taught us – embrace everyone’s talents. In life, an easy way to assess this quality is how people engage with the helpers. In general, the message here is to be a good person.

I hope that you will be surrounded by leaders and people who see all the colors in a flower - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink and many more. I’m grateful every day for that support. I found an old drawing I made as a kid, before I even knew about this song, that shows how it’s been that way from the start for me.

If this article resonated, let me know in the comments or share it on LinkedIn and tag me. Thanks for tuning into this edition of The Switchboard.

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Looking back, I want to share the 10 lessons that I’m taking with me from this trip that transcend life and work. On a hopeful note, my one wish is that everyone gets an opportunity like this to rest, reflect and have fun — whether you travel, take a course or just hang out. I hope my takeaways might help you make the most of your future time-off and utlimately, time-on.

Top 10 Lessons

1. ⛰️ Slow Down

2. 💬 Talk to Strangers

3. 🧀 Listen to the Locals

4. 💦 Don’t Sleep Past Waterfalls

5. 📖 Try to Speak the Language

6. 🏒 Shoot Your Shot

7. 💙 Find the Kind

8. ✅ Create a Backup Plan

9. 🎠 Embrace the Pivot

10. 📣 Share What You’ve Learned

1. ⛰️ Slow Down

The scenery in Switzerland feels like walking in a picture. It’s so beautiful, you wonder: is this real? To truly capture the awe, we often took twice as long on a hike to take in the stunning surroundings. As others rushed past us on the trail, we stopped to enjoy the moment. It’s a reminder to embrace the awe in every day, from watching the sunsets to stumbling upon the swan and her nest.

2. 💬 Talk to Strangers

There’s something about being somewhere you don’t know anyone. It’s easy to talk to anyone or perhaps it’s just the power of public transportation that enables you to ask questions like “Where are you from?” This led to the most fascinating conversations with people from around the world and close to home. It was much more than small talk, but deep discussions about politics, priorities and life. Most of the time, you part ways, often without exchanging contact information, but grateful to have gained a different perspective.

3. 🧀 Listen to the Locals

There are the lists of top places to visit, and then there are the places the locals go. The hidden gems with fewer people and extra meaningful moments that make you feel like you discovered a place not everyone visits. To find these gems, you need to talk to the locals. The Swissies we talked to gave us the most incredible hike suggestions and off-the-beaten-track recommendations to discover beautiful trails, homes, cheeses, and more.

4. 💦 Don’t Sleep Past Waterfalls

A lot of people slept past the most incredible natural beauty, including the land of 72 waterfalls, Lauterbrunnen. Being present for what’s around you makes life meaningful. This led to one of my highlights of the trip — bumping into my favorite Swiss creator spontaneously! I spotted her bright red hair from afar and ran up in excitement. It was surreal to meet someone we’ve followed for years and get the chance to tell her how much her photos and videos inspired us. If I hadn’t been paying attention, I would have missed it. Appreciate what’s in front of you.

5. 📖 Try to Speak the Language

Guten Tag = Good Day! A greeting goes a long way, especially in a country like Switzerland, where formality and politeness matter. I learned a few phrases and before speaking English to a shopkeeper, I always tried to speak their language. There was a moment when I watched other American tourists skip this step, and the difference between my interaction and theirs was night and day. Always go with the greeting. It will take you far.

6. 🏒 Shoot Your Shot

Don’t hesitate or put something off that you might regret. This is not limited to major activities like paragliding, but also to little joys that could lead to something more. Keep exploring around the corner, say hello in a different language or reach out to someone you connected with. Rather than wonder “what if,” ask yourself “why not?” One of my favorite quotes to live by is from NHL Legend Wayne Gretzky: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

7. 💙 Find the Kind

I met several angels on this trip who helped in different ways. I will forever be grateful for the support and kindness they gave. To the nurse, grocer, apartment hosts, and train conductor who showed us the good in the world and the light that shines bright, thank you for everything.

8. ✅ Create a Backup Plan

No matter how much you plan — six months in advance as we did for this trip —circumstances change. For example, there’s a once-in-200-year national heat emergency that changes everything. I’ve learned you need to be ready with a plan B. It helps to prepare in advance for “what-if” scenarios.

9. 🎠 Embrace the Pivot

Rather than wallow in what didn’t go as planned, go with it. While it may not be ideal, perhaps there’s a reason why. And you never know where one direction might unexpectedly lead. You could meet someone new, discover a new experience or simply have a great, unplanned moment like sleeping on the top of a mountain and seeing the most amazing sunset.

10. 📣 Share What You’ve Learned

It was fun to share suggestions for restaurants, food and places to visit with people we met on the trip. One moment stands out — telling this couple about my favorite yogurt on the train and then seeing them buy it at the grocery store and show me how excited they were to try it. If you discover something awesome, share it with others. That’s also why I’m writing this reflection so I can pay forward what I learned and remember for myself in the future.

Here are some of my favorite photo memories from the trip:

If you’ve taken time off or traveled this summer or at any other time, are there lessons that you’d add from your experiences? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for joining me on this journey.

PS - I’ve been quiet this summer while away and will continue to publish at a slower cadence through August to make time to slow down, ramping up more in the fall.

When I learned that its author, A.A. Milne, served as a signal operator, a communications leader in the British Army during World War I, it felt like a sign to learn more about his story and the leadership lessons from the books. Here are my top takeaways:

1. 🎨 Embrace Creativity and Play

2. ✨ Lean into Serendipity

3. 🫏 Accept People for who they are

4. 🍯 Be(e) Kind and Make Friends

5. 🙏 Embrace Gratitude

1. 🎨 Embrace Creativity and Play

After serving in World War I, A.A. Milne sought solitude from what was likely post-traumatic stress disorder. Leaving London for the countryside, he moved to Cotchford Farm near Ashdown Forest for a more peaceful way of life. Exploring the area with his son inspired the setting for Winnie-the-Pooh and gave Milne solace. As a father, he created the animal characters from their adventures and embraced imagination to develop the stories.

2. ✨ Lean into Serendipity

The sequence of events that led to Winnie-the-Pooh being written is wild. From all of my research, I believe this is accurate, even though absurd. Here’s the recap:

A soldier saw a trapper selling a baby orphan bear after killing its mother in Canada. He bought the baby bear, named it Winnie, for Winnipeg where he found the bear in Canada. Then, he boarded a boat to fight in World War I. There, he realized he couldn’t care for the bear and gifted it to the London Zoo for safekeeping, where A.A. Milne and his son went to visit. Watching Winnie inspired the story’s title and main character, in addition to Milne’s son, Christopher Robin’s beloved stuffed bear.

3. 🫏 Accept People for who they are

The animal characters have very unique personalities. But, one in particular is very down all the time – the donkey, Eeyore. Despite it all, Pooh and the animals do everything they can to try to cheer him up, from finding his missing tail to celebrating his birthday. They don’t make fun of him or isolate him from the group. There’s a lot we can learn about community and caring for people from these interactions.

4. 🍯 Be(e) Kind and Make Friends

The animals are very nice to each other. They have a special connection to support and help one another. One of my favorite quotes from the book emphasizes the sweetness of friendship and how important it is to prioritize:

“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.”

5. 🙏 Embrace Gratitude

The characters appreciate one another and the moments in time shared together. In one story, all of them are on an expedition to the North Pole, but Roo falls into the water and gets swept away, and everyone tries to save Roo. This quote shares that sentiment:

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” — Pooh

To close, here’s a quote from Disney’s 1997 movie adaptation. Christopher Robin says to his dear bear friend, Winnie-the-Pooh:

Thanks for tuning into this edition. If this article resonated, consider forwarding to a friend or posting on LinkedIn. Until next time!

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• 🧬 How pursuing a passion for science led to a comms career

• 💙 The ways helping others succeed can ground you

• 😷 What it was like to lead comms during Covid-19

• 🐝 The inspiring work of leading comms in higher education

About Abbigail

Abbigail Tumpey is Vice President for Institute Communications and Chief Communications Officer at Georgia Institute of Technology, where she leads the Institute’s communications, marketing, and reputation strategy. Previously, she spent 25 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including serving as head of communications during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What sparked your path into communications?

My path into communications started through science. As an undergraduate at Michigan State University, I was studying microbiology and preparing for a career in medicine when I had the opportunity to conduct communication research with a former CDC disease detective. That experience introduced me to the challenge of translating complex science into information people could understand and act on, and I found that to be incredibly compelling.

My dream job at the time was to work at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through a connection and a series of fortunate circumstances, my resume ended up on the right person’s desk, and I was invited to CDC headquarters and hired on the spot. I began my career in microbiology, but while working at the CDC, I returned to school in the evenings to earn a Master of Public Health degree.

After earning my degree, I officially transitioned into communications. I spent 25 years at CDC, serving in a variety of communication leadership roles and helping the agency navigate major public health emergencies and outbreak responses – from the anthrax attacks following 9/11 to multiple Ebola outbreaks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s an exciting pivot. Can you tell us about your current role?

Today, I lead Institute Communications at Georgia Tech. I oversee marketing, media relations, social media, research communications, trademark and licensing, events, and our creative activities.

Georgia Tech is a multi-billion dollar research enterprise. There are a lot of similarities between running the communications infrastructure for a federal agency like CDC and working for a state entity that conducts $1.5 billion worth of research for the federal government, industry, and the state.

A big part of my role is also serving as a liaison to the city and the state. We work closely with the Mayor’s office to help position Atlanta as one of the top five tech hubs in the country, sharing stories about why people should start companies and build careers here.

Beyond that, I handle the traditional responsibilities of a university communications leader which includes student recruitment and retention, and showcasing the tangible outcomes that Georgia Tech delivers for our students, the state, and the region.

How are you and your communications team utilizing AI at work?

We are using AI a lot. Georgia Tech conducted much of the foundational research that brought generative AI to market, so our leadership team has been highly motivated to embrace these tools. Every individual in our department now has a professional goal to utilize AI ethically and responsibly in their specific role.

We’ve seen incredible outcomes. For example, we built the Georgia Tech Audience Lab, which is a custom GPT embedded with a variety of audience personas — prospective students, current students, faculty, donors, alumni, and state legislators. We use it to quickly message-test our communication products and get immediate feedback. We’ve actually run parallel tests with the AI tool and real human users, and the feedback aligns 80% to 90% of the time.

We are also creating editor agents that incorporate our official brand style guide, voice, and tone, while double-checking internal data. We use only publicly accessible data in these tools, and it has drastically speeded up our ability to refine our messaging.

Beyond learning AI, what other skills do you think are vital for communicators?

I deeply value a sense of curiosity and wonder — the drive to ask, “How could I do this better?” That level of outside-the-box thinking and continuous quality improvement is crucial at every level of a communications organization.

As someone moves from an individual contributor to a leadership role, they need to be focused on people-first. My number one priority is to recruit, retain and recognize top talent at the Institute. When you ground your leadership in what is best for your collective team, you will ultimately make the right strategic decisions.

What is a core value that drives you personally and professionally?

The value I believe in the most throughout my career is helping others succeed by playing to their strengths.

