Movers and Shakers: Liz Cornish, Author, Leadership Expert, Executive Coach and International Adventurer

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“I’m very committed to making corporations be successful with the integration and promotion of women in leadership,” said Liz Cornish, an author, leadership expert, and the first women in the world to kayak the Zambezi River in Africa.

Describing her kayaking adventure, she said, “I talked my way across the border, navigated around crocodiles and hippos, and put myself into the complete unknown, traveling alone. If you just throw yourself in – it beats staying under the covers or on the pavement. And this goes beyond travel.”

“Risk is what you perceive it to be,” she said. “I think women hold themselves back because of unproductive fears I work with senior leaders to help them to understand the risk and move fear from a career limiter to a productive tool.”

Learning how to manage physical risk, Cornish has now soled above the Arctic Circle, led executives up Kilimanjaro, run the 100th Boston Marathon, and completed the Escape from the Rock Triathlon in San Francisco (which begins with a swim from Alcatraz Island) – just to name a few of the tough physical and emotional challenges she’s triumphed over.

From Canoe Instructor to Senior Executive Coach

How did Cornish, MBA, begin her very adventurous career? “In college, I took a weekend canoe course and loved it,” she said. After college, she started working at Outward Bound, a not for profit organization “that serves people of all ages and backgrounds through active learning expeditions that inspire character development, self-discovery and service both in and out of the classroom.”

She taught the earliest corporate programs. She said, “I have rafted with the publisher of the New York Times, rappelled with the former the Chairman of the Board of the American Stock Exchange, and hiked with top people from Goldman Sachs.”

Cornish then took a hiatus and spent 2 years in Kenya, working for a health and economic development program. “In Africa, the vaccination rate is less than 50 percent. In our area, we got it over 90 percent,” she said. And the program included a sustainability component. “Our job was to work our way out of a job, to eventually turn it over to local management,” Cornish explained. “I was proud to see that the two people I had tapped to lead eventually took over the project.”

She continued, “What I realized in Kenya, seeing people in enormous, horrible circumstances, is that the best way for me to make a difference is to help US corporations be more successful, so that they have the funds to contribute to development and aid.”

Cornish has now built a consulting business which includes coaching women as they transition into new senior roles, become recognized as a distinguished and inspirational speaker, as well as become a published author.

“There are so many things I’m proud of,” Cornish explained. “But I think what the most important thing I’m proud of is my approach. You know the term opportunity knocks? I don’t feel that way. You have to bang on opportunity’s door – sometimes ten doors! I’m proud that I’ve been proactive throughout my career.”

Whether that means her work in the outdoors, starting her own business, or her work in Africa, Cornish says, the proactive approach has served her well – and that includes having her book, Hit the Ground Running: A Woman’s Guide to Success for the First 100 Days on the Job, accepted by a major publisher.

The inspiration for the book came from consulting work she was doing with leadership transitions. She explained, “In interviews, men were really focused on an agenda, on how to do. Women were focused on how to be.” The book came out of the need Cornish saw to help women know how to “be” the new role.

Cornish’s most recent adventure took to the Galapagos Islands. “Just recently I was scuba diving in the Galapagos. I jumped into a school of fifteen sharks, eagle rays, sea lions, giant turtles. Later I watched a blue footed booby plunge into the water and catch a fish right before my eyes. I loved being able to watch the drama of wild life.”

Looking ahead, Cornish says, she hopes to be working in international disaster response. “Once I’m able to retire, I’ll have a lot more freedom” to pursue other philanthropic projects, she explained. “I’m very inspired by Lynne Twist [founder of The Soul of Money Institute]. She raised hundreds of millions of dollars to tackle international hunger. I’m inspired by the amount of good she has done, as well as the grace and graciousness with which she carries herself.”

Advice for Women Leaders

“I think a lot of barriers are self imposed for women. There tends to be an inner critic, whether negotiating, taking chances, stepping up. Women need to banish that inner critic,” said Cornish.

Regarding work/life balance, she explained, “There’s a move from the work/life balance metaphor is what I’m seeing at the director level. The way I look at it is that we all have plates to spin, and what we have to do is keep the plates spinning. Whenever one wobbles, that’s the one you have to pay attention to.”

She continued, “Women do need to be able to recharge their batteries.” To recharge, she finds time to exercise, spend time with her kids, and read. “I love reading really great novels,” she said, recently having finished Cutting for Stone.

For women starting their careers, she said, “I have a phrase – if it doesn’t fit, git,” she joked. “But if it doesn’t fit, get out of there or fix it. But if it does fit, go for it!”

For women considering starting their own business, she says, “I had to ask myself, ‘how long could I go without making a certain amount of money. And then it was just get out there and hustle!” She continued, “If I were internal, I would line everything up ahead of time. And try to consult back to my own company first.” The best part of being her own boss is self determination. “I have authority issues!” she joked.

For women who are established in their careers, she advised, “For this economy, I would say if you can’t move up, move over. Be willing to take a lateral move – there’s that pragmatic piece.”

She continued, “My other piece of advice is, if in doubt, do. Always make the brave choice.”