Meet Michelle Gladieux – engaging, spirited, inclusive, and forthright.
Michelle and the professionals at Gladieux Consulting (GC) work to design team training, strategic planning, and executive coaching for organizations around the nation.
Michelle has 18 years of Bachelor’s and Master’s teaching experience at 3 universities in her home state of Indiana, accepting her first adjunct faculty position at age 23. As she was founding GC, she worked as a Corporate Human Resources and Training Director in the cold storage, robotics, and construction industries. Whether working in others’ or her own company, there’s nothing she’s enjoyed more than helping employees at all levels see themselves as leaders and helping them GROW.
Clients include non-profits, the government and military, and teams from diverse industries in every state since 2004. Many of the nation’s C-suite executives count on Michelle and her team to hold them accountable for stretch goals as their organizations evolve. In-person seminars and online webinars from the GC (un)Plugged series in a dozen different communication topics spark positive change in thousands of lives each year. Participants learn to communicate more strategically and are guided to choose their own goals.
Michelle visits national conferences regularly as an organizational psychology keynote presenter and is described as a top gun in her field. Participants leave motivated to put training concepts to work. She loves what she does, and is quick to give kudos to her passionate client services team who backs her up with equal passion.
She happily shares the following quotes as two of her current favorites:
Women’s work is always towards wholeness.
– May Sarton, American poet and novelist
To the wrongs that need resistance
To the right that needs assistance
To the future in the distance, give yourselves.
– Carrie Chapman Catt, leader of movement to give women the right to vote
YWCA Asks: What does an “empowering woman” mean to you?
Michelle: It means investing in others’ self-sufficiency so they can make better career, health, relationship, and other key decisions. It means taking an active role in others’ success. It’s about inclusion.
Women all around us are shining their light on others, each one a blessing to the planet. These are women who perceive with five senses and also a sixth, allowing them to visualize others’ potential. They care enough to speak truth to those they mentor, giving sincere praise but also constructive criticism. They delight in mentoring. They illuminate others’ potential. We can all be empowering influences if we seek these teaching skills and cultivate a “give back/pay forward” mindset.
YWCA Asks: In what ways do you feel that you empower women?
Michelle: I asked my team about this. Kristen said, “You help us have a voice in business, lifting us up, teaching us skills to build communication and confidence. You’ve mentored me for nearly 12 years, and there are many things I’m proud of that I may not have achieved without your guidance. You shared this with me years ago: Even if it seems like you’re underqualified, go for it! Women miss opportunities because they avoid what they may not see themselves as qualified to do. You put that voice in my head, and it’s inspired me to achieve so many things I never thought I could.”
Sara shared: “You push and encourage us out of our comfort zones. When you approached me about writing personality assessments, I was nervous and almost said no. Writing is not my strong suit but it has been so good for me. You help others grow by sharing your challenges and being vulnerable, which helps us when we have our own obstacles to overcome.”
These are the kind of things every leader – which is to say, every person who’s striving for better – can do. By observing and verbalizing, we help people build new skillsets. You don’t have to come from a place of privilege to loosen your grip on what you see to be competitive advantages. Choose someone worthy and bestow upon them the best (learnings, tips, connections, etc.) you’ve got to give.
YWCA Asks: Would you please share an experience or tidbit of knowledge that would help other women? This could be a lesson learned, motivational story, or information to help educate others.
Michelle: I see a trend happening in which more of us are willing and able to admire other women’s talents without questioning our own. What a welcome change that would be!