Victoria Pelletier, a seasoned business leader with an illustrious career spanning over 30 years, with more than 20 at a Senior Executive level. Victoria is currently charting her course toward the next C-Suite role while actively contributing to multiple boards. Notably, she is the driving force behind Unstoppable You, a platform encompassing public speaking, authorship, book services, and executive/personal brand coaching. Known as the “CEO Whisperer,” Victoria’s leadership style revolves around authenticity, vulnerability, transparency, and a touch of humor, ensuring her impact resonates both in and out of the boardroom.
Leadership Style and Influence: Victoria’s leadership style is synonymous with being a “whole human leader.” Embracing authenticity, vulnerability, empathy, and radical candor, she strives to achieve business goals while fostering a culture of inclusion and accountability. What sets her apart in 2024 is her extensive experience, marked by turning around distressed businesses, leading mergers/acquisitions, driving business transformation, and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Victoria’s journey to influence took root at the age of 24 when she assumed the role of COO. This early baptism by fire shaped her leadership philosophy, emphasizing resilience, adaptability, and unwavering determination. This defining moment laid the foundation for her reputation as the “turnaround queen.” Innovation is at the heart of Victoria’s leadership. She creates an environment where her team feels safe to share ideas, encourages radical candor, celebrates failure, and hosts brainstorming sessions resembling improv comedy. For Victoria, fostering innovation is about embracing a culture of experimentation and continuous learning.
Victoria actively navigates gender-related challenges, advocating for gender equity and mentoring women in leadership roles. She leverages her platform to raise awareness and actively promotes change, breaking glass ceilings for a more inclusive corporate world. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are non-negotiable for Victoria. She spearheads initiatives such as diversity-focused recruitment, mentorship programs, and training to eliminate unconscious biases. Serving as the executive sponsor for Women’s and LGBTQ Employee Resource Groups, she fosters a culture where everyone feels valued. Victoria masterfully balances assertiveness and collaboration by setting clear expectations and encouraging diverse perspectives. Radical candor is her secret sauce, allowing her to be assertive in a constructive manner, creating an environment where both traits coexist harmoniously.
Leadership Impact in 2024: A testament to Victoria’s leadership impact is a critical client engagement involving a complex merger. Under her guidance, the client achieved seamless integration, witnessing a substantial increase in efficiency and profitability. This accomplishment showcases her ability to turn challenges into opportunities. Victoria believes that women leaders bring unique strengths such as empathy, communication, collaboration, and resilience to the table. These qualities enrich decision-making processes, fostering creativity and innovation in the business landscape. Mentorship and networking have played pivotal roles in Victoria’s career. As an avid networker and connector of people, she actively mentors emerging leaders in her industry. Victoria prioritizes building authentic relationships and creating a supportive ecosystem where mentorship and networking are powerful tools for personal and professional growth.
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is a priority for Victoria. She emphasizes life integration and lives by the saying, “Where there is conviction, there is capacity.” Victoria sets clear boundaries, prioritizes fitness and self-care, and makes time for her passions. Delegating and trusting her team enables her to focus on what truly matters. For Victoria, leadership success extends beyond the boardroom, embracing a well-rounded, fulfilling life.
Victoria sheds light on the “Future of Work,” emphasizing the present shift in how and why we work. With rapid technological advancements, particularly AI, the focus is on employees adapting to change. The significant shift lies in the purpose and impact of work, aligning with values and embracing Whole Human Leadership. Victoria’s insights into these trends are not just spoken but written, as she has authored a book to educate and prepare leaders for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Challenging Leadership Decision:
Known as the “turnaround Queen,” Victoria shares a challenging decision involving a major restructuring to save a struggling business unit. This decision required a multi-faceted approach, analyzing financial data, evaluating team performance, and approaching it with empathy. Despite the tough layoffs, the decision secured the business unit’s future, showcasing Victoria’s commitment to making difficult choices for the organization’s greater good.
In Victoria’s world, staying informed is non-negotiable. She immerses herself in publications, podcasts, conferences, and continuous learning. Networking with peers and dedicated research teams keeps her at the forefront of industry advancements. Victoria’s commitment to staying curious and embracing a growth mindset ensures she remains adaptable to the ever-changing business landscape.
