Let's Meet At The Intersection Of Marketing, Leadership And Blogging! A Q&A With Debbie Laskey

Credit: iStock Photo

For the past 16 years, I have relied on Debbie Laskey's Blog for expert leadership guidance and always interesting insights into marketing best practices and recaps of marketing trends.

Fortunately, through the years, Debbie has also shared her expertise through a variety of postings on my blog, and I'm honored again today to feature Debbie with the following Q&A's:

QUESTION: You've featured many leadership experts on your blog through the years. What is a common theme from all the Q&A's?

DEBBIE LASKEY: Back in 2011, I met Mark Herbert, a leadership expert and author based in Oregon, as a result of our interactions on Twitter/X. I interviewed him several times, and he provided a quote that I will always remember and share often: "Leadership doesn't require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to block and tackle for others."

That quote has appeared on my blog countless times over the years because, during Q&A's with leadership and marketing experts, I've shared the quote and asked what it means to them. All the answers inspire me, so I would have to say that it's a running theme on my blog.

Let's return to Mark's explanation for the quote: "There are many facets that make up a successful strategy. One person is typically incapable of mastering all of them. The best leaders recognize the elements that need to be represented in a complete strategy and integrate them. They don’t try to be the first chair - to use a musical analogy - they conduct the orchestra. I have watched people step up and do amazing things when they were given permission and freedom to make mistakes without fear of failing."

QUESTION: Why do you think there are so many books published each year about leadership?

DEBBIE LASKEY: The easy (but sad) answer is that there are too many unqualified people who are in positions of authority, whether their title is supervisor, manager, or member of the C-Suite. I'd like to say that each year's new crop of books help these individuals to improve their leadership and people skills, but unfortunately, the bad leaders don't read the helpful books.

QUESTION: What do you think leaders most often get wrong when it comes to branding?

DEBBIE LASKEY: First of all, the employee experience is critical. If employees are not happy
or trained regularly, their actions will suffer, and in the process, their interactions with customers will suffer - which can, and will, result in loss of customers.

Second, happy employees will find creative ways to solve customers' problems, resulting in happy customers - which will result in increased profits/sales/donations.

And third, a combination of happy employees plus happy customers will lead to a positive brand experience - which will lead to positive word-of-mouth marketing and positive social media reviews.

This alignment of employee experience, customer experience, and brand experience must be top-of-mind for everyone in an organization's C-Suite, not just a Chief Brand Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, and/or Chief Customer Experience Officer. The finance, personnel, and IT people need to understand the importance of marketing...bottom line, EVERYONE in the organization is an ambassador for the brand!

Here's a perfect anecdote from Mark Herbert that appeared on my blog back in 2016:

A man visited a hospital in Texas because he wanted to meet a famous heart surgeon. As the man left the hospital following his meeting with the surgeon, he met an elderly man who was mopping the floor. The visitor asked, "What do you do here at the hospital?" The elderly man who was mopping the floor replied, “Dr. DeBakey and I save lives together.” The elderly man explained that Dr. DeBakey had told all staff members that hospital infections kill more patients than disease, so the elderly man was doing his part to keep the hospital clean. Dr. DeBakey was a man before his time. He provided a roadmap for employees before it was called employee engagement.

Now, think about your business and your culture. If a total stranger interacted with any of your employees, would he or she have the same type of experience? Would he or she see firsthand that your employees understand your business, your brand promise, your competitive advantage, and why your business exists?

QUESTION: You’ve been blogging for 17 years. What is most rewarding to you about blogging?

DEBBIE LASKEY: I learn something from EVERY post - and not always related to marketing or leadership. Here's a sampling of fun facts that have recently appeared on my blog:

(1) Since the original of Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, MoMA partnered with Mattel to create a "Starry Night" Barbie. The doll transformed one of the world's most iconic paintings into couture fashion. (Blog tie-in: co-branding - appeared on my blog on October 21, 2025 and January 6, 2026.)

(2) Give me a "L" "E" A" D" "E" "R" - started in 2005 and celebrated in March every year, National Cheerleading Week is dedicated to acknowledging the contributions of cheer athletes to the world of sports. (Blog tie-in: celebration marketing and leadership - appeared on my blog on March 3, 2026.)

(3) Would you like to pet and interact with a llama? If you're traveling through the Portland International Airport, you might have a chance to interact with therapy llamas. According to USA Today, "Since 2023, with handlers by their sides, the trained therapy llamas hang out at the entrance and main terminal, welcoming attention and affection. It's hard to miss them, not only because llamas and alpacas typically stand six feet tall and can weigh up to 450 pounds, but also because they're also dressed up in cheerful costumes. Pirates or western cowboys are just a couple of the outfit themes. During the hour-and-a-half-long visits, passengers can pet and hug the llamas and alpacas. Each camelid also has its own trading card that frequent fliers like to collect." (Blog tie-in: brand ambassadors - appeared on my blog on March 29, 2026.)

