Valentina Coco reading

MY GOAL

I am on a mission TO Support neurodivergent talents and Bring Intersectionality Into 'Inclusion'.

As a former corporate leader at Fortune 500 companies and with 20 years of leading teams, I help create support systems for all talents perform at their best, and feel like they belong.

In fostering neurodiversity inclusion, I prioritize understanding and shaping leaders' behavior. It all begins with your leadership. My goal is to cultivate teams that embrace neurodiversity, foster belonging and acceptant for ALL employees, and pave the way for meaningful change to take root.

My goal is to create inclusive teams, support real connections and lay the groundwork so change can happen.  

I also believe in continuous learning and the power of mentoring, coaching and reading as much as I can.

MY STORY

Equity, diversity and inclusion are more than buzz words to me.

I learned early on how perceived differences can create stigma and lead to bullying.

Growing up in a small town in Sicily, I dealt with bullies and marginalization as a half-Chinese “goody toe-shoes.” I went on to graduate from Summa Cum Laude in managerial engineering then worked in data, finance and organizational culture and change.

I started my career working long hours in the “work hard, play hard” mentality. Facing immense pressure to perform compounded with competition between colleagues. The personal critiques I received, pressured me to 'mask'. I ended up hitting a wall— the dreaded burnout — and didn’t have support from my team.

Valentina Coco with a red jacket
While I moved on to find a better work environment, I hadn’t learned how to set the boundaries for a healthier approach to work. It got to a point where I was tired of covering for with well-intended but ineffective leadership, not only on behalf of my teams but for myself.

After years of restructuring, mismanagement and shifting priorities as a leader for a large department, I wanted to know. How can I be the best leader for my team and still look out for my wellbeing?
My “aha” moment was when I participated in a coaching program where I learned how to incorporate my values of diversity, inclusion and mental health best practices into a high-functioning workplace.

I figured out how to set healthy boundaries and show managers how to do the same. I want to show you a better way to do business.

Why I created the 8 Pillars of Leadership

I created the 8 Pillars of Leadership to give team leaders a full spectrum of resources to be effective in today’s evolving landscape. I discovered when it comes to leadership training, a lot of models are only focused only on high-performance or conflict management.  

How can leaders work on their blind spots without talking about teams?

Being part of a great team is where you can discover, grow and collaborate with others to achieve your common goals. Done right, it’s one of the most fulfilling experiences you can have at work.

True effective leadership is about making feel people feel valued, safe and supported in a culture of trust. My goal is to help my leaders and their teams move forward to the next level of success.

The Eight Pillas or Inclusive Leadership

Why Is Effective Leadership Important?

As a runner, I see inclusion and diversity in the workplace as similar to the last 10KM of a marathon. The goal is almost unthinkable when you start.  And unachieavable if you are not true to yourself.

The foundation you set will carry you forward to the finish line in an healthy and balanced way. Taking small, steady actions builds a high-trust, inclusive culture.

It’s a daily goal. But, people-first is achievable.

Effective leaders set a vision for where to go and how to get there. My goal is to help you every step of the way.

"TRAIN PEOPLE WELL ENOUGH SO THEY CAN LEAVE. TREAT THEM WELL ENOUGH SO THEY DON'T WANT TO."
richard branson
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