Say It Skillfully® – Tough Talks from the Top: Mark Parsells - a podcast by Molly Tschang

Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you to benefit from Molly Tschang’s expert guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. In Episode 144, Molly is joined by Mark Parsells, who joins the show to share stories of success, failure, and going against the grain as a world-class business operator who played vital roles in the success of many companies, including CitiBank Online and American Express. Mark goes in depth on the dangers of corporate groupthink, and how it can cloud vision and can make a common sense answer seem impossible or like a terrible idea. Don’t miss stories of him working through massive pushback and groupthink at AmEx—where he redesigned the application for their first credit card—and at CitiBank, where he advocated for a “single sign-on” system. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Mark talks about “Emperor’s New Clothing Syndrome”, where people blindly agree with whatever decision the higher-up is making, without considering other options. He shares the importance of leaders being authentic and respectfully calling out when an idea is a bad one. Mark helps us with strategies for presenting ideas—showing how to use finesse and curiosity to let others naturally come to the solution using their expertise—rather than initially telling them what you think is right. Mark and Molly also talk about the importance of getting to know yourself and what’s right for you. He shares how he eventually came to understand that he didn’t do his best work as an employee. Mark shares a heartbreaking story of how a great employee and a personal favorite of his ended up leaving the company because they mistakenly thought Mark didn’t like them. He discusses how, moving forward, he avoided situations like this and created better relationships by building a culture of ultra transparency and support between peers. Mark lets us in on all of his current endeavors, including his company Montpelier Ventures, his work with small companies dealing with mergers and acquisitions, and working on many boards. He shares how he is passionate about coaching CEOs because he felt he was missing guidance in his years as one. Also, don’t miss the story of how Mark concluded that he will never retire! Mark inspires all to know no boundaries and to commit to taking action so that all can be safe, seen and heard, and our true and best selves.

Molly’s thought for the week from Mark’s grandmother, “Be real, be kind, and genuinely care about people.”

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