Transforming Lives and Organizations Through Inclusive Leadership and Holistic Empowerment!

Leadership is not about commanding a crowd, it’s about empowering individuals to stand tall on their own. The most impactful leaders don’t build empires of dependence; they spark movements of independence. When a leader invests in developing others, they create a ripple effect of growth, confidence, and innovation.

This powerful belief is the compass that guides Glenville Forde, better known as “Glen,” through every role he embodies. Whether he’s sitting at the boardroom table as the Chief People Officer of a media company or rolling up his sleeves for community work through Elevate Our Youth (EOY), Glen’s mission remains constant: to elevate people, especially those who have long been overlooked.

With over 25 years of experience as a Global HR and People Executive, Glen has navigated the complexities of both multinational corporations and agile startups. But beyond the titles and accolades, his work is rooted in something deeper, a genuine commitment to helping individuals rise, both professionally and personally. As Founder & CEO of Elevate360 LLC, a versatile management consulting firm, Glen combines strategy with soul, blending DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) practices, leadership development, and life coaching to bring out the best in people and organizations alike.

What makes Glen’s journey remarkable is not just his resume, it’s his purpose. A seasoned strategist and DEIB influencer, he is deeply passionate about creating spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Through his nonprofit, EOY, he extends that vision to youth, offering mentorship, guidance, and holistic tools for real-life success.

Glen doesn’t just talk about change. He lives it. By elevating others, especially the underserved, he continues to prove that leadership is less about position, and more about impact.

Championing Holistic Growth and Diversity in Leadership

Glen is a person of many skills, while he is the Founder and CEO of Elevate360 LLC, a management consulting firm, and Elevate Our Youth (EOY), a non-profit organization.  He is also the Chief People Officer for Portrait Media Group, a media company whose mission, vision, and culture closely align with his core passions.

Glen’s diverse experience as a global HR and People Executive, Strategist, DEIB Influencer, and an Internationally Certified Master Life Coach Practitioner, has contributed to both large-scale enterprises and startup organizations. He is deeply committed to fostering a world where everyone is equally and authentically valued, and he is dedicated to uplifting underserved communities through holistic life guidance and practical application methods. 

Glen is completing his doctoral dissertation in 2026 on “Intersectionality in Management Development. Exploring how non-binary individuals describe perceived obstacles to management advancement in public relations.”  He serves as a member of the National Diversity Council, the D&I Leaders, the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and other distinguished organizations.  Additionally, he collaborates with the JJDP (Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention) to support local and state efforts aimed at preventing delinquency and enhancing juvenile justice systems.

Building Inclusive Cultures Beyond Tradition

Transforming long-standing traditional structures within organizations requires more than just policy updates, it demands a mindset shift. True change begins with fostering a growth mindset, where openness and collaboration are not just encouraged but ingrained in the company culture. This mindset allows space for the unconventional, pushing beyond outdated frameworks toward something more inclusive and human-centered.

At the heart of this transformation is human connection. Glenville, through his work at Elevate 360, emphasizes the power of intentional advocacy and intercultural awareness. He believes that companies must prioritize understanding the authentic stories, needs, and values of their people before initiating any structural changes. “People are the makeup of a business,” he often says, reinforcing the idea that sustainable transformation only happens when people are part of the process, not afterthoughts to it.

For Glenville, the most effective DEIB strategies aren’t about ticking boxes, they’re about creating space for real human understanding and letting that drive the evolution of company culture. As he often reminds others, quoting L. Bossidy, “At the end of the day, you bet on people, not on strategies.”

Glenville’s Approach to Leadership

When asked how he balances the often competing demands of business objectives and employee well-being, Glenville offers a perspective that’s both strategic and deeply human. As someone who wears the dual hats of strategist and life coach, he doesn’t see performance goals and personal wellness as opposing forces, instead, he works to integrate them.

He believes the foundation lies in understanding that motivated employees tend to be the most productive. Rather than placing business outcomes at odds with well-being, Glenville aims to blend the two intentionally. For example, when setting goals or targets, he encourages open and honest conversations with his teams. They discuss what they’re trying to achieve and how those objectives align with their current workloads. This, he explains, is how he applies the SMART goal-setting framework, with a human lens.

To Glenville, it’s crucial that team members don’t feel like just another cog in the machine. He strives to ensure each person is recognized as an individual with unique needs, motivations, and aspirations. He reinforces this through consistent check-ins and by maintaining flexibility in how work is approached. His philosophy is clear: it’s possible to chase ambitious goals while still cultivating a work environment where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to succeed.

