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Guest Writer: JL Heather

The Innovation Toolkit: Key Strategies Every CEO Should Know

Media3L is the media arm of The Drop In CEO Brand which stands for Lift, Light and Lead. I like to shine a “Light” on valued partners in my network for which I have the pleasure of knowing JL Heather, Managing Partner and Principle Executive Coach at Centered. Enjoy his through leadership on Innovation and I encourage you to reach out to him and add him as a valuable resource to your network!

Innovation is the lifeblood of long-term success. Yet for many organizations, it remains elusive—a buzzword that sounds great in strategy meetings but struggles to deliver tangible results. Why? Because innovation isn’t a single initiative or a job title. It’s a system—a series of deliberate, interconnected actions that foster creativity, collaboration, and execution.

As a CEO, your role is to ensure that system works. It’s not about micromanaging ideas or dictating solutions; it’s about creating the conditions for innovation to thrive. Based on what we’ve seen at Centered, here are three key strategies to drive real impact from your innovation programs.

1. Understand Your Organization’s Innovation Readiness

Before you can foster innovation, you need to know where your organization stands. Are your teams aligned around shared goals? Do they have the resources, autonomy, and psychological safety to explore new ideas? Understanding these dynamics is critical, yet many leaders skip this step and dive straight into initiatives without assessing their starting point.

Take the time to evaluate your organization’s innovation readiness. Look at the alignment of your culture, processes, and leadership behaviors. Ask tough questions: Are teams encouraged to experiment, or is failure quietly punished? Do your systems and structures make collaboration seamless or stifle it? Knowing these answers helps you identify where to focus and how to unlock your teams’ potential.

2. Embrace Agile Problem-Solving Frameworks

Innovation isn’t a linear process. It’s iterative, messy, and often requires rapid adaptation. To move fast without breaking the wrong things, CEOs should champion frameworks that encourage structured experimentation, such as design thinking or agile methodologies.

These approaches allow teams to prototype, test, and refine ideas quickly, reducing the risk of overinvesting in solutions that don’t work. By embedding agile problem-solving into your organization, you create a culture of progress over perfection—a mindset that helps teams focus on outcomes rather than bureaucracy. Encourage experimentation, celebrate learning from failure, and model the value of adaptability.

A great way to dive in is with a Design Sprint!

3. Build a Leadership Culture That Enables Innovation

Innovation thrives when leadership inspires it. As a CEO, your behavior sets the tone for how teams approach risk, collaboration, and creativity. Are you creating space for exploration, or are your priorities sending a message that execution always outweighs experimentation?

Focus on building a leadership culture that balances vision and trust. Ensure your leaders know how to foster collaboration across silos, encourage open dialogue, and provide psychological safety for teams to take smart risks. Invest in developing leaders who can empower their teams and remove barriers, rather than micromanaging outcomes.

Your Role as the Innovation Enabler

As a CEO, you don’t have to be the source of the best ideas—but you do need to create the conditions for those ideas to emerge. This means understanding where your organization is today, equipping teams with the right frameworks to move forward, and setting a leadership example that prioritizes growth, experimentation, and adaptability.

Innovation isn’t just about big, flashy ideas; it’s about building the systems and practices that make creativity a repeatable, scalable process.  By focusing on readiness, agility, and leadership, you can build a system that delivers innovation not as a one-time win but as a repeatable, scalable process.

The question isn’t whether your organization can innovate—it’s whether you’re building the system to make it inevitable.

About Centered

At Centered, we empower your organization to innovate boldly.

By fostering a culture of experimentation, inspiring leadership, and building high-performing teams, we ensure your business continually adapts and thrives in a changing world.

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CLARITY AMIDST CHAOS HELPS US AVERT CRISIS

When a CEO calls me to discuss a potential challenge, I run towards that opportunity with all the energy I can. You see, I can see that CEO in ways they cannot imagine. All I want to do is rush into the chaos to gain the clarity they are seeking to avoid the crisis that is looming.

In full transparency, let me share with you how I operate and if you’re my CEO who is in the same place, read on to see if you want to work with me!

Step 1: Listen to the CEO, but dig deeper

The CEO provides much insight into their world and often advices where they think the problem is. This is very helpful, but please know you commission me to see what you cannot see. I’ll validate your concerns, but I’m going to give you the systemic conditions that need to be addressed as well.

Step 2: Give you more than what you asked for

You see, I believe in providing tremendous value and see the world from the CEO perspective. Yes, we will “whack-a-mole” in what is obvious. I will also look at your landscape with lenses in Quality, Operational Efficiency & Waste, Environmental Health & Safety, Food Safety and Leadership. Be ready for a systemic implementation approach whether you hire me or not

Step 3: Distill the information into consumable and actionable chunks.

