Gail Tifford is Redefining Authentic Leadership in the C-Suite

TUP EP 077

Nomination: [: 00:00:00

Aransas: Welcome to the Uplifters podcast. I am just beyond excited to introduce you today to somebody who, has inspired the way I live and lead for many years now. [00:00:30] Her name is Gail Tifford, and she is widely recognized as a trailblazer in the marketing and media industries. I met her when she was working at Weight Watchers, where she really led our brand transformation from one that was focused on weight [00:00:45] loss to one that was focused on holistic wellness.

bout Gail, I think the first [: 00:01:00

But it's the way she's done these things that I think is sort of radical, that she didn't do any of them in a [00:01:30] stereotypical way, but in this deeply authentic way. What really sort of startled me watching Gail come into our organization was here was this really smart, really gorgeous woman with all this really [00:01:45] exciting background and big ideas, who was just a human being, who was willing to share her story vulnerably and authentically, who made us all feel safer being [00:02:00] vulnerable and authentic.

t a real privilege to get to [: 00:02:15

Gail: Oh my God. First of all, when I got your email, [00:02:30] it was just a moment of joy, like looking back on the time that we had together and the work that you did at the company. And now seeing you do this with your podcast and your newsletter and just celebrating uplifters. I love what you're [00:02:45] doing and I feel honored that you would even reach out to me.

list Julie Fleischer day one [: 00:03:15

Gail: to make me cry.

olks who've listened to this [: 00:03:30

And you were, as I said, the first executive I ever heard talk about leading with purpose. [00:03:45] And so I'm curious who or what first inspired you to start thinking about the power of purpose and making your decisions about purpose. Life and work.

now, I mean, I, I feel super [: 00:04:00

But one of the things that I love so much about Unilever was our CEO, Paul Pullman, [00:04:15] who not only believed in the best leaders were leaders who really understood their personal purpose, but also brands. With purpose and that it wasn't enough to market to consumers, you had to [00:04:30] matter to people and that brands had a responsibility to give back to the communities that they take from when you look at the iconic brands like Dove or Ben and Jerry's.

just really changed the way [: 00:04:45

Aransas: So how do you describe your personal purpose or mission?

think about it every kind of [: 00:05:00

And You know, my purpose now that I'm in the talent business is really helping people see things in [00:05:15] themselves that they never saw before, especially women. There are so many women that when I call them about roles, they say, I don't know if I'm ready for that. Or I don't know. Whereas men will be like, Oh, I could do that even if they don't have any of the experience.

[: 00:05:30

I mean it was a huge risk and I thank her every [00:06:00] day for doing that because when someone sees something in you that you don't see in yourself you're just filled with a lot of gratitude and so it's kind of how I want to give back now.

identity shift. When we are [: 00:06:15

Gail: Yeah. So I joined true search almost two years ago and we are a global talent advisory and search company. I get to talk to amazing people all day [00:06:45] long and really help these companies find the right talent. Because I think for a long time, there was a lot of focus on skills and capabilities, but the focus on culture fit and leadership, you know, there, there wasn't as much [00:07:00] focus.

rstanding the culture of the [: 00:07:15

And then I say, well, then it's my job to get you ready. But think about the decisions that people make in their life, who [00:07:45] they marry, if they marry, how many children they have, if they have children, where you work is up in those top five decisions, you know, it impacts your day to day, it impacts where you live, it impacts your mood, it impacts wealth [00:08:00] creation.

And I feel super grateful that people entrust me with these conversations and these decisions.

ng for executives. So you're [: 00:08:15

[00:08:30] Am I good enough? Am I worthy enough?

t gets. Hmm. And I actually, [: 00:08:45

You're not lonely at all. No matter [00:09:00] what position you're in, there are people who are going through kind of similar things. So I think it's just really critical as, you know, you think about people leading organizations, you know, your teams want to trust you and they're only going to trust you if you [00:09:15] open your heart to them.

Aransas: Was it hard for you to share your story as a leader?

board of advisors on whether [: 00:09:30

And it was something that was really important to me. And it created an outpouring of love and support in a way I never could have [00:09:45] imagined.

Aransas:every time I am just really honest about what's happening, I feel less lonely. I feel more understood.