How Executive Coaching Transformed a Leader, and Her Team

Glenville recalls a particularly impactful engagement with a senior-level executive who was talented but faced challenges in team empowerment due to a lack of transparency. Her leadership style, assertive and often abrasive, had created a communication barrier, making her seem unapproachable and contributing to underwhelming team performance.

Through coaching, Glenville guided her to lean into her strengths while also developing a more authentic leadership presence. Together, they worked on building trust by encouraging open dialogue and emotional intelligence. One pivotal breakthrough came when the executive hosted an “active listening” session. Instead of her usual directive approach, she chose to simply listen, taking in her team’s feedback without immediate rebuttals or justifications.

The very next day, she addressed the team again, this time speaking from a place of vulnerability and openness. It was a powerful moment that marked a clear turning point in her leadership journey.

Over the course of the following year, these feedback-driven conversations became a regular part of the team’s rhythm. Trust grew. The culture shifted. And with empathy at its core, the team began producing more innovative ideas, improving departmental efficiency, and ultimately contributing to broader organizational success.

Rethinking Leadership Through an Intersectional Lens

In reflecting on his doctoral research in leadership and management development, Glenville found himself both surprised and challenged by the depth of systemic biases that permeate organizational structures. Conducted through the lens of intersectionality, his study revealed how traditional leadership models often fail to account for the lived experiences of individuals from diverse and marginalized backgrounds, a realization that reshaped the way he viewed leadership entirely.

One of the most profound insights Glenville encountered was the extent to which these outdated frameworks hinder authentic inclusivity and equitable development. Drawing from foundational work by scholars such as Kimberlé Crenshaw and Patricia Hill Collins, he recognized that many organizations unknowingly operate within systems that exclude or marginalize voices that don’t fit the dominant leadership mold.

This understanding led him to take deliberate action. He began integrating intersectional thinking into his leadership practice, redesigning programs to be more inclusive, advocating for diversity-celebrating policies, and encouraging shifts in mindset that embrace rather than resist differences. His aim was not only to make space for underrepresented voices but to ensure those voices were heard, respected, and empowered.

Through these changes, Glenville witnessed a powerful shift. Teams became more cohesive, innovation increased, and individuals felt more confident and connected in their roles. The experience reaffirmed his belief that leadership isn’t about a single dominant voice guiding the rest, it’s about creating a space where everyone can contribute and thrive. For Glenville, leadership is no longer a static title; it’s a shared, evolving journey rooted in empathy, equity, and collective growth.

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Human-Centric Approach to M&As

When navigating the complexities of mergers and acquisitions, Glenville believes the most common hurdles aren’t just found in spreadsheets or legal documents, but in people’s hearts and minds. He has consistently observed that fear and uncertainty around job security and cultural shifts are the most pressing people-related pitfalls during these transitions.

To address these concerns head-on, Glenville leans into proactive, transparent communication. He champions regular town hall meetings where leadership provides real-time updates and encourages open dialogue, helping teams feel seen and heard. He also advocates for informal meet-and-greet sessions between employees from both organizations. These early touchpoints create space for connection, allowing individuals to move past unfamiliarity and begin building trust.

Beyond structure and communication, Glenville emphasizes recognition and morale. Celebrating individual contributions and team milestones plays a key role in creating a shared vision. For Glenville, it’s not just about merging companies, it’s about uniting people in a way that feels inclusive, respectful, and uplifting.

The Heart Behind Elevate 360 and Elevate Our Youth

Glenville’s decision to found Elevate 360 LLC and Elevate Our Youth stems from a profound personal journey rooted in love, resilience, and a powerful desire to create a more inclusive world.  At the core of his inspiration is his family, his amazing, beautiful, and talented wife and three bright, intelligent, and spirit-filled children, who continue to shape not only his values but also his mission.

From the early days of his professional life, Glenville understood the importance of belonging. But it was being a husband and father that transformed this belief into a calling. Supporting his family’s dreams was deeply important to him.  As a parent, he envisioned a future where his children could move through the world freely, accepted for who they are, regardless of their abilities and self-identity. That vision became more personal, more urgent, when his eldest son, Noah, one of his greatest teachers, challenged every boundary society tried to place on him.

Noah was an exceptional person who overcame many physical challenges during his life. Because of this, Noah and I coined the term “super abilities” to redefine the mindset of old-fashioned perspectives.

