We recently connected with Glodean Champion and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Glodean thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you ever had an amazing boss? What did you learn from them? Maybe you can share a story that illustrates the kind of boss they were or maybe you can share your thoughts on what you think made them an awesome person to work for?

The best leader I ever had was Pete Berg. He was a Six Sigma Master Black Belt that was hired to help our company resolve some process-related issues. During his interview he asked, “Who’s the person who gets things done and has great relationships with people in the organization. My name was top of the list, so I was partnered with Pete to build the Process Optimization team.

Pete didn’t come in throwing his weight, credentials or title around. Instead, he spent most of his time getting to know me and watching me in action. After a couple of weeks of our working side by side he sat me down and shared his assessment of me.

“Glodean, you were born to do the work we’re going to do together,” he started, quite to my surprise. I’d never worked for someone who saw my skills and expertise as a good thing. Usually they were things to be controlled, mostly curtailed, so I didn’t draw too much attention to myself. Then finally, in 2013, after over twenty years working in Corporate America, I had a leader. A real leader. Someone who, as Pete went on to say, loved the fact that I was good with people. That I genuinely liked them and wanted the best for them. Servant leadership was in my blood and I was good at it. He wanted me to continue building relationships and supporting the employees in the organization. He wanted me to continue having fun at working and showing others how to do the same. He loved my sense of humor, intelligence, and resilience. I’d never considered myself a teacher, but he pushed me to lead our process improvement work sessions and helped me become an expert Kaizen Event leader. Also, for the first time, I had a leader that wanted me front and center doing what I do best.

And, he did what great leaders do best…invested time and energy helping me become a better professional. Thanks to Pete I became a Six Sigma Black Belt and led many process improvement projects for many organizations. He helped boost my confidence and looked out for me. He led by example, not by intimidation. And, when we disagreed, he gave me space to speak my truth, freely and without fear of retribution. Sometimes we agreed to disagree, but most of the time we were able to help the other see our point of view.

Pete Berg is the reason I am committed to being a great leader myself. Actually, better said, Pete Berg is the reason I am a great leader today.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Something I learned from Simon Sinek. I searched and found my ONE THING: STORYTELLING. And with it, I created StorySync—a program that uses the art, craft, and psychology of storytelling to connect teams and shape heart-centered leaders (not in a “woo woo” kind of way but in a real “I care about my people and lead with my heart not my ego” kind of way).

But StorySync wasn’t built on a whim. It’s the result of my journey through leadership, education, IT, project management, and process improvement. All highly influenced by the patterns of corporate change. Along the way, I learned a crucial truth: teams only succeed when people connect on a deeper level.

I saw a gap and knew storytelling could bridge it.

As a Six Sigma Black Belt, I’ve streamlined systems and cut inefficiencies. But here’s the thing: people aren’t processes. Charts and checklists can’t inspire or unite. Real alignment comes when people share their stories and discover what they have in common.

In countless Kaizen events, I saw breakthroughs in moments of honesty and shared stories. Vulnerability broke down walls, built trust, and created true cohesion. This is how StorySync was born—a program designed to foster team bonding by connecting through storytelling. And yes, we even use LEGO Serious Play, because nothing says “team” like building bridges together.

StorySync goes beyond team-building to create lasting, authentic bonds. My goal? To turn coworkers into collaborators who understand and support each other with clarity, cohesion, and commitment. And develop leaders that are open, communicative, vulnerable, and authentic.

There’s also a StorySync coaching program, a six-month journey designed to help women silence their inner critic, conquer imposter syndrome, and build unshakable confidence. Through the power of storytelling, participants explore and rewrite their personal narratives, transforming self-doubt into self-belief. Each session is crafted to address unique challenges, from overcoming limiting beliefs to embracing authentic leadership. By the program’s end, women emerge empowered with a clear, powerful voice and a renewed sense of purpose, ready to lead and thrive in all areas of life.

Everything I do, personally and professionally, is designed to leave people better than I found them. This is what I am most proud of because I know that connecting with people in a real, meaningful way is not easy. It requires someone willing to be vulnerable and authentic. This comes naturally to me, it’s one of my superpowers, so leaving someone better than I found them is possible. because whether I met them for five minutes or we spent days/weeks/months together, I know we connected at the heart level and it doesn’t get any better than that.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Everything I needed to know about leadership came during my fourth week of bootcamp. I’d joined the Navy when I was 18 years old with the sole purpose of getting the G.I. Bill so I could attend college. On the first day of bootcamp, the company Commander (CC) called out, “Who wants to get them on the line?” No explanation. No instructions. Just the question awaiting an answer. While I was still trying to sort out what was being asked of us, another girl, Jenkins, raised her hand.

