What if the greatest leadership breakthroughs begin with owning your truth? In this conversation with Joe Machicote about his book, Own Thy Stuff, we explore what it really means to take responsibility for your impact—on yourself, your relationships, and the culture at large. Joe shares deeply personal and practical insights from decades of leadership, all rooted in his lifelong commitment to leaving every person and situation better than he found it. You’ll hear stories that will challenge the way you think about communication, presence, and the stories you create in your own mind.

You’ll also discover the power leaders have to create spaces of trust, especially during grief, conflict, and moments of emotional strain. Joe’s candor about his own journey, including profound personal loss, opens the door to a compassionate and courageous view of leadership. He offers simple, meaningful practices that help you slow down, listen more deeply, and act with intention so you can strengthen culture, relationships, and your own self-mastery.

Joe is Chief Culture Officer at Premier, where he partners with the CEO, the Executive Team, and other stakeholders across the company. His role is to enhance and formalize a mission-driven culture of equal opportunity, high performance, and belonging. Joe has served in senior HR positions over the past 30+ years. His new book, Own Thy Stuff: The Continuous  Improvement Journey to Becoming an Extraordinary Human Being,  captures his most important insights and lessons from life and work:

You’ll discover:

• Why “owning your stuff” creates trust and credibility
• How to support team members experiencing grief with compassion, not fixes
• A simple mindset shift that transforms assumptions into clarity
• Practices for increasing presence and reducing distraction
• The difference between mentoring and sponsoring—and why both matter

Watch the episode:

Connect with Joe

Joe’s Resources

Website

Joe’s employer, Premier Inc.

Book

Own Thy Stuff: The Continuous Improvement Journey to Becoming an Extraordinary Human Being 

Not everyone has equal access to mentoring and sponsorship opportunities. Ayana Carroll is on a mission to change that for Black mid-level managers. In her work with clients and in our conversation for this interview, Ayana shares valuable tips that can help those managers as well as those who make decisions around promotions.

Ayana is the Founder of ARC Consulting, and she’s dedicated to elevating Black mid-level professionals into transformative leaders. With over 25 years of HR leadership and DEI expertise, Ayana specializes in breaking down barriers to leadership, including limited access to high-visibility projects, mentorship gaps, and challenges in self-advocacy.

As the first Black professional to rise to the level of Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Fluence, Ayana created and led the company’s first DEI department. This pioneering initiative established pathways for diverse hires, increased representation in leadership, and drove inclusion at all levels.

Ayana has extensive experience coaching C-suite leaders as well as mid-level managers, creating tailored learning paths to accelerate their development. She also volunteers with various homeless organizations to support individuals on their journey to stability and success.

You’ll discover:

• Why Ayana focuses her work on mid-level managers
• The current narrative around Black talent…and how Ayana is reshaping it
• What mentors and sponsors can do
• Why STAY interviews are vital to retaining talent
• How Ayana helps managers create a plan for career development

Watch the episode:

Connect with Ayana

Ayana’s Resources

Website

ARC Consulting

Course

Leadership Course

Related Podcast Episodes

236: Overcoming Obstacles for Black Women’s Advancement to the C-suite

What does it take for women to thrive in the corporate world? After spending decades trying to figure out the answers, my guest Helen Appleby came to realize that men had advantages that women didn’t. So she formulated her own set of rules that she now shares through her book, podcast, coaching and programs for women. In this interview, Helen shares specific, practical tips based on her experiences. My male listeners will benefit from our entire conversation and in particular the ideas she shares at the end on how men can support women in the workplace.

Helen is an expert in women’s leadership. She’s navigated her own path to success in corporate life, which included running a billion-dollar global business and living and working in six countries. Helen now provides coaching and training to other women leaders. She wrote her book The Unwritten Rules of Women’s Leadership to help women step into their power, write their own rules and succeed in their career. She’s also the host of The Unwritten Rules Podcast, where she interviews women about their journeys and lessons learned in the corporate world.

You’ll discover:

• Why the advice Helen’s father gave her was both encouraging and unhelpful
• The difference between visible and invisible work—and why invisible work is not enough
• Helen’s recommendation for making your work more visible without coming across as self-promotional
• The roles of Mentors and Sponsors in helping you advance your career
• 3 things men can do to support the women they work with

Watch the episode:

Connect with Helen

Helen’s Website

The Unwritten Rules

Helen’s Book

The Unwritten Rules of Women’s Leadership