When Leadership Puts Life on the Line: Navigating Tough Decisions with Canada’s First Female Chief Justice

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 -----------------------   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 CONNECT WITH US:  YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership  Threads: @innovativeleaders Twitter: @IL_Institute  LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/ILI-LinkedIn2  Instagram: @innovativeleader  TikTok: @innovativeleadership Website: InnovativeLeadershipInstitute.com    Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!  -----------------------   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.