Former Emmy award-winning SNL producer Lindsay Shookus shares the trust-building strategies, people skills, and leadership lessons that carried her from two decades at Saturday Night Live into a powerful next act as a speaker and executive coach. In this candid conversation, she opens up about resilience, reinvention, and the transformational relationships that shaped her career, and how you can apply the same tools in your own leadership journey. Drawing on stories from booking A-list guests and surviving high-pressure live TV, Lindsay discusses how thoughtfulness, a relentless work ethic, and treating celebrities like humans (not idols) helped her build deep trust. She now applies those same skills to help leaders identify their superpowers, stay grounded in chaos, and navigate the inevitable "wobbles" of career pivots.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Build transformational relationships, not transactional ones.

Leadership is dealing with the hard stuff, not just the good stuff.

Stay true to who you are, even when your industry tests your boundaries.

Connect with Lindsay:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-shookus-7869212aa/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shookusshookus

Website: www.lindsayshookus.com

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What does it really take to build an organization where people thrive - especially in a world transformed by technology, generational change, and new expectations? In this energizing episode, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with James D. White, renowned board leader and former Jamba CEO, and his daughter Krista White, rising workplace culture strategist and writer. Together, they share how their experience as a father-daughter team powered their new best-selling book, Culture Design, and reveal why transformation starts with rethinking culture from the inside out. Tune in for actionable stories on creating workplaces that are resilient, purpose-driven, and ready for the future, from practical rituals to the "big misses" in AI readiness, and the surprising power of middle managers.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Every company has a culture, whether by design or default. When leaders are intentional, they build organizations that perform and endure.

Millennials and Gen Z are shifting workplace priorities. For them, flexibility, meaningful work, and being valued as whole individuals matter more than just compensation, redefining what creates loyalty and engagement.

Rapid advances in technology and AI are changing how work gets done, but empathy remains a uniquely human advantage.

Connect with James and Krista:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristawhite3/ AND https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-d-white-086ab2153/

Instagram: @thekristawhite

Website: https://www.jdwhitedesignlabs.com/

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After 25 years with American Ballet Theatre, iconic ballerina Misty Copeland took her final bow in a historic gala performance – but her work is far from over. In this episode of The Leadership Dance, host Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with Misty to explore what comes next: leading from the boardroom, expanding access to the arts through the Misty Copeland Foundation, and reimagining ballet's future for the next generation. Misty opens up about why she initially said 'no' to a farewell performance, the challenges of returning to the stage after five years and becoming a mother, and how she's finding purpose and joy in building something bigger than herself. It's a conversation about movement, meaning, and mission – and how true legacy is measured not by the final curtain, but by the doors you open for others.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Legacy means opening doors for others.

Leadership begins with empathy and inclusion.

Reinvention takes courage—and never losing your love of dance.

Connect with Misty:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mistyonpointe/

Website: https://mistycopeland.com/

X: https://x.com/mistyonpointe?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/misty-copeland-12b0a634b/

Other: https://www.mistycopelandfoundation.org/

✅ Sign up for the newsletter: https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance

👉Listen, share, and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Renowned ballerina Stella Abrera joins host Alissa Hsu Lynch on The Leadership Dance to reflect on her extraordinary career with American Ballet Theatre and her journey from the stage to shaping the next generation of dancers. Stella opens up about growing up in a home filled with music and discipline, the perseverance behind rising to principal dancer, and the back injury that nearly ended her career—but ultimately strengthened her resilience and leadership. Now as Artistic Director of the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, she shares how she's guiding young dancers with grace, grit, and vision for ballet's future.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Success in any field is never a solo act; it's built through trust, mentorship, and collaboration.

Adversity can become your greatest teacher — recovery and reinvention often reveal deeper strength and purpose.

Growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone.

Connect with Stella:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellaabreradetsky/

ABT JKO School: https://www.instagram.com/abtschool/

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👉Listen, share and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance

Harvard leadership instructor and author Margaret Andrews joins Alissa Hsu Lynch to trace her unconventional journey from accounting to academia, sharing how a series of "lucky accidents" and bold choices propelled her to the forefront of executive education. This episode is chock-full of practical advice for leaders at any stage of their careers.

Margaret, who leads Harvard's most popular professional development program, reflects on how kissing a few career "frogs" and embracing improvisation shaped her path. She also opens up about the self-discovery and resilience that became the backbone of her new book, Manage Yourself to Lead Others.