We lined up outside and Jenkins directed us to our first location. She wasn’t very good at this “getting them on the line” job. Several times she instructed us to turn left but called it on the wrong foot and we banged around into each other like the bumbling Keystone Cops. I decided that when the CC asked that question again, because I knew she would, I was going to raise my hand.

Two days later, I got my chance.

After showing that I was really good at “getting them on the line” for a solid week, I found out I’d just become the Recruit Chief Petty Officer. I was in charge of Company K083. I was their leader. And, as such, I was responsible for doing everything first, better, faster. When we ran laps, I ran at the front of the company. When we took tests, I was expected to score the highest. I had to know where we were going at every point in the day. I had to get us there on time without incident. Next to the CC, I was second in command, which also meant when the CC wasn’t around to handle sticky situations, they came to me. Needless to say, all of this attention and drive for excellence gave me a bit of a big head. My ego was out of control. And then we took our swim tests.

The pool was Olympic size. The shallowest depth, 12 feet. There was no place to stand or rest, which mean that after I took my swim test, I was expected to tread water (or dog paddle) until all 32 women took their swim test. Some of the women jumped in the water, did as instructed, and got out. Others, many of them, were afraid. I had to coax them into the water, assure them I would be there if anything went wrong, and then help them out of the water when they were done. Several of these women also almost drowned us both. That was the hardest part. I’d never experienced someone so deathly afraid that they lost all ability to listen or speak. Yet, somehow, the words and actions I needed to use to reach them came to me.

It took three hours to get through that swim test. I was exhausted by the time I finally climbed out of the water. But I’d also learned one important thing about leadership: it wasn’t about me. I wasn’t being asked to run in front of the company to become the best runner. I was there to lead by example. I wasn’t expected to score the highest on tests to show how smart I am (well, not only that) but to also inspire and encourage. And, I wasn’t expected to stay in the water during the swim test to show what a great swimmer I was. I was there to be support for my team.

I knew then that no matter what I was expected to do, I could do it because I was resilient. I was prepared. I was a leader.

I am a leader. Heart-centered. Vulnerable. Authentic. Kind. Loving. I learned the foundation of leadership in the Navy. I picked up these additional attributes as I continued to lead teams, projects, and myself since then.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In 2013, I was introduced to Lean Six Sigma. I loved the work and had a great boss who helped me find my place in it. In 2019, I decided to quit my job and start my own business. I was going to be the greatest process improvement consultant of all time. Except, I didn’t do the important task of finding my avatar or target market. I decided I was capable of fixing everyone’s problem. Anyone who came to me, no matter how bad they were, no matter how much a bad fit, I could help them. It was the BIGGEST mistake of my career.

I had the worst clients and suffered through the most challenge projects, as a result. I had C-level executives who challenged me because they felt threatened. I spent unlimited hours coaching employees until they believed their voices mattered, that they were capable of making the process better because they lived in it every day. Then I spent even more unlimited hours coaching their managers until they agreed. It was exhausting and unfulfilling work and it didn’t take long before I hated doing it and questioned why I’d even gone into business.

And then I was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and life took on a new meaning. All of sudden, I was questioning if I was doing work I loved (which I knew the answer was no) and what it was going to take to get me there. I started thinking about what really mattered and that was being true to myself and finding clients that were heart-centered leaders. It forced me to evaluate the parts of my work that fed me and the parts that drained me. Then, with every ounce of courage and hindsight I had in me, I scrapped my entire business offerings and started over. I’d found my one thing. The one thing that was constant in the work. The one thing that was transformational for the people I worked with. The one thing I was excellent at and loved doing. Storytelling.

That’s how I created StorySync. And now I get to work with heart-centered leaders and have the courage to walk away from those who aren’t. I get to team build, develop leaders, and empower women all through storytelling. And, as an added bonus, I get to do process improvement work when it’s revealed that the team’s story is being impacted by broken processes.

I pivoted and haven’t looked back. Oh, by the way, my cancer is now in remission so I get to do this work full on, knowing that my mind, body, and spirit in good health and alignment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.glodeanchampion.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glodeanglo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlodeanGlo1967/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glodeanchampion/
• Other: Link to TEDx talk (Enough with Race, It’s Time for a New Social Construct): https://youtu.be/8RAte5P4SOw?si=bASDpob-syYgP8l-