The Flip the Box Method for Better Leadership and Connection with Shari Leid

What if connection is not just a nice-to-have in business, but one of the biggest drivers of trust, performance, and growth?In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast, Shauna Lynn Simon sits down with Shari Leid, author, speaker, connection expert, attorney, and founder of the Flip the Box movement. Shari shares how her personal story of being found as an orphaned baby in a cardboard box shaped her lifelong search for belonging, and how that same box became the foundation for a powerful leadership framework rooted in connection.Through her Table for 51 project, Shari traveled to all 50 states and shared meals with women she did not know, uncovering what creates meaningful connection beyond surface-level networking. She explains how disconnection shows up in teams, client relationships, and leadership, and why trust often begins with helping people feel seen.Listeners will walk away with practical ways to strengthen relationships, improve communication, and lead with more clarity, confidence, and care.Timestamps:(01:50) - (04:26) - Why connection is a driver of business performance, not just a buzzword(04:27) - (08:09) - How disconnection shows up in leadership, teams, and client relationships(08:10) - (13:49) - Why connection matters after the pandemic and how Flip the Box began(13:50) - (19:25) - The Flip the Box framework and how it builds trust in leadership(19:26) - (28:00) - Simple ways to help team members and clients feel seen(28:01) - (38:20) - Prioritizing connection, Shari’s retreat, and flipping the story you tell yourselfResources:Book Your FREE Coaching Assessment Call with Shauna Lynn: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/coachmeLearn more about the show: AboutShaunaLynn.com/podcastFlip the Box Women’s Retreat - Use code RWRB to save $100 off registration: https://www.sharileid.com/retreatTable for 51 by Shari Leid: https://animperfectlyperfectlife.com/table-for-51The Effective Manager by Mark Horstman: https://amzn.to/4v4RPUzConnect with Shari Leid:Learn more about Shari: https://www.sharileid.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharileidbizInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/an_imperfectly_perfect_life/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shari-leid-51a53b10/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/sharileidTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sharileidX: https://x.com/AnImperfectlyLinktree: https://linktr.ee/animperfectlyperfectlifeEmail: [email protected] Leid is an author, speaker, connection expert, attorney, and founder of the Flip the Box movement. A former litigator, Shari brings analytical thinking, lived experience, and a deep understanding of human connection to her work with leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations. She is the author of Table for 51, a project that took her across all 50 states to share meals with women and explore how connection shapes leadership, belonging, and life. Through her Flip the Box framework, Shari helps professionals turn disconnection into a strategic advantage by strengthening trust, improving communication, and creating relationships that support performance, retention, growth, and meaningful reinvention.