I [: 00:10:00

Gail: Yeah, I mean, look, unfortunately, the most defining story has been one of [00:10:30] personal tragedy and loss, but it very much has defined me as a human being, which in turn defined my leadership.

t a ton of tears, but as you [: 00:10:45

I was induced with my daughter because we didn't know if he'd be alive to see her birth. And we [00:11:15] experienced a miracle. He made it through. My daughter was born and my children had the, the great fortune of having a mom and a dad raising them. The tides turned, unfortunately, many years later in [00:11:30] 2021, almost 20 years later, when my husband was diagnosed with, um, esophageal cancer.

w that he probably would not [: 00:11:45

So you go through something like that and it changes who [00:12:15] you are. You see the fragility of life. You see the suffering of somebody who you love. You see your children suffering. And it really makes you live your life in a very different way. You have much less, uh, tolerance [00:12:30] for bureaucracy and an immense sense of gratitude that.

ew their father. There was a [: 00:12:45

Aransas: It's both a heartbreaking and extraordinarily loving [00:13:15] story. What you just said about choosing gratitude. Over a victim story, we do always have that choice, don't we? Yes. We can feel like this life is happening to us, or we can [00:13:30] celebrate the abundant gifts. When you were making that decision to leave, and I think that had to have been a difficult decision, what did that conversation sound like in your own mind and with your most trusted?[00:13:45]

end of his life. And so that [: 00:14:30

And there were a lot of people who was like, why are you putting your personal story into, you know, the professional reason? And, and I said, [00:14:45] people don't talk about things enough. And like, I want other people to know if they're going through this, that it's okay. It's okay to choose your family over your career.

nk it's so interesting, this [: 00:15:00

To not tell the truth and

, how many people. have gone [: 00:15:45

Aransas: It's so powerful. the big reminder here is that honesty, and I even hesitate to call it [00:16:00] vulnerability. A guest brought that up a while back on an episode that the word vulnerability sort of feels like we're putting ourselves in a position to be judged. Yeah. But I think it's just, Truth, right?

liability. It is a strength. [: 00:16:15

Gail: Yep. I'm too old for that now anyway. [00:16:30] I'm like.

Aransas: I've got the time.

Gail: Whatever. If you don't like me, I'm sorry. I am who I am.

u have created opportunities [: 00:16:45

Gail: When I was at Unilever, and it's crazy to think like this was so before it's time before ERGs were a thing, you know, I was sitting or talking to some women that I worked with, [00:17:00] and we were like, there were some things that we couldn't wrap our head around.

e messy middle and why women [: 00:17:15

And so we created Unilever's first female [00:17:30] business resource group. We joked, we called it galvanized and they said, well, you really wanted to be galvanized. What was really about understanding why women were dropping out of the workforce and how we could keep them in. So [00:17:45] , we really understood that there were massive barriers to keeping women in the workforce.

women were having a massive [: 00:18:00

And how do you do that outside the walls of Unilever? And that's where hashtag see her was really born, you know,I was at that point in the media role at Unilever, I felt [00:18:30] super fortunate to be at, you know, the one of the world's largest advertisers have access to everything that I did, and felt their sense of responsibility to do something with that position.

d when I really was thinking [: 00:18:45

And it was just a huge aha moment. And I was with my friend Shelly Zalas from TFQ and my friend. [00:19:15] Patty Kerr. And we brought the ANA on board and we said, look, we have a responsibility to do something here. And we kind of put our brains together and, you know, hashtag see her was born. And the first call that I [00:19:30] made was to Mark Pritchard, my biggest competitor, the CMO of Procter and Gamble.

on came on and then Citibank [: 00:19:45

Aransas: Incredible. And what has been the result of that?

ht years later, the way that [: 00:20:00

Aransas: And not portraying an idea of women.

Gail: Yeah. Perpetuating

t. And I know that's, that's [: 00:20:30

Gail: Yeah. And now I'm thinking about what's next. So I, I feel like that, that's under great control now. So I'm now thinking, how can I make even bigger impact?

So [: 00:20:45

Aransas: That's really exciting. And if anyone can do it, it's you [00:21:00] because people want to follow you, Gail.

eir employees and found that [: 00:21:15

I'm so glad I got to spend this time with you. Thank you for hanging out with me today, Gail.

y people. I mean, talk about [: 00:21:45

Aransas: Thank you, my friend.

res you. Tell your story, be [: 00:22:00

It'll really help [00:23:00] us connect with more uplifters and it'll ensure you never miss one of these beautiful stories. Mm,

shine with rosemary. And I'm [: 00:23:15

With that [00:23:30] hindsight, bring the sun to twilight. Lift you up, whoa,

Lift you up, whoa, Lift you [: 00:23:45

It's that little thing you did with your voice. Right? In the pre chorus, right? I was like Mommy, stop crying. Mommy,

Gail: stop

Music: crying. You're

Gail: disturbing the

Music: [: 00:24:30