This philosophy stems from my time navigating outbreaks at the CDC. In an emergency operations center, your team rotates constantly – you might have a specific group of people for only 30 to 60 days. I had to learn how to identify people’s unique strengths very quickly, position them where they could thrive, and give them the resources they needed to succeed.

I’ve brought that same philosophy to Georgia Tech. Whether someone is the most savvy on AI, the most meticulous editor, or the most creative event planner, my job as a leader is to build the right structure around them so they can shine.

Looking back at your career, is there one pivotal project you are most proud of?

The work I contributed to the COVID-19 response. In the second year of the pandemic, I was asked by the CDC Director to step in as the head of communications for the agency, overseeing the entire communication response. That was the year of the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants, vaccine rollouts, shifting mask guidance, school reopenings, and booster rollouts. It was an incredibly intense period.

From a communications perspective, we had to be remarkably fast and agile in digesting complex science and figuring out how to explain it to the public. For example, in the summer of 2021, the data rapidly shifted regarding how the Delta variant spread among vaccinated individuals. We realized on a Friday night that we needed to update our school guidance and advise the public to put masks back on.

One thing I learned is if you ever get called to the office on a Friday night, it means something is very serious. Over that weekend, we quickly conducted focus groups with public health officials in Southern states to ensure our updated messaging would resonate and make sense to local communities. We received the data on Friday night and successfully announced the new guidance by Tuesday.

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1. 🌟 Focus on Life and Interests | Lisa Sharkey

2. 🤹 Take Big Leaps | Jason Yoong

3. 💙 Contribute to your community | Brooke Kruger

4. 📗 Journal on your experiences | Adrian J. Hopkins

5. ⚡Be Curious and Learn | Fenot Tekle

6. 🌍 Travel different paths and talk to people | Sean Garrett

7. 🪀 Embrace Play, Joy and the Unknown | Michelle Lee

8. 🚪Open Doors and treasure relationships | Julie Inouye

9. 🛣️ Explore the road, bumps and all | Eric Gonzalez

10. 🏆 Think Beyond the Title | Carmen Boon

11. ✅ Focus on Process | Farrah Mitra

12. 🌱 Seek Out Great Managers & Meaningful Side Projects | Julia Levy

1.🌟 Focus on Life and Interests | Lisa Sharkey

My broader life advice is to not forget to have a life. Careers are so important because they can and should give you purpose and meaning. But if you focus so much on your career that you forget to find a partner and potentially raise a family and take care of your body, your mind and your spirit then what good is the career? I always try to ask people what they would like to do for leisure in their life and if possible to find a career that marries their interests as a human being with their potential for a career. -Lisa Sharkey

2.🤹 Take Big Leaps | Jason Yoong

Stack memory dividends. Go on that trip to a new city. Enthusiastically say “YES” to that stretch project you know nothing about. Make the bold jump that puts you in the room with people you admire, who challenge you, and who will help you grow fast. Proactively create adventure in your career and life. -Jason Yoong

3.💙 Contribute to your community | Brooke Kruger

Wherever you land, make yourself valuable and make an impact early, even in small ways. Be curious. Ask questions. Pay attention. People remember initiative, effort and attitude and your reputation follows you throughout your career. Keep up with your contacts and build your community early because relationships matter. Brooke Kruger

4.📗 Journal on your experiences | Adrian J. Hopkins

Buy a journal and try to write one entry each month during your first year after graduating. When you get to your 5th-year reunion (or even your 20th, as I just did) and read it again, you’ll be amazed at how much you’ve grown. And probably laugh a lot! -Adrian J. Hopkins

5.⚡Be Curious and Learn | Fenot Tekle

You don’t need to have it all figured out on day one; no one does, and that’s okay. Focus instead on building habits of curiosity and continuous learning. Lean into opportunities that challenge you, stretch your thinking, and allow you to contribute meaningfully. Careers are long, and the foundation you build early will shape both the opportunities you earn and the professional you become. -Fenot Tekle

6. 🌍 Travel different paths and talk to people | Sean Garrett

Prioritize traveling and spend quality time with people from other cultures and countries to understand the common threads and minor differences among all of us. Go off the beaten path to have conversations that change your mind. When you eventually go on business trips, always create time and space to learn something new about where you are and have at least one real conversation with a stranger about their life. -Sean Garrett

7. 🪀 Embrace Play, Joy and the Unknown | Michelle Lee

When we were born, everything was unfamiliar. And we fully embraced it, touching, tasting, and playing with everything new we encountered. Play is how we learned to walk, talk, and make sense of the world. As you, the Class of 2026, enter the workplace, you’re meeting a moment when the rules are being rewritten. The unknown is an invitation. It’s an opportunity to bring your curiosity, your sense of experimentation, your creativity. A world not yet figured out is a world full of possibility, full of raw ingredients you can shape into a better future. A future that holds meaning, fulfillment, and joy. -Michelle Lee

8.🚪Open Doors and treasure relationships | Julie Inouye

Looking back, every meaningful step in my career started with one of two things. Someone who opened a door for me or a moment when I walked through a door and wondered whether I belonged there. The biggest opportunities in my life have come from saying yes before I felt fully ready and being super intentional about the relationships I’ve built along the way. My advice to graduates is simple, seek out the people and the environments that stretch you. The relationships you build and the challenges that push you beyond your comfort zone will shape your future far more than chasing any title ever will. -Julie Inouye

9. 🛣️ Explore the road, bumps and all | Eric Gonzalez

Embrace the uncertainty that lies ahead. Be curious and challenge the status quo. Bring a unique perspective to the table, and know that you have the ability to shape the world you’re about to enter. You’ve never been more ready than you are now to climb the mountain. So why wait? Every generation offers something special. Something only you possess. Test your strengths, try new things and remember that the road to success can often be bumpy. It’s ok to come up short. The most important thing is getting back up and trying again. -Eric Gonzalez

10. 🏆 Think Beyond the Title | Carmen Boon

Some of the opportunities that shaped me most were not the ones with the most prestigious titles. They were the roles that taught me how systems work, how decisions get made, and how to lead through uncertainty and crises. Don’t be afraid to take the less obvious path. What looked like detours at the time often became the experiences that prepared me for what came next.

Most importantly, remember that your reputation grows faster than your resumé. People may forget your title or the organizations or companies you worked for, but they will remember how you treated others, how you showed up when things got difficult, and whether you kept your word. These will open more doors than any title or workplace ever will. -Carmen Boon

11. Focus on Process | Farrah Mitra

Focus on your process over outcomes. Don't judge yourself on uncontrollable outcomes - there are many more variables outside our control than inside. Rather, judge yourself on the process and journey of getting there. Did you have good intentions behind your actions, did you live in line with your values? I have found when I am fully in integrity, the actual outcome matters less to me. I have always tried to control everything, this coaching advice I received changed everything. -Farrah Mitra

🌱 12. Seek Out Great Managers & Meaningful Side Projects | Julia Levy

For your career, find a great manager first, then the job. Learn to have great 1:1s. Make time to review your progress often and track it for your growth. Keep in genuine contact with your colleagues after you leave — alumni networks are great for friends and community. Challenge yourself to contribute to work outside of your day job — join a club and help create culture at work. Beyond work, seek out learning opportunities with a side project passion that brings you meaning, joy, and independence. -Julia Levy

Thank you for tuning into this edition of The Switchboard. If these lessons resonated, please share with a friend. Signing off - Julia

• 🤝 Connection is a Business Metric

• 💬 Empathy and Courage Overcome Crises

• 🚀 Adopt a “Why Not?” Mindset for Technology and Growth

About Jessica

Jessica Martinez believes corporations have an unmatched opportunity to solve our greatest social challenges by changing how we work. As EVP of People & Organizational Effectiveness at Industrious, she shapes the overall people strategy to align with business goals, overseeing talent acquisition and development, employee experience, culture, and organizational change, including AI enablement. She also founded Tomorrow's Office, where she writes and speaks on the future of work, leadership, and building workplaces where people can do their best work and live their best lives. Jessica previously held executive roles at Disney and Blizzard and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, three kids, and three rescue dogs.

Let’s start with your “spark” moment. Was there a specific inflection point that led you to specialize in employee experience and organizational culture?

It happened during COVID while I was Chief of Staff to the CTO at Disney Parks & Resorts. At the time, we were managing a massive portfolio — theme parks, cruise ships, licensing, and gaming. When the parks shut down for the first time in 50 years, it was unprecedented. Suddenly, our digital app, which had predominantly been a park map for guests, had to be transformed overnight into our primary guest management tool.

Our new strategic vision was sound, and our teams were brilliant, but I noticed very quickly that people were floundering. We were all involuntarily isolated in remote locations and for many, our personal support structures like childcare and community disappeared. It was a real-time demonstration of the saying, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

Even with the right strategy and structure, our people were struggling because we were culturally disconnected. That was my moment. I realized that investing in employee experience — creating connective tissue, providing clarity on personal impact on the bigger picture, and maintaining a sense of future — wasn’t just a “nice-to-have,” it was essential for both the success of the business and the well-being of the people within it.

Since working in the field, is there a project you are particularly proud of?

My two years at Blizzard Entertainment stand out. I led a cross-functional working group to redefine the company’s mission, vision, and values during a very turbulent time. The company was facing legal allegations regarding workplace culture, a unionization bid, and we were in the middle of being acquired by Microsoft. Culture change is challenging in the best of times, but this was a perfect storm.

Many leaders were skeptical — they didn’t think we could change minds or get people to agree on shared values and a future vision in such a complex environment. I believed that culture was the foundational change needed for everything else to follow.

Since trust in leadership was low at the time, I built a working group of employees from every level and location: an HR partner from Korea, the Game Director for World of Warcraft, a sculpture artist, a tech director from Albany and more. We held 17 focus groups asking, “Who are we today and who do we want to become?”

That small group crafted an evolution of values that honored Blizzard’s legacy while being honest about the future. Seeing employees own and drive that kind of foundational change at a time when it felt impossible is something I’m incredibly proud of. I will always believe that employees are at the center of any successful cultural transformation.

Based on those experiences, what skills do you think are essential for being a great “culture builder” at work?

First, you have to be an outstanding listener. You must care about the core truth — not the words written on an office wall, but how they actually translate into daily behaviors. Second, you need patience. Culture change doesn’t happen overnight; it takes many iterations. I often think many culture change initiatives fail because folks struggle to stay the course when the shift isn’t immediate.

You also need courage. It’s easy to fall back into traditional frameworks because they feel faster, cheaper, or easier. You have to be willing to take on the messy, complex work and have the hard conversations. Finally, I think you need a product mindset. People often focus only on the human side of culture, which is vital, but there is also a measurable side. Like a product, culture is something you can iterate on based on your “customer” feedback; it creates unique value for your business, and it is a manifestation of your employee value proposition or talent promise. It’s critical to understand how culture transformation translates into business outcomes and be able to communicate that story to leaders.

You recently transitioned into a new role. How did that opportunity come about?

