Navigating transitions in leadership with Celeste Ford and Janet Grondin

Join us for part two of our discussion with Celeste Ford, board chair and founder of Stellar Solutions, and Janet Grondin, CEO of Stellar Solutions, where we focus on how to navigate leadership transitions successfully. Together, they reveal a playbook for how to complete a leadership transition which includes continuous coaching, clear communication, and thoughtful planning.

Show Notes:
(1:00) Succession planning: Celeste talks about how she followed her gut and knew when it was time to transition from CEO to something new. 

(4:20) The role of coaching: Janet talks about deviating from your plan and the role coaching plays in transition.

(8:22) How to let go: Celeste shares how she let go of being the CEO, going out on a win (Baldrige) and announcing on the fourth of July. 

(12:40) Breaking down the transition: Janet relays what she does for a new role transition talking through her thought process step-by-step. 

(15:10) How to take care of yourself: The leaders acknowledge that we are always in transition at some point. We swap strategies for how to stimulate yourself physically and mentally. 

About Celeste: She founded Stellar Solutions in 1995 and served as CEO until 2018 with the mission to deliver high-impact performance for defense, intelligence, commercial, civil and international clients. She established Stellar Solutions Foundation in 1998, QuakeFinder humanitarian R&D program in 2001, and expanded Stellar’s global presence. She launched Stellar Ventures in 2022 to invest in the next generation of space technology companies. Celeste is Board Chair and Founder of Stellar Solutions, Inc., a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award-winning aerospace engineering company. She is Managing Director at Stellar Ventures.

About Janet: She is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Stellar Solutions Inc., a small, woman-owned business and leading provider of high-impact engineering services to significant intelligence, defense, civil, commercial, and international customers for the past 29 years. Prior to this role, she served as Vice President for Intelligence Programs, Vice President, Defense Programs and Director of Emerging Space Capabilities. Janet is a former Northrop Grumman Director and a retired USAF Colonel with 30+ years of experience in navigation, remote sensing, satellite communications, launch, space superiority, and launch ranges.

Resources:

Part 1: Leading Dream Jobs in Aerospace with Celeste Ford and Janet Grondin - Seasons Leadership Podcast

www.stellarsolutions.com

https://baldrigefoundation.org

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