http://www.sherylkline.com/blog

In the latest Fearless Female Leadership interview, I had the honor of speaking with Jen Kirkpatrick, VP Americas Networking Sales at Cisco, about creating a cohesive culture for larger organizations. At the core, it’s about finding your voice and leading with heart.

Jen’s leadership journey is rooted in early encouragement from her mother, who instilled a fearless “why not me?” mindset that’s stayed with her throughout her career. From being the only girl playing quarterback with the neighborhood boys to the only woman in executive tech rooms, Jen has built her career by stepping forward—even when she didn’t feel ready.
She shared how her mindset has evolved over time, from doubting her seat at the table to walking confidently into rooms and sitting squarely at the center. Jen emphasized the importance of speaking up, not apologizing for your voice, and realizing that leadership is a journey of continuous learning.
We also explored what it takes to build a cohesive culture in large organizations—something Jen has done masterfully at Cisco. She believes creating unity isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s essential to business performance. Her approach focuses on transparency, listening, shared agendas, and infusing joy and celebration into everyday work.
Key takeaways from the interview:

0:01:22 – Jen’s mother encouraged limitless thinking early on, telling her she could be anything—even president.

0:03:25 – Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In and Option B played a pivotal role in helping Jen find her voice and resilience in her early tech career.

0:05:00 – Growing up as the only girl among boys helped Jen feel comfortable being “the only” in male-dominated rooms.

0:08:32 – Jen remembers the moment she spoke up in a critical meeting—and realized the value of her voice and perspective.

0:09:43 – Over time, she stopped apologizing for being direct and began owning her seat and her power at the table.

0:12:39 – A cohesive culture starts with alignment toward a shared North Star—even if each person’s path there looks different.

0:13:41 – Culture transformation begins when everyone openly shares their agendas, history, and experiences—it breaks down walls and builds empathy.

0:15:00 – True cultural change requires both top-down support and bottom-up ownership—leaders and team members must meet in the middle.

0:20:00 – Culture isn’t just about execution—it’s about fun. Teams that enjoy working together are more productive and resilient.

0:21:05 – Celebrating wins, big or small, is vital to building a thriving, cohesive, and sustainable high-performance culture.

If you’re interested in being featured on the Fearless Female Leadership podcast, or you’re a leader looking to gain clarity on ‘what’s next’, how to build more cohesive and high-performing teams, and lead with greater confidence and influence, let’s have a confidential conversation.

Cheering you on always!
– Sheryl