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Lisa Bell

Lisa M. Ong on Fostering Belonging for AAPI Employees

Lisa Ann Edwards is an award-winning leadership coach and the founder and CEO of MyExcelia. As a former head of talent management for a Bill Gates-owned global media company, Edwards learned the importance of effective development programs when executives cut programs because they can’t see bottom-line results. She brought budgets back to the organization after showing the return on investment of coaching.

Lisa Ann Edwards

Lisa Spinelli is a dynamic leadership and career development coach, trainer, and workshop facilitator with a passion for helping individuals navigate career transitions and leadership growth. As the founder of Blue Pinecone Consulting, Lisa specializes in coaching and training rising leaders and empowering them to embrace authenticity, adapt to change, and excel in their professional journeys.

Lisa is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and has delivered one-on-one leadership and career transition coaching to leaders in public service, employees at Fortune 500 companies, and nonprofit employees. Her extensive experience includes developing and facilitating workshops for organizations such as the USDA, Library of Congress, U.S. Air Force, and Bureau of Indian Affairs, from small groups of 10 to larger groups of more than 150.

Before founding her consulting firm, Lisa served as a director at an e-learning platform and has also worked at ATD as a senior content manager, where she created and managed workshops like ATD’s Troops to Trainers at Ft. Belvoir. She also created and hosted the popular The Accidental Trainer podcast and authored multiple career development resources, including the book Teachers to Trainers and the workbook Take Charge of Your Career.

Lisa’s unique perspective is shaped by her family’s strong ties to public service, with her father serving in the NYPD, U.S. Army, and CIA, and her husband being a disabled USAF veteran as well as having grown up in Rome, Italy. Her connection to the greater good and more well-being lifestyle fuels her passion for coaching and helping others. 

Lisa holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Virginia.

Lisa Spinelli

Best Leadership Books

Are leaders on the same page as their employees? Some recent findings suggest otherwise. A 2024 workplace survey by Arbinger (go.arbinger.com/trends-report-2024) highlights this gap between leader and employee perceptions of workplace challenges. The data reveals that while executives may feel confident in their efforts, employees often feel undervalued, overlooked, and disconnected. If left unaddressed, this disconnect can harm organizational culture, productivity, and success. In this blog post, we’ll look at how to bridge this gap by fostering trust and engagement. Executive-Employee Disconnect: Key FindingsThe survey underscores the divide between executive and employee perspectives:Executives are 2.5 times more likely to believe their organizations provide ample opportunities for growth and skill development.They are nearly 3 times more satisfied with efforts addressing employee well-being.They are more than 3 times more satisfied with company communication and collaboration.Despite these positive executive views, only 22 percent of employees reported high job satisfaction. This stark contrast highlights the need for talent development professionals to bridge the gap between leadership and employees.Causes of the DisconnectOne significant reason for this disconnect is the lack of regular communication between leaders and employees. Research shows that fewer than half (43 percent) of organizations regularly facilitate these critical conversations. Without ongoing dialogue, executives remain out of touch with employee needs, leading to lower engagement, diminished growth, and a weakened organizational culture.When employees feel unseen or unheard, they often disengage, resulting in reduced productivity and stifled innovation. Fostering open communication and understanding should be a top priority for leaders to build stronger relationships and improve workplace dynamics.Bringing Humanity to the Workplace: A Path to ReconnectionA key way to bridge this gap is by bringing humanity to the workplace. When employees feel valued as individuals rather than just workers, trust and engagement increase. Consider these simple yet effective practices to empower leaders to shift their mindset:Know employees beyond their roles: Engage in personal conversations to understand their aspirations and challenges.Reflect on your impact: Regularly assess how your actions affect others and make necessary adjustments.Avoid assumptions: Miscommunication often stems from assumptions. Leaders should focus on clarifying facts and fostering open dialogue.The Leadership Qualities Employees ValueArbinger’s survey findings revealed that employees desire certain characteristics in their leaders, the top answers being:TrustworthinessAccountabilityActive listeningRecognition of contributionsAdaptability and passionBy embracing these traits, leaders can build trust and bridge the disconnect, boosting employee engagement and satisfaction.The survey also revealed the importance of psychological safety, with 41 percent of employees fearing negative consequences for speaking up. This fear stifles creativity and collaboration. Leaders who prioritize creating a safe environment for open communication enable their teams to voice ideas and concerns, driving innovation and improving performance.Empathy-Driven LeadershipEmpathetic leadership is crucial to reducing workplace disconnect. By adopting a more human-centered approach, leaders can create environments where employees feel heard and valued. Practical steps include:Show appreciation: Regularly recognize employee contributions.Take responsibility: Admit mistakes and model accountability.Be a good listener: Listen to employee concerns and feedback without judgment.Balance workloads: Monitor employee stress levels and provide support as needed.Foster psychological safety: Ensure employees feel safe speaking up without fear of retaliation.Moving Forward: Bridging the GapClosing the gap between leadership and employees requires time and effort. However, by prioritizing communication, empathy, and trust, organizations can transform their culture. Talent development professionals play a vital role in guiding this process and supporting leaders as they work toward building more inclusive, connected, and productive teams.

Bridging the Leadership Disconnect: Fostering Trust and Engagement

The last two years have wrought incredible changes on the world of work. Companies have changed their business models, jobs have been reimagined, systems and processes have been re-engineered or replaced, and employee expectations have shifted dramatically. From leaving the office and the changes it required to how the workforce connects and communicates, we discovered that we can no longer take for granted what we experienced as the natural, almost accidental benefits of being physically together to work. Now, we must be more thoughtful and deliberate about everything we do. Intentionality is critical for managers and leaders to be effective. And from the TD function comes the responsibility of preparing them to be great at it.
During this webinar, you will:

Understand why intentionality is critical in a world of work that has changed and for employee expectations that are shifting.
Learn what intentional leadership includes, such as transparency, empathy, compassion, belonging, and psychological safety, and how to foster such capabilities within teams and the organization.
Hear from a panel of leading talent development executives about how they are preparing leaders to be intentional.
 


