Straight Up with Bonnie St. John: Real Talk about Climbing The Corporate Ladder

Season 1, Episode 8The past year has brought about so many changes in the workplace – from working remotely to addressing systemic inequities. People who have never felt that they had a voice within an organization are suddenly being asked to offer their perspectives and ideas for “changing the system.” How can diverse professionals successfully navigate this evolving corporate environment, avoid pitfalls, and maximize their success? This week, my guest is Carla Harris, Vice Chairman of Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley. As a Black woman, Carla overcame many barriers on her way to becoming one of the most influential senior executives on Wall Street. In this episode, she shares her wisdom, insights, and advice for what it takes to advance, what it means to be authentic, and how to use this moment of “enlightenment” as an opportunity to have a voice and a seat at the table.Carla has been a huge influence in my life, so I am very excited to share our conversation with you! Carla Harris is Vice Chairman of Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley. In her 30-year career, Carla Harris has had extensive industry experiences in the technology, media, retail, telecommunications, transportation, industrial and healthcare sectors. In August 2013, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women's Business Council. Harris was named to Fortune Magazine's list of "The 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate America," US Banker's "Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance" (2009, 2010, 2011), Black Enterprise's "Top 75 Most Powerful Women in Business" (2017). She is the past chair of the board of the Morgan Stanley Foundation and of The Executive Leadership Council, and she is a member of the board of overseers of Harvard University and the board of directors of the Walmart Corporation. She's the author of the books Strategize to Win and Expect to Win.Carla’s passion lies in helping others. She vowed that when she reached senior management and people came to her for advice, she would provide them with the tools, strategies, and pearls of wisdom honed by her own experience. “Carla’s Pearls” have become the centerpiece for her many speeches and television appearances.Carla is also an accomplished a singer and has released three gospel albums, including Unceasing Praise, Joy Is Waiting, and Carla's First Christmas, which was featured on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather. She has performed five sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall. http://carlaspearls.com/ 

Season 1, Episode 7Even the most accomplished and brilliant women struggle with self-doubt. In many ways, women have been socialized to adopt a mindset of “playing small” – stopping us from taking risks, sharing our expertise, and throwing our hat in the ring. In this episode of Straight Up, we talk with women’s leadership and well-being expert, Tara Mohr, about her “10 Rules for Brilliant Women,” including practical tips to quiet our inner critic and start PLAYING BIG. This is a must-listen episode for women who want to play big and the men who advocate for them and support their growth!  Tara Mohr is an expert on women’s leadership and well-being. She is the author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead, named a best book of the year by Apple’s iBooks. Tara is the creator and teacher of the global Playing Big leadership program for women, and of the Playing Big Facilitators Training for coaches, therapists, managers, and mentors. She is a Co-Active Training Institute certified coach with an MBA from Stanford University and an undergraduate degree in English literature from Yale. Her work has been featured on national media from the New York Times to Today Show to Harvard Business Review. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, son and daughter. 

Season 1, Episode 6In Corporate America, there has been a lot of movement toward creating a work environment that is inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities, but there has been less of a focus on making the path to leadership equally as inclusive. Having a seat at the table should not depend on whether your seat is a chair or a wheelchair.Nadine Vogel is the Founder and CEO of Springboard Consulting LLC, a global company that empowers leading organizations to better serve the world’s largest and fastest growing minority group: People with Disabilities. In this episode, Nadine shares innovative information, expert insights, and actionable advice for people with disabilities who are ready to rise into leadership positions.Nadine Vogel is the Founder and CEO of Springboard Consulting LLC, a global company working with national and multinational corporations around the world to successfully mainstream disability in the global workforce, workplace, and marketplace. Prior to founding Springboard, Nadine held a variety of executive positions in both Corporate America and the non-profit sectors. She has won numerous awards and accolades for her commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive world, and she is recognized as a top global presenter and keynote speaker. Nadine is the author of the highly acclaimed book - DIVE IN, Springboard into the Profitability, Productivity and Potential of the Special Needs Workforce. She is the mother of two adult daughters with disabilities and resides in South Florida with her husband. 