It was actually total serendipity through LinkedIn! I had been consulting for about two years and posted a comment on a story shared by Anna Squires-Levine (former President of Industrious). We had a brief exchange in the comments about behavioral studies and human nature. She posted a study about people being happier on the subway talking to each other; I shared a study about people being hesitant when they sense danger, and the similarities in these experiences. The exchange led to a DM and the rest is history. Talking with her and eventually the rest of the team, I was struck by how smart and kind everyone was. It felt like a perfect alignment of values. Now, I’m serving as their first-ever Head of People and Organizational Effectiveness, and it’s been a phenomenal experience thus far.

As you look at the landscape of work today, how are you thinking about the role of AI?

I see AI as an incredible opportunity to move from “transactions to interactions.” In a hospitality-driven business like ours, the mission is to make work feel human. If we can use AI and automation to handle the transactional, back-of-house tasks, we unlock more time for our team members to focus on relationship-driven, human-to-human experiences. Similarly, by exploring ways to remove the friction from the day-to-day for our members, we give them time back to spend on their most valuable work and relationships. We were exploring LLMs and robotic automation during my time at Disney years ago, and the goal remains the same: use technology to create the space and focus for the work that is best done by humans because of our unique and incomparable strengths: communication, discernment, creativity, and emotional intelligence.

To wrap up, do you have a personal mantra or value that guides how you show up in the world?

My mission is to create workplaces that allow people to do their best work while living their best lives. Beyond that, I live by the question: “Why not?”

When someone says an idea is too bold or a change is too difficult, I like to push back and ask, “Why not?” It’s a way of leaning forward into possibility. Whether it’s reaching out to an old colleague or trying a completely new strategy, but I feel too busy or too anxious, it won’t work out, saying “Why not?” opens doors that otherwise stay shut. I think when you lean into life like that, good things tend to find you.

Thanks for tuning into this edition of The Switchboard. If this article resonated, consider forwarding to a friend or posting on LinkedIn. Until next time!

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Being a leader doesn’t require a title. While a title may make it feel official, leadership is about your intentional actions, reactions and interactions. It’s the way you treat people at all levels, from the interns to the VPs and everyone in between.

When you prepare, partner and produce, you become a leader without focusing on power. Drawing from experienced leaders featured on The Switchboard and myself, I’m sharing 8 best practices for developing the building blocks, connections and execution mindset to lead without a title. Here’s the top list:

1. 💗 Be a Good Person | Julia Levy

2. 👟 Put Yourself in a Leader’s Shoes | Julia Levy

3. 🧰 Become a SME – Subject Matter Expert | Julia Levy

4. 🤝 Embrace Partnership | Farrah Mitra

5. 📣 Secure a Champion | Eric Gonzalez

6. 〽️ Show Up with Solutions | Elizabeth Rasberry

7. ✏️ Do The Work of an Owner | Holly Nicola

8. 📷 Focus on the Big Picture | Diane Tate

The Building Blocks | Julia Levy

💗 1. Be a Good Person

People like to work with good people. This simply means don’t be a jerk. Be welcoming, kind and helpful. Build relationships by prioritizing people. It’s important to get to know team members, especially before you need their help. When you’re new, make the initial effort upfront. When a meeting starts, if there’s someone you haven’t met, introduce yourself. Find ways to champion the people around you to recognize their great work and give them opportunities to shine.

👟 2. Put Yourself in a Leader’s Shoes

Ask yourself: WWYLD — What would your leader do? How would they respond or act in a situation? Think through potential actions for different situations and create an action map. Now, consider the ways you could show up in your current role. Of course, not everything will be translatable and you need to filter for authenticity and reality. I’ve found this is helpful at bigger moments of celebration or change. It’s a great critical thinking exercise to reflect and anticipate: “If this, then that” situations.

🧰 3. Become a SME – Subject Matter Expert

Learning helps you continue growing. As a SME — Subject Matter Expert — people will seek you out for your point of view. It’s also important to share your knowledge with others to help them succeed, don’t keep it all to yourself. But be humble and back up your knowledge with experience. Finally, invite others to also share what they know to grow together.

The Connections

🤝 4. Embrace Partnership | Farrah Mitra

The path to influencing without authority is through partnership. Instead of asking yourself, “how do I get what I want?” consider how everyone involved gets what they need, a win-win. Think about your shared intent. This could look like saying “I want to help get you to success with your OKR. Here’s what it will take. I want to partner with you to get us there by XYY.” By working together towards a solution with mutual benefits, everyone gets on board with skin in the game.

📣 5. Secure a Champion | Eric Gonzalez

Find someone who can advocate for you and your ideas. When someone vouches for you, it invites curiosity to your doorstep and opens a window of opportunity to make yourself heard. Use the peers you trust and have good relationships with as a way to influence indirectly and gain credibility.

The Execution

〽️ 6. Show Up with Solutions | Elizabeth Rasberry

Influence isn’t about a title, it’s how you show up. When you listen, collaborate and bring solutions, people will follow your lead long before you have the title.

✏️ 7. Do The Work of an Owner | Holly Nicola

To lead without a title, meet people where they are and lead with a humble “show, don’t tell” approach that prioritizes tangible proof over promises. By thinking everything through—balancing sharp business acumen with a deep understanding of the human side—you build the quiet confidence that naturally commands trust. When you’ve done the legwork to understand the full picture and anticipate the “why,” people will follow your lead because they value your perspective, not your rank.

📷 8. Focus on the Big Picture | Diane Tate

Title and hierarchy can play a big role on what voices get heard, but they don’t need to be blockers. More important are the bigger goals you share with whoever you’re trying to influence. Deliver those, and you’ll build the trust to influence the outcomes you want.

Thanks for tuning into this edition. If you’d like to add a best practice, comment below or share it with a friend.

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About Brodie

Brodie Bertrand is vice president of brand, marketing & stakeholder communications at Steelcase Inc., the company that helps people do their best work by creating places that work better. In his role, Brodie leads global brand strategy, digital marketing, creative, branded spaces and events with responsibility for ensuring clarity, consistency and alignment in how Steelcase shows up with customer, dealers, employees, media and other key stakeholders.

Prior to joining Steelcase, he held senior communications leadership roles at Aon, Grainger, and Walgreens, supporting enterprise transformations, mergers and acquisitions, digital transformation and large-scale culture and operating model changes.

Outside of Steelcase, Brodie is a strong believer in continuous learning and is actively involved in several nonprofits supporting education, talent and community. Brodie holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and information science and a master’s degree in strategic brand communication from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, as well as an MBA from Northern Illinois University.

What sparked your path into this work?

In college, I actually started as a Math and Computer Science major. I remember a specific moment my freshman year. I was in the computer lab at midnight, working on a machine problem, and I looked up at my peers. Everyone was working independently at their keyboards, not talking. We were all frustrated because the clock was ticking, and even though we collectively had the answers to the problems we were solving, we weren’t working together. We weren’t being human; we were siloed into our own programming worlds.

In that moment, I had this epiphany: Is this the lifestyle I’m signing up for? I realized I needed interaction. I did a total shift, changed my major to Communications, and fell in love with storytelling—writing for the school newspaper and taking photos for the college yearbook. That led to a corporate communications internship at Walgreens, and here I am 25 years later. I still remember that moment in the lab thinking, “I’ve got to do something different.”

As you look back, what is a pivotal project that shaped your career?

It’s less a single project and more a category: M&A — Mergers and Acquisitions. Whether it’s a restructuring or an acquisition, these moments are career-changing. I’m currently on the team leading the integration for the largest acquisition in our industry’s history.

I’ve done over a dozen M&As, and I always tell other communicators to raise their hand for these opportunities. They are game-changers. They elevate the communications function from just “sending memos” to influencing the entire business strategy. M&A positions a communications team as business enablers, helping the company achieve its most critical objectives.

How are you helping shape the future of work in your role today?

My role has evolved from being an internal storyteller to a strategic communicator, and now, a brand architect overseeing some of the most creative talent in the industry. We are engaging with a multi-faceted group of stakeholders and influencers, managing everything from crisis and internal comms to thought leadership and digital marketing.

At Steelcase, the work is incredibly impactful because we are quite literally designing the future of work. We were “living in hybrid” before remote work was even a concept. People often think of us as a furniture manufacturer, but we are really designers and thought leaders in the future of work.

We are a 100-plus-year-old company built on human-centered design and research. For example, our foresight research practice looks at emerging trends. Organizations are worried about innovation if their people aren’t doing their best thinking. We’ve moved from offering ergonomics for the body to thinking about ergonomics for the brain. Our research shows how physical spaces shape cognitive performance; it’s an under-leveraged tool, and we’re at the tip of the spear in showing how the right environment creates better business outcomes.

What is a value that drives you personally and professionally?

For me, it’s continuous learning. I’m the youngest of six kids from a small town, and our house was always full of activity—the front door was basically always open as people shuttled in and out. That framed who I am. I need new ideas and environments that drive change. I’ve had incredible jobs, but I get hungry for the next project the minute work starts feeling like “it’s time to make the donuts,” (Google this if you weren’t around in the 1980s).

I tell my kids all the time: you’ll have to reinvent yourself three times throughout your career because our work evolves so quickly. You can’t assume you’ll do the same role the same way for 30 years. That drive for progress and innovation is what keeps me engaged.

How are you and your team using AI at work?

We’ve put a lot of thought into the appropriate use of AI. In Communications, we aren’t using it for everything, but we use it where it reduces friction—early drafts, synthesis, and pattern spotting.

We want the work to get better, not just faster. We’re focused on applying more humanity and emotional connection to our content. AI handles the research and the early process, which frees us up to put our “heart” behind the message.

We’re watching AI closely, but we’re leading with humanity first.

What are the skills needed for leaders to be great communicators?

I see three core pillars that haven’t changed in 25 years–stay true to these and success will follow:

1. Relationships: We are the bridge between teams. You need to be someone people trust with their secrets, their weaknesses and their voice—especially at the executive level.

2. Critical Thinking: Lots of people can write an intelligent sentence, but great communicators can see around corners. It’s about synthesizing information clearly and helping leaders express simple concepts and use emotion. In the age of AI, that “human” side of critical thinking is more important than ever.

3. Business Acumen: You can know your craft, but if you don’t know the business, you’ll fall flat. I got my MBA in my 20s, and the best class I took was accounting. It taught me the language of finance. To “talk the talk” with fellow executives, you have to understand how the business actually operates.

Thanks for tuning into this edition of The Switchboard. If it resonated, comment to ask a question or share it with your friends!

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It’s Administrative Professionals Day tomorrow, and I want to celebrate the critical contributions this role plays to support all of us at work. I reached out to leaders I’ve featured on The Switchboard, inviting them to nominate an Admin Professional — past or present — who has made an impact in their work.

The stories that came back are a testament to the power of this role. From scheduling support to pioneering workflows to supporting culture, these Admins make the work possible. Join me to recognize these Admins in the comments. And take theopportunity to thank your Admin partners in special ways today to recognize the work Admins lead all year long.

