What does it really take to be a woman at the top — not just to get there, but to stay? In this listener favorite, Suzanne Weller sits down with global technology executive Fumbi Chima for an honest conversation about directness, equity, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to stop shrinking your truth.

Dr. Fumbi Chima is an executive coach at The ExCo Group and has held CIO and senior executive roles at Boeing Employees Credit Union, Adidas, Fox Networks Group, Burberry, Walmart, and American Express. She sits on the public company boards of Whitbread and WTW. Born in Nigeria and educated in England, she has spent nearly three decades at the intersection of business and technology — and taught herself to code along the way.

Key takeaways:

• Getting to the top and staying there are two different challenges — and the second one doesn't get nearly enough airtime
• Curiosity (about other people, other cultures, other ways of thinking) is the foundation of a true global mindset
• Fumbi's Gen Z daughters pushed her to say what she actually meant. She listened.
• Moving from ten words to seven isn't about being blunt. It's about being honest enough to stop protecting people from the truth you're carrying.

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction to the theme of courage and growth

(04:26) - Women at the top: Benefits and loneliness

(06:11) - Challenges women face to stay in leadership roles

(07:37) - The reality of diversity scorecards vs. genuine inclusion

(12:28) - Fumbi’s childhood in Nigeria and England

(15:05) - Self-teaching technology and building new skills

(17:37) - The power of ambition and owning your career goals

(20:22) - Confidently celebrating achievements and owning your voice

(25:18) - Cultivating a global mindset through curiosity

(33:37) - Ongoing learning in AI and data for future leadership

(34:37) - Closing thoughts on embracing disruption and innovation

Connect with Dr. Fumbi Chima on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fumbi-chima/

Connect with The Courage Effect:

• Host: Suzanne Weller / Weller Collaboration
• Website: https://wellercollaboration.com/thecourageeffect
• Social Media: https://linktr.ee/suzanneweller
• Substack: Sign up for Suzanne’s Reimagine Growth newsletter at https://suzanneweller.substack.com/about

Support the Show:

If this episode resonated with you:

• Leave a review on your podcast platform
• If this conversation resonated, share it. That's how this show grows — one courageous conversation at a time.

In this episode, Suzanne Weller engages in a profound conversation with Dr. Jeremy Nobel about the complexities of loneliness. They explore the different types of loneliness (psychological, societal, and existential) and emphasize the importance of acknowledging and addressing these feelings. Dr. Nobel shares insights from his book, 'Project Unlonely,' and discusses how the arts can serve as a powerful tool in combating loneliness. The conversation highlights the need for human connection, the courage to express feelings of loneliness, and the role of creativity in fostering relationships and emotional well-being.

About Dr. Jeremy Nobel: He’s a primary-care physician, public health practitioner, and award-winning poet with faculty appointments at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Medical School. He is the founder and president of The Foundation for Art & Healing, and author of the book Project Unlonely: Healing Our Crisis of Disconnection.

Takeaways:

• Loneliness is a universal experience that everyone faces.
• There are different types of loneliness: psychological, societal, and existential.
• Loneliness is not the same as being alone; it's a subjective feeling.
• Acknowledging loneliness requires courage and can foster connection.
• Loneliness can be a signal indicating a need for human connection.
• The pandemic has made conversations about loneliness more acceptable.
• Arts and creativity can help combat feelings of loneliness.
• Recognizing the signs of chronic loneliness is crucial for mental health.

Sound Bites:

"Loneliness is a universal experience that everyone faces."

"Vulnerability is essential for authentic connections."

"Arts and creativity can help combat feelings of loneliness."

Chapters:

00:00 Understanding Loneliness: A Human Experience

13:04 The Role of Arts in Combating Loneliness

Connect with Dr. Nobel:

• Website: https://jeremynobel.com/
• The Foundation for Art & Healing: https://www.artandhealing.org/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_-GxBhC1ARIsADGgDjscusqh0TIxqNq2gTDMnNRzKr9zyELmGhveSCPokdnWF0GmsOEomHoaAqFWEALw_wcB
• Read his book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/647051/project-unlonely-by-jeremy-nobel-md-mph/

Connect with The Courage Effect:

• Host: Suzanne Weller / Weller Collaboration
• Website: https://wellercollaboration.com/thecourageeffect
• Social Media: https://linktr.ee/suzanneweller
• Substack: Sign up for Suzanne’s Reimagine Growth newsletter at https://suzanneweller.substack.com/about

Support the Show:

If this episode resonated with you:

• Leave a review on your podcast platform
• Share this episode with someone who would benefit from Dr. Nobel’s story

Michael Hudson moved to rural Vietnam at 22 and stayed through the hard parts. Now CEO of the Hudson Institute of Coaching, he shares what he learned about courage, identity, and the disruptions that force us to grow.

Key Themes:

Naive Courage vs. Cultivated Courage Naive courage gets you on the plane. Cultivated courage keeps you there at the six-month mark when you want to quit. The real transformation happens when you choose to stay and figure it out.

The Flashcard Trap Michael made 200 Vietnamese flashcards but wasn't learning. He was protecting himself from embarrassment. Real integration required letting go of control. Where are you creating the illusion of progress to avoid actual risk?

Disruption Forces Honesty We think we know why we're succeeding when times are good. External disruptions reveal what actually matters. COVID forced Michael's organization from in-person to virtual. They didn't want to change — but learned things they're still using.

Identity as Obstacle Change requires letting go of parts of yourself that no longer serve you. There's loss in that. Pain in that. We don't sign up for it easily. But becoming something different means releasing who you used to be.

Takeaways:

• Break habituation deliberately. Take different routes. Create small disruptions before life forces big ones.
• Be honest about what's moving the needle vs. what's just noise
• Give yourself permission to make it up as you go
• Stay long enough to know what you're really choosing

About Michael: CEO of the Hudson Institute of Coaching, spent 10 years in Southeast Asia and East Africa, coaches startup founders and social entrepreneurs.

Connect with Michael:

• LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-hudson-8527728/
• Hudson Institute of Coaching website: https://hudsoninstitute.com/

Connect with The Courage Effect:

• Host: Suzanne Weller / Weller Collaboration
• Website: https://wellercollaboration.com/thecourageeffect
• Social Media: https://linktr.ee/suzanneweller
• Substack: Sign up for Suzanne’s Reimagine Growth newsletter at https://suzanneweller.substack.com/about

Support the Show:

If this episode resonated with you:

• Leave a review on your podcast platform
• Share this episode with someone who would benefit from Michael's story