Life is complex, but feedback should not be. I will give it to you straight leveraging the SWOT approach and reveal or confirm what are your organizational Strengths and Opportunities. You can accomplish so much more by leveraging these insights than the Weaknesses and Threats. When it comes to the bad stuff (sad face), I position it so it focuses on Conditions & Management Practices. Fix those deeper issues and you fix it through-out the organization. You may not like what I say or become defensive, but you, the CEO hired me to show you the way, not what you want to hear

Step 4: Deliver with Gratitude

Maybe this should have been Step 2 or 3, but just know throughout the process, I am in deep gratitude to you for giving me the opportunity to see your world and help you navigate the challenges. I will use my 35 years experience to provide my best insights, but I will never give you my 5 step approach because it simply will not work. You and your organization are unique and like a surgeon, will apply the specific cure for your situation.

Step5: It’s a partnership

I care about you as a person and your organization that you take so much pride in. We collaborate on the insights and prioritize together; walking arm in arm. I’m in it for the long game as are you and I simply want to see you succeed.

So, this piece today was inspired by an amazing conversation I had with a CEO and VP yesterday and validate to me the work I’m best suited to do as The Drop In CEO.

If you are having a feeling in your gut that the near term chaos may manifest into a crisis without your leadership, act now and trust yourself. A partner such as The Drop In CEO may be who and what you need to elevate your leadership, shine a light on the people in your organization and solidify your Legacy.

Let’s talk!

-Deb

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Media Matters: When the Audible Word is More Powerful Than the Written Word

I wrote “The CEO’s Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track” to lift up CEO’s by exploring their Hero’s Journey through the unknown, guiding them to their own Peace of Mind in 2021.

I was so grateful when it came out to share autographed copies and seeing the book sales in Amazon and other outlets. I thought I had hit the big times and then someone said to me, ‘is it available on audio?’ and then I realized I fell short of meeting my audiences needs.

The same thing goes for business; when leaders think the presentation or the email is enough to cascade a proclamation; I would say they miss the mark in communication and truly influencing an outcome. When a leader shows up with their voice and intonation, we connect with humanity on a different level. Know your market and communicate accordingly!

That is why I’m announcing that starting tomorrow, I am recording the audiobook for The CEO’s Compass and can’t wait to get it to my audience who prefers my voice. Yes, Deb’s voice will read the book in a way that I hope connects with you intellectually and emotionally; ultimately leading to Peace of Mind.

I’m excited to partner with David Wolf and his team at Audivita Studios | Audiobooks | Podcasts for this new media offer.

Anyone wishing to advocate for this offer, please DM me and I’ll share with you the marketing details.

Many thanks for everyone who has supported me along the way and for those who come knocking on my door in the future, I thank you in advance as well.

-Deb

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Guest Writers Wanted! We’re Growing!

To all my followers over the years, I sincerely want to thank you for your support and engagement with my content. It fuels me to continue this work which lead me to form Media3L, the media component of The Drop In CEO brand. With that stake in the ground, I need to scale and I’m in search of creatives who want to share their insights on my platform. I will continue to create, but periodically I need to recharge or spend my energy in further growing this part of my business.

Full transparency, this is an uncompensated role at this time as we’re piloting growth of The Drop In CEO brand into more copy and potentially a digital magazine. There is a name for it, but keeping it close to the vest until the concept is fully vetted. Based on the response to the article, it may lead to guest appearances on the podcast or joining me on my weekly show; Deb Coviello-Live Talk Media.

Benefits of this offer is access to 9600 followers on LI and 1300 people on my mailing list and publication on my website indefinitely. As we grow, so does your access to my audience.

If you are interested , please DM on Linkedin or email me at deborah@coviellocm.com.

I’m excited to meet you and grow this brand together!

-Deb

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Photo by Tim Mossholder: https://www.pexels.com/photo/help-wanted-sign-on-glass-5737622/

Help Wanted: Ideal Clients, all others need not apply…

Job Title: Ideal Client

Job Description: You must be a highly aware leader who is open to new ideas and responds to your gut when you know you need some help. The perfect client is one that sees the landscape changing and realizes that unless you course correct now, you will sink the ship and everyone in it. With this important responsibility, you must also be people centric; knowing that with any improvements, you must also improve the capability and capacity of your team. If you don’t move fast, they will sink the ship for you. Finally, you are keenly customer focused and everything you do is in service to them and everyone has their back whether it is quality, service or safety. Cost is secondary.

