Lifting Up 2.0: more mentoring at scale across Verizon

By: Craig Silliman

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Lifting Up

Last year, in celebration of the Year of the Woman, and Verizon’s efforts to attract, retain, and promote women, we launched what was to be a Limited Series podcast to provide mentoring at scale: “Lifting Up: Lessons from Verizon Women Leaders.”  Produced for Verizon by the host of renowned podcast Women Killing It!, the still highly relevant interviews feature Verizon women leaders and role models sharing their challenges, successes, lessons learned, and super powers.  From Kathy Grillo on Being Fearless to Micki Chen on Pushing Your Comfort Zone to Stacee Carson on Doing It Afraid (just to name a few), the featured leaders who came from all levels of Verizon shared lessons learned throughout their professional journeys.  

As it turns out, the presence of so many incredible Verizon leaders who happen to be women, and the men and women eager to hear more about their stories, thoughts and advice, demanded that we continue the podcast with a second season – or as we like to think of it, Lifting Up 2.0.  The wisdom of the women featured this year is once again valuable and timely – on par with some cultural icons from the last year or so:

  • Beth Sasfai talks about the power of being vulnerable, aligning with the key message of Brene Brown’s worldwide blockbuster books and now Netflix special, “The Call to Courage.”

  • Vandana Venkatesh talks about not being afraid of failing, and the need to feel a sense of belonging, echoing the themes in Olympic and World Champion (and Verizon Advisory Board Member) Abby Wambach’s new book, Wolfpack

  • Caren Khoo discusses her pride in helping others reach their goals, bringing to mind The Shalane Effect, described by the New York Times in its profile of Shalane Flanagan, champion runner, whose active mentorship of other women runners has propelled not just herself but the women she works with to massive success. 

  • April Boyd describes how building trust with her team builds the foundation for candid conversations about expectations, successes and failures, lessons that Kim Scott details in her management bestseller, Radical Candor

  • Kacey Hall’s humility and determination to overcome the most tremendous obstacles embody the grit enshrined in Angela Duckworth’s smash hit aptly titled, “Grit.”

  • And Laura Stolpman reminds us of the theme of the latest Makers Conference, All of Us – about bringing all of our selves to the table, and all of us being in it together. 

The insights and guidance of these Verizon leaders are compelling, witty, eye opening, vulnerable, and powerful.  As with last season’s episodes, we hope that as you dive in to their interviews – which will be released monthly beginning in May – you are inspired and motivated to continue your own success story, and to think of how your experiences, time, and talents can help others, especially women, achieve theirs. 

We’re excited for how this mentoring at scale podcast helps us amplify the diversity and community that helps unleash the talent and energy of everyone in Verizon 2.0. 

Subscribe to Lifting Up on iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast player.

For related media inquiries, please contact story.inquiry@one.verizon.com

About the author:

Craig Silliman is executive vice president and chief administrative, legal and public policy officer.  He is responsible for Verizon's supply chain, real estate, public policy, legal, regulatory and security groups.

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