Season 1, Episode 5The path for multicultural leaders to climb the corporate ladder is very different today than it was for leaders in the past. To create opportunities for growth in your career, you may need to take a counterintuitive approach to finding your edge. In this episode of Straight Up, Laura Huang talks about how she was able to shift from getting “kicked out of Elon Musk’s office” into forming a business relationship with him. Laura also shares her expertise on how to use your unique personality and skillset to find your edge.Laura Huang is a professor at Harvard Business School and the author of Edge: Turning Adversity into Advantage. She has spent her academic career studying interpersonal relationships and implicit bias in entrepreneurship and in the workplace. Her research has been featured in the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, and Nature. Laura was named one of the “40 Best Business School Professors Under the Age of 40” by Poets & Quants. 

Season 1, Episode 4 What does it take to become a leader in the C-suite? And, in the context of today’s challenges, what can you do for your community once you get there? In this episode of Straight Up, Keith Wyche shares how he had to pivot his thinking from “I got this” to “I need to engage broader support” as he navigated his career to become a senior executive in Fortune 500 companies. Hear how this wisdom worked not only for himself, but also in helping others successfully climb the corporate ladder.Keith Wyche is a senior level Executive Leader with over 30 years of experience managing billion-dollar businesses, including Walmart and Pitney Bowes. Keith is a sought-after speaker and change management leader with an exceptional record of restructuring under-performing operations and managing industries undergoing rapid technological or competitive change. He is also the best-selling author of three books: Good Is Not Enough, Corner Office Rules, and Swag Is Not Enough. 

Season 1, Episode 3For multicultural leaders, achieving career success takes a unique skillset and approach. One of the key tools for success is finding influential people who will go to bat for you for upcoming promotions, projects, and accolades within your company. But there is a right and wrong way to find such a sponsor. David Casey has 20+ years of experience building billions of dollars in revenue in the healthcare industry. In this episode of Straight Up, David shares practical and actionable advice that you can use today to advance your leadership career.David Casey is a published, award-winning, dynamic, and highly sought after diversity speaker with over 20 years of experience serving as a Chief Diversity Officer of two Fortune 50 companies, including his current position as CDO of CVS.  As a recognized national expert in strategic diversity management, David has been called upon to participate in White House initiatives; consult with Members of Congress, advise international political appointees and delegations; speak to private sector corporations, professional associations, academia and not for profits of all shapes and sizes. David is a dedicated family man and veteran of the US Marine Corps. 

Season 1, Episode 2As women leaders, one of the biggest challenges we face is simply being heard. On top of that, we have to battle through stereotypes and biases towards women who work in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) industries. Despite these challenges, Tiffani Bova has built an impressive career in tech, and she knows how to navigate those difficult conversations. In this episode of Straight Up, Tiffani shows us how to make sure our voices are heard, our qualifications are respected, and our work is valued.Tiffani Bova is the chief growth evangelist at Salesforce and the author of the Wall Street Journal bestselling book GROWTH IQ: Get Smarter About the Choices that Will Make or Break Your Business. Prior to working with Salesforce she was a sales, marketing, and customer service executive for startups as well as Fortune 500 companies, and she has received accolades from the best leaders in the technology world for her cutting-edge analysis and her skill at architecting bold new strategies for sales and growth.Tiffani is a change maker whose thought-provoking and forward-thinking insights have made her a sought-after keynote speaker and a frequent guest on a variety of industry-leading podcasts and live broadcasts.

Season 1, Episode 1: Getting Ahead as a Latinx Leader - with Andres TapiaIn this episode, Andres Tapia walks us through the ways that Latino culture can be a barrier or an asset in American corporations. Whether you are Latinx and climbing the corporate ladder or a leader who wants to improve inclusivity, check out this episode for practical insights and advice! Andres Tapia, Global DE&I Strategic Leader at Korn Ferry, is one of today's leading voices in shaping a contemporary, next-generation approach to diversity and inclusion.