Better Understanding with Susan MacKenty Brady

Masih Alinejad, the Iranian-born activist, journalist, and author, shares her extraordinary story of advocating for women’s rights, freedom, and political change in Iran—at great personal risk.

In the seventh episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, Dorie Clark, Wall Street Journal best-selling author and expert at self-reinvention, and host Susan MacKenty Brady discuss how thriving in leadership shifted during the pandemic — and in the post-pandemic world. Dorie encourages listeners to flex their muscles of reinvention to remain fresh and innovative and avoid stagnation.

Whitney Johnson shares how she made the leap from surviving in leadership to thriving — with resilience and support. She also brilliantly explains how the S Curve of learning allows people to continually experience personal growth. Learning, she says, is the "oxygen of human growth," and if "you're not learning, you're dying." Listen and learn!

In the fifth episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, guest Natalie Martinez, CEO of Strong Women, Strong Girls, a non-profit organization that champions the next generation of female leaders through innovative, multi-generational mentoring programs, shares how she defines courage, the strategies she draws on to thrive in leadership, and the importance of helping girls to build confidence from a young age and encouraging them to lean into their greatness.

In the fourth episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, guest Lt. Gen. Leslie Smith, the 66th Inspector General of the U.S. Army, explains why it's critical for leaders to build trust within their team. Trust, he says, is the bedrock of any organization and is key to success. How to build that trust? Lt. Gen. Smith emphasizes that embracing one's authenticity, listening, and investing in people cultivates an environment where people are comfortable taking risks and sharing...

In the third episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, guest Molly Fletcher, renowned speaker, author, and former sports agent, reflects on how she built her muscles of courage from a young age and shares with host Susan MacKenty Brady tips on how to manage demands placed on us to avoid burnout.

In the second episode of season two of the Better Understanding podcast, host Susan MacKenty Brady and Carla Harris, Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, discuss Carla’s new book, Lead to Win: How to Be a Powerful, Impactful, Influential Leader in any Environment, and her “pearls” of intentional leadership—qualities, including authenticity and inclusivity, that leaders must cultivate to maximize their impact.

In the first episode of season 2 of the Better Understanding podcast, Arrive and Thrive authors Lynn Perry Wooten and Janet Foutty reunite with Susan MacKenty Brady to discuss how their best-selling book and its 7 Impactful Practices have emerged as a timeless framework for women leaders on their leadership journey.

In the 11th episode of the Better Understanding podcast, I get to talk to retired Brigadier General Tom Kolditz. Tom is the Founding Director of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University and one of the top leadership experts in the world.

In the 10th episode of the Better Understanding podcast, I get to talk with DEI legend Dani Monroe. Dani serves as a trusted advisor and thought leader to chief diversity officers and senior executives, including leaders at MetLife, Novartis, Pfizer, and even the CIA. Dani believes in and encourages taking risks because only by taking action can we move forward.

In the 9th episode of the Better Understanding podcast, I'll introduce you to Sonya Jacobs. Sonya is the Chief Organizational Learning Officer for the University of Michigan and the Senior Director for Faculty and Leadership Development at Michigan Medicine. She is also Special Advisor to the President of the University on culture. She believes that leading inclusively means building relationships with people you don't know. And that starts with listening to and understanding their unique...

In this episode of the Better Understanding podcast, I'll introduce you to Stuart Kliman, a Partner at Building Industry Partners, which is a leading private equity investment firm. Stuart talks about inclusion as both an objectively good end and also as a necessary means to better business results. He believes industries will lose if they can't attract and retain a diverse workforce that can help them better serve an ever more diverse customer set. Download episode transcript

In this episode of the Better Understanding podcast, Liberty Mutual Executive Vice President of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Dawn Frazier-Bohnert acknowledges that as adults we’re often rewarded for what we know versus our willingness to be open to learning. She shares that being open to learning and growing unlocks new ideas and possibilities.

In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, Deloitte’s Vice Chair of External DEI, and member of Deloitte’s Management Committee Terri Cooper asks listeners to take inventory of the people in our inner circles and to reflect on how we can embrace more diversity within our personal and professional inner circles.

In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, Chief Human Resources Officer and Organizational Change and Culture practice lead for Hudson-Lake Kim Cerda asks listeners to be willing to hold up the mirror. This, at the end of the day, is what it takes to lead inclusively.

In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, Simmons University President Lynn Perry Wooten shares how the power of stories and agility might just be the secret sauce to leading inclusively.

In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, Moet Hennessy‘s Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Regional Director of Human Resources Asia Greg Morley suggests it’s ok to get it wrong – and – curious conversations are essential to developing a culture of inclusion.

In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, Dell Technologies Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion Asha George shares her passion about changing hearts & minds at scale and how getting comfortable being uncomfortable might just lead to a better place for all. Download Episode Transcript

In this episode of the Better Understanding Podcast, March of Dimes Chief People Officer and Chief Diversity Officer Darlene Slaughter shares the “place” we need to come from to create learning and ultimately shared understanding. Download Episode Transcript

TAKING THE MYSTERY OUT OF INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP It all begins with understanding ourselves and understanding others. This weekly podcast, hosted by Susan MacKenty Brady, is an invitation—a gentle and open-hearted extended hand—to increase our ability to work and live more effectively. Together we’ll explore how to embrace all dimensions of difference and foster inclusion. We’ll talk about the hard part of leading inclusively in our homes, our communities in our workplaces, and in our lives....