Empathy, Transparency, and the Future of Leadership with Liz Wooten

In this episode, we have an engaging conversation with Liz Wooten, CEO of Connect for More. Liz is a consultant and facilitator specializing in leadership development, nonprofit governance, and strategic planning. Liz delves into the importance of emotional literacy, empathy, and curiosity as essential skills for modern leaders. 

Liz also shares insights into hiring and team dynamics, highlighting the value of self-awareness and understanding individual motivations. She discusses how leaders can align personal goals with organizational missions to drive engagement and long-term success. Drawing from her extensive experience, Liz illustrates the evolving nature of leadership—shifting from command-and-control styles to approaches rooted in authenticity, transparency, and meeting people where they are.

Looking ahead, Liz reveals her focus for 2025, which includes expanding her coaching practice, facilitating strategic planning for nonprofits and small businesses, and branching into the corporate sector. She also shares her excitement about her forthcoming book, Managing Courageously: Managing from the Middle Office, a guide to navigating the complexities of managing in all directions within an organization. Whether you’re in the nonprofit or corporate world, Liz’s perspectives on servant leadership and fostering purpose-driven workplaces provide valuable takeaways. To learn more, connect with Liz on LinkedIn.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Shoutout Alma!

(00:20) Introducing Liz Wooten

(02:35) Helping leaders focus on impact, strategy and vision

(06:00) Do board chairs or CEO’s reach out to you?

(07:30) What is Co-op-itition?

(11:30) Talk about “Heart work”

(13:30) How do you balance transparency and vulnerability?

(17:10) Can leaders implement these characteristics?

(20:30) Can you identify people with these characteristics ahead of time?

(21:30) What are you working on in 2025?

(26:50) Recapping with Read