Additional Qualities: You’ve come to a cross road where you know you can only see the trees and that’s okay. You realize you need an external view to give you the perspective of the long term strategy needed to not only fix your concerns, but manage them sustainably. That takes a trusted partner whether you call them a Consultant, Advisor, Fractional Leader or a new category, a Drop In CEO who will partner with you during this time.

Desired Skills: An open mind, agility, strategic thinker, good listener, good communicator, steadfastness for the greater good and always seeking to improve themselves and the people in their care.

Fine print: This is not a pitch for services, but a humorous attempt to get you to think differently about yourself and how you lead. I do of course want to work with my ideal client and have those tremendous feelings of vibrating off their energy and achieving amazing results. But it’s also a message to CEO’s/Presidents/CxO’s to assess if you would be an ideal client for someone who might be able to support you during a challenging time.

How to apply: We are an equal opportunity employer of The Ideal Client and seek diversity in all aspects of your thinking, background, culture and leadership. We do not discern with physical attributes, but for those who are diverse in all other aspects. Reach out to us at deborah@coviellocm.com or DM me on Linkedin or my website; I’m here 24/7 and ready to take your call!

And until we meet and discuss how we can partner, I wish you well and much success in applying for your next opportunity!

-Deb

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The Demise of Leaders When They Persist In Using The Same Playbook

You know I’m talking to you; you’re amazing at your leadership and have ascended the ranks and praised for your results. But now you’re in chaos; maybe even crisis and you wonder what has changed? I’ll tell you… the conditions, the unplanned for risks and even loss of a key leader are things you didn’t plan for, so who’s to blame? Quite frankly, I find it is the leader who persists with the same playbook with different conditions and expects the same result. Time to reflect on your own leadership or else it will be your demise.

Pro Tip:

  • Pause and reflect on your leadership style. Does it need to change? Do you need to adopt a new mindset that may require leaning on the help of others or bring in experts. Unless you move to being highly aware of yourself, then nothing will change your circumstances
  • Assess if you’ve been leading towards results or outcomes. Those that pursue results are destined to relive the cycle of missing the targets and then beating the teams into getting the results. That’s not leadership. When we lead with purpose and ask teams how can they achieve certain outcomes, you leverage the collective creativity of your team to solve bigger issues, not short sighted results that undisciplined leaders focus on.
  • Close the internal gaps within your teams and unleash their potential. When you focus on the human capacity, capability and confidence, they will achieve more. These are also leading indicators of future success. Look also at the interactions of team members or organizations and coach their ways of working and service level agreements. When you close gaps in the human dimension, you set the stage for sustainably reaching your results.

These are simple to say, but without the right mindset and behaviors, leaders are unable to change the cycle of going into chaos because they’re playbook is incomplete or they need a new one. I’m curious if you agree or have alternative views. I’ve had people say sometimes external factors “force” leaders to behave in certain ways. I get that, but I wonder then are these the organizations we as leaders should be working in? I’m not saying we should quite tough organizations, but then leaders need to have the courage to focus on changing the culture and show true leadership or else seek a different environment where they can use the same ole playbook and claim success.

The greater outcome is to reflect upon our leadership and ask if we were truly meant to lead. If yes, do you have the courage to try a new playbook?

If you’re curious or would like to dialog around this, let’s talk.

I’m forever in service to you and wish you much success-Deb


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Photo by Lukas: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-survey-spreadsheet-590022/

“CHASING RESULTS”…Sounds stressful, right?

It is! The State of Chaos within your organization often has a lot to do with misalignment of priorities: are you pursuing short term results or long term peace of mind? Meeting a deadline elicits high-fives around the room, but is your infrastructure sustainable?

Through our work together, you will see the bigger picture ROI, and calm your mind in the process. Sound like a lofty promise? Read on so I can share with you how this is possible…

The common theme I see all the time is that chaos ensues when we don’t have the courage to go after the root cause of what is keeping you up at night. The result is rallying the troops to focus on the effort and at the end of the day after beating the teams until you can claim victory. The result is never sustainable because leaders don’t have the discipline to focus on the issue earlier and to seek peace of mind through sustainable processes, capable resources and continual leadership development.

I dropped in recently into a situation where the leadership was hell bent on getting an immediate result. Then upon the “hurry scurry” of making things happen, the leadership changed direction and expanded the scope and suggesting we get back to examining the process. That should have been the primary focus in parallel with stopping the bleeding of the current situation, but instead, pressure was their guiding principle and blinded them to the greater opportunity and causing havoc in the process.

After a bit of wasted time and effort, the team is back on track in hopes of getting to the root cause and sustainably creating a process that not only results, but long term trusted results… or peace of mind.

