Sheryl Palmer – Rising to the TOP -The Only Woman CEO Rated in the Top 20 Home Building Industry

September 5, 2018 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Home building is long known for being a very male-dominated industry, but my guest today, Sheryl Palmer is the only female CEO in the Top 20 home builders rated by Glassdoor.

Sheryl is the chairman and CEO of Taylor Morrison, a leading national home builder and developer based in Scottsdale, Arizona. With more than 30 years of building experience, she has led Taylor Morrison into the top ranks of America’s largest public home builders. Under Sheryl’s leadership, Taylor Morrison recently became the first home builder to appoint a majority female board of directors.

You can Subscribe and Listen to the Podcast on Apple Podcasts. And be sure to leave me a Rating and Review!

It is hard to be your best when you’re pretending or trying to be somebody different.” – Sheryl Palmer

Show Notes:

WHY it’s critical to hone your unique leadership style for business success
Her BEST Action Steps on how to succeed as a woman in a male-dominated industry
Sheryl's “shoe-off” style of leadership and why it works so well for her
Why the customer ‘experience’ is essential in business today
How to create the best customer experience – it’s about “aligning” everything
What Sheryl does with her one “selfish hour” each day and how it makes her more productive
The #1 thing that holds many women back
What she always relies on when it’s decision-making time
Her A-List
Her Superpower
The Choice She Makes Every Day and how it helps her in business

As a leader, it really is OK to be humble and vulnerable if that is who you are.” – Sheryl Palmer

Connect with Sheryl Palmer:

Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Taylor Morrison

I’ve never been the smartest person in the room, but I'm the most passionate, hardworking, and I have the ability to bring out good stuff in great team members.” – Sheryl Palmer

Smart Women Make Decisions

December 15, 2011 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

I was watching the holiday classic, “The Polar Express” with my children recently and in the movie, Tom Hanks, who plays the role of conductor, said to Billy as he exited the train, “It's not as important to know where the train is going as it is to make a decision to get on the train.” Very wise words indeed. Getting in the habit of making decisions will be one of the best decisions you can make in 2012!

When we are faced with having to choose, we struggle. It can be something as simple as what to have for dinner to a more complex decision of leaving your job to start your own business. The struggle is typically with what you are choosing to leave behind or the thing that you decide not to choose. You second guess (and sometimes third guess) whether what you are leaving behind could actually be the choice that would take you to a place of nirvana – a place where life would be perfect. This whole process keeps you stuck, trapped and unable to move forward.

Smart Women Think and Speak in Abundance

March 6, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

A few days ago, I was enjoying a lovely, delicious lunch with my Mom at a small, cozy and quaint restaurant here in Los Angeles. The tables in this restaurant are very close together and you can get “friendly” with people at the next table. As my Mom and I were sitting and enjoying our meal, the person at the next table exclaimed, “Gosh, look how empty the place is due to the economy.” Wow, where did that come from? You may be reading this right now and thinking, “Joy, get your head out of the sand, the economy is bad!” I'm fully aware of what's going on in this economy and the media makes sure of that. However, being negative or speaking in conversation that leads to what I call “the downward spiral” won't really help, will it? This got me thinking about how Smart Women think and speak in abundance.

When you wake up every day, you always have two choices. You can choose to think Happy Smart Woman in terms of possibility, gratitude and abundance or have a day filled with doom, gloom and negativity. That's the beauty of living in a free country, you have a choice. It's the choices we make that shape our lives. If you're having difficulty finding something to be positive about given where you might be at this moment or how the current economy has affected you, I invite you to think about three important areas:

1. Your Health – How's your health? Are you able to get out of bed every morning on your own, get dressed, feed yourself, exercise, take care of your family? If so, then say a word or two of gratitude. Whatever state the economy is in, if you have your health, then you have an abundant life and possibilities for your future.

2. Your Family and Friends – How are your relationships? This is a big topic in my Women's Success Circles. Are you surrounding yourself with family and friends who champion you? People who lift you up? People who make you laugh those great big belly laughs? Can you picture in your mind who those people are? I invite you to spend more time with these people. Limit your time with those who “drain your positive energy.” This act alone has such a dramatic effect on our mental and physical health.

Smart Women Get Uncomfortable

August 21, 2008 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

I’m 48 years old and I have never been on ice skates. That is, until yesterday. My 5½-year-old daughter, Jenna, has taken an interest in ice skating and I typically take her to the ice arena here in Park City where we are on vacation. I watch her skate while listening to the most incredible music they are playing on the sound system (CC Revival and the soundtrack from The Big Chill).

Every time we go, Jenna always asks me, “Mom, when are you going to ice skate with me?” And my answer has been, “Oh, maybe next time.” Yesterday, Jenna asked her usual question and as I prepared myself to give her the typical answer, she quickly spoke up and said, “Mom, please, please, skate today!”

I finally admitted to Jenna that I had never been on ice skates before. Jenna’s answer: “Mom, it’s easy—I’ll teach you!” And so there was nothing left to do but rent the skates and prepare myself for what I thought would be a dreadful outcome.

My heart was racing as I approached the ice on unsteady skates. Another woman could sense my apprehension. The absolute look of terror on my face was probably also a clue! She shared with me that there was another entrance to the ice rink that had “wider rails to hold onto.” And hold onto the rails, I did! Clutching every step of the way in the beginning!

When you are faced with something new in your life, you have two choices: Yes, to learning something new and getting out of your comfort zone; or No, I’m going to stay exactly where I am. Being uncomfortable or unsure of yourself and your abilities is no fun. It holds the possibility of making mistakes that others can see and being unsure of the outcome—two things that we want to avoid at all costs. Let me ask you a question: What is it costing you? What is your unwillingness to explore and discover something new costing you along the way? I can tell you that if I had not rented those skates and joined my daughter on the ice, the cost of not having the experience would have been high—possibly priceless.