QUESTION: When you aren't blogging what brings you joy?

DEBBIE LASKEY: In addition to attending car shows and visiting museums and zoos, I love to read fiction for exposure to new experiences and different perspectives. I consider reading a good book as a gift to myself, and I never know when something I read will result in my saying, "That would make a good blog post!"

Let's not forget what Bill Gates says, "Reading fuels a sense of curiosity about the world. Every book teaches me something new or helps me see things differently."

My favorite genres and topics to read about include: historical fiction featuring inspiring women whose accomplishments have been overlooked or whose voices have been forgotten; legal thrillers; political thriller; medical thrillers; stories about books/bookstores/libraries/book clubs; stories about Paris/France/Italy/Greece; stories involving trains and airplanes; and kids' books due to their fun stories and amazing illustrations. The last one was added due to my involvement with Reading Is Fundamental of Southern California, a 53-year-old nonprofit whose mission is to give books free of charge to children in at-risk communities to create lifelong readers and help them build their own home libraries. I guess my bucket list includes writing a kids' book - but first I would have to find a talented illustrator to join me in the project!

I'd like to share the names of my favorite authors (translation, I'll read anything they write):
(1) Kristin Harmel
(2) Kristin Hannah
(3) B.A. Paris
(4) Janet Skeslien Charles
(5) S.A. Cosby

And here are the BEST books I've read during the last several years:
(1) The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel
(2) The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
(3) The Women by Kristin Hannah
(4) Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
(5) American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
(6) The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper

And a final note, here's my favorite quote about reading:

"For you unlock magic that is hidden within, and opening the cover is how you begin. Oh, all the worlds and the places you'll see; when you hold a book, you hold the key." ~Caroline Derlatka
___

Debbie Laskey has nearly three decades of marketing experience and an MBA Degree. She developed her marketing expertise while working in the high-tech industry, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, the nonprofit arena, and financial services and insurance sectors.

Her expertise includes brand marketing, social media, employee engagement, leadership development, and customer experience marketing. A brand marketing consultant to emerging businesses and nonprofits, she is also a regular contributor to several national blogs that provide insights about marketing and leadership and has been recognized as one of the "Top 50 Branding Experts" to follow on Twitter/X at @DebbieLaskeyMBA. Visit her website and her blog where you'll find something new nearly every day.

Comments

How To Uncover Your Blindspots To Become A Better Leader

What you don't see about yourself can hold you back as a leader. That's typical for many leaders. What we don't see is what we can't see: we have blindspots . Your blindspots prevent you from achieving your greatest success. “It turns out that we're often not great judges of ourselves, even when we think we are. Sometimes we're simply unaware of a behavior or trait that's causing problems,” explains Martin Dubin , author of the new book, Blindspotting: How To See What’s Holding You Back As A Leader . “Bottom line: until we uncover these blindspots, we can't move forward. The good news is that you can learn to do your own blindspotting .” “Most of us understand the idea of blindspots in a general sense—areas we can’t see, to take the term most literally, or places we have gaps that we may not even realize, to be a little more abstract,” says Dubin. “But in the context of this book, I’m defining blindspots quite specifically: They are...

40 Timeless Lessons From Southwest Airlines

A few years ago, Southwest Airlines celebrated its 40th year and was kind enough to share in its in-flight magazine 40 lessons it learned since 1971. The lessons provide good tips for business leaders. If you missed the full list, here are some of the highlights of timeless lessons: Invent your own culture and put a top person in charge of it . A crisis can contain the germ of a big idea . Simplicity has value . For Southwest, simplicity means using 737s for most of its fleet, which makes maintenance more cost-effective and allows more efficient training for flight crews and ground crews. Remember your chief mission . Take your business, not yourself, seriously. Put the worker first . For Southwest, that meant being the first U.S. airline to offer a profit-sharing plan, in 1974. Employees now own 13 percent of the airline. The web ain't cool, it's a tool . Southwest was the first U.S. airline to establish a home page. By 2010, ...

The Algorithm: The Five-Step Framework That Drives Business Success

From a former President of Tesla, Jon McNeill , comes The Algorithm —the first book written by any of Elon Musk’s direct reports—a transformative guide for leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators who want to emulate the paradigm-shattering approach used to launch Tesla and SpaceX to success. And that transformed Lululemon and General Motors. McNeill had already founded and sold six startups when Sheryl Sandberg introduced him to Elon Musk, who was looking for help at Tesla. McNeill was steeped in the lean principles that had made Toyota a global powerhouse—principles focused on achieving efficiency and optimization by incrementally improving existing systems and processes. What he learned at Tesla was an approach that required radical rethinking to explode the status quo, attack complexity, and set seemingly unrealistic goals. Elon Musk at Tesla called this five-step framework “The Algorithm.” 1. Question every requirement – “Question everything—from produ...