I keep using this principle of “peace of mind” over and over again in my writings. I do so because I don’t think most leaders have ever experienced this. When they don’t know what it feels like, they use the same playbook over and over again and artificially gain satisfaction, but often will lose sleep at night. This is not a good result for their health both for them and their team.

I propose leaders do the following going forward:

  • Provide guidance on what the outcome should be and trust the teams to do the work; don’t micro manager, but guide the ship
  • Focus on the real barriers of team dynamics, misaligned organizational goals and in general barrier removal vs. the task at hand.
  • Paint a picture of what the future looks like and also what peace of mind could be. If you can show them the picture or how it will feel, you will Lift up your team to achieve even better results than you envisioned. This is the missing peace I find in most leaders and I hope you can heed this advice.

I’ve been there, done that and I’ve seen a lot of wasted effort and leadership maturity that is needed. If you enjoyed this piece and want to discuss your situation, I’m all ears, heart and mind invested in your story. Until we meet, I wish you well and much success -Deb

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Secrets of the C-Suite: What an MBA Won’t Teach You…

In 2023, I recorded 52 solo episodes on The Drop In CEO™ Podcast for leaders that just want to have a seat at the table, but lack a support system on how to do that. I’ve not yet started writing the book, but I sense there is a strong need for it. I was once told, I needed an MBA on top of my engineering degree form Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to get ahead. While raising three kids and managing a career, I couldn’t do the MBA, but obtained certifications in Quality Engineering, Lean and Six Sigma. While technically those looked good on my resume and gained a few cool skills along the way, none of them prepared me for C-Suite level responsibility. The school of “Hard Knocks” and very little mentorship; somehow I learned what did and did not work. Want to learn more? Read on…

Presence is more than physical attributes; it’s what you stand for…

I asked a trusted colleague what was I missing to have more impact when I presented at my senior leadership meeting. They said technically I was spot on, but I needed presence. I asked if that was a new wardrobe, updated hairstyle and a firm handshake? They said, it was about what I stood for. Every time I walk into a “room”, everyone knew what I stood for. It wasn’t until I started my own business, that I figured it was the topics I was most passionate about and would get up on a soapbox to share what I thought was right.

If you don’t know what your presence is, I suggest you start writing down all your unique idea, things others have praised you for and also what may be contrary to the status quo. Let those ideas simmer a while and then take a chance on yourself to start speaking those words. Look carefully at how people respond and know if you are saying something that matters. Caution however if it does not resonate, you may need help in your messaging or you may be in the wrong environment.

Messaging for impact and it’s not about having a great looking presentation…

Having a presentation that is technically perfect and delivered well won’t get the impact that you want. I know having done many that it’s often met with silence. You are no longer celebrated for having the best content, but for how you articulate the main message. The rest of your content is just back up. Learn how to look at a slide and the key takeaway. Start with that message and the risk or opportunity and your position. You can then enrich it with information on the slide. By doing so, you move from technical expert to influential leader. I’m very good at this work and offer coaching to others to have an impact and get a seat at the table.

Mindset matters and the words you use are key…

When we use words like I “can’t”, “I’ve not” or any other derivative of the “n’t”, you project a persona of backwards or present only thinking. When faced with a challenge, too often people think about the possibility of failure based on uncertainty. When we change our mindset to possibilities and project forward, you’re seen as that “can do” person to trust. Such phrases as “based on past experience, we could”, or we “must” or I “believe” or I “propose” are powerful words for influence. Once we recognize these small nuance in how you communicate, you’ll catch yourself and make the shift. Then watch how the world reacts to you!

I didn’t learn these via an MBA, but through asking well placed questions, reading, studying others who seem to have what I want, I soon gained confidence in how I present myself. If you want to learn more about “Secrets of the C-Suite”, I offer several ways to work with you. Also, some of these lessons may also be found in my 1st book The CEO’s Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track. This was meant for people already with a “seat at the table”, but once think of yourself in that role, people see you in that role.

I’m here for you so you struggle less and if I can be of service, I would be grateful for you to reach out. Until we meet, I wish you well-Deb

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Playing to Positivity vs Pain Will Win Every Time

Been there, done that! I’ve fallen victim to pain sells. I’ve been conditioned by all the social media that if you identify a pain point and convince your audience they are a victim, they will seek the quick fix that is promised. The problem with that is it fails to build brand loyalty. The product or service looks enticing to begin with, but unless someone is willing to buy, the marketing scheme doesn’t work. For those that believe in the quick fix; they are often disappointed with the result. Why? because they’ve not addressed the root cause of their pain.

