What Does Leadership Mean to You?

UnLeadership was written with aspiring leaders in mind.??Anyone with a big idea, looking to get started, or who sees how things could be done better, and is looking for the skills and courage to stand up and speak out.??

We knew we didn’t have all the answers - so we went to the leaders we’ve learned from, who have inspired us and whose leadership is shaping the workplace in new and challenging ways.??

The leaders we interviewed all shared the traits of curiosity, humility, and empathy; a desire, driven by values, to move others toward a better human experience. For every leader we spoke to, there were others who inspired and shaped their journey: parents and teachers, pioneers, authors and researchers, bosses and coworkers, partners, and others who collaborated, challenged, and shaped how each saw and experienced the world of work.

When you look for examples of leadership, remember the most impactful leaders are often the quietest in the room and can go unnoticed and unappreciated - celebrate and raise up those voices. There is no single path to leadership - find others who inspire you, learn from them, and then become a leader others can look up to.?

There are many leaders who have guided us who are not included in UnLeadership, and beyond that, countless more outside our knowledge or vision. UnLeadership is a collection of stories that make up what leadership means to us today - and we encourage you to find your own. We can be pretty cynical around here; guess that happens when you build a brand off snark. But the truth is, leaders are those who inspire—and we’ve been inspired. Leaders teach, and we have learned. Leaders make impossible things feel possible—and UnLeadership would not be possible without them. We hope their stories will be a compass, that you’ll find reflections of your own experiences and lessons you can use today to become a more impactful leader in your company, industry, or community.

In order of appearance in UnLeadership:?

Leadership is a Creative Profession - Artist, speaker and founder of The Wahl Group Erik Wahl, talks about using art as a catalyst to create shared experiences, and ways to affirm those around us to create a bigger picture of the future.?

The Archetype of a Leader - Author, producer, business innovator, and host of the Good Life Project Jonathan Fields , shares insights about awareness, shifting and reframing your horizon and how to find the work that sparks joy, for you and your team.?

Heroic Leadership - Award winning marketer, prolific investor, advisor, entrepreneur, board member and President of Digital Innovation at Hero Media, Lauren Maillian shares insights on mentorship and how her career has been shaped by the ability to find opportunities, see gaps and identify and seize hidden profitable value.

Full Thought Leadership - Visionary, humanitarian and founder of the Global Soap Project Dr. Derreck Kayongo, talks about valuing and building your network, finding your own acronym for success, and the wisdom of collecting stories.????

Game Changing Leadership - Speaker, mentor, and founder and executive director at One Voice One Team Youth Leadership Organization Orlando Bowen , talks about leadership through the lens of shared humanity, and how to show up to that one play right in front of you.?

Leadership That Closes the Gap - Senior vice president of Single-Family Sales at MCAP Megan McDonald , offers insights on building a culture of trust and transparency, and why she believes avoiding discomfort is leadership avoidance.?

Leadership is a Mindset Based on Practice - Canadian Paralympian, six-time world champion in wheelchair racing and graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School Jeff Adams , shares his journey from sport to business and into law, and how like confidence, resilience is a transferable skill and a mindset based on practice.???

The leadership Gap - Content producer and political social commentator Corey Andrew Powell shares insights on leadership and Gen Z, from his experience analyzing media and work with future leaders at The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS).?

Rising Leadership - Award winning baker Rachel Wyman shares lessons of culinary entrepreneurship, carb-loading and finding the best opportunities in unexpected places. Hint: it involves donuts.?

Leading for Impact - Activist, nonprofit leader, educator, co-founder and principal consultant at Evenings & Weekends Consulting Paul Taylor , talks about challenging income inequality, recognizing and identifying uncelebrated leaders, building an agency and advancing good change.?

An Ear for Leadership - Director of Professional Development for NAMM, Zach Philips talks about community engagement, partnerships and strategies for developing programs based on relevance.?

Leading with Our Best Friends - Learn how a summer trip before law school changed Julie Castle ’s life, and led her to become CEO at Best Friends Animal Society.?

Leadership When Push Comes to Shove - Career Coach, HR expert and founder of Moms at Work, Allison Venditti talks about community building, advocacy and pay equity.?

Leading by Example - Director of Community at Buffini & Company Derek Jones , talks about staying connected, delegation, team building and his favourite question, “What are we trying to accomplish?”

Unorthodox Leadership - CEO of investment firm Unorthodox Ventures, Carey Smith , talks about venture capital, leading with values, and what he learned about leadership as founder and CEO of Big Ass Fans.

Leading with Content - One of the few marketers to work at both YouTube and Instagram, and now a creator himself, Jon Youshaei shares insights and lessons from working with brands like Google, Hubspot, and Fiverr, and why now is the best time to be a creator.??

Leadership is More than a Label - Parenting and entrepreneurship share a lot of the same challenges, Julie Cole shares her journey leading a brand and business through growth and change.?

Leadership that Outshines - Founder and CEO of Outshine Talent Barbara Jones , shares lessons from her?career of leadership in music, entertainment, social media, and influencer marketing (and, to Alison’s joy, Nirvana makes a cameo).?

Planting Leadership Seeds - Cooperative farmer, co-founder of Sundance Commons and President of the BIPOC caucus of the National Farmers Union in Canada Cheyenne Sundance shares her journey forging a path in farming.?

Serious Leadership - Co-owners of Serious Lip Balm Khara Koffel and Megan Luckey talk about partnership, founding a company by accident and answering the great entrepreneurial question - “should I outsource this?”?

Leadership is a Compass, Not a Map - Co-founders of Speaker Spotlight Martin Perelmuter and Farah Perelmuter , talk about partnership, storytelling and leadership that begins with human values.??