How To Be More Playful To Build Resilience, Navigate Challenges And Find More Joy

“Research reveals that playful adults excel at problem-solving and stress management and consistently report higher life satisfaction,” explains Piera Gelardi , author of the new book, The Playful Way . The Playful Way is a mindset that transforms how you experience everything from airport security lines to career transitions to navigating grief. More specifically, Gelardi says playfulness is: Finding humor and lightness even in tense moments. Staying open to possibilities rather than fixating on one “right” way. Experimenting rather than seeking perfection. Bringing an ethos of curious exploration to difficulties. Finding wisdom in the body when the mind’s tied up in knots. Tuning your attention to notice details and find wonder. Reimagining dull tasks through reframes and games. Improvising when things go sideways. Gelardi guides readers in uncovering the mental barriers and inner critics that restrict playfulness, offering practical techniqu...

How To Unleash The Most Powerful Force In Business

In Marcus Buckingham ’s latest book, Design Love In: How To Unleash The Most Powerful Force In Business , he details the one hidden skill at the heart of all the best leaders today—and what you can do in your own working life to cultivate it. The skill is leading lovingly —what Buckingham calls Design Love In (DLI). Being a leader, whom people say they love working for and for whom they’d walk through walls. A leader who gets the absolute best out of their employees and who builds the kind of team employees desperately want to be on. “Love fuels our resilience, sparks our creativity, and bonds us together as collaborators,” shares Buckingham. “Love means a passionate commitment to something or someone. Love means deep loyalty. Love is advocacy. And, of course, love can also be hard-edged, hence ‘tough love.’” Buckingham recommends leaders create experiences that: Make employees feel bigger. Allow employees to feel safe enough to open up. Help employees flourish. Further, Buckingh...

10 Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership -- John C. Maxwell

Soon I'll post my full review of John C. Maxwell's latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership . In the meantime, here are some of my favorites quotes from the book that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catal...

Effective Listening: Do's And Don'ts

Here are some great tips from Michelle Tillis Lederman's book, The 11 Laws of Likability . They are all about: what to do and what not to do to be a leader who's an effective listener : Do : Maintain eye contact Limit your talking Focus on the speaker Ask questions Manage your emotions Listen with your eyes and ears Listen for ideas and opportunities Remain open to the conversation Confirm understanding, paraphrase Give nonverbal messages that you are listening (nod, smile) Ignore distractions Don't : Interrupt Show signs of impatience Judge or argue mentally Multitask during a conversation Project your ideas Think about what to say next Have expectations or preconceived ideas Become defensive or assume you are being attacked Use condescending, aggressive, or closed body language Listen with biases or closed to new ideas Jump to conclusions or finish someone's sentences

How To Reclaim Your Time And Be Time Smart

“Four out of five adults report feeling that they have too much to do and not enough time to do it,” reports Ashley Whillans , author of the book, Time Smart: How to Reclaim Your Time and Live a Happier Life . “These time-poor people experience less joy each day. They laugh less. They are less healthy and less productive.” And, in one study, time stress produced a stronger negative effect on happiness than unemployment. Drawing on the latest science, Whillans teaches us how to escape the time traps that make us feel this way and keep us from living our best lives. She explains that the six most common time traps are: Constant connection to technology. Obsession with work and making money. Limited value placed on time. Busyness as a status symbol. Aversion to idleness. The Yes…and then regret it effect. Her playbook shows you how to : take back the time you lose to mindless tasks and unfulfilling chores. improve your "time affluence.” f...

How to Be a Leader – 9 Principles from Dale Carnegie

Today, I welcome thought-leader Nathan Magnuson as guest blogger... Nathan writes : This is it, your first day in a formal leadership role. You’ve worked hard as an individual contributor at one or possibly several organizations. Now management has finally seen fit to promote you into a position as one of their own: a supervisor. You don’t care if your new team is only one person or ten, you’re just excited that now – finally – you will be in charge! Unfortunately the euphoria is short-lived. Almost immediately, you are not only overwhelmed with the responsibilities of a team, but you quickly find that your team members are not as experienced or adroit as you. Some aren’t even as committed. You find yourself having to repeat yourself, send their work back for corrections, and staying late to fill the gap. If something doesn’t change soon, you might just run yourself into the ground. How did something that looked so easy ...

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog