Leadership Secrets Launch Party Part 1: Authenticity and Influence: Finding Your Leadership Voice

What does it mean to lead authentically while navigating different audiences and situations? How do we silence that inner voice that questions whether we truly belong in leadership roles? And most importantly, how can we lift up the next generation of women leaders?

These were just some of the powerful questions explored during our recent panel discussion at the Dynamic Women® Leadership Secrets Book Launch on "Authenticity and Influence: Finding Your Leadership Voice." Featuring four incredible women leaders who are contributing authors to the new Leadership Secrets book, this conversation dives deep into the real challenges and triumphs of authentic leadership.

Join us as we hear from our panel moderator, Barb Stuhlemmer and panelists Angie Schmitz Meghan Simington, and Karen Ta as they share their personal journeys, practical wisdom, and actionable tips for finding your authentic leadership voice.

Whether you're a seasoned leader looking to refine your approach or someone just stepping into leadership roles, this discussion offers valuable insights on staying true to your values, overcoming imposter syndrome, and creating spaces where others can thrive.

Barb: We are going to look at authenticity and influence, finding your leadership voice on this panel, and I'm your panel moderator. I'm Barb Stuhlemmer. I'm a business strategist and my business is Blitz Business Success. 

I'm in this book mainly because Diane—a highly respected, at least I highly respect her, and I know the people who know her or know of her—highly respected leader. I just want to be around great leaders like Diane. 

The nice thing is, when I came out and got to meet many of the people that are here today. I'm going, "Wow, this has been a group of really wonderful leaders." So this has been a really lovely experience for me.

My book piece was really around—because I'm a business leader—I know that business owners feel like they have to control everything. You don't even have to be a business owner to think that. You might think that you have to control everything, but if you have people around you that are willing to do that work, that are willing to step up and be a leader, you can make some really big differences in your business. Like going on vacation and not worrying while you're gone, or maybe seeing growth in your business. My section is called "Great Leaders Don't Just Sit at the Top."

Let's introduce and get to know our other panelists. Angie, why don't you start first?

Angie: Okay, well, I'm Angie Schmitz and I work as an admin team lead in a global consulting firm, but I'm also a culture consultant and trainer through my personal business, Effective Perspective. It's an honour to be part of this group because of my passion to help others, when in fact, they were the ones that helped me, and I'm truly grateful for that. My piece highlights a leadership style that has potential benefits that are not fully recognized.

Meghan: My name is Meghan Simington. I'm a marketing launch strategist and consultant. I work with businesses, helping them with startups as well as launches that they're putting together. My piece is about building conscious connections, and I've given four tips for building a roadmap to those relationships. I really feel honored to be a part of this book, because that's exactly it—having those connections.

Karen: Hi everyone. I'm Karen Ta, and my day job includes working as a corporate trainer at an organization called PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), focusing on leadership development. But I'm also a certified coach, and I have a passion for helping those who feel invisible become more visible, so that they can break through doors and ceilings.

The reason why I'm part of this book is partly because it's been on a bucket list of mine to be an author since I was a teen, so now it honestly feels like a dream to be here. The other reason is I don't see many Asian Canadian women as authors, and it felt like it was important to overcome my imposter syndrome of not feeling like I belong here and be part of that author group. Also being a role model to my two daughters, to showcase that, “Hey, you can dream something big, and eventually it'll come true.”

My piece focuses on that, specifically creating a sense of belonging. Research has shown that once employees feel like they belong, it creates a greater sense of engagement and increases retention. I'm writing from the perspective of being a founder of an inclusion network or employee resource group for East Asians and Southeast Asians, and what the power of a community like that can do to create a sense of belonging that has a cultural change that's really powerful.

Barb: Awesome, awesome. And of course, you do belong, Karen. You all belong. Thank you for sharing. Those are really interesting components. I can't wait to read the book myself. 

Okay, so we have a few questions we're going to ask of each of you. How do you balance being authentic to yourself while being a leader in different situations and different audiences? Why don't we go backwards this time? Karen, why don't you start?

Karen: That's a tough question. I think that, again, being an Asian Canadian woman, I have to be honest and vulnerable at this point—I feel like it's a bit of a tightrope. Sometimes the authentic side of me feels like I have to be quiet and respectful to those that are more senior or elders in the room, and sometimes I feel like, "No, I have something to say," and so I'm going to speak up. So it's a fine balance of being brave enough to overcome that cultural upbringing, to feel like I have something important to say as a leader.

Barb: I love that. I'm so glad you're stepping out then, because there are a lot of people who need that. 

Alright, Angie, why don't you go next?

Angie: Well, being authentic in any situation is to be basically true to my core values. My values mean a lot to me, and I would like to know that I feel that my actions and decisions are aligned with them. Often, my inside voice comes out when I see that something's not right or someone's not being treated right. Authenticity is really important to me. It builds trust, and also knowing who my audience is and understanding how to communicate to that audience to get the message through is the key to authenticity by still staying true to my values. No matter what situation I'm in, I'm hoping that I'm remaining consistent in that.

Barb: I love that, Angie, and I relate completely with that, with the values component. I teach that at the college when I'm teaching entrepreneurship. We always start with values because that's a driving factor for how we make decisions. I love that. Okay, and Meghan?

