Dr. Amber (Berkobien) Saylor, DBA’s Post

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend my first Ulta Beauty Leadership Forum — a truly memorable experience. Beyond hearing from our most senior leaders about strategy within their respective functions, what stood out most to me was our deep dive into culture results. This is an area that has consistently been a focus for me, whether during my time at Caterpillar or now at Ulta Beauty. One key takeaway that resonated with me is the powerful role we all play in shaping culture. It’s important to remember that regardless of whether you have direct reports or are an individual contributor, you have the ability to impact culture. Your influence, advocacy, attitude, and behaviors all contribute to the organization’s environment. It’s not solely up to senior leaders to drive and influence change; each of us holds that responsibility. A message that perfectly encapsulates this idea is, "Your dreams will change the world." It serves as a powerful reminder that when we bring our authentic selves, aspirations, and positive energy to our work, we create ripples that extend far beyond our immediate surroundings. We all have the power to lead by example, champion change, and contribute to a workplace where everyone feels valued. It's a collective effort, and the impact we make—no matter our role—can be profound. Let’s keep moving forward, inspired by the belief that our dreams truly have the power to shape the future. #JoyForward

👋 It's a subject that needs a rebrand I think, as there are so many far-reaching and profound long term principles to learn from other leaders. I'm talking about a fascinating leadership panel discussion I took part in last Friday, on the subject of DE&I and where it's going. It made an impact on me and I wanted to just share just a few highlights (there are so many!) . Excellently organised by Chris Hamilton David Bevan and Sue Johnson from Odgers Berndtson, some of the potent subjects & perspectives came from leaders in both large global corporations to small/medium sized co's:- 1. Being data-driven and always looking at the data before designing the plan 2. How to create the psychological safety culture - for all, and enabling people to understand how to fail - safely (at all levels) 3. Ideas on how to prioritise ROI measurement at board level  4. The DE&I principles and challenges are the same in a small business as they are in large global corporation  5. Similarly, at a more basic level, how to align the plan and activity back to measuring improvements in productivity      6. The need for CEOs to articulate the vision for the type of organisation they want - to ensure it's part of the DNA and being authentic   ............and many more I know right, very, very interesting... 😊

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending Leadership 2025's Winter Conference - Serving Customers: Diversity Matters. It was truly inspiring to hear from so many interesting industry leaders talking about the changes needed in the sector. Some key takeaways for me:- 🔷 📈 Data is as important as the bricks & mortar of the houses 🏘️ themselves - by understanding customer diversity through data we can really start to drive positive change 🔷 The leaders in the industry need to be representative of the communities they support - We need to do better and as recruiters we can help with this but we need industry leaders support too 🔷 The sector has a wonderful history of ethnic diversity and inclusion but it seems to have floundered recently - the role of allyship can really help support the change needed 🔷 How we can learn from the avoidable tragedies in the sector and the importance of listening more closely to those often unheard voices Together we can keep the topic on the agenda to drive real change. 🦋 Thank you to Olu Olanrewaju, Mark Washer, Cym D'Souza, Andrew van Doorn OBE, Jehan Weerasinghe, Mushtaq Khan for such an enjoyable and informative afternoon.

The importance of seeking diverse sources for enhancing products and companies cannot be overstated. In today's business landscape, "thought leadership" and "staged industry events" stand out as key resources for many leaders. These avenues offer valuable insights and perspectives crucial for growth and development. Personally, I find great value in engaging with technical employees from our partners during lunch at our training sessions. These individuals, being in direct contact with customers, serve as invaluable conduits of customer feedback. Their proximity to the customers allows them to relay both positive and critical feedback about our systems. It is essential to recognize these technical employees as the true ambassadors of your company. Their frontline interactions shape the customer experience and influence the company's reputation. At Galaxy Control Systems, we deeply appreciate the dedication and insights these employees bring to the table.

