Crack the Glass Ceiling

Charlene Reynolds began her career answering phones as a receptionist, a role many women were steered into. But she knew she was capable of more. Each time someone said she needed a degree or certification to move up, she earned it. Charlene built her path by raising her hand for difficult projects, leading through uncertainty, and elevating voices others overlooked. Now one of only 25 women in the U.S. running a commercial airport, she shares how she leads with transparency, adapts quickly, and keeps doors open for others to grow. ⏱ Topics Covered 3:12 – Early career development: Starting as a receptionist and recognizing her potential 4:37 – Growth mindset: Told she didn’t qualify, so she made sure she did 7:04 – Project ownership: Volunteering for tough, abandoned projects 8:27, 9:17 – Public-private strategy: Launching a $1M sponsorship and city bike share 10:29 – Talent recognition: Spotlighting quiet contributors to build success 13:24 – Mentorship and succession: Helping others rise through coaching and access 15:09 – Organizational transparency: Joining the C-suite and opening her door to all 17:34 – Crisis leadership: Leading through the first COVID fatality in Arizona 19:03 – Visible leadership: Walking the terminal to stay present and accessible 21:09 – Process adaptation: Redesigning rent relief to support retailers 23:23 – Stakeholder engagement: Meeting every new employee one-on-one 23:39 – Human-centered leadership: Letting people see her as a person, not just a boss 25:00 – Continuous learning: Solving for the 20 percent that’s new or different 27:06 – Professional resilience: Holding your head high through internal challenges 28:33 – Opportunity evaluation: Choosing the right fit after being a finalist elsewhere 29:07 – Cross-functional management: Using business acumen and curiosity to lead diverse teams 32:27 – Relationship building: Building trust before you need it 35:17 – Change leadership: Modeling the behavior first and leading by example 37:56 – Collaborative visioning: Asking others for their vision, not just sharing hers 38:39 – Inclusive transformation: Bringing people into the process instead of pushing change 39:40 – Executive communication: Coming to leadership with solutions, not just problems 40:47 – Leadership maturity: Using your voice, staying clear, and never delegating up Subscribe to Wear Your Cape to Work Podcast on: YouTube: / @projectinsightpmsw Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WMdTji... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... RSS: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2419669.rss Sponsored by: Project Insight Project & Portfolio Management Software. Helping growing companies automate, execute, and measure project work across teams, systems, and portfolios. www.projectinsight.com 🎧 Listen https://lnkd.in/gG6f7Fq5 #ProjectManagement #AirportOperations #InfrastructureProjects #AviationLeadership #PublicSectorPM #ChangeManagement #OperationsLeadership #WorkplaceVisibility #FacilityManagement #StrategicExecution #PMOLeadership #WomenInLeadership