231: Shannon Polson—How Can You Find Your True Grit?

Hear how to find your grit and be a better leader! 

Shannon Polson was introduced to me through Peter Winick’s Thought Leadership Leverage organization when we were both attending one of Peter’s Tuesday lunch hour conversations. I just loved her grit and her personal story, and felt it was important to share it. Shannon was one of the first women to fly Apache helicopters, then became a writer, and now she is developing a program to help women create their own “True Grit.” Believing that conversations, words and books can change the way we see each other and actually change the world, she has made it her job to inspire and transform. We join with her in her mission. Please make sure you listen in.

To watch our conversation, click on the image below

Inspiring other leaders in ways she would have liked to be inspired herself

What I particularly like about Shannon is how she uses storytelling to help people develop the skills they need to become better leaders, find their creative solutions, and overcome the ingrained resistance to change which so many of us exhibit.

What would it take for your people to connect to their own sense of grit?

As one of the first women to fly the Apache helicopter in the U.S. Army, Shannon Polson’s career spans almost a decade as an Army officer and attack aviation leader around the globe, as well as five years leading and managing in the corporate sector at Guidant and Microsoft. Today, Shannon uses her experience in the cockpit and the boardroom to speak to major companies and organizations around the world to overcome resistance, connect to their core purpose, lead from the heart, and commit to courageous ownership under the most challenging conditions.

When writing her soon-to-be released book, “The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience and Leadership in the Most MaleDominated Organization in the World,”  Shannon connected with fellow trailblazing women who shared with her their candid stories of leading at the highest levels in the most complicated, challenging and male-dominated organization in the world, the U.S. military. Now she devotes herself to speaking, writing and training through the organization she founded, The Grit Institute, whose mission is to inspire leaders at all levels, especially those in transition or navigating change. It is a wonderful, vaulable resource worth investigating for your own team.

You can contact Shannon through her website.

Want more stories of terrific women leaders? We recommend these:

• Blog: 3 Ways A Female CEO Built A Successful Business With A Culture of Collaboration
• Blog: How Women in Leadership Roles Can Finally Change The Workplace 
• Podcast: Lisa Caputo—Smashing The Myths Of What Women Can Accomplish

Additional resources