Becoming More Intentional: How to Prepare Your People for a New Kind of Leadership

Believe it or not, you have a personal brand. Use this checklist to get started.

Personal Branding Checklist

During its 2016 International Conference & Exposition held in Denver, CO, the Association for Talent Development (ATD), formerly ASTD, recognized organizations and individuals for their excellence and contributions across the talent development field. The event was held at the Denver Performing Arts Complex on May 23.“The ATD Awards Ceremony is an event dedicated to recognizing excellence,” said Tony Bingham, ATD President and CEO. “Individuals are recognized for their dedication to and passion for developing talent. Winning organizations demonstrate how learning can increase the performance and success of organizations worldwide.”Individual honorees included:Liz Wiseman – Champion of Talent Development AwardRuth Colvin Clark – Distinguished Contribution AwardJames Vesper – ATD Dissertation Award.On the organization side, ATD recognized Tencent Holdings Limited with the association’s Innovation in Talent Development Award. Rotary International received the CPLP Employer award.ATD also honored the 2015 Excellence in Practice Award winners, recognized for results achieved through the use of practices and solutions from the entire scope of workplace learning and talent development.Thirty-one awards and 32 citations were presented in 10 categories: career development, coaching and mentoring, diversity and inclusion, facilitating organizational change, integrated talent management, learning technologies, managing the learning function, organizational learning and development, performance improvement, and sales enablement. Awards are presented to organizations with proven practices that have delivered measurable and sustained results. Citations are awarded for those practices that show significant promise.The organizations selected to receive Excellence in Practice Awards are:Belle Worldwide Limited (a member of Belle International), Shenzhen, ChinaCardinal Health, Dublin, OhioChailease Finance Co., Ltd., Taipei, TaiwanDubai Police Department, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesEczacıbaşı Holding, Istanbul, TurkeyEmirates NBD, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesENN Group, Langfang City, ChinaHewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, CaliforniaIBM, Armonk, New YorkITU AbsorbTech, New Berlin, WisconsinJohnsonville Sausage, LLC, Sheboygan Falls, WisconsinMinor Food Group PLC, Bangkok, ThailandMTR Corporation Limited, Hong KongSAP SE, Walldorf, GermanyState Grid Corporation of China, Beijing, ChinaTanfeeth, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesTata Consultancy Services, Mumbai, IndiaTeknosa İç ve Dış Ticaret A.Ş., Istanbul, TurkeyTencent Holdings Limited, Shenzhen, ChinaTurk Ekonomi Bankasi (TEB), Istanbul, TurkeyTürk Telekom, Altındağ, TurkeyVestel Ticaret A.Ş. Müşteri Hizmetleri, Yunusemre, TurkeyWestern Union, Englewood, ColoradoZurich Insurance Company Ltd., Zurich, SwitzerlandA complete list of Excellence in Practice award and citation winners can be found on the ATD website.About ATDThe Association for Talent Development (ATD), formerly ASTD, is the world’s largest association dedicated to those who develop talent in organizations. These professionals help others achieve their full potential by improving their knowledge, skills, and abilities.ATD’s members come from more than 120 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD supports the work of professionals locally in more than 125 chapters, international strategic partners, and global member networks.

ATD Recognizes Excellence in Talent Development (May 2016)

Several recent trends affecting business have led many organizations to restructure the training and development function or department. Some have also re-organized the roles and responsibilities of staff involved in training-related initiatives.Examples of “new branding” include:Training Project Management OfficeProject Management OfficeProject OfficeLearning and DevelopmentLearning and Performance ImprovementTraining and DevelopmentTalent DevelopmentPerformance Consulting.Has your organization restructured its training department recently—say, in the last 5 years? Share your story, and the top winning submissions will each receive a free copy of my new book Templates for Managing Training Projects. We have two questions we would like to ask.Did you restructure the training function to take on projects outside of “traditional training programs? For example, did the training department take on such initiatives as change management, process improvement, or talent development? If yes (you did take on different training-related initiatives), can you briefly describe them?Are there any job titles used by your training department not included in the list below? What are the roles and responsibilities? AnimatorCareer CoachChief Learning OfficerCourse DeveloperCurriculum DeveloperEducation CoordinatorE-learning DeveloperEvent and Meeting PlannerFacilitatorGraphic ArtistHR Business PartnerInstructional DesignerLearning CoachLearning Management System AdministratorLearning StrategistOrganizational DevelopmentOrganizational EffectivenessPerformance ConsultantPresentation SpecialistSuccession PlannerTalent Development SpecialistTechnical WriterTrainerTraining Administrator—Data EntryTraining AnalystTraining ConsultantTraining CoordinatorTraining DirectorTraining Event CoordinatorTraining ManagerTraining OfficerTraining SpecialistVideo ProducerVoice Talent—Narrator.Please submit your responses to me at [willishthomas@gmail.com](mailto:willishthomas@gmail.com?subject=What's With the New Name) by May 17. I will announce the winner of Templates for Managing Training Projects with an update to this blog. Also, please join me at ATD 2015 International Conference & Expo May 17-20 in Orlando, Florida. I will facilitating the session “W118 - The Training Project Management Office,” which will focus on how to align the learning and development department of a training organization to support projects more effectively and efficiently.

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