Shannon Gill: Confessions Of A Terrible Leader

by Jeff Bond

As the CEO of Chat With Leaders Media and Executive Partner at People-First Elevation Team, I lead a dedicated team specializing in thought leadership development, stakeholder engagement, and effective global communication. We excel in producing corporate podcasts, meetings, and events to drive customer and team member acquisition, retention, and engagement. Additionally, we provide speaker coaching to empower thought leaders within our clients' organizations.

My approach is grounded in Conscious Capitalism, fostering leaders with a values-driven, pro-capitalism perspective. I firmly believe in business's transformative power, not only as a commercial venture but as a catalyst for lasting social and generational impact.

Beyond my professional role, I cherish my most significant leadership role as a father to three children, alongside my wife Katie. This personal aspect deeply influences my professional path, aligning my business strategies with family values, faith, and community service in Atlanta, GA.

Shannon started her own journey of transformation when she realized what a terrible leader she had been for many of her team members over the years. Growing up as the daughter of a bank CEO and holding Director and VP roles in large organizations did not make her a good leader of people. It took a Hero’s Journey saga of self-awareness and challenge for her to uncover and embrace her true nature, a compassionate and inspiring leader with a strong dose of “GSD” (get stuff done). Taking control of her own mindset and skills was the first step in being a better leader and a better person. She realized that unlike her beliefs from the ’80s and ’90s, work and life are not separate. We cannot just leave part of ourselves at home. Instead, we can embrace all of who we are in every aspect of our life and show up authentically.

This led her to create Guided Ventures Group (GVG), an organization of leaders and experts who use real-world experience to act as guides for others on their journey of professional and personal growth. GVG, a woman-owned business, is the first business under the GVG umbrella because elevating people at work makes a difference in every aspect of their life.

What you’ll learn

What made Shannon self-describe herself as a “terrible leader” in the first two decades of her career.
What commonly held beliefs about being an effective leader during that era influenced how she treated her people then.
Why it was important for her to have the self-awareness to admit to being a terrible leader.
A story of the pivotal moment that led her to want to turn the corner towards becoming a better leader.
What she’s learned to be the top characteristics that epitomize a good 21st-century leader
Why she is involved on the board of Conscious Capitalism Atlanta and how that’s influenced the way she guides her clients towards new ways to lead, live, and learn.

Follow / Learn More

Follow Shannon on LinkedIn
Visit GVG’s Website
Follow GVG on Facebook and LinkedIn

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B Local GA: A collection of for-profit companies each dedicated to creating a future where businesses operate as a positive influence on society.
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AppBarry: An Atlanta-based software engineering team specializing in building custom web and mobile applications, cloud migrations, and software integrations.
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