S9-Ep52: When Leadership Puts Life on the Line: Navigating Tough Decisions with Canada’s First Female Chief Justice
Episode description
Guest: Beverley McLachlin
Making decisions can be the toughest part of a leader’s job. Judges up the ante; their decisions can literally mean the difference between life or death.
Beverley McLachlin was the Chief Justice of Canada’s Supreme Court. In this episode, she reflects on her leadership journey — from a farm in rural Alberta to the top court in the land. That journey has powerful perspectives on the decision-making process for leaders of all stripes: from law-firm partners to CEOs.
It’s inspiring, too! Beverley overcame deeply entrenched sexism and other barriers, but forged on with a clear vision.
Here's what the Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin and Maureen cover:
- The many ways the legal profession offers lessons for leaders of every stripe;
- The qualities and skills judges must hone to make effective, balanced decisions — skills that will help your decision-making, too; and
- Why it’s so important to get your decisions right — but be willing to change them as new evidence comes in.
Produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association: https://ilaglobalnetwork.org.
Other episodes you'll enjoy:
- Leading with Character: A Real-Life Red Roof Report with George Limbert
- Women’s Leadership Journeys with Lisa DeFrank Cole & Sherylle Tan
- Reflections on Women in Leadership with Kim Campbell
For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn. We’re on Instagram, Threads, and Twitter, too!
RESOURCES:
Beverley McLachlin has written several books, including murder mysteries! Check out…
- The Jilly Truit Trilogy (mysteries):
- Full Disclosure — https://amzn.to/46TxW6Q (paperback) https://amzn.to/46VDL3Q (audiobook)
- Denial — https://amzn.to/46YCbhs (paperback) https://amzn.to/3GJc0AA (audiobook)
- Proof — https://amzn.to/46PFQhv (paperback); pre order, as its release date is May 21, 2024.
- Nonfiction:
- Truth Be Told: My Journey through Life and the Law — https://amzn.to/3GC50pi (paperback) https://amzn.to/3GA3iox (audiobook)
Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.
Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. You’ll find details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI. Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.
Books we’re reading for fun or personal development right now include:
- Becoming Superman: My Journey from Poverty to Hollywood by J. Michael Straczynski
- Own the AI Revolution by Neil Sahota
- Time and Chance by Kim Campbell
- Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller, the Man Who Created Nancy by Bill Griffith
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OUR PODCAST TEAM:
Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf
Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko
Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko
Assistant Editor & Raconteur: Luigi Morelli
Deciding Daily to Be Awesome: Jenna Reik & Mike Morrow-Fox
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Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com
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About Our Guest:
Beverley McLachlin was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from 2000 to 2017. She is the first woman to hold that position, and the longest-serving Chief Justice in Canadian history. In 2018, McLachlin became a Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest honour within the Order. She is also the #1 bestselling author of two novels, Full Disclosure and Denial, and a memoir, Truth Be Told, which won the prestigious Writers’ Trust Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing and the Ottawa Book Award for Nonfiction.