Celia Swanson’s Post

Last week’s “Year of Authenticity” conference was transformational and inspiring. I had the opportunity to share about the power of pairing grace + strength while hearing from some of the most innovative women in technology. It was a privilege to be included. Thanks to Women+ in Technology of Northwest Arkansas and congratulations on a successful event! #womenintechnology #innovation #womeninleadership

Two of the most consistent truths about leadership are that there will always be change and that left turns just happen. Our lives and careers are built on a series of unexpected events that take us from one season to the next. Today's conversation is all about mastering the ability to navigate through the unexpected as part of our Servant Leadership podcast series. Alongside my co-host Andy Wilson, executive director of Doing Business in Bentonville, we're looking at all the things that seem to throw us off our game when we face unexpected change with some strategies for moving forward, including: 🔹 Navigating something you never saw coming 🔹 Balancing "it all" - from career to our personal lives 🔹 Developing one of the most critical leadership skills in the face of change 🔹 Figuring out how to turn your loss into vision and purpose 🔹 Encouragement about finding a new lane when you experience a left turn 🎧 Listen to our full conversation at https://lnkd.in/ge_Evcf4 and stay tuned for Part 2 of Unexpected Left Turns next time. We hope this conversation encourages you to find the opportunity and beauty in those left turns. Thanks for joining us! #navigatingchange #leftturns #leadership #wholeleader #jobchange #servantleadership #leadingwithgrace

Thrilled to be speaking at the Women+ in Technology of Northwest Arkansas' "Year of Authenticity" event on April 18th! Looking forward to learning more about the incredible work women are doing in the tech space and sharing all about a Gracious and Strong Mindset at this year's annual conference. I'd love to see you there! For more info on speakers and tickets: https://lnkd.in/g4yTRSYx

Leadership is not easy! One topic I am most passionate about sharing from my leadership journey is a fundamental component of engagement I refer to as “leading with grace.” On today’s Servant Leadership Today podcast, "Cultivating a Culture of Respect and Empathy in Leadership Landscapes," my co-host Andy Wilson, executive director of Doing Business in Bentonville, and I break down my three pillars of Leading with Grace, and one thing we believe will change the course of how you are viewed as a leader.   Considering only 34% of employees feel engaged in their workplace (according to a Gallup 2023 survey), we’ve taken a close look at the principles that can define your leadership style and catapult the impact you have in fostering a thriving team and making a positive impact on your employees’ lives, including: 💠 Being present 💠 Building trust 💠 Adding value in your interactions 💠 Caring for others (and demonstrating it) 💠 Defending dignity 💠 Fueling purpose, and 💠 Embracing honesty   🔊 We hope you’ll listen in on our conversation today! https://lnkd.in/g6xGWXbS. We got pretty honest about times when we’ve had to learn lessons the hard way and hope that our stories save you from those mistakes. Let us know in the comments how you create an environment where employees are well-engaged. 🎙 In case you missed the last few episodes, please check out some of our recent episodes about servant leadership which not only include takeaways from our own careers but actionable ways you can increase your presence and influence as a leader https://lnkd.in/gdvB_4mf   💡 For the full Gallup study https://lnkd.in/g6xGWXbS #employeeengagement #leadingwithgrace #values #leadership #workplaceculture Doing Business in Bentonville

I continue to be in awe of the incredible women leaders I have encountered throughout my career and salute each of them today as we celebrate #InternationalWomensDay! When I think about my corporate career, I saw it as my mission to consistently champion diverse pipelines in the workplace - and in particular - helping to prepare women for success and impact as they rose in their leadership roles. While I had peers who were aligned in the same belief, some complied only when challenged. In today's blog, The Power of Potential, I break down the importance of the leadership pipeline guided by research from the 2023 McKinsey & Company's "Women in the Workplace" Annual Report, including: 🔹 What has progress looked like in recent years? Is it real and/or sustainable? 🔹 What is the ONE criteria we must assess for in our talent? 🔹 How can you commit to strengthening the pipeline in your business? As we celebrate Women's History Month, what actions will you commit to for 2024? Cheers to all the women leaders out there and those who champion them every day!✨ Blog: Power of Potential https://lnkd.in/guikMZbD #IWD2024 #glassceiling #womeninbusiness #leadership #diversity #HR #talentpipeline #womenshistorymonth

