Scaling With People Seeing People, Scaling Faster: The Sawubona Leadership Playbook with Susan Inouye
What if the fastest path to growth isn’t a new playbook, but a new way of seeing people? We sit down with bestselling author and executive coach Susan Inouye to unpack Sabona leadership—the Zulu-rooted philosophy of “I see you”—and how it transforms culture, performance, and profit. Susan shares how a gift-centered approach, forged in youth mentoring programs and refined across 600 companies, helps leaders move from command-and-control to connection-and-receiving, from brittle expectations to clear intentions, and from bottom-line myopia to a deep sense of belonging.
You’ll hear the unforgettable “Jack” story—a tech rep on the brink of being fired who became a force multiplier once his gifts were recognized and redirected into training and team enablement. We also dig into a bank team that grew its book of business by 60% in six months and hit 150% of goals by year’s end, all by shifting leadership presence, practicing gift-centered praise, and building systems that let strengths scale. Along the way, we break down five practical leadership shifts: connect and receive, see and accept, set intentions, lead with authenticity, and create belonging that aligns work with values and purpose.
If you lead founders, managers, or modern teams hungry for meaning, this conversation gives you precise tools: how to observe gifts beneath behavior, language for praise that sparks initiative, and rituals that make people feel valued and ready to contribute. Want more? Grab a chapter of Leadership’s Perfect Storm, learn about Youth Mentoring Connection, and connect with Susan for a free consultation.
Download a chapter of Leadership’s Perfect Storm, get the book (proceeds to Youth Mentoring Connection), or book a free 20-minute consultation at https://susaninouye.com/scalingpeople/.
If this resonated, share it with a builder who needs it, leave a quick review, and hit subscribe so you never miss the next play.
Follow Susan here:
Website: https://susaninouye.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susaninouye2
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7G6sjAyzq3UDnumH7L8Zcw
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-inouye-083384b/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/susan_inouye/
X: https://x.com/InouyeSusan