Interview with Ellen Castro

Ellen Castro and I met on a plane! In the 12 years since then, she has gone from mentor to great friend. She's such an accomplished person. Listen to this: Ellen is an international speaker, coach and consultant, specializing in communication and leadership. Her tagline is so true; she says, "It’s all about TRUST!" She should know. She's the author of Spirited Leadership: 52 Ways to Build Trust on the Job. Her spiritual walk is inspiring. She puts God first, personally and professionally. Her no-cost e-newsletters are encouraging. Go here to subscribe.




LA: Ellen, you had a breakdown as a young professional and realized it was because your work life was not congruent with your beliefs. That led to a huge spiritual journey… and a whole new career… for you. Can you talk about that?

EC: At that point in time, I thought that money and getting my dad’s approval were everything. So I did WHATEVER it took to be the highest ranking female at an oil company in the late 70’s. When I did that and my manager said I was not going to get the next job... I imploded. I was off work for four months and when I came back, my career was over. Whew. Actually the real turn towards my spiritual path happened when I ended up at Harvard at age 36 by “accident.” It was then that I started my spiritual quest. The catalyst was a course that was titled, “The Dynamics of Religion and Psychology.” It has been quite a ride ever since! It is amazing if you pray for healing, that is what God will do to help you find the truth of who you really are and the path to His love.

LA: Your book is an effort to encourage corporate leaders to exhibit their values in the workplace. When you first wrote this book, this was a foreign concept! But it seems to be gaining more acceptance. What reaction have you had to the book?

EC: The book is an outcome of my experience at the oil company...from whom I still don’t buy gas... my studies at Harvard and my work as a leadership consultant and executive coach. And again, God has a sense of humor... you teach what you most have to learn.

So the book is all about trust... since trust is the essence of leadership. And to be trustworthy, you must trust yourself by living a life of credibility and compassion. I believe why things have changed is that people are weary and want to find meaning in their lives and work. People like my book because it is practical and cuts to the chase.

LA: Your corporate presentations and consulting are centered around getting leaders to do the right thing. Why is trust such a big issue?

EC: Trust is a MUST! With everything as chaotic as it is, people want to feel safe and connected in some way. And the leader offers that sense of safety and connection by giving trust and being the role model of trust. There are no neutral actions, and everything leaders do either builds someone’s self-esteem or destroys it. And either builds a sense of connection or isolation. The choice is theirs. And they reap less stress and more success when they are the light and love of God.

LA: Ellen, I love how you put God first in all that you do. What advice do you have for the rest of us on our faith journey?

EC: I put God first because I learned the hard way. He is my source! And my true parent! And when I connect to His love for me, His good for me, I feel worthy and loved. Then I can be the light for others... a source of safety and connection in an unsafe world for others because I feel safe and connected within.

LA: Is there anything else you would like to add?

EC: The truth is while it sounds simple, it is not easy. So my advice is be kind to yourself... there are no setbacks or reasons to punish yourself... it is just an “oops” to learn. So just be happy you got the “oops,” so you can choose again for God and good.

God bless you and yours! Stay connected in every moment! Joy, service and love are a choice... choose wisely!

LA: Thanks, Ellen! I know it was no accident that we sat together on a Southwest flight in 1995. God had a plan for us to help each other and learn from each other. You have so much to offer the corporate world--I hope any leader seeing this will consider bringing you into his or her organization.