CEOs & CIOs - How to lead with heart in a tech world with Shaunna Black | E09

What if the most powerful leadership tool isn’t AI… but your heart?In this episode of Tech Legacies Podcast, host Fanny Dunagan sits down with executive coach, speaker and former Fortune 500 leader, Shaunna Black to explore what it really means to lead with heart in today’s high-tech, high-pressure world.From running global operations and semiconductor manufacturing plants to coaching executives, Shaunna shares why connection, trust, and humanity are not “soft skills” but rather the foundation of high performance.Together, they unpack:Why people (not metrics) drive results How middle managers shape culture every dayWhat great bosses, teachers, and coaches have in commonWhy trust is the secret to unstoppable teamsHow to drop the armor and lead as your authentic selfWhy love belongs in leadership conversationsShaunna also shares insights from her new book, Leading With Heart, and why now, more than ever, we need leaders who create safety, belonging, and purpose at work.If you’ve ever felt “too soft” to lead…If you’ve worked under a toxic boss…If you want to build a culture people want to be part of…👉 This conversation is for you._____________________________Connect with Shaunna on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaunnablack/Want to build your authority and brand as a tech leader? Subscribe to our newsletter for updates, a free branding guide and 1-hour training for tech professionals: https://techlegacies.ck.page/newsletterConnect with the podcast host, Fanny Dunagan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fannydunagan/🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/tech-legacies/id1704049511Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/461kEaQZGqHoAl1nv3W4qe?si=a74e94fa09264828📖 Get the book: Leading With Heart by Shaunna Blackhttps://a.co/d/04KcB9yA👍 Like, subscribe, and share if this resonated with you-------------------------------------------Timestamps:01:19 Welcome: CEOs &amp; CIOs—How to Lead with Heart in Tech01:51 Meet Shauna Black: Heart-Centered Executive Coach + Author02:33 Shauna’s Career Origin Story: Teacher → Mechanical Engineer → Tech Leader03:58 Texas Instruments Leadership Journey: Global Ops, EHS, and Turnarounds05:23 The Toughest Assignment: Turning Around TI’s Worst Wafer Fab (18-Month Deadline)06:47 Why Heart-Centered Leadership Works in Command-and-Control Environments07:11 Inside-Out Leadership: Family Values, Sports Teams, Teaching, and Service08:57 Leading “Your Way”: Why Authentic Leadership Beats Copying the Hierarchy10:49 Women in Leadership + Athletics + All-Girls Schools: Confidence and Capacity12:36 The 2025–2026 Tech Climate: Uncertainty, Cost-Cutting, and AI Narratives14:01 The Trust Crisis: Why Young People Will Remember This Era16:05 Why She Wrote “Leading with Heart”: People Aren’t Replaceable Parts18:48 Empathy Isn’t Weakness: Leadership = Results Through People19:45 Best Boss Test: Connection, Belonging, and Feeling Seen21:55 Chapter 1—Self-Awareness: The Power of Knowing Yourself23:10 You’re Unique on Purpose: Identity, Gifts, and Leading from Wholeness24:56 The Return-to-Yourself Journey: Unburying the Heart at Work26:28 Your Superpower: Relational Leadership, Love, and Deep Connection29:34 High Performance Through Care: Accountability Without Shame32:29 Starting When It Doesn’t Feel Safe: Owning Your Story + Finding Courage34:51 Nemawashi: Building Alliances Outside the Room (Influence Without Armor)38:10 Your Energy Enters First: Self-Awareness and Emotional Spillover41:01 The People Who Know You Best: Family + Work “Second Families”42:03 Chapter 3—Who Are We Together?: Relationships as the Container44:00 Culture in Action: Inclusion, Stopping Bullying, and What Leaders Allow46:50 Middle Managers: The Toughest Job + Being the Team’s Climate Maker49:25 From Doer to Leader: Multipliers, Removing Barriers, Unleashing Talent52:02 Moving to the C-Suite: Vision, Strategy, and Playing at the Next Level55:26 Trust = Safety: The Foundation of High-Trust, High-Growth Cultures57:40 Trust Ripples: From 1:1 to Unstoppable Teams and Strong Culture59:30 Build the Culture Now: One Person at a Time—Choose Love1:01:14 Love vs Fear: The Simplest Leadership Decision1:02:53 Manufacturing Myth-Busting: Semiconductor Precision as the Ultimate Team Sport1:06:47 Love and Legacy: Healing Teams, Better Homes, Better Communities1:11:30 Legacy Statement: Love + Authenticity + Bringing Humanity Back to Work<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNRnxbafuZQ&amp;t=4520s" rel="noopener noreferrer"...