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Hellen Pacella | Nominated by Carolyn Clark and Regan Zuege

Hellen is the magic behind our Redwood City office. She’s on top of every detail — from making sure the coffee is stocked just right, to snacks, lunches, and keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.But what really sets Hellen apart is how she makes the office feel. She brings fun and energy into the day in ways people genuinely look forward to — whether it’s an egg hunt, St. Patrick’s Day surprises, or the little moments that just make work more enjoyable.

And she doesn’t stop at just the people in the office. Hellen is always thinking about how to include all Simpplifiers, creating virtual moments like Halloween costume contests and virtual egg hunts so everyone can be part of the fun, no matter where they are. She’s also incredibly thoughtful when it comes to people. If you’re traveling into the office, chances are Hellen has already reached out to make sure you have everything you need before you even get there.

It’s the combination of her attention to detail, creativity, and genuinely helpful nature that makes such a difference. We’re so lucky to have her — she makes Redwood City what it is.

Kendall Dempsey | Nominated by Alana O’Grady

Kendall is an exceptional Executive Assistant—deeply caring, incredibly consistent, and truly a rock in every sense of the word. She goes above and beyond in everything she does, building a level of trust that allows her to operate not just as an EA, but as a true thought partner. Her ability to anticipate needs, solve problems, and create calm in high-pressure moments is unmatched. She was so impressive in her role that she was promoted to support the CEO, and yet still manages to continue to support me despite her increased workload.

Emily Crandall | Nominated by Caleb Bushner

Emily embodies everything that makes a great admin so special. Sure, she's organized, helpful, and strategic. But more than that she's a deep partner for my whole team, helping us achieve our goals and operating like a well-oiled machine.

Plus, she has saved me on multiple occasions. I travel weekly, often between multiple states and offices. She recently noticed that I'd mistakenly booked my travel incorrectly and was on track to arrive in the wrong state instead of home. Yes, I nearly flew myself to the wrong state at the end of a week of travel, but Emily caught my mistake. Thanks to Emily my wife and young infant never knew how close we all came to a very confused—and delayed—homecoming.

Manju Bhardwaj | Nominated by Carolyn Clark and Regan Zuege

Manju is truly the heart of our India office. She keeps everything running — from managing the space, supplies, and day-to-day needs, to helping organize events and supporting leaders traveling in and out. But what makes Manju so special is the way she shows up for people.

If you’re in India, you know her. She’s a familiar, trusted presence across the entire team — and for many, the first person they go to for anything and everything. Need help? Have a question? Not sure where to start? You go to Manju. Even beyond the region, her presence on Slack stands out. She’s constantly celebrating the team — birthdays, anniversaries, new babies — bringing a sense of joy and connection you can feel across India. The Slack emoji reactions say it all. Everyone loves to hear from her and celebrate alongside her.

She brings consistency, warmth, and just an incredible sense of care to everything she does. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine our India team without her — we’re so grateful for all the ways she shows up every day.

Ana Franco | Nominated by Chase Warner

Ana supports one of the busiest people I know and one of my most important stakeholders. She's an incredibly helpful strategic partner who helps us think through how to best use her leader's time while making sure our people feel connected and engaged on campus.

Melissa Moulton | Nominated by Bertie Thomson

Melissa knows what I need before I do! Not only does she keep our team running smoothly, she’s jumped in with both feet to learning new AI tools, designing workflows, and jumping on planes to support new and exciting projects. So grateful for Melissa’s no-nonsense attitude, love of spreadsheets, and her sense of humor!”

Marleni Jimenez | Nominated by Michael Maney

I’d like to nominate Marleni Jimenez, who supports The Home Depot’s broader Culture & Values organization (of which Internal Communications is part). Marleni consistently anticipates needs, solves problems before they surface, and keeps everything running seamlessly at the highest level. Her ability to build trusted relationships across the entire company makes her an indispensable partner and a go-to resource for anyone who needs support.

Nita Acosta | Nominated by Blythe Yee

Nita has been an Executive Assistant with Intuit for over 21 years, and for 4 of those years we worked together. I hired her into a role supporting me and one other comms leader. From our first meeting until our lunch last week, Nita has been one of the brightest spots in my professional life.

Nita is a true partner to the business and her impact spans far beyond what’s expected. She asks excellent questions, goes above and beyond to solve complex problems, and has built trust in leaders at all levels. At the time we worked together, I directly supported the CEO and the work was very dynamic. As complicated as our days were, you could never see that in the way she worked or carried herself. She’s the ultimate energy amplifier who helps people and teams become better versions of themselves.

Who is the Admin Partner that makes your work possible? Leave a comment below to recognize their contributions!

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“Palaces for the People”—the name given to libraries in Eric Klinenberg's book —resonates with my experiences: researching my way to winning a space camp trip, seeking out sources for a college honors thesis and experiencing the wonder of medieval books while traveling.

As National Library Week approaches next week, the American Library Association encourages this “annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries and library professionals play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.” It is a time to celebrate the impact of libraries on our lives.

Libraries can also teach us many leadership lessons at work. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. 💡Be Curious

2. 🔖 Embrace Organization

3. 🤐 Embrace the Quiet

4. 🌱 Share Access

5. 📖 Be Like a Librarian

6. ♥️ Connect with Community

7. 🖼️ Surround Yourself with Inspiration

1. 💡Be Curious

At libraries, visitors browse the shelves, wandering from one topic to another to discover new ideas. There are many possibilities of subjects to learn and explore.

📓 @ Work: Make time to learn and discover, whether it’s understanding your mission, meeting the people or taking on a new skill, approach it like you’re browsing the shelves at a library.

2. 🔖 Embrace Organization

Every book has a place in the library. It’s numbered according to a system. There’s an order of information hierarchy that allows you to find what you’re looking for, and it’s consistent across all libraries.

📓 @ Work: Organizing your projects, ideas, docs, and more helps set you up for success, in particular, collaboration – others can find what you’ve done to easily learn from or add to it.

3. 🤐 Embrace the Quiet

The silence in libraries allows people to focus on deep work. This quiet time is for thinking, reading, writing or creating.

📓 @ Work: Block time to focus. There are many distractions, but when you can think and create, those are the moments when greatness results.

4. 🌱 Share Access

The library is free, of course, taxpayers and philanthropy support the institutions, but it’s incredible how much access to information you can get without paying — books, the internet, computers, local services, and more.

📓 @ Work: Build publicly and share with others to collaborate.

5. 📖 Be Like a Librarian

Librarians are incredibly helpful and resourceful at finding sources and information. They help people research what they’re looking for.

📓 @ Work: Help answer questions when people reach out for support.

6. ♥️ Connect with Community

From classic children’s storytimes to newer podcast studios, there are many incredible ways the library brings people together.

📓 @ Work: Find time to connect with culture. It can build joy and community amongst colleagues.

7. 🖼️ Surround Yourself with Inspiration

Libraries inspire, starting with the books on their shelves, but many are beautiful historic buildings.

📓 @ Work: Look for ways to be inspired — it could be around you or something you read or an action you take.

Here’s me at one of my favorite college libraries:

What are the ways libraries have impacted you in life or at work?

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☎️ The Switchboard is now...The Carrier Pigeon 🐦 I announced on April 1st.

This represents my commitment to messages delivered with intention, purpose and care. Here’s what you can expect:

• 📜 Mindful Messaging: Length is now limited by parchment size, encouraging brevity.

• 📪 New Delivery Window: Your insights will arrive within 3-5 business days (weather permitting) to your doorstep.

• 🪶 Proof of Delivery: A feather will be left on your windowsill to confirm receipt.

I believe this pivot will revolutionize the way we connect and communicate. Welcome to the old era of communication!

This was, of course, my April Fool’s prank! Although it did make several of you do a double-take — thanks to Meta AI for making it look and sound so official.

The experience of creating The Carrier Pigeon reminded me of the importance of laughter in life and work. I found scientific evidence for why it was so fun to play with this concept and get a giggle on April Fools’ Day. From Stanford Professors Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas, who wrote Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life, here are 3 reasons why laughter matters:

1. 💙 Good For Mental Health

“When we laugh, our brains release a cocktail of hormones that make us feel happier (dopamine), more trusting (oxytocin), less stressed (lowered cortisol), and even slightly euphoric (endorphins). By working humor into our professional interactions, we can serve our colleagues this powerful hormone cocktail, and in doing so we can literally change their—and our—brain chemistry on the spot.”

2. 🎨 Sparks Creativity

The authors highlight the work of Hiroki Asai, Apple’s former head of its Creative Design Studio. He shared:

“Fear is the greatest killer of creativity…and humor is the most effective tool I’ve found for insulating cultures from fear.”

Asai transformed major company meetings into creative and laughable moments.

“Months before each [All Hands], he would assemble a team tasked with carefully planning an experience designed to get an auditorium full of employees laughing together. From a gospel choir to a video featuring employees dressed head to toe as the Blue Man Group to an elaborate chase scene (with Asai as the quarry), these moments were carefully crafted to create sensorial peaks—ones that would enliven the experience in the moment and hang on the wall to continue defining the values long after the moment had passed.”

3. 😇 Makes us More Relatable

“Humor is a powerful leadership strategy to humanize oneself to employees, break down barriers, and balance authority with approachability…The secret to success for many of the brilliant executives featured in this book is their ability to strike a delicate balance between gravity and levity; much like hot fudge and ice cream, each enhances the other.”

So how can we bring the levity of April Fools into a work week, rather than saving it for once a year? Below are 3 ideas:

1. 📧 Change Your “Out of Office.”

The authors recommend finding the funny in daily moments. They suggest changing an “out of office” message to something creative and memorable. Here’s an example:

“Oh hello! I am backpacking in the Sierra Nevada without cell service through September 22. Yours will be my favorite email to respond to upon my return. With love (and favoritism), Peter”

This message will definitely give the recipient an instant chuckle and be a conversation starter when the person returns from their trip.

2. 🎭 Wear Your Comedy

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright found levity in challenging moments. When she discovered the Russians had been spying on the United States, she wore a giant bug pin on her suit jacket to symbolize “being bugged” at a press conference. She added pins to her wardrobe to show her mood or make fun of the moment.

The modern-day version of this approach could be a video background to make a joke based on a moment from a meeting or a conversation. When a colleague told me that I reminded her of Mrs. Maisel, I made a note of it. The next time I talked to her on video, I downloaded a scene from the show and put it up as my virtual background. It led to a funny and memorable moment for both of us.

3.🔮 Host Whacky Meetings

Instead of hosting a typical brainstorming meeting, the authors suggest hosting a “Bad Idea Brainstorm.” Invite people to share “the silliest, craziest, worst possible ideas they can think of” and often this leads to the most creative returns!

Try to see what you can come up with for the worst internal communications idea ever, and perhaps it might be your best idea.

Thank you for tuning into The Switchboard. Wishing you lots of laughter today and every day. If you enjoyed this article, share it with a friend.

