Author Archives - Chris LaVictoire Mahai

BOLD Leaders Step Up and Simplify: An Interview with Sara Gavin

Chris Malecek, an Aveus Advisory Board member, suggested I interview bold leader Sara Gavin, President of Weber Shandwick North America. I’ve known Chris and relied on his always clear, on point advice for decades. All that time, Chris has worked with and for Sara. So when he suggested her for this series, I was thrilled….

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What is a BOLD Leader?

There are whole sections in business libraries and bookstores dedicated to the topic of leadership.  What it is.  What it requires.  Masters write about it and rewrite about it over and over again. Some new and long established names you may have read:  Peter Drucker, John Kotter, Seth Godin, Warren Bennis, Daniel Pink, Gary Hamel, Steven…

Don’t Leave Until After a Triggering Event: An Interview with Mary Jeffries

I’ve known Mary Jeffries since she was the CFO of a startup PR firm in Minneapolis more years ago than either of us will admit. Many from those days would credit Mary with doing “whatever it takes” to push through challenges, taking the organization to the next level. One example is when Mary was seen…

Living with the Consequences of Leading: An Interview with Pam Moret

Pam Moret is by training a lawyer and by experience and her own description, a “problem person.” She is someone who loves “diving into aggressive development and challenging problems. I came out of the womb that way. I prefer living with the consequences of leading.”

What it Takes to Have a Fearless Approach: An Interview with Deb Gage

A couple of years ago at a national health care conference, I joined a small breakout group discussion and met Deborah Gage, CEO of Medecision, across the table. I don’t remember much about the discussion, but I know we parted, exchanging business cards, with (at least on my part) a clear desire to talk more…

How To Covertly Create Change: An Interview with MayKao Hang

Think of change leadership as ‘stealth’ organizing. You know those great experiences when you meet someone for the first time and immediately the conversation feels natural, with common values and principles popping to the forefront in the first few sentences?