Which leads me to an important discovery for myself and a potential pivot in my marketing that may be valuable for you as well. I can market my solutions to a target audience, but unless they’re willing to invest in either themselves or the business, nothing is going to connect. The endless hours & months to create 7+ touch points with the ideal client are empty promises unless the buyer has made the decision to buy.

So why do buyers wait to invest in themselves or the business? Could it be fear they’ve failed and they’ve decided to muscle through with current resources? Is it, they’ve not realized the problem could be their mindset? Could it be, they don’t know how to justify the need to leverage skills outside their domain? What ever the root cause is, it’s for the buyer, manager, leader, founder, CEO to figure out for themselves. I will share my book, The CEO’s Compass as a tool to figure out it may be you that’s holding yourself back and the playbook that has made you successful no longer works. Until the buyer can sort through why they don’t invest, no amount of marketing to them is going to work. That’s my conclusion for which I now have to pivot.

The Drop In CEO is different and I’m a proponent that insights and inspiration sell; or at least build trust faster than pain. I believe by providing you content that is playing to one’s strengths and positivity, will resonate faster. While it may take a long time to be in service, it’s one that will be an easy sell once that individual (or you) wants to invest in support. So let me send some positive vibes your way…

I see you! I know how you’re feeling; a little frustrated. You’ve been an amazing leader up to this point and while the landscape has changed, please know you are still valued and can do amazing work. It may be a small course correction in your playbook or your mindset or the environment, know that you are still valued. Most of you are highly aware of how you feel and the need for a change. Let me be a sounding board for you to talk through your frustration so we can move you back to positivity that has rewarded you for so many years.

I’ve spoken to so many people; Quality, Operations, VP’s, Directors, C-Suite Leaders and every time we meet for 30 minutes, I’m able to impart some insight that makes them feel valued. Could that be you? Taking a few minutes for yourself may be the best 30 minutes to move you from a place of doubt to a place of being the leader you are or were meant to be. I’m hear for you because I believe in you.

So that’s my insight for you! Playing to positivity vs pain will win every time.

The universe must be speaking to me, because I found a similar article on LI on the same topic; check it out!

Wishing you all well and much success!

-Deb

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‘We were afraid you would be like most other consultants…’

I’m laughing inside as a recent client of mine commented during our debrief, ‘We were afraid you would be like most other consultants…’ to which I am grateful I was excluded from that demographic!

As the Drop In CEO, I don’t come in to cause chaos, but to take a business through the crisis scale from Crisis->Chaos->Control->Continuous Improvement->Competitive Advantage, while elevating their team’s capabilities for a lasting impact.

Then I wonder why so may (not all) consulting experiences leave a bad taste in ones’ mouth? Don’t blame it on the consultant; they were just doing their job. Could it be how they were introduced to the organization and how they were deployed? It goes to leadership practiced that could be responsible for the havoc they cause an organization. It could be how we set the expectation for what we want consultants to do. Is it to achieve a business transaction and / or is it to bring people along for a change? Again, go ask leadership what the expectation should be.

To avoid creating chaos for you, I’m offering a few tips to help you navigate the changing landscape for you and your team:

Ask what do we hope to achieve?

If we want to implement a new system for better efficiency, that is the wrong answer. A better outcome statement may be: want to help our people realize efficiency gains while making they’re lives easier. With a better outcome in mind, the consultants might create a workstream that engages the people in how best to deploy the new platform. Simply deploying a new platform will bring an organization to a screeching halt if the people don’t realize the gains.

How do we prepare the team for a consultant?

Often, they show up on your doorstep with little notice leaving a very awkward moment when the consultant starts reaching out to people. Your team does not have context nor know their role in the change you are hoping for. Leadership needs to communicate in advance why is the change needed, how the change will impact them and how they consultant will engage with them. Oh, most important during this period is to let people know how much their valued and maintain constant communications. An information void will damage what you are trying to achieve.

Find the right consultant; they’re not all created equal.

I propose you find someone who becomes integrated into the day to day operations of your business and is seen as a business partner. When they become one with your team while on a mission, people will trust the resources more and move as one. When you hire someone that promises a result and then complains how the team is not supporting the work, you may have mis-represented what you wanted from the consultant. It always goes back to leadership to set the expectations. Some consultants are just think tanks and want to give you their expertise and simply execute. They are note as interested in working with the teams from a change management perspective. The want to get in and get out. You then have to determine if you have the capacity for change management or do you want to hire someone that has both the technical and change experience?

The choice is yours. If the consultant fails at the outcome, you may want to look inside and see what it was you asked for.

Shameless plug here, I’m the Drop In CEO and I drop into organizations and partner with you to assess what is needed in the changing landscape and also elevate the people in the process. I love that work and would love to be “that consultant” who is memorable.

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