SPRING LEADERSHIP SERIES – Featuring Nathalie Gregg

Last fall, I featured an inspiring series here on my blog called, "Fall Back to Reading Series." Nearly 30 leadership, marketing, and customer experience experts participated and shared their favorite books and their thoughts about the importance of reading.

Joseph Lalonde, one participant, wrote a book entitled, REEL LEADERSHIP, which focuses on nontraditional ways to think about leadership. After I read the book, the seeds for this "Spring Leadership Series" were planted. Today, I'd like to introduce Nathalie Gregg, and following a brief introduction, Nathalie shares some nontraditional ways to think about leadership!

Based in South Carolina, Nathalie Gregg is a Change Agent, Enterprise Leadership Strategist, Adjunct Professor, and Speaker. She empowers women to become their own economic engines. Online, she is a digital superstar and is the founder of the #LeadLoudly movement and Twitter/X Chat, where she inspires women to be bold, confident, and fearless to drive real results.

QUESTION: Which TV show or TV series showcases leadership in a memorable way? This could be due to a specific character and their actions, a series of events, the plot of one or several episodes, or a specific time reflected in history.
NATHALIE GREGG: "It's handled." ~Olivia Pope in SCANDAL
 
You could not tell me that I was not a Galidator and the Chief People Officer or part of Olivia Pope & Associates. The brilliant Shonda Rhimes did it again! This series was the perfect blend of intrigue, crisis management, and leadership that kept us on the edge of our seats every Thursday! The iconic Olivia Pope was a strategic thinker who navigated intense and complex situations, all while looking flawless! She was also a very savvy negotiator and was always leveraging her influence to achieve her desired results!

QUESTION: Which film showcases leadership in a memorable way?
NATHALIE GREGG: "Play is the exultation of the possible!" ~Martin Buber
 
Barbie has been a huge part of the #LeadLoudly creation story, ritual, and icon since day one! Playing with Barbie gave me the courage to dream! This was one of the first glimpses into the role that gender segregated play and women empowerment would play in my leadership journey.
 
Thank you to Ruth Handler, the wife of a Mattel executive, who had the vision to move playing with dolls away from just being a caregiver! Ruth Handler said, "Through the Barbie doll, a little girl could be anything that she wanted to be!" This was portrayed so eloquently in BARBIE THE MOVIE last year!
 
Congratulations Team Barbie on the release of #thebarbiemovie, ringing the Nasdaq bell, and the fierce collaboration with Walmart! And thank you so much, Ynon Kreiz, for inviting me to walk the Pink Carpet!

SHARE: Playing with Barbie gave me the courage to dream! This was one of the first glimpses into the role that women empowerment would play in my leadership journey. ~@NathalieGregg #SpringLeadershipSeries #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Which work of fiction showcases leadership in a memorable way?
NATHALIE GREGG: "Let the wild rumpus start!" ~Maurice Sendak
 
"Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak is still one of my favorite childhood masterpieces! I continue to use it frequently in my leadership training! I begin by saying to the audience, "Welcome to Where the Wild Things Are! Let's be courageous and open-minded about the creative vision that we want to bring to pass! Let’s pretend that we are Max and use our imagination, courage, and leadership to empower our community for excellence!"

QUESTION: Which product, or product line, stands out as a symbol of leadership?
NATHALIE GREGG: "You are more beautiful than you think." ~Dove Real Beauty
 
Unilever nails it with Dove! The Dove Real Beauty message was a symbol of vision, leadership, and women empowerment. The impact and influence of this campaign sparked courageous conversations around diversity, inclusion, and equity! Dove is a powerful example of how a product can challenge social norms to expand our thinking and facilitate change!
 
QUESTION: Lastly, since I'm a marketing professional, I would be remiss not to ask this question: Which brand do you consider the best embodiment of an industry leader, and why?
NATHALIE GREGG: "Starbucks Coffee is the #1 purveyor of coffee in the world. We are here to educate and enhance the best possible customer experience." ~Howard Schultz
 
The Third Place Campaign for Starbucks is a masterpiece! The goal is for Starbucks to become the THIRD PLACE in our daily lives with home and work being numbers one and two! The president of my university calls Starbucks my "Corporate Headquarters," because Starbucks is where I pitch my ideas to my mentors, network with others in line, snap #coffeechat selfies, stare out the window, and, of course, sip the #LeadLoudly branded caramel drip latte with whip!

Did these questions open your eyes to thinking about leadership in nontraditional ways? That was the hope. My gratitude to Nathalie for appearing on my blog, and for sharing her leadership insights.


Image Credits: Debbie Laskey, iStockphoto, Amazon, and Classroom Clipart.

Connect with Nathalie at these links:
Website: https://nathaliegregg.com
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NathalieGregg
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathaliegregg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathaliegregg
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@nathaliegregg

Check out Nathalie's previous appearance here on my blog:

Lead, Inspire, and Continue to Evolve (July 2022)
https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/07/lead-inspire-and-continue-to-evolve.html