Meghan: I really think that being authentic to yourself is, just like Angie had said, owning your values and where you're setting forward for your business and who you want to attract in your life. I really think that when you're creating relationships around yourself, it's really important to capture those five people that are going to inspire you to be greater, whether it's from your core, whether it's from being a parent or being a business owner. What is going to drive you forward, where you can set an example, like Karen said, for your children, but also for your community, where you can be of service?

Barb: I love it. Love it. Okay. 

So next question: What tips do you have for leaders who are suffering from the internal voice that questions whether you belong in the leadership space? I know Karen's got a really good answer because she's already pointed at that. So I'm going to save you for last, Karen, and this time we'll start with Meghan.

Meghan: I think we all question ourselves, and at any stage in our career. I think always to remind ourselves that every step is the first step in a new direction, and that we're learning from those steps, and there's always something to be taken away. So it might not be the most perfect first step, but you could probably learn a lot and take a lot away from that.

Barb: I love it. And Angie?

Angie: Well, growing up, I was that shy girl standing in the distance pretending to be invisible and just closing my eyes, saying, "Don't pick me. Don't pick me." But unfortunately, I've been “volun-told” several times to be in leadership positions, and some may not agree with the statement I'm going to make, but leaders are not born or trained. 

Leaders evolve, and I really believe that everyone evolves in every position that they're in. Through that, to make it work, we need to learn the techniques, we need to find the resources that provide the expertise, mentorship, and everything you need to grow as a leader. As the years go by, you'll become more comfortable by being your natural self, because it takes time and hard work, and really, leadership is an art form. There's no one size fits all.

Barb: I love it. That's a great answer. And Karen?

Karen: I feel like Meghan and Angie have such great responses. I would say there are times I haven't felt like I fit in. Obviously, even in this forum, I feel like I stick out a little bit, to be honest. But I think that internal voice also will tell you, like, maybe there's somebody—there's a cheerleader over there for me. 

I've been lucky enough to have kind of a personal accountability board to just run things by, whether it's my best friends or close colleagues at work, to see like, "Hey, can I just run something by you? I want to say something—does it resonate? Does it not?" To almost have that little safe space of a small group of cheerleaders or personal advisory board, or whatever you might call it, to run that by to just kind of get a sense, like, "Hey, does this make sense?" And that gives me some confidence to feel like, "Yeah, I belong at this table. I have a voice and it matters, and it's going to land and it's going to stick." So find yourself that group of cheerleaders.

Barb: I love that. That's great, and that's why we're all here—we want to be part of a group of cheerleaders. So we only have a couple minutes, so I would like you to do this fairly quickly, and then we have a rapid fire. 

But I want to ask this question, because my daughter and her friends are here, and they're young women. I want them to hear what you have to say about: How can we identify and develop women leaders around us? Angie, why don't you start this time?

Angie: Well, for myself as a privileged white woman, I need to really show up as an ally for women in the BIPOC community. Wherever you go, when you see a woman accomplishing and wanting to move in her career, sponsor her by talking about her. Raise her up to leadership and keep people in the organization.

Again, being a mentor, and then teach them how to feel comfortable. Because one of the things as women, we don't talk much about ourselves and don't self-advocate for ourselves like men do, and feel comfortable about it. 

And lastly, those daughters and nieces and young women around us, lift them up so that they have the confidence they need to know that they've got it and can use it and speak up.

Barb: I love it. I love it. Karen?

Karen: I totally resonate with what Angie said about mentorship. And even more so importantly, sponsorship. Find that woman or women that you want to invest in, and whether it's your time or money or resources, find something to invest in them, and that might put them a little bit outside of their comfort zone, but I think that's a way to stretch them. I know that I've done that with my team members, and a couple of my team members I see online will attest to that. But also with my kids—sometimes it's a little bit of pushing them outside their comfort zone, but making sure that they feel supported and empowered along the way.

Barb: I love it. And Meghan, last word on this?

Meghan: It's funny because I just had this conversation today. I have a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old, and was just talking to another mother in the same position. I really think that being a problem solver is probably one of the biggest things, but being a problem solver within your community. 

Angie kind of spoke to that about our privilege. When we do see others that we can help, how can we pitch in? But I also think the one big thing that's really missed is that internal dialogue and how we talk to ourselves, and just reminding ourselves when we have that negative thing that's said out there, how do you reverse that? Almost put a note—a Post-it note on your mirror—to tell you that that dialogue's not always the best message, and it's not your North Star. Your North Star is positivity.

Barb: I love it. These are great answers. Okay, this is rapid fire, so one word that describes your leadership style. Okay, so I'm going to say mine is "transitional".

Angie:  Integrity.

Karen: Collaborative.

Meghan: We’re the same, right? Engagement and collaborative.

Karen: Yeah, collaborative.

Barb: Oh, you had the same word. I love it. I love it.

Thank you so much for sharing your insights into leadership.

Wrapping Up

How was that? Wasn't that amazing? You've got to learn a little bit more about what the Leadership Secrets book is, my part in it, as well as hear from four of our amazing 35 authors. I encourage you to take some of the wisdom that these authors have shared from the panel. Also, go and pick up the book, or you can get the whole bundle: all four Dynamic Women Secrets books—Success Secrets, Confidence Secrets, Trailblazer Secrets, and now Leadership Secrets.