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They are much more than their titles of Newspaper Publisher & Postmaster, Typewriting Office Owner, Code Breaker, a Printer and Switchboard Soldier. From them, we learn to lead the way, support your peers, hone your skills, bounce back from adversity, and deliver excellence, even in the most demanding moments

1. 📮 Be a Pioneer — Mary Katharine Goddard: Newspaper Publisher, first US Postmaster and Printer of The Declaration of Independence

2. 📝 Lift Others with You — Ethelinda Hadwen: Typewriting Office Owner, Women’s Suffragist Leader and Public Office Holder

3. 📰 Pursue your Craft — Ruth Ellis: Detroit Printer and Black LGBTQ leader

4. 🧮 Embrace Resilience — Elizebeth Friedman: America’s first female Cryptanalyst (Code Breaker)

5. 🪖 Responsibility under Pressure —Grace Banker: Switchboard Soldier and Chief Operator

📮#1 Be a Pioneer — Mary Katharine Goddard

Newspaper Publisher, first US Postmaster and Printer of The Declaration of Independence

1776 was a historic year for the United States as it fought for its independence. A few years before, Mary Katharine Goddard, who came from a family of newspaper publishers, became the first woman to manage the Maryland Journal newspaper. At the Continental Congress, when Benjamin Franklin was named Postmaster General, she became Baltimore’s Postmaster — likely the United States’ first female employee at its founding.

Tapping into her printing skills, Congress asked Mary to print copies of The Declaration of Independence. According to Smithsonian Magazine:

She recognized her role in a historical moment. Though she usually signed her newspaper “M.K. Goddard,” she printed her full name on the document.

Learn more about her story at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C., in its exhibition, “Binding the Nation.” Her story teaches us not to hesitate and to take on new opportunities.

📝 #2 Lift Others with You — Ethelinda Hadwen

Typewriting Office Owner, Women’s Suffragist Leader and Public Office Holder

With the Industrial Revolution, opportunities for work began to change for women, along with the invention of the typewriter. In 1886, Ethelinda Hadwen returned to the UK after studying in Paris and opened a typewriting office in Edinburgh with Elizabeth Fleming. It was the first of its kind in Scotland and employed all women.

According to the National Museums Scotland, the typewriter changed the way for women and the world of work:

Typing provided women with the potential for greater financial independence and the opportunity for entrepreneurial women and those with funds to set up their own businesses where they trained and employed others…

The knowledge required by typists was enormous and they had to know all about different areas of business and other subjects. There was a lot more to being a typist than simply copying something. They needed a very broad skill base and were often fluent in several languages.

Through these women-led typing firms, the typewriter helped propel the suffragist campaign, giving women the right to vote. Ethelinda Hadwen led the local movement and was elected to public office, first to the Edinburgh City-Parish Council and then to its School Board. She teaches us when pursuing opportunities it’s possible to bring others along with you to succeed.

📰 #3 Pursue Your Craft — Ruth Ellis

Detroit Printer and Black LGBTQ leader

Born in 1899 to a former slave and the first Black mail carrier of Illinois, Ruth persevered through a difficult childhood to work at the Black-owned I.E. Foster & Co print shop. She moved to Detroit, working at another print shop for a decade before opening her own store, Ellis & Franklin Printing Co. According to the Letter Press Play blog:

Ruth was the first woman to have a print shop in the state of Michigan, and she kept busy printing stationery, posters, and raffle tickets for churches.

She was joined by her partner, Babe, and they advocated for LGBQT rights. Together, they turned their home into a safe haven for members of the black community who didn’t feel safe gathering in public. While they didn’t have much, they gave generously to the community, ultimately creating a center for LGBTQ youth, named in her honor.

She teaches us to pursue your passion and craft. It may take time to get to where you want to be, but hard work pays off in the end. Listen to Michigan Public Radio’s story about Activist Ruth Ellis.

🧮 #4 Embrace Resilience — Elizebeth Friedman

America’s first female Cryptanalyst (Code Breaker)

Born in 1892, Elizebeth grew up in Indiana in a Quaker family. She pursued her passion for literature which led her to Chicago. She struggled to find work and just as she was ready to leave, she visited the city’s famous Newberry Library to view a rare book. A librarian noticed her interest and introduced her to an eccentric millionaire, George Fabyan, who was looking for researchers.

Fabyan hired Elizebeth immediately and put her to work on his sprawling estate to investigate if Sir Francis Bacon had actually authored Shakespeare’s stories. While working as a researcher, she met her future husband, William, and they worked together, ultimately concluding that this hunch was incorrect. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in her next career chapter, Elizebeth began making history rather than studying it:

When World War I broke out, Fabyan offered the government the assistance of the scholars working under his guidance at Riverbank. The Friedmans, who wed in 1917, became leaders in the first U.S. codebreaking unit, intercepting radio messages and decoding encrypted intelligence...

After World War I, the U.S. Coast Guard hired Friedman to monitor Prohibition-era smuggling rings. She ran the unit’s first codebreaking unit for the next decade, per Smithsonian. Together, she and her clerk cracked an estimated 12,000 encryptions; their work resulted in 650 criminal prosecutions, and she testified as an expert witness in 33 cases, reports Time.

In the 1940s, while working for the Coast Guard, Friedman led a team to eavesdrop on German spies in South America. Close to making a major discovery, her code-breaking capability abruptly stopped, revealing a leak, that was ultimately traced to the head of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, who took credit for her work and nearly derailed her career.

Resilient, Elizebeth persevered and along with her team cracked Nazi codes, discovering a hidden network directed by SS leader Johannes Sigfried Becker. She used “analog methods—mostly pen and paper—to break three separate Enigma machine codes.” Her work was crucial in breaking Argentina, Bolivia and Chile from the Axis powers at a pivotal time in the War. Yet, she was written out of history until years after her death and the unsealing of classified documents.

Learn more in The Woman All Spies Fear by Amy Butler Greenfield or watch The Codebreaker documentary on PBS.

🪖#5 Responsibility under Pressure — Grace Banker

Switchboard Soldier and Chief Signal Corps Operator

Born in 1892, Grace Banker participated in drama club, was dedicated to her studies and enjoyed gardening and even raising chickens. She was one of the first women of her generation to pursue higher education at Barnard College. Grace majored in French and History and started working for AT&T as a Switchboard Operator in New York City.

During World War I, 223 women Switchboard Operators bravely served the US Army in France, changing the course of history as they connected telephone calls for General Pershing and other army leaders. Grace was the Chief Operator. The swift communication of information by these bi-lingual (French and English speaking) “Switchboard Soldiers” made the difference between winning and losing battles. But, they were never recognized for their service as Veterans until nearly 60 years later.

In my interview with her granddaughter Carolyn Timbie, Grace’s story came to life:

I found the first entry in the diary quite moving where my Grandmother shared her personal feelings about being the Chief Operator and sailing off into unknown territory. On March 6th and 7th, 1918 she wrote:

My grandmother was 25 years old when she wrote this. She was young, vulnerable and questioning herself. I think so many people can relate to that feeling as she had signed up for something that was greater than she was.

Learn more about the Hello Girls in this series that I previously published: Part 1, 2 and 3.

Which of these stories resonated with you? I’d love to hear from you in the comments. I also invite you to share a woman in history you admire as we celebrate their impact this month and always.

As I reflected on my learnings, I summarized 10 career lessons. I’m excited to share them and invite your nominations for the first-time for women and allies to feature in future editions of this newsletter. Reply to this email or DM your recommendations.

1. 🏫 Invest in the Prep | Wes Kao

2. 🌞Embrace Clear and Concise | Sherrie Westin

3. 🎤 Understand your Presence | Lorraine K. Lee

4. 🚀 Honor Your Values | Sylvia Acevedo

5. 5. 📈 Learn to Read the Room | Jiyoung Yoon

6. 🌮 Embrace Team Work | Jerilan Greene

7. ⭐ Reach for the Stars | Kristen Timmins

8. 🔮 Make a Wish List | Jessica Kleiman

9. 📚 Invest in Others | Lisa Sharkey

10. 🪀 Bring Joy | Michelle Lee

    

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1. 🏫 Invest in the Prep | Wes Kao

By spending a few minutes upfront to frame your ideas and empathize with your reader, you can be much more persuasive and advocate for your ideas more effectively.

2. 🌞Embrace Clear and Concise | Sherrie Westin

We’re going to have to figure out how to cut through the clutter even more and how to communicate with brevity so that what’s most important is shared first and then you have the opportunity to go deeper.

3. 🎤 Understand your Presence | Lorraine K. Lee

I recommend talking to 10 different people from various points in your life — colleagues, your manager or friends to understand the “how” part of your presence. Think about what you want to be known for and ensure that it’s coming across.

4. 🚀 Honor Your Values | Sylvia Acevedo

Integrity matters a lot. For me, number one is someone’s character — how you act in the world and how you treat people is a really important part of their character. When I’m thinking about who I’m working for or with, I want to make sure that my character and values align with them.

5. 📈 Learn to Read the Room | Jiyoung Yoon

It’s about emotional intelligence — knowing how to read the room and have the judgment to know if now is the time to push or the time to back off a request. It’s always a give and take — you can’t make everything a fight. It’s about figuring out which things are so critically important to your organization that you want to push forward.

6. 🌮 Embrace Team Work | Jerilan Greene

Nothing gets done without teamwork and relationships. It’s very important to understand the motivations and interests of the groups you’re trying to engage or reach internally or externally. From there, you must work to find the sweet spot of shared interests that allow you or your organization to tackle big issues.

7. ⭐ Reach for the Stars | Kristen Timmins

I am a firm believer in “let them tell you no” – apply for the job that you don’t think you are qualified for. My first job out of law school required 7 years of experience, and I had 0 years. I applied anyway and it was the right time and I got the role. I often wonder: what if I didn’t do that? This is also applicable to life because who knows where I’ll take you?

8. 🔮 Make a Wish List | Jessica Kleiman

When I started there [Peloton], I made a wish list of press opportunities. One of those was to get our founder, John Foley, on the “How I Built This” podcast with Guy Raz, of which I’ve long been a fan. And we not only achieved that goal, but also ended up being the live interview they occasionally host in front of a full theater of people. We brought some of our team members, and it was one of my proudest moments while working there.

9. 📚 Invest in Others | Lisa Sharkey

I value generosity and giving back. I’m involved with mentoring military veterans transitioning into careers. I also mentor women book publishers by speaking with the PublisHer community. I teach at writer’s conferences in San Miguel de Allende and Kauai. When I’m there, I also teach morning yoga because I believe in the importance of getting up and starting the day with movement, breath and mindfulness.

10. 🪀 Bring Joy | Michelle Lee

Joy keeps people coming back. This can take many shapes. Joy can surface as a source of inspiration — playing games together, taking a field trip, inviting employees to share a weekend highlight at the start of a meeting or creating an internal communications channel where they can share what’s inspiring them in the world. Joy is also about celebration. It’s very easy to jump from project to project, but we need to make sure we also take time to stop and recognize the contributions that everyone’s making.

Who would you add to this list of a woman leader you’ve learned from? Recognize her in the comments!

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“When a leader comes to us saying they want to send an all-company email about something, the first question from comms should be: what problem are we solving?

It’s possible that an email might be the worst way to reach people on this topic.

Maybe we need a listening session where employees can ask questions in real time. Maybe a manager toolkit so the message comes from someone employees already trust. Maybe nothing at all, because we’re about to create noise where there’s already clarity.”