From lessons learned navigating workplace dynamics to moments of self-doubt and turning points in her career, Margaret delivers practical advice on handling toxic bosses, bouncing back from setbacks, and building the interpersonal skills that separate good leaders from great ones. She discusses the lifelong importance of curiosity, why self-awareness is at the heart of true leadership, and the power of making room for improvisation in an increasingly unpredictable world.

💡Key Takeaways:

The path to meaningful leadership is rarely linear; curiosity, risk-taking, and "lucky accidents" can shape a truly unique career.

Building self-awareness and self-management are essential—most great bosses excel in interpersonal relationships and understanding both themselves and others.

Leaders enable creativity by normalizing trial and error, making it safe to fail, and encouraging risk-taking.

Connect with Margaret:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretcandrews/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themargaretandrews/

Website: www.MargaretAndrews.com

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New York City Ballet star Mira Nadon joins Alissa Hsu Lynch to reflect on her journey from California rehearsal studios to becoming the first Asian American principal dancer at the company. Hailed by the New York Times as "a once-in-a-generation dancer," she opens up about growing up in an academic household, the "aha moment" of her promotion, and why she didn't always see herself as a role model - until the world began to watch. Mira recounts joyful milestones and daunting setbacks, from pandemic disruptions to ankle surgery, and reveals how persistence, self-advocacy, and finding comfort onstage shaped her artistry. She also reflects on the leadership lessons embedded in dance, the power of setting a positive example, and the value of connection—both in person and through social media. Offstage, she shares what she's been reading, the importance of downtime, and how staying true to herself enables her to excel in an ever-demanding field.

💡Key Takeaways:

Representation matters, and visible leaders can inspire the next generation to drive lasting change.

Performance experience, even in low-stakes settings, builds confidence and individuality in a high-pressure art form.

Adversity can deepen appreciation for your craft and reveal hidden resilience.

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Connect with Mira:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mira_nadon/

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Visionary artist Janet Echelman joins Alissa Hsu Lynch to pull back the curtain on her creative journey - one that's anything but conventional. Oprah ranked her work #1 on her list of 50 Things That Make You Say Wow, and it's easy to see why: Janet's monumental, wind-borne sculptures transform skylines across continents, inviting viewers into immersive, contemplative experiences. In this episode, Janet shares the story behind her new book, Radical Softness, and the decades of experimentation, setbacks, and discovery that shaped her practice.

From learning traditional craft in Bali and India, to designing custom software and collaborating with engineers who helped build the world's tallest building, Janet's career is rooted in curiosity, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and finding opportunity in the unexpected. She describes how "temporary" installations become her playground for risk-taking, while permanent works demand precision, partnership, and deep planning. Janet also opens up about honoring her late husband's legacy, why she's not afraid of AI, and how using "self as instrument" keeps her art - and leadership - deeply human.

💡Key Takeaways:

Don't start with compromise — give your imagination room to dream big before letting the critical brain step in.

Collaboration across disciplines — from engineers to dancers — is what makes innovation scalable and alive.

Using "self as instrument" keeps creativity human: intuition, emotion, and lived experience guide what no AI can replace.

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Connect with Janet:

Website: echelman.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janetechelman/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/janet-echelman-inc./

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Get a peek inside the commercial dance world from Angela Elgani, a renowned dancer, choreographer, and mentor whose two-decade career has taken her from world tours with Britney Spears, NSYNC, and the Backstreet Boys to blockbuster films like You Got Served and Step Up Revolution. Angela shares her remarkable journey from a determined young girl in St. Louis to performing on some of the biggest stages in the world and later pivoting toward teaching, coaching, and empowering the next generation of dancers.

Angela opens up about her personal challenges, including the devastating loss of her husband just months before the birth of her daughter, and how she ultimately found resilience, healing, and new purpose through dance and mentorship. She reflects on the lessons the stage taught her and how these same lessons fuel her work today as a coach and entrepreneur.

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💡 Key Takeaways:

Sometimes you have to pivot. The easier you can turn and keep moving, the easier your life will be.

Befriend everybody. Everybody can help you in some way, or you can learn something from them in some way.

Mentorship and mindset are as important as talent when building a sustainable career

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Connect with Angela:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xoxoangela_elgani

Website: https://www.danceindustrycoach.com

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