Say It Skillfully® – Tracy Smith, Cape-less Superhero for Hope
September 28, 2021
Hosted by Molly Tschang
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Guest Information
Episode Description
Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. If…“What have I done with my life—I want to make a difference” has crossed your mind, have a listen to Episode 99. Tracy Smith, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish Alabama, shares her journey to being known as a “cape-less superhero.” Tracy connects the dots from her youth... the tragic loss of her father when she was just 6 years old and the nurturing from her entrepreneur stepfather, which ingrained hard work ethic, the desire to be independent and valuing education, something that no one can take away from you. She recounts the image of her mom being supported by her closest friends and how all these “aunts” supported her and her sisters in the grief of daddy being in heaven. As a youth, Tracy made it a point to fit in with everybody, a skill that’s been core to her success as a nonprofit CEO. In raising her own children, she shares the power of “saying yes” vs. telling the kids “no” all the time; this has been pivotal to both her son and daughter finding and living their passions in life. The epiphany of “You can work for an organization with a mission” forever changed her trajectory. Tracy is upfront about “bad boss” experiences with people leading through their insecurities and egos teaching her how NOT to lead, and those with “great leaders” who inspired how she empowers others in her own leadership. Hear her thoughts on going with best case scenarios for maximum freedom and not creating policies based on worst case scenarios. LOTS of career considerations and leadership learnings, whether you’re early in career, or have been working for decades! Tracy and Molly have a lively chat about what private and non-profit sectors can learn from each other. And don’t miss hearing Tracy discuss how Make-A-Wish grants life-changing wishes for children with critical diseases and supports families in times of need. Tune in for heart-warming and inspiring thoughts and learn how to navigate work while being invaluable and true to yourself. Molly’s thought for the week: The way you respond to a situation has the power to change it. Tune in for an inspiring and heart-warming conversation and learn how you to navigate work while being invaluable and true to yourself. More ways to #sayitskillfully: Inclusive vision—being a leader with vision, who also values others’ ideas http://bit.ly/2kgLHeK and all Molly’s videos by category here, https://sayitskillfully.com
Say It Skillfully®
Tuesday at 8 AM Pacific Time/11 AM Eastern Time on VoiceAmerica Business Channel
Molly Tschang's Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you benefit from Molly's guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. She helps everyone from CEOs to interns to recognize that we are all both part of the problem as well as the solution, and that the path to solving any problem is to say what needs to be said.
Molly is a rare breed: tough enough to advise CEOs and company boards, but empathetic enough to understand the human costs of not allowing talent to shine. She has helped dozens of management teams navigate the human after-effects of mergers and acquisitions, and her show brings her expert guidance to a wider audience.
Say It Skillfully® every Tuesday at 8 AM Pacific Time/11 AM Eastern Time on the VoiceAmerica Business Channel.
Molly Tschang
Molly Tschang helps her clients' organizations gain the skills to Win As One, which most other companies never even try to do. She starts at the top, guiding management to commit to each other’s success and lead as one cohesive unit.
Molly is Founder and CEO of Abella Consulting, a New York-based leadership development and business advisory consultancy that helps senior leaders cultivate the collaborative capacity to elevate individual, team and organizational performance resulting in accelerated sustained, profitable growth. She created and hosts the “Say It Skillfully®” video series on LinkedIn, making it easier for all members of an organization to say what needs to be said in a constructive and productive manner.
Prior to launching Abella, Molly held executive leadership positions at Cisco Systems and U.S. Filter, where she led the integration of over 80 acquisitions. She holds a BS in chemical engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from UCLA. In 2017, Molly was selected from among 12,000 applicants to be a protégé of Marshall Goldsmith through his 100 Coaches initiative. In her downtime, she enjoys tennis, yoga and cooking with family and friends.