With this top of mind, I want to share more from leaders featured on The Switchboard and what they have to say about why communications should be business partners. Here’s why and how to make it a reality:

1. 🔍 Evaluate Decisions Through a Comms Lens | Cath Anderson

2. 🌅 Help Leaders Think, Not Just Write | Tori Barnes

3. 🪑 Have a Seat & Ask Hard Questions: Samantha Hillstrom

4. ⏳ Shape Decisions Before Made | Brooke Kruger

5. 📛 Protect the Strategy & Ask the Hard Questions | Holly Nicola

6. 💼 Declare Accountability and Integrate with the Business | Chuck Kaiser

1. 🔍 Evaluate Decisions Through a Comms Lens | Cath Anderson

For Communications to truly be strategic, we have to be treated as a full business partner. Every business decision should be evaluated through a comms lens — assessing audience and ripple effects, looking around corners to scenario-plan and future-proof.

There are countless ways Comms can offer guidance and due diligence, often in ways similar to Legal. I’ve always believed these corporate functions are the quiet force behind the most dynamic, successful brands today.

2. 🌅 Help Leaders Think, Not Just Write | Tori Barnes

Communications becomes a business partner when we help leaders think, not just write. The strongest comms leaders shape decisions by challenging assumptions, surfacing risk, and helping leaders understand the potential impact of those decisions across stakeholders.

Getting there requires proximity and partnership. Comms leaders need relationships with CEOs and executives who value strategy, not just execution. It also requires understanding product, operations, revenue and growth well enough to contribute beyond messaging. In my experience, the smaller and more agile the organization, the easier it is to get into the trenches and demonstrate that value.

We also can’t underestimate the value of measurement, especially in the AI era. The more sophisticated we become at tying communications to business outcomes, the stronger and more durable our seat at the table becomes.

3. 🪑 Have a Seat & Ask Hard Questions | Samantha Hillstrom

To set up comms as a business partner, you need two things: proximity to decision-making and permission to push back. Proximity means being in the room, or as comms people like to say, “having a seat at the table,” when strategy is being shaped, not after decisions are baked.

Permission means leadership understands that comms will ask hard questions – not to be difficult, but because unclear strategy creates unclear communication, and unclear communication erodes trust.

When comms operates as a true business partner, we’re stress-testing decisions before they reach employees. We’re flagging gaps, surfacing what’s being left unsaid, and making sure the story holds up under scrutiny. That’s why embedding comms as a strategic function isn’t a nice-to-have. Poor communication derails execution, wastes leadership time, and damages trust that takes years to rebuild. Getting comms right from the start is a business decision.

4. ⏳ Shape Decisions Before They’re Made | Brooke Kruger

The communications function should serve as a business partner, not a service desk. Good communications leaders help shape decisions before anything is written. They have lived through crises, change, growth and mistakes.

These leaders ask the hard questions, challenge assumptions and flag risk all helping leaders decide what not to say or do. If a CEO only wants execution, communications will never be strategic no matter how strong the hire is.

5. 📛 Protect the Strategy & Ask the Stern Questions | Holly Nicola

Let’s be real: staying in the ‘order-taker’ lane is safer and way more comfortable, but it’s also the quickest way to stay invisible. Being a true partner is the ‘scary’ part because it puts you on the hook for the actual outcome, not just the word count—but that’s exactly where the magic happens.

When you stop protecting the process and start protecting the strategy, you stop being an overhead cost and start being a business multiplier. It’s not just about getting the email sent; it’s about having the guts to say, ‘Wait, is this actually going to work?’ and earning your seat as an indispensable advisor.

6. 💼 Declare Accountability and Integrate with the Business | Chuck Kaiser

For communications to be a true business partner, it must first declare itself as accountable for its contribution to the commercial process. Many communications teams hesitate due to the uncontrollable nature of numerous factors. Once we accept this, the focus shifts to identifying the right decisions throughout the entire process. This includes pairing the right messaging with the most relevant audience insights, executing effectively, and, where campaigns often fall down, investing in tools to ensure results attribution.

Many commercially-driven communications efforts are doomed from the start tied to lack of integration with sales and marketing. Integration is the first key. Then there’s a hard search for differentiation and to mold that unique value prop into the “story” that will break through and drive interest. That’s the set up. Then comes the important work of smart creative, sharpened targeting and rigorous measurement. When it all comes together, the result is pretty exhilarating.

What would you add to the conversation to make communications a business partner?

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In This Edition

• 🧠 The “Lazy Brain”: Karen Eber explained how storytelling bypasses our brain’s natural energy-saving mode to capture true attention.

• 🙏 High-Impact Gratitude: Wes Adams shared how a simple weekly “thank you” is the most underutilized tool to cut burnout in half.

• 🚀 The Power of “Yes”: Amy Reeves Cosgrove highlighted how curiosity and saying “yes” to the unexpected drives the greatest career growth.

Thank you to the attendees and our hosts at Sage. Here’s our conversation:

Julia: To start, could you each share what sparked your career path?

Karen: It started almost by accident, but became very intentional. I had a 20-year career in corporate roles at firms like Deloitte and GE, where I served as Head of Culture and Chief Learning Officer. I realized stories were the most powerful way to lower shame and impart wisdom. During COVID, a talk I gave hit a million views in a day, and my company was born. Now, I help people understand how to be “normal” communicators.

Wes: My path was a bit meandering. I started in hospitality—restaurants and nightclubs—before moving into social enterprise. I naively assumed mission-driven organizations would automatically be great places to work, but I quickly learned that wasn’t true. That experience led me back to school to study what it takes to create thriving teams. Now, I apply the science of positive psychology to help leaders elevate their capabilities and design better organizations.

Amy: I’ve spent my career in HR roles that move the business forward. At the core, my work is about building healthy leadership teams and high-performing cultures where people genuinely feel they belong.

Julia: Let’s talk about values. What is a value that matters to you personally and professionally?

Wes: “Love of learning” is one of my core strengths from the VIA Character Strengths survey. I’m always trying to figure out what’s next and how to get a little bit better, and I value that same curiosity in others.

Karen: For me, it’s consistency. It sounds boring, but all the “good stuff” happens on the other side of fear, and you only get there if you keep showing up and trying.

Amy: Stewardship. Leadership is trust. People are counting on you - and your job is to take care of what’s been entrusted to you, whether that’s a team, a culture, or a strategy.

Julia: On The Switchboard, I write about ways to build culture and you don’t have to be on the People Team to do it. So what is one skill every employee needs to be a great culture builder?

Amy: The ability to simplify. The best leaders aren’t the ones with the most complex ideas, but the clearest ones. When you make the mission and strategy understandable and connect it to someone’s role, you create energy and momentum.

Karen: Storytelling. When I was at GE, I used stories to connect 90,000 employees across 150 countries. It didn’t matter their gender or generation; stories created a shared understanding that data couldn’t.

Wes: Personal Interest. My research shows that a sense of community is most strongly predicted by employees saying, “My leader cares about what’s happening in my life outside of work.” Just remembering small details about a person’s life makes you a human partner rather than a transactional one.

Julia: Let’s talk about Wes and Karen’s books. Can you share one takeaway for us?

Wes: In Meaningful Work, we write about positive feedback. Research shows that just one “thank you” a week from a manager is enough to cut disengagement and burnout in half. Yet, less than 40% of people feel adequately recognized. We aren’t “assholes”—we just forget. We focus on fixing what’s wrong instead of doubling down on what’s right.

Karen: In The Perfect Story, my focus is on the “Lazy Brain.” Your brain is a broker of calories; it’s constantly trying to save energy. When you communicate, you are fighting your audience’s biology. To get the brain out of “lazy mode,” you have to use stories that make people ask, “What happens next?”

Julia: How can someone create change as an intra-preneur at their organization if they aren’t the CEO?

Amy: Don’t wait for permission. Start small, build your confidence and momentum, and then take charge. When people see the results, they rarely ask why you didn’t wait.

Karen: Shape your role around your strengths. My corporate roles didn’t originally include “storytelling,” but I brought it in until it became part of what I did. When you are at your best, you shine, and people will eventually ask, “How are you doing that? We need more of it.”

Wes: Manage up by showing results. If your senior leaders don’t “believe” in these culture practices, show them the data. Once they see that these human-centric methods drive the outcomes they want, they’ll give you the space to do more.

Julia: Let’s end on the power of saying yes — how has it influenced your career?

Wes: When you’re out there building your own practice, you just have to say yes to everything that comes along. You’re like, “I don’t know if I can do this, but I’m gonna say yes because I just have to take the opportunities that come my way.” At some point, you have to start saying no to things. But I think just saying yes when you’re not sure if you can do it or not—that’s the kind of stretching opportunity that we can give ourselves, right? You just have to believe that “I don’t know, but I’m gonna figure it out.” And that has, for the most part, worked out for me.

Karen: Completely agree. I am one of those “vision board” people, and all the things that I’ve put on over the years have come true, which is amazing. So I think part of saying yes is dreaming bigger than you think. It’s not waiting for the opportunity to come in front of you to say yes; it’s figuring out what you’re interested in. You don’t know exactly what it’s like, but just being open to it is helpful.

Amy: I didn’t necessarily always have a vision board and or master plan. But what I did have, from a really early age, was just a sense of curiosity. I opened my mind to what was going to come next. And what I found, looking back now over 30 years of a career, is that the times I grew the most and the times my career advanced the most were the times where I did something unexpected.

I said yes to something that wasn’t necessarily the next obvious step — including when I left industry to go be a consultant at Deloitte for five years. That wasn’t in my plan, but it came across and I thought, “Well, that’s going to grow me in a different way.” So I said yes. And most recently, I had the most unexpected opportunity at Sage to be on the Board of Directors for two years in a very different colleague-associate role. It wasn’t something I was looking for, but I said yes because the opportunity came my way and it really opened up a lot of other learning. The moments that grew me most were the ones not in the plan. Saying yes to the unexpected has been the single biggest accelerator in my career.

About the Panelists

Amy Cosgrove

Amy Cosgrove is the Executive Vice President of People at Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and medium-sized businesses. In this role, she provides global leadership for Sage’s people strategy, partnering closely with senior leaders to ensure the organization attracts, develops, and empowers talent to support long-term growth and performance.

With more than 25 years of human resources experience in the technology industry, Cosgrove is known for her ability to align people strategies with business priorities and build high-performing, values‑led cultures. She previously served as a Board Associate at Sage, bringing colleague perspectives into board-level discussions, and is passionate about enabling leaders and teams to thrive in complex, fast‑growing organizations.

Prior to joining Sage, Cosgrove served as VP Human Resources at Fiserv, providing business partnership to senior leaders in the Digital Banking Group and other business units. Earlier experience includes a senior management role with Deloitte Consulting’s Human Capital M&A Practice.

Wes Adams

Wes Adams is the Founder and CEO of SV Consulting Group, a positive psychology-based leadership development and organizational design firm. He is a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center and co-author of the best-selling book Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee (PublicAffairs/Hachette), which was named a Best Leadership Book of 2025 by Fast Company.