Despite the limitations predicted by doctors, Noah went on to achieve incredible things. His strength, spirit, and refusal to be defined by what others thought possible became the driving force behind Elevate 360. The organization was built as a platform to help individuals expand their mindsets and move beyond perceived limitations, just as his son had. To Glenville, his son, Noah, is more than an inspiration; he is the eternal brand ambassador of Elevate 360. His story lives on in the mission to uplift and empower others- reminding people to be unapologetic because they have something extraordinary within them, whether they walk, roll, or rise in their own unique way. For Glenville, true belonging means everyone has a place, exactly as they are.

Measuring the True Impact of DEIB Initiative

Glenville explains that evaluating the real impact of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives, particularly when working with underserved populations, requires a thoughtful combination of both quantitative data and qualitative stories. On the numbers side, Glenville emphasizes tracking metrics such as employee retention rates and program participation to detect meaningful changes over time. But beyond the statistics, the real depth comes from listening closely to personal experiences.

Through interviews and focus groups, Glenville uncovers how these initiatives truly transform lives and foster a genuine sense of belonging. Sometimes, a simple conversation reveals that an individual finally feels seen and valued at work, something that data alone might miss. By weaving together hard numbers with heartfelt stories, Glenville is able to create a richer, more authentic picture of impact that helps shape and improve future DEIB efforts.

Power of Empathic Leadership in Today’s Workplace

Glenville emphasizes that the most urgent message for HR and business leaders today is the critical importance of empathic leadership. In an era where many employees feel disconnected and psychologically unsafe, cultivating a workplace culture grounded in genuine human connection, well-being, and safety is no longer optional, it’s fundamental for driving engagement and innovation.

He highlights how leaders must prioritize understanding the diverse experiences and emotions of their teams, especially amid challenges like the blurred boundaries of remote work, where personal and professional lives often collide. Taking time to check in on an employee’s well-being is not just kindness; it can be transformative.

For organizations to thrive, Glenville insists they must not only attract and retain talent but also deeply motivate individuals with unique skills and backgrounds. Leaders who approach their teams with empathy foster environments where employees feel valued and inspired, creating a ripple effect of success throughout the organization.

Ultimately, Glenville calls for a shift in leadership mindset, from simply managing people to actively nurturing cultures that embrace individuals and unlock their full potential.

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Approach to Cultivating Growth in Resource-Constrained Organizations

Glenville emphasizes the importance of cultivating the right mindset when fostering continuous development and succession planning, especially in organizations where resources or buy-in may be limited. He acknowledges that stepping into such environments can feel daunting, but believes the key lies in first understanding the “why” before tackling the “how.”

He advocates for open communication and creating safe spaces where employees feel comfortable sharing their aspirations and ideas for growth. Glenville stresses nurturing a culture of collaboration through simple, creative initiatives like peer learning sessions, which can spark motivation without requiring significant financial investment.

Celebrating small wins and recognizing individual progress are core to building momentum, as acknowledging effort can profoundly inspire others. By involving employees in decisions about their own development paths, Glenville fosters a sense of empowerment and ownership. When it comes to succession planning, he challenges leaders to align opportunities with capable individuals who are ready and eager to take the next step.

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Managing Workforce Planning Amid Rapid Change

Glenville reflects on the complex challenges of aligning workforce planning and organizational design with the fast-evolving business environment. He describes the experience as navigating ever-shifting tides, where rapid technological advances and unexpected market shifts often feel like aiming at a moving target.

To manage these challenges, Glenville emphasizes the importance of agility, flexibility, and fostering continuous learning and development. He recalls the pivotal moment during the pandemic when his company had to quickly pivot to remote work. This shift demanded a reassessment of team structures and communication strategies. Glenville focused on promoting open dialogue within his team and leadership, encouraging honest feedback on what was effective and what needed adjustment.

By introducing flexible roles and investing in training for new digital tools, he was able to empower employees and cultivate a strong sense of belonging during uncertain times. Glenville believes that prioritizing collaboration and resilience has enabled the organizations he’s worked with not only to survive but to thrive amid change, demonstrating that with the right mindset, challenges can become powerful opportunities for growth.

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For Print and Design Purpose:

Featuring: Glenville Forde

Designation: Founder and CEO

Company: Elevate 360 LLC & Elevate Our Youth

URL: www.elevate360llc.com

Quotes:

“Glenville emphasizes the importance of agility, flexibility, and fostering continuous learning and development.”

“Celebrating small wins and recognizing individual progress are core to building momentum, as acknowledging effort can profoundly inspire others.”