Michele (Chief People Officer), Rich (Chief Operating Office), and Lana (Customer Success Manager) packed their bags and headed to Chicago for the PDI Summer Conference, ready to represent Lawline and connect with leaders across the professional development space. While Michele took the stage as a featured speaker, Rich and Lana held it down at the Lawline booth, sharing our mission and building new connections.
Michele co-presented “Harnessing the Power of Personal Values to Propel Leadership” alongside Melissa Berry and Kendra Brodin. Together, they led a packed room of 60 to 70 attendees through a powerful, interactive session focused on:
We asked Michele about her experience, and here’s what she shared:
What inspired you to focus on personal values as a foundation for leadership in this session?
When I first did the Personal Values exercise with my mentor and HR guru, Lynn Stevens, as part of an executive leadership training, I was blown away. I initially chose leadership and mentorship as my core values, after all, I was already coaching and supporting others. But when I shared that my goals were to create leadership programs and speak at legal conferences, I had to confront a hard truth: I wasn’t taking action. I was stuck, focused on how hard it would be, how I might fail, and wondering if I had enough experience. That’s when I shifted my core value to courage. I realized it was the missing piece—the fuel I needed to move forward and stop playing small.
Since then, I’ve co-presented at five legal conferences, launched three internal leadership development programs, created my first external Leadership Empowerment Program for PD and HR professionals, and started compiling an anthology of my personal stories and lessons. This journey showed me just how powerful values alignment can be—and I knew this session could help legal PD professionals not only grow personally but also bring meaningful tools back to their teams and attorneys.
Was there a moment during the session that stood out to you or felt especially impactful?
The most impactful moments were when three participants volunteered to share with the entire group, not just at their tables, what it feels like to be aligned or misaligned with their values, along with deeply meaningful examples. It was powerful. My 17-year-old son Eli summed it up perfectly after watching a recording of the session. He texted me: “I was surprised by how personal people got with their answers, and I feel like it was really skillful how you were able to help them feel comfortable saying stuff in front of a ton of people.” That message meant a lot. It affirmed that I had created a space where people felt safe, seen, and supported—where they could be brave, vulnerable, and real. Another standout moment was when I gave an example of how a PD professional who values growth might ensure attorneys get “cutting-edge CLE”—and then added, “maybe from Lawline.” The room burst into laughter. I had debated whether to include that line and had actually cut it from my notes, but added it back in at the last minute. It was a reminder that being authentic and bringing in a bit of humor is part of what makes me, me—and it worked.
What did you personally take away from leading this session?
My biggest takeaway from leading this session was the power of combining meaningful examples with intentional moments for reflection and sharing. These elements don’t just help communicate ideas—they make them resonate, deepen engagement, and foster an environment where real learning can take root. What tends to stay with people isn’t just the content—it’s the conversations they have during the session, whether they’re affirming the ideas with others, sharing their own experiences, or listening to someone else open up. It reinforces what I already believe: humans are wired for stories, as they help concepts land, build trust, and create connections. Vulnerability and storytelling aren’t just powerful, they’re essential to meaningful growth. Finally, I was reminded of how special the PDC community is. The level of intellectual curiosity, participation, and willingness to engage was incredible. PDC professionals live and breathe development, and it’s always a joy to be in a room full of people who contribute so thoughtfully to every part of the experience.