Wes works with emerging and established C-suite and senior leaders to drive peak performance, develop organizational agility, and build teams that thrive through growth, change, and adversity. Current clients include Microsoft, KPMG, BlackRock, KKR, and Paramount, along with a range of scaling companies and NGOs. Wes is also a Master Facilitator for the Penn Resilience Program, the world’s leading provider of resilience skills for business, healthcare, government, military, and law enforcement.

Wes has been a featured speaker at South by Southwest and the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. He regularly speaks to corporate audiences around the world. His work has been covered by the New York Times, BBC News, Forbes, Business Insider, MIT Sloan Management Review, and Inc. Wes has led teams winning multiple Webby Awards and recognition as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Brands.

Prior to founding SV, Wes advised organizations such as Google, Audi, Starbucks, and the United Nations at Purpose, the world’s leading social impact agency. His early career was spent launching and managing high-profile hospitality businesses for which he was nominated twice for a coveted James Beard Award.

Wes is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and holds a Master’s of Applied Positive Psychology from University of Pennsylvania.

Karen Eber

Karen is an award-winning author, global consultant, and keynote speaker who has educated and inspired over three million people globally. My TED Talk, How your brain responds to stories – and why they’re crucial for leaders, continues to inspire millions.

Her book, The Perfect Story: How to Tell Stories that Inform, Influence, and Inspire, helps you understand how to tell engaging stories. It’s a resource you’ll mark up and reach for frequently. It is an Axiom Business Book Award Winner, an International Book Awards Winner, A two-time Goody Business Book Award Winner, and a Next Big Ideas Club must-read.

Throughout her 20-year career, she has worked across the talent ecosystem, from integrating cultures after mergers, coaching C-suite teams through conflict, designing one of the first ratings-free performance management approaches, helping senior executives become memorable and effective storytellers, and building award-winning leadership development experiences.

Previously, she held roles as a Head of Culture, Chief Learning Officer, and Head of Leadership Development at GE, Deloitte, and HP.

1.⏰ Early Start, Small Wins, Focus Time | Eric Gonzalez

2. 🍵 Matcha, Mindset and Time Blocking | Clara Ma

3. 📅 Systems, Day Before HMW, and Tea Rituals | Carolyn Clark

4. 🖊️ Identify What Matters | Q Hamirani

5. 🌲 Trail Runs, Reflections, and Time Blocks | Jared Taylor

6. 🚀 Family, 3 Top Priorities and Prep | Laura Mesa

7.🌛Sleep, Meditations and Music | Kursat Ozenc

8. 🍎 Honoring a Work Manifesto, Deep Work & Meeting Blocks | Carmen Boon

9. 🌆 Preparing the Night Before | Rachel Miller

10. 🍳 Breakfast, Walk and Fun | Julia Levy

1. ⏰ Early Start, Small Wins, Focus Time | Eric Gonzalez

“First, I get clear on what a successful day looks like and how much energy I can devote toward it (this fluctuates, but what’s important is the intention). Mornings start early -- before my wife and daughter wake up: exercise 30-45 minutes, shower, make a wholesome breakfast, listen to AM radio or read newsletters and take the dog for a walk. Small wins from 5-9 builds strong momentum for 9-5. The compounding effects of structured, non-disruptive mornings help me show up better everywhere else in life.”

2. 🍵 Matcha, Mindset and Time Blocking | Clara Ma

“When I wake up in the morning, I very much actively try to stay away from diving into emails and Slack messages headfirst. Instead, I take some time to go through my morning ritual of listening to The Daily podcast and making my matcha. That way, my mind isn’t focused on busy work first thing in the morning, but instead it gives me a chance to get in the right mindset and really think about priorities for the day.

Then I like to take a look through my calendar so that I know how much time I have free for deep work and administrative processing. From there, I will fill in the blank spots I have on my calendar with the specific tasks or projects that I want to get done that day. I find that time blocking this way is really important, because if I leave those free blocks completely unstructured, I end up sitting in my email and Slack instead of doing something that truly helps move the business forward!”

3. 📅 Systems, Day Before HMW, and Tea Rituals | Carolyn Clark

“For me, a successful day starts the day before. I’m a systems person, so when I’m wrapping one day, I always review my calendar for the next day. I reset my priorities and make my lists (my out of my head list, my to do list, my priority by stakeholder list). This way I’m not reacting when the morning begins.

Thank goodness for the invention of the erasable pen! I’ve always been a morning person, and after years of working with West Coast teams, those early hours are my prime time. That’s when I’m most clear, most focused, and frankly most effective. And I have a very specific Earl Grey tea ritual that really makes the mornings vibe with real half-and-half!”

4. 🖊️ Identify What Matters | Q Hamirani

“I start very early across time zones, so my mornings are not calm or protected. I focus on clarity instead by naming the one or two things that truly matter for the day and being intentional about where I need to show up. If I am clear on that, the noise does not run the day.”

5. 🌲 Trail Runs, Reflections, and Time Blocks | Jared Taylor

“My mornings are sacred and I avoid contact with technology and the outside world until at least 8am. I wake up early, stretch for 15 minutes, do some sort of exercise (usually a trail run or yoga class), meditate, then look through my priorities for the day (I’ve recently started writing them down in a notebook the night before). This combination of stillness, movement, and reflection keeps me grounded and focused throughout the day.”

6. 🚀 Family, 3 Top Priorities and Prep | Laura Mesa

“I start my day once my son is off to school - thats when I use Akiflow to figure out everything I need to do, get a read on my meetings and what I need to prepare for, and jump in. I usually give myself 20 minutes to get oriented and then decide what are my 3 must dos for the day across my clients, my own businesses and my personal life. The rest moves on from there.”

7.🌛Sleep, Meditations and Music | Kursat Ozenc

“A good morning for me begins the night beforehand with quality sleep. To start the workday in the right tone, I follow a protocol: first, morning prayer; then, exercise; and finally, coffee and vitamins—though I don’t do this every day, it’s my goal to do it most days. I also use my commute to mentally prepare for work. While driving, I listen to a Calm daily meditation — breathing exercises help —and then switch to upbeat music to get in the right mindset for the office.”

8. 🍎 Honoring a Work Manifesto, Deep Work & Meeting Blocks | Carmen Boon

“I like to set myself up for a strong day by getting organized ahead of time. I review my schedule and to-dos the night before, then look at them again in the morning once my son has left for school and make any needed adjustments. I’m much more mindful now about not stacking meetings back to back and about protecting focus time every day for deeper work like researching, writing, and editing. I also try to at all cost avoid meetings after 4 p.m. so I can stay clear-headed and productive. Before I really get going, I do a quick check-in with a personal work manifesto I wrote a while ago—my non-negotiables and how I want to show up at work—which helps ground me and keep me aligned throughout the day.”

9. 🌆 Preparing the Night Before | Rachel Miller

“Setting myself up for success at work starts the night before. Mornings are often unpredictable in my neurodivergent household. So, before I log off, I review the handover every evening from my Executive Assistant Louise. I’ll often pack my bag if I’ll be onsite with a client and write my to do list at that time. This means my mornings go smoother as I’ve done the thinking, prioritising and planning the night before.”

10. 🍳 Breakfast, Walk and Fun | Julia Levy

“It’s important to start each day with a good breakfast — yogurt, toast and banana — to fuel my mind. I also like to take a walk to reflect and have time to think about the day ahead. Then, I start my day with one fun activity that brings me joy, it could be something small like writing or sending a thank you to recognize someone.”

What morning routine helps set you up for success? Please add your experiences.

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In This Edition

• 💡 Stay Curious: Be a constant news consumer and a “strategic advisor,” not just a messenger.

• 🛡️ Resilience is Key: Treat everything as temporary to stay grounded and keep your team steady.

• ⛰️ Believe in Possibilities: Reach high for your goals!

About Fenot

Fenot Tekle is a communications leader with extensive experience building and shaping some of the most influential brands in technology. Currently at Canva, she oversees communications across corporate, product, consumer, B2B and analyst relations on a global scale. Previously, she spent nearly eight years at Netflix during its formative years, helping to mainstream the brand as it transformed from a delivery service into a global streaming platform. She has also held senior communications roles at LinkedIn, Facebook and Adobe. Fenot calls the Bay Area home, where she lives with her husband and teenage son.

Where does your communications story begin?

I actually thought I was going to work in news. I spent years interning in television newsrooms and was pretty set on that path. Then I graduated into a tough job market and there weren’t a lot of news jobs to be had.

I took an entry level Comms role somewhat out of necessity, and I ended up realizing I had a real knack for it. What became clear pretty quickly was that I was using the same skills, just applying them in a different context. It was serendipitous, but it ended up shaping my journey. Like most things, in hindsight, it makes perfect sense.

What is a value that drives you personally and professionally?

I tend to be pragmatic by nature, so I focus on outcomes over process. But I really try to bring empathy into how I lead, approaching everything with both head and heart.

I also think resilience is essential in this profession. There’s a lot of fluidity in this work so it’s important to maintain perspective and not be easily set off course. It’s less about pushing through at all costs, and more about keeping a steady head and hand. Everything is temporary. Staying grounded allows me to help others stay grounded, too.

As you look back, what projects have shaped your career?

Looking back, it’s not a single project, but a period that was truly defining. I spent nearly 8 years during the early years of Netflix. In those years, we were building the brand from scratch, shaping new user behaviors and even teaching reporters how to spell Netflix! It was such a lesson in what can happen when a great product meets the right narrative. Having lived through that, I don’t put limits on much. It really shapes how I think about goals, leadership, and growth.

Can you tell us about the work you’re leading at Canva?

I oversee communications across business, product, consumer, B2B and analyst relations, and do so at a global scale. And what an interesting time we’re in.

The media universe is changing all around us, AI is redefining the landscape, as we saw with mobile and cloud, and knowing how to navigate these waves is what keeps it dynamic. It’s a great moment to help shape where this is all going for a category defining brand.

Note: I use Canva to brand and create graphics for this newsletter.

What are the skills needed for leaders to be great communicators?

The best position to be in as a Comms leader is to be a strategic advisor on business critical matters where brand building and reputation are core. You really can’t do that if you’re not grounded in the business. You can’t advise on what you don’t fully grasp.

You also have to really be a news consumer. Not as a chore, but because you’re naturally inclined to do it, and bonus if you love it. You’re the eyes and ears for your organization, so if you’re not tapped in, and have a point of view, then you’re not going to be as effective as those who are.

And no matter what the world says, writing still matters. There is no amount of technology that can authentically land your ideas, that takes human ingenuity.

From there, the soft skills kick in - be a good listener, be able to turn chaos into clarity, and be adaptable and curious. This will all take you very far.

What’s one thing we don’t talk about?

I don’t think we talk enough about work ethic. Being strategic, smart and capable isn’t enough if you don’t come with the inherent ability to see things through.

It comes down to being discerning about what matters and leaning in, and that’s the anchor of trust and credibility. It’s something that’s observed and rewarded, but we sort of take it for granted, and really don’t talk about it enough.

