FPL exec, banker and private company board guru: June on 'From the Corner Office'

Prioritizing empathy as a leader can pay big dividends. The best board members not only advise and challenge C-suite leaders, but also help them think clearly without taking over. And mindful listening requires not just good ears, but processing and absorbing information. 

Those were some of several key lessons learned from the four episodes of the Business Observer’s podcast, "From the Corner Office,” that dropped in June. “From the Corner Office” is sponsored by Synovus Bank. Highlights of the episodes include:

• Owen LaFave, Pinellas County market president for the Bank of Tampa, talked about how he leads with humility, honesty, and humor and that strong client service starts with taking care of your team.
• Naomi Kent, founder and CEO of the Boardroom Co. talked about how good board members advise, question, and challenge, and the best board members help leadership think more clearly without trying to take over.
• Dev Iglesias, director of external affairs for the Southwest Florida region of Florida Power & Light, about why she prioritizes empathy as a leader and why. honesty beats certainty, especially in a crisis.
• Rebecca Shafir, founder of Mindful Communications, talked about how mindful listening is not a checklist, but it’s the ability to slow down enough to understand what the other person is actually trying to say.