Being a great leader means more than just giving orders. It requires data-informed decisions and a strategic cross-department vision. Here’s how Black men navigating senior leadership can grow their leadership skills and take their team to new heights: 1. Embrace Data-Informed Decision Making. ➝ Invest in analytical tools, request routine team feedback and train others on how to interpret the data. 2. Develop a Strategic Vision. ➝ Align your smart goals to track alongside your organization’s mission and vision. 3. Foster a Growth Mindset. ➝ Recognize and celebrate both successes and failures as valuable learning experiences. P.S. Sign up for your newsletter to get more insights here ➝ bit.ly/3uwfAvm

🚑 Bringing Company Values to Life in EMS Leadership 💡 Company values shouldn’t just live on a poster—they should shape everything we do. Here’s how EMS leaders can bring those values to life: 1️⃣ Lead by Example: Demonstrate your organization’s values in your actions and decision-making every day. 2️⃣ Incorporate Values into Training: Make sure new hires understand how your values guide your team’s approach to patient care and teamwork. 3️⃣ Celebrate Wins Aligned with Values: Recognize individuals and teams who exemplify your core values in their work—it reinforces their importance. 4️⃣ Use Values in Decision-Making: When faced with tough choices, lean on your values as a guide to ensure consistency and integrity. 5️⃣ Communicate Often: Keep your values front and center by weaving them into daily conversations, meetings, and goal-setting. Living your values creates a stronger, more unified team and ensures your organization makes a lasting impact on the communities you serve. 💙

Inclusive leadership goes beyond traditional norms to actively seek, value, and incorporate the insights and contributions of all team members. From Microsoft to Pepsi and Walgreens, there are lots of great examples of how this #leadership style can make a significant business difference. That's why at HP, we firmly believe belonging fuels innovation throughout the organization.

I completely agree! Time is our most limited resource, and being intentional with how we manage it is crucial for growth and transformation. Your focus on people, culture, and long-term learning resonates with me, as I’ve seen the impact of prioritizing these areas in both marketing and development. For those in my network, how do you ensure you’re balancing daily tasks with long-term goals? I’ve found that organizing my time around key priorities has been essential in staying focused on what matters most.

Do you have IT? Oh! It’s been a long while here. Four months ago, I had an adrenaline rush to come back hard on LinkedIn after a long time spent as a spectator on the app that I even wrote a long epistle of a poem. However, it seemed adrenaline was not enough to propel me; so, I have decided just grow into active engagement. So, today, I will like to share on the concept of IT, a terminology used by the Global Leadership Summit champion, Craig Groeschel in his presentation at the 2022 edition. Have you been to a place, organization or event where everything just aligned with the very epicenter of your being? Have you had conversations that rendered the passage of time inconsequential? In these places, the essence of the atmosphere just percolates every part of you and you feel at home. You may even be persuaded to stay glued to the aura as your intrinsic energies come alive. On the other hand, there are places and conversations that just shuts down everything. Repulsion begins to build up in few minutes in the engagement of their aura. In these situations, there is always a dire urge to get up, use the exit door and wave bye. The most surprising fact is that these two realities can exist in similar organizations, events and physical environment. What then is the separating factor? It is IT! I define IT as the distinguishing intangible quality that brings about distinctions in various spheres of life. Though it can not be touched, its effect can be felt so strongly. While some have IT, some do not. How then can organizations and individuals have IT? It all starts from the baseline of leadership-personal and organizational. Surprisingly, we can have IT through leadership paradoxes that seem contrasting but very effective. Craig Croeschel mentioned seven leadership paradoxes that leads to having IT. I will be sharing my thoughts on them in subsequent posts. However, before then, there is this big question that confronts you and me as leaders with influence: ‘Do I have IT? Does my organization have IT?’ Coming to a point of realization on the absence of IT may be the remedy to the lack of personal and organizational results consistency we seek. Let’s have IT! Let’s get IT! WE CAN GET IT!

The Power of a Simple "Thank You" in the Workplace We often talk about recognising hard work, boosting morale, and fostering a positive company culture. But one of the simplest and most effective ways to do this? A genuine thank you. I have had conversations with 3 senior leaders in the past 3 days from organisations spanning sectors who are all pretty disenfranchised and demotivated at the moment. This isn't due to the role they hold, their staff, business strategy or the challenges they are currently facing .... it's down to the most basic of things, lack of appreciation. Gratitude isn’t just for front-line teams—it should extend to everyone, including senior and executive staff. Leaders work tirelessly behind the scenes, making tough decisions, driving strategy, and shouldering immense responsibility. Yet, they too benefit from appreciation. A heartfelt acknowledgment can reinforce their motivation, remind them their efforts are valued, and strengthen the culture of mutual respect. Saying thank you costs nothing, but its impact is priceless. Whether it’s a quick email, a public acknowledgement in a board or leadership meeting or just a passing 'thank you', small acts of appreciation go a long way in creating a supportive and motivated workplace. Who’s someone you can thank today? #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #GratitudeMatters