What’s a hack that grounds you in life and work?

I try to take a quiet moment for myself at the end of every day. There’s no agenda, no screens, five minutes with a cup of tea just to reset. I don’t put a lot on this - no pressure to meditate or journal - though those are good too, but for me it’s just about being still.

I’m also a bit of a list maker. It’s a good old-fashioned productivity hack that helps me clear my head and decide on where to put my energy.

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The Communications Room Conundrum

I did a double-take when I saw the subtle sign below at a medical facility I visited — the Communications room. My initial intrigue made me wonder: should communications be in a silo in one room or should it be in every room?

After all, communications is the way we interact with each other when we talk, write or text. It’s also the power of listening — the silence to understand what is being said.

Communications are the questions we ask for curiosity, clarity or connection. It comes from our interactions — building relationships, engaging in small talk and seeking out shared connections.

But, communications are also silent in the shape of our body language — from the smile of cheer and the frown of confusion to the jumping for joy or crossed arms of skepticism.

Communications are the stories we share, the experiences we bring to life for others through recounting our narratives. It is the heart and soul of how we interact.

So in retrospect, perhaps there is a Communications room — it’s our mission control. But it doesn’t stay in one place — it travels with us.

When I actually opened the door to that Communications room, there were hundreds of wires and lights inside connecting all the operations of the building. I quickly exited and didn’t take a photo.

In many ways, that room was the modern Switchboard, humming along, but without the Operators. Instead, we are the Operators of our Communications room that’s always on and with us.

What’s your take on the communications room conundrum — is it one space or everywhere?

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5 Leadership Lessons from the Valentine’s Day Patent Race of 1876

Roses are red. Violets are blue. There once was a patent race on Valentine’s Day that changed the course of communications and history 150 years ago. This story starts with Alexander Graham Bell’s lawyer filing U.S. Patent No. 174,465 for what became the telephone — it’s frequently cited as the most valuable patent in history. The patent was filed two hours before inventor Elisha Gray’s lawyer also filed a similar patent.

This moment and the story that unfolded after teach us about leadership, communications and competition. The lessons are as relevant today as they were in 1876. Here are the top 5 takeaways with more details below:

1. 🧑‍🏫 Embrace Non-Traditional Backgrounds

2. 🧰 Don’t Wait for Perfection

3. ✏️ Seek out Advisors

4. 🪀 Don’t be afraid to pivot

5. 🐡 Keep Going

🧑‍🏫 1. Embrace Non-Traditional Backgrounds

Bell was a teacher for the deaf, following in his father’s footsteps. This experience growing up with the deaf community, including his mother, who was deaf, inspired his life’s work. Bell also married into the deaf community — his wife was deaf. These all led to his experimenting with sound and ultimately inventing the telephone.

☎️ Lesson: Your unique background is often your greatest asset, bringing insights from one field into another.

🧰 2. Don’t Wait for Perfection

When Bell’s team filed the patent, he didn’t even have a working telephone yet! Bell moved fast. He beat Gray by two hours and years of work. History recounts that Gray had sat on the idea for the telephone for a long time before taking action.

☎️ Lesson: Put your ideas out there quickly. This forces you to make them real and iterate faster to improve.

✏️ 3. Seek out Advisors

Bell didn’t succeed alone. He had a strong patent attorney and financier, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, who was also his father-in-law. He pushed Bell to turn his ideas into reality. Hubbard also understood the legal and commercial landscape in a way Bell didn’t. He would go on to become the first president of Bell Telephone as well as many other ventures, including the National Geographic Society.

☎️ Lesson: You don’t need to be an expert in everything. Seek out guidance from people you trust to support you on your path.

🪀 4. Don’t be afraid to pivot

Both men were originally trying to solve a specific problem: The “Harmonic Telegraph” (sending multiple telegraph messages over one wire). While Gray stayed focused on improving the telegraph, Bell realized the “accidental” byproduct — transmitting the human voice — was actually the better invention.

Lesson: Sometimes one project leads to another. You never know what one hack will lead to next.

🐡 5. Keep Going

When Bell first showed his invention to the leaders of the telegraph industry, he was ridiculed. He tried to sell to Western Union, and they famously wrote an internal memo stating:

“This ‘telephone’ has too many short-comings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.”

☎️ Lesson: Keep going, even when you don’t get success right away, it could be around the corner.

The Valentine’s Day patent race did not end on February 14, but continued for years as Bell and Gray feuded over the invention of the telephone with legal battles that ultimately favored Bell.

While today the “telephone” is a piece of history, the spirit of that Valentine’s Day patent race continues. Be the leader brave enough to show your work even if it’s not perfect, humble enough to seek counsel, and flexible enough to pivot when you discover something extraordinary. And remember that two hours can change the course of history. Find your “Valentine” today!

If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your network or give it a reaction or comment.

Sources: Wikipedia: Bell, Gray. Library of Congress.

64 years ago next week, on February 11, 1962, “The French Chef” with Julia Child premiered on WGBH, Boston public television. Julia was 51 years old and made media history with its debut. The show ran for 10 years and earned her the first Emmy ever awarded to an educational TV personality.

Beyond the show, Julia transformed the culinary industry and American life. Her story teaches us about communications, resilience and leadership. That’s why she’s a Historical Heroine in this edition of The Culture Kitchen. Here are 8 lessons from her career and life:

1. 🦈 Solve Challenges Bravely: Don’t Be Afraid to Bake “Shark Repellant” Cake

2. 🧑‍🍳 Ignore the Negative People

3. 📕 Pursue Your Goals (at any age) despite Rejection

4. 🍳 Embrace your Superpowers: Make an “Omelet”

5. 😹 Choose Joy

6. 😩 Be Bold: Don’t Fear Failing

7. 🐟 Embrace the goldfish

8. 🍽️ Put in the Prep: “Mise en Place”

Julia Child in her kitchen as photographed ©Lynn Gilbert, 1978, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Source: Wikimedia Commons

1. 🦈 Solve Challenges Bravely: Don’t Be Afraid to Bake “Shark Repellant” Cake

Before she was a culinary icon, Julia was a “spy” and worked for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services), a World War II agency collecting intelligence and the precursor to the CIA today.

As Executive Assistant to Zoologist Harold Jefferson Coolidge Jr., the OSS’s Emergency Sea Rescue Equipment Section leader, she was asked to take on a task she knew nothing about and worked on this special shark project, experimenting with 100 different ingredients, according to Tasting Table:

“Child tested everything from common poisons to rotten shark meat and naturally occurring acids, and after a full year, she eventually settled on copper acetate dyed black, which, when placed in water, smelled like a dead shark. The mixture was then assembled into a small “cake” shape and placed in a metal box lined with mesh screens.”

The boxes could attach to soldiers’ clothes or lifejackets and repelled sharks for 6-7 hours. While not perfect, it helped save many lives. This work led her to take on an international post where she ultimately met Paul Child, her husband.

🧑‍🍳 2. Ignore the Negative People

When she moved to Paris, Julia enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. The Documentary filmmakers of Julia, a film about her life, revealed her experience to ABC News:

“Women were treated very badly. The teachers were all European male chefs, and they’d rather not have women in their kitchen.”

The students were also unkind. In The Atlantic, author Mayukh Sen recounts:

“Her male classmates looked at her as a trespasser in a man’s world, but she bucked the sexist convention that only men should aspire to haute cuisine.”

Despite this negativity, Julia persevered. She went on to start a cooking school with two French women she met, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle. They called the school L’École des Trois Gourmandes, which translates to “The School of the Three Hearty Eaters.” She continued to wear the school’s badge for years after and it was an iconic symbol of her committment to values.

3. 📕 Pursue Your Goals (at any age) despite Rejection

Together, the three women began working on the cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Eventually, it was published in 1961 after 10 years of research and writing. But, it almost didn’t get published. The book was rejected by its original publisher, Houghton Mifflin, which decided the book would be too expensive. While disappointed, Julia chose to look at the sunny side. In her memoir, she reflected:

“Even if we were never able to publish our book, I had discovered my raison d’être in life, and would continue my self-training and teaching.”

Eventually, Knopf editor Judith Jones helped publish the book, and the rest is literary and culinary history. Julia was also 49 years old, showing it’s never too late to puruse your goals.

4. 🍳Embrace your Superpowers: Make an “Omelet”

To promote her cookbook, Julia made a guest appearance on “I’ve Been Reading,” a book review program on WGBH, Boston public television, in February 1962. She surprised the host and viewers by making an omelette live on air.

The show was formal and it was hard to talk about a cookbook, so what better way than to cook from the book! Julia brought a hot plate and a whisk with her, and impressed the host and the audience. After the episode aired, WGBH received 27 letters from viewers, which was rare at the time. Everyone wanted to see more of Julia! It led to The French Chef being commissioned for tv.

Sidenote: To watch the historical fiction of this scene, I highly recommend HBO Max’s Julia.

😹 5. Choose Joy

When you watch videos of Julia Child, you can feel the energy in her voice as she reacts with expressions like “Marvelous” and ends every episode of her show with “Bon Appétit!”

She once said: “be fearless and above all have fun!” And that theme continued when Julia reflected on her culinary career later in life:

“Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”

6. 😩 Be Bold: Don’t Fear Failing

Julia showed everyone in the kitchen that they could cook anything with a little hard work. She took a light-hearted approach, often poking fun at herself along the way. And live on television, she laughed at the errors she made, encouraging others to do the same. Tasting Table writes about her legacy, which she gave home chefs, that they just needed to try:

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”

“Never apologize. Never explain. If your soufflé falls, just call it pudding cake.”

7. 🐟 Embrace the goldfish

Julia was known for hosting dinner parties, and one of her favorite snacks to serve was a basic pantry item — goldfish crackers. She paired them with her favorite cocktail, the reverse martini – two parts vermouth and one part gin. According to Tasting Table, legend has it that:

“The ‘wet’ proportions make for an herbal, bitter, botanical cocktail, which is aptly (if surprisingly) complemented by salty, savory, cheesy Goldfish.”

Even the simplest foods could make for a meaningful experience.

8. 🍽️ Put in the Prep: “Mise en Place”

Preparation was key to Julia’s success. She wrote long, detailed scripts and practiced many times before the cameras rolled, driving the production team a bit bonkers. This allowed her to connect with the audience because she already knew her plan.

It’s a reminder that great communication might appear effortless, but it’s the result of relentless “mise en place.” Prep your story, anticipate the “what ifs” and organize your thoughts so that when you talk or post, you’re ready for what’s next.

Years later at 80, Julia experienced rejection again — PBS cut The French Chef. So she moved to ABC and had a blast with Good Morning America’s Charlie Gibson, according to the documentary film makers on her life.

Julia Child didn’t just teach America how to cook. She taught us how to live and work with purpose. She proved that age is a number, failure can be rebranded and perfection is far less important than passion. So, the next time things get messy in your "kitchen," don't apologize. Just call it a “pudding cake” and keep going.

This is me dressed as Julia Child for Halloween. Her story and kitchen was my muse. Thanks for tuning into this edition of The Switchboard. If it resonated, share with your friends! Bon Appétit!