One of the most crucial things we can do as leaders is to define – and live out – our purpose. We all encounter left turns that lead us through transformative chapters in our lives and careers. By taking time to reflect on the paths we have led, lessons learned, and identifying our own Lighthouse Values, we are able to feel clarity, peace and purpose as we face decisions and new opportunities. In today’s Servant Leadership Today Podcast, my co-host Andy Wilson, executive director of Doing Business in Bentonville, and I talk about the power of having your own Personal Mission Statement. We talk about the vivid memories we have of the space we were in when we redefined our own mission statements (which we unexpectedly learned have a common theme!) The process of creating can be daunting, personal and emotional – but also life changing! In this episode, we’ve broken it down to help you evaluate your own “guiding star” by asking yourself a few questions: ⭐ What unique values do you stand for? ⭐ Do you have an opportunity to create influence? ⭐ Think about your voice. How can you make impact with it? ⭐ Why does it even matter to have a personal mission statement? ⭐ If you’ve already created a personal mission statement, how do you keep it alive?   Your life is a noble mission. Don’t make it small, but make it noble and aspirational. In Andy’s words, “Hold on, everyone!” This topic is transformational and meaningful, and we hope you’ll join us. 🎙 LISTEN HERE: Embracing Life's Left Turns + Crafting Your Guiding Star  https://lnkd.in/gKEQrNAD 🎙 And if you missed any of our recent Servant Leadership podcasts, we invite you to check them out at: https://lnkd.in/gdvB_4mf   We want to hear from you! No matter where you are on your personal mission statement journey, we'd love to hear from you and would be happy to be your "audience" as you craft your own. Share in the comments or reach out directly about how a personal mission statement has impacted you. ⤵ #servantleadership #discoveryourpurpose #newopportunities #personalmission #whatsyourwhy #values #leadership #authenticity #leadingwithgrace #podcast

What a privilege to be welcomed back to Walmart and visit with the Entertainment Toys and Seasonal (ETS) team for a truly special Culture Moment. I had the opportunity to sit down with Britten Hardie about keeping culture alive in an organization, authenticity as a leader, navigating the intersection of life and career, the idea of leading a leadership legacy, and some stories along the way about working with some of the most impactful CEOs and leaders during my career at Walmart. Thank you to Laura Rush for inviting me to join this event and thanks to Britten for guiding us through a wonderful discussion on some of my most favorite leadership topics under the roof of a place that means so much to me both personally and professionally. #servantleadership #companyculture #navigatingchange  #authenticity #leadershiplegacy #ETS

One of the most rewarding parts of what I do is helping others realize and lean into their personal values. I'm a little hesitant to admit it, but it was fairly late in my career when I truly realized the importance of creating and understanding my own unique value proposition. Once I realized what I actually brought to the table - particularly when I was EVP sitting in a boardroom at Walmart - I gained more confidence to contribute and share the value of my voice in the room. In today's Doing Business in Bentonville podcast, my co-host Andy Wilson and I take a look at value propositions as an incredible differentiator for both leaders and companies in shaping priorities, values and culture, along with takeaways for leaders who are creating or refining their value proposition as a critical component of servant leadership: 🔹 Consider what you bring to the table. What value do you bring to your role?  🔹 Find a trusted advisor who can describe you to yourself. 🔹 Keep it current! Is it time for a fresh start? 🔹 Discerning how to respond to "hard left turns" and when it's time to make a "hard right turn" 🔹 Determining your Bright Lines before pressure strikes 🔹 How can you deliver results while bringing others along? We encourage you to lean in on this! Andy and I would love to hear from you in the comments about how you incorporate your own value proposition into your leadership and how you bring others along as an authentic servant leader.⤵ 🎙 LISTEN HERE: Defining Your Unique Value Proposition Podcast: https://lnkd.in/dfHktVgx 🔗 For more about Defining Your Bright Lines: https://lnkd.in/dF2mcVrz 🎙And in case you missed it, last month's Foundations of Servant Leadership Podcast: https://lnkd.in/ddSf2_rA #servantleadership #podcast #personalvalues  #valueproposition #authenticity #bepresent #growth #useyourvoice

Thrilled to announce that I have teamed up with Andy Wilson of Doing Business in Bentonville to co-host the "Servant Leadership" podcast series! So wonderful to sit across the table from a long-time colleague and friend to talk about true leadership, alignment of leadership and service, and discovering ways to develop your people to reach their potential. Our conversation took me back to some of the best and most formative memories of working at Walmart and Sam's Club and those experiences still drive me as a leader today. Throughout the next few weeks, we're sharing stories and takeaways leaders can apply today as they move along in their leadership journey. You can listen to this episode below.🎧 We'd love for you to listen and share what you think in the comments! https://lnkd.in/ddSf2_rA Follow along for more episodes over the next few weeks: https://lnkd.in/gNmUiMyj #servantleadership #leadwithgrace #people #leadership