Leadership Momentum - Executive Director of Wisdom2Action and president of the Society of Queer Momentum Fae Johnstone, talks about growing an agency, the challenges of helping clients build trust, and shares how she stays grounded in joy and connected to those she serves. ?

Be The Change Leadership - Co Founder and CEO of BTC Revolutions, Amanda Hite talks about innovation, leaving the corporate world to found an agency, partnerships, and how her understanding of leadership has changed.?

Leadership Practice - Education lawyer Alex Battick talks about the ups and downs of founding his law firm, the importance of courage and offers advice for young leaders getting started.?

Leading with Beauty - From a dream to the shelves of Sephora, Jenn Harper shares her experiences as founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics.?

Leadership Hospitality - Alejandro Castro-Alfaro talks about marketing, strategy, sustainable development, and shares his passion for creating experiences and business guided by values.?

Leadership and Influence - Learn how Mike Snedegar became entertainment marketing director for TAO Group Hospitality, based in Las Vegas (and yes, Kim Kardashian is involved).?

A Leadership Franchise - Allan Hill talks about mentorship, leading through innovation, the importance of community, and shares lessons from 34 years as a franchise with Domino’s Pizza.?

Gold Record Leadership - Owner of Dine Alone Records, Bedlam Music Management, and New Damage Records Joel Carriere , talks about finding his way in the music business, starting a record label during the height of MySpace and Napster and growing a brand based on passion.

A Founder’s Story - CEO and cofounder of online estate planning platform Willful Erin Bury , talks entrepreneurship, start-ups and growing pains, and why you should quit your job.

Leadership Resilience - Founder of The Academy of Resilience Stacey Copas , talks about resilience as a proactive tool you can build through regular rituals and her work with leaders adapting to changes in the workplace.?

The Ingredients of Leadership - Chef and entrepreneur Matt Basile talks about following your instincts as a leader and shares his adventures disrupting the food industry for over a decade.?

Leadership Is Telling the Right Story - Seasoned leader in the world of marketing and team management, Derek Schoen talks about storytelling, leading through tragedy and the importance of investing and fighting for your team.?

Mostly Money Leadership - Consultant to the wealth management industry, podcast host and founder of MoneyGaps, Preet Banerjee shares the importance of credibility, insight on presenting challenging information with (Peter Mansbridge inspired) calm, and advice for aspiring leaders looking to improve their communication.?

Leading in Education - Professor of biological sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough Dr. Maydianne Andrade , shares lessons and key pieces in co-founding and her role in leading the Toronto Initiative for Diversity and Equity (TIDE) and the Canadian Black Scientist Network (CBSN).?

Gaming Leadership - Gaming historian, professor, and the associate vice provost for faculty affairs at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, David Schwartz talks about conflict resolution and why Bugsy Siegel was a terrible leader.?

Leadership’s Greatest Challenge - Medical doctor and passionate mental health educator with a focus on burnout prevention. Dr. Susan Biali Haas MD shares how leaders can reduce stigma around mental health, encourage conversation, and change the way we think about work and life.

Change Enthusiasm? - Founder and CEO of Change Enthusiasm Global Cassandra Worthy shares important research on how to best lead companies through transformation and change and shifting the paradigm that emotions have no place in business.?

Transformative Leadership - Former CMO of AlphaSense, Litmus, SugarCRM, and ChannelAdvisor Melissa Sargeant , offers invaluable advice on driving meaningful business change, the critical value of listening, and why leadership is about making others ridiculously successful.

Leadership is the Killer App - Prolific author and vice president of client strategy at Upwork Tim Sanders talks about the responsibility and diligence of thought leadership, collaboration and why it definitely should not be lonely at the top.?

Executive Leadership - Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah , talks Rugby, intersectionality and some of the lessons she’s learned leading an organization through transformation and change.?

Leading Through Innovation - CEO of Wow Bao Geoff Alexander , talks about leading through disruption, partnerships, and the question all leaders should be asking themselves.

Leaders Intervene - Internationally recognized women’s rights advocate, public educator, speaker, and trainer Julie S. Lalonde , talks about bystander intervention, the orange problem and the power of storytelling.?

Demystifying Leadership and Innovation - President of AmberMac Media, Inc, Amber Mac shares insights on how leaders can relentlessly adapt to the future on our doorstep, and why she believes the most important leadership topic today is trust.?

Leadership and Human Resources - Punk rock HR podcaster and best-selling author Laurie Ruettimann discusses self-leadership, the future of human resources, and an exercise Aristotle used that could change your business.

Leadership Sucks and How to Fix It - Global thought leader and best-selling author Cali Ressler, talks about the value of followership, results-focused leadership and her secret weapon - the playlist.?

Democratizing Leadership - Board director, creator, advisor, and investor Swan Sit , shares her north star, the one question she asks everyone she interviews, and insights from her time as global head of Digital Marketing at Nike, Estée Lauder, and Revlon and as a creator with over 3.7 million followers.?

Crisis Leadership - Offering critical advice for leadership through disruption, Dave Fleet , Head of Global Digital Crisis at Edelman, talks about building trust, improving your listening apparatus, and shares how his understanding of leadership has changed during his career.??

Principled Leadership - Global business development executive, entrepreneur and corporate governance leader Ty Francis, Chief Advisory Officer at LRN Corporation, shares insight on evaluating organizational culture, principled performance, and the very real business case for ethical practices.?

Leadership Goes Big And Goes Home - Adventurer, best-selling author, and faculty member at the Thayer Leadership Group at West Point, Alison Levine shares leadership insights from her incredible career, her focus on legacy, and a thought-provoking new message she is sharing with future leaders.