In Episode 208 of The Executive Edge I welcome special guest Susan Inouye from Los Angeles.

Susan, a pioneer in cultural transformation, is an executive coach. Through a Gift-Centered Approach to transformational change, integrating mind and body practices, Susan has created “dramatic turnarounds, cultural transformations, increased profitability, and helped executives live a more balanced and fulfilled life”.

As we discover on the show, Susan brought Sawubona Leadership to the corporate world, guiding hundreds of clients’ teams through dramatic turnarounds and cultural transformations to achieve increased productivity and profitability while transforming their lives.

Susan’s Sawubona Leadership approach, — born out of the ghettos of South Central LA and proven across 600+ companies — is geared to helping leaders connect deeply with younger generations and unlock sustainable results.

Who is this show for?

This episode will really strike a chord with senior executives and leaders who want to better understand, connect with, and harness the unique gifts of their millennial team members.

Key takeaways from the show:

• The Gift-Centered Approach: How recognizing innate gifts (not just skills) can transform workplace culture and profitability.
• The Five LeaderShifts: From control to connection, conformity to acceptance, and more — these are the mindset changes leaders must embrace to thrive with millennial and Gen Z talent.
• Why Millennials Walk: Bold, honest, and ready to challenge traditional hierarchies — find out why many millennials don’t stick around in companies that refuse to evolve.
• Belonging Over Bottom Line: Millennials crave purpose, meaning, and community — not just KPIs and paychecks.
• Sawubona Explained: Rooted in the Zulu phrase “I see you,” this powerful leadership philosophy emphasizes authenticity, recognition, and human connection.

The Three Core Needs of Millennials:

By 2025, millennials will make up 75% of the global workforce. Organizations that fail to adapt their leadership approaches risk losing talented young professionals who seek workplaces where they feel seen, heard, and able to contribute meaningfully.

Millennials need, according to Susan,

• To feel heard – answered through connection and receptiveness
• To use their gifts – answered by seeing and acknowledging their unique abilities
• To have meaning and purpose – answered by creating a culture of belonging

It is up to businesses to meet the challenges posed by millennials.

Featured Book:

Susan introduces her book on the show: Leadership’s Perfect Storm – What Millennials Are Teaching Us About Leadership. (All proceeds go to the Youth Mentoring Connection nonprofit.)

This book offers insights into the values that are driving the actions of millennials and introduces the idea of Sawubona Leadership —a leadership that engages in genuine connection. Susan introduces ways to work with clients and staff that put greater emphasis on the values of openness, compassion, and honesty.

🎁 Download a FREE chapter & explore coaching offers:
👉 www.susaninouye.com/edge