Why am I passionate about this?

Being a leader is hard, being a woman in leadership is exponentially harder. I learned this firsthand at 22 during my first management role at one of the big 4 accounting firms. I did it all wrong and I want to help women leaders avoid all the mistake I made. The most important thing I learned is the importance of relationships. What I do now is help people communicate to connect because what I believe is that real relationships lead to real results. And close relationships, personal and professional, just make us happier, and who doesn’t want that?


I wrote...

Book cover of The Connector's Advantage: : 7 Mindsets to Grow your Influence and Impact

What is my book about?

Expanding your connections and being an inclusive Connector is critical to your results, success, and even happiness. Regardless of your…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job

Michelle Tillis Lederman Why I love this book

I went into reading this book thinking, “not me!” Ha! This book opened my eyes to ingrained behaviors that, at some point in my life, worked to my advantage. While there were definitely habits that I haven’t fallen prey to, a few hit very close to home.

I venture to guess that every woman reading this book will relate to a few of the twelve habits that hold women back. Even if there is only one habit in the entire book that resonates, making a shift away from that behavior will elevate your impact as a leader. Admittedly, I still catch myself–it takes practice.

By Sally Helgesen , Marshall Goldsmith ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked How Women Rise as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

_________________________________
By the bestselling author of What Got You Here Won't Get You There

Do you hesitate about putting forward ideas? Are you reluctant to claim credit for your achievements? Do you find it difficult to get the support you need from your boss or the recognition you deserve from your colleagues?

If your answer to any of these is 'Yes', How Women Rise will help get you back on track. Inspiring and practical by turns, it identifies 12 common habits that can prove an obstacle to future success and tells you how to overcome them. In the process, it…


Book cover of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

Michelle Tillis Lederman Why I love this book

As the mom of an extreme introvert, I listened to this book to better understand my child. It taught me so much about how introverts think, process information, but most importantly, what they need around communication. As a leader, understanding the differences in the way people think, work, and engage will enable you to get the most out of them.

I retrained myself to approach my daughter differently as a result of this book. It helped me explain myself to her and made her feel understood by me. Grateful for this book. Imagine if we did that in the workplace!

By Susan Cain ,

Why should I read it?

16 authors picked Quiet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SUSAN CAIN'S NEW BOOK, BITTERSWEET, IS AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW

A SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE HOW YOU SEE INTROVERTS - AND YOURSELF - FOREVER.

Our lives are driven by a fact that most of us can't name and don't understand. It defines who our friends and lovers are, which careers we choose, and whether we blush when we're embarrassed.

That fact is whether we're an introvert or an extrovert.

The most fundamental dimension of personality, at least a third of us are introverts, and yet shyness, sensitivity and seriousness are often seen as…


Book cover of You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work (and How to Show Up As One!)

Michelle Tillis Lederman Why I love this book

I love this book because it not only reinforced many of the things I already believed, but it also made me look at the ideas from a different angle. I love it when a book is actionable, and I found the questions, especially the ones at the end of chapter 4, helped me take stock of my behaviors and choose something specific to work on.

I actually like homework. I am now building a habit of asking important people in my life, “What’s one thing that would improve our relationship?” And I am seeing a difference.

By Morag Barrett , Eric Spencer , Ruby Vesely

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked You, Me, We as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From a trio of authors, best friends, and leadership development consultants, Better Work Together is a book for leaders who want to improve - at leading, yes, but also at their lives. How so? By building deep, long-lasting relationships that set everybody up for success.

One of the most important indicators of individual, team, and organisational success is the presence of an ally mindset. When we have best friends at work - people who are with us, in good times and bad, and who help ensure we make it through together - we thrive. When we don't, we flail, and…


Book cover of In Her Own Voice

Michelle Tillis Lederman Why I love this book

I love this book because it is real, it is now, and it is so relatable. It made me flash back to my days in finance in the early 90s, dealing with the same issues. I really appreciate that Jennifer presents tactical strategies to overcome old school hurdles, not by attempting to “fit in” but rather by us women embracing the natural skills and preferences of how we think and interact.

It has taken me a long time to embrace emotion and vulnerability and traits that lead to credibility and openness. This book helps me continue to remind myself of that lesson.

By Jennifer McCollum ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked In Her Own Voice as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Based on 25 years of research into the specific hurdles facing women in business, In Her Own Voice offers sage advice and empowerment for any woman striving to advance her career—and any organization ready to improve gender equity at every level.

The world has awakened to the urgent need to focus on women's advancement—companies with gender-balanced leadership are far more likely to outperform their peers, and the evolving expectations of leadership align to women's natural strengths. Yet just 10 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs and less than 30 percent of senior leaders are women, and the pace of growth is…


Book cover of The Seismic Shift In Leadership

Michelle Tillis Lederman Why I love this book

I love this book because it is everything I believe about the importance of relationships in achieving results. As a woman, I appreciate calling out the old “command and control” model of leadership and giving us permission to do it differently.

Like the author, I was a professor at a university, and after my first semester teaching, I was told by my students that I was too controlling. I had to make a seismic shift before the next semester in how I wanted to run my class. It didn’t happen overnight, but I did move to empathy and connection. I stopped being afraid and started being open. That shift is the reason multiple students became future clients and even friends to this day.

By Michelle K. Johnston ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Seismic Shift In Leadership as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE OLD LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS OF POWER, CONTROL, AND FEAR ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE OBSOLETE.
Authenticity, compassion, and alignment are the new paths to leadership success. A leader's new power lies in their ability to connect. Whether you're the coach of a sports team, a nonprofit executive, the president of your family's business, or leading a small organization or a Fortune 500 company, the secret sauce lies in your ability to connect.

While leaders might consciously understand that connection is important, they don't necessarily know how or what to do. In The Seismic Shift in Leadership, author Dr. Michelle K.…


Explore my book 😀

Book cover of The Connector's Advantage: : 7 Mindsets to Grow your Influence and Impact

What is my book about?

Expanding your connections and being an inclusive Connector is critical to your results, success, and even happiness. Regardless of your goal―a job, a promotion, new business, a referral―who you know and who knows you will lead to opportunities. It is the strength of your relationships that leads to your success. 

Connectors think and act a certain way that makes things happen faster, easier, and often with a better result. Following her own advice, Michelle curated her connections, which include expert advice from over two dozen authors, coaches, and experts, including Marshall Goldsmith, Dorie Clark, Ivan Misner, and more. This book will explain how anyone can infuse these mindsets and behaviors into their interactions and see the impact. 

Book cover of How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job
Book cover of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
Book cover of You, Me, We: Why We All Need a Friend at Work (and How to Show Up As One!)

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