Advice to Aspiring Women Leaders:
For young women aspiring to leadership, Victoria advocates self-belief, resilience, and authenticity. She encourages embracing challenges as opportunities, surrounding oneself with mentors, and being unapologetically authentic. Victoria’s empowering advice reminds aspiring leaders that they are the CEOs of their careers, urging them to be #Unstoppable.
Cultivating a culture of continuous learning is integral to Victoria’s leadership approach. She encourages team members to set learning goals, hosts knowledge-sharing sessions and provides mentorship opportunities. Recognizing and celebrating growth creates an environment where curiosity is encouraged, fostering a lifelong pursuit of learning. In the rapidly evolving business landscape, Victoria identifies key skills for women leaders. These include adaptability, emotional intelligence, tech-savviness, resilience, inclusivity, collaboration, data literacy, strategic thinking, personal brand, and effective networking. Prioritizing these skills positions women leaders to thrive in the dynamic and ever-changing business environment.
Victoria emphasizes emotional intelligence as a cornerstone of her Whole Human Leadership approach. Recognizing its pivotal role in fostering trust and creating a positive work environment, she actively cultivates emotional intelligence in her team. Open communication, vulnerability, empathy, and active listening are key components, demonstrating that emotions are integral to the human experience in and out of the workplace.
For Victoria, setbacks and challenges are opportunities for growth and learning. Drawing from personal experiences, she approaches challenges with a solution-oriented mindset, focusing on what can be done. Prioritizing self-care and resilience, Victoria views adversity as a catalyst for transformation, reinforcing her commitment to becoming #Unstoppable. She envisions leaving a legacy of transformative leadership, inspiring authenticity, empathy, and radical candor. Beyond business, her commitment extends to creating a more equitable and inclusive corporate landscape, where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. Victoria aims to be remembered as a trailblazer who left a compassionate, equitable, and inclusive world for future generations.
Contribution to Global Women’s Empowerment:
As one of the 10 most influential women leaders in 2024, Victoria envisions contributing to global women’s empowerment through mentorship, advocacy, thought leadership, collaborative initiatives, networking, and education. Her goal is to be a catalyst for change, fostering a world where gender equity is the norm. Victoria’s commitment extends beyond industry boundaries, advocating for progress on a global scale.
In the ever-evolving landscape, Victoria acknowledges the importance of technology for her business’s success. From data-driven decision-making to virtual collaboration tools, her organization embraces technology’s transformative power. Constant exploration of emerging technologies, such as AI and automation, ensures they remain at the forefront of innovation, solving complex business challenges effectively.
Victoria’s guiding principle of “Doing the right thing” serves as her North Star. It underscores the importance of ethical conduct, transparency, and integrity in every decision. This principle reflects her commitment to ethical leadership, emphasizing that true success involves achieving results with unwavering ethics and dedication to what is morally right.
Strategic alliances with industry peers, professional organizations, and advocacy groups enhance Victoria’s leadership impact. Collaborating with industry associations facilitates knowledge sharing and advocacy for positive change. Partnerships focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion amplify efforts to create more inclusive workplaces and leadership opportunities. These alliances strengthen Victoria’s ability to drive positive change within her industry and beyond. In times of uncertainty, Victoria prioritizes fostering a culture of resilience and adaptability within her organization. Open communication, a learning mindset, cross-training, scenario planning, and prioritizing employee well-being are key strategies. By embedding these practices, Victoria creates an organizational culture that can navigate uncertainties, adapt swiftly, and emerge stronger from challenges.
Victoria Pelletier’s leadership journey exemplifies resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to transformative and ethical leadership. Her vision extends beyond the boardroom, contributing to a more compassionate, equitable, and inclusive world while inspiring others to be #Unstoppable. Her insights, strategies, and empowering advice serve as an inspiration for aspiring leaders, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, continuous learning, and a holistic approach to life and leadership. In conclusion, Victoria Pelletier’s journey is a testament to the power of authentic leadership, resilience, and a commitment to fostering positive change. As the “CEO Whisperer,” she continues to inspire and lead by example, leaving an indelible mark on the business world.
