Finding Harmony in Leadership: A Conversation With Cynthia Soledad (MBA ’02)

Cynthia Soledad (MBA ’02) knows a thing or two about finding harmony — on stage and in the boardroom. She serves as chair of the Alumni Association Board of Directors at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, drawing on a career that spans household names Procter & Gamble and Whirlpool.

Now at Egon Zehnder, a global leadership advisory and executive search firm, Soledad works with C-suite and board leaders on their most critical talent decisions. A core member of the firm’s consumer and chief marketing officer practices, she also guides organizations through cultural transformation.

But just as often, she finds inspiration in the rehearsal room. A lifelong singer and longtime board member of the Chicago Chorale, Soledad says her years in choirs have deeply shaped her perspective on leadership.

“Sometimes your job is to blend in and strengthen the whole. Sometimes it’s your moment to step forward for the solo,” she explains. “Knowing when to do each — and listening closely enough to make it work — is at the heart of leadership.”

Every Leader Is a Brand

Q: You helped refresh KitchenAid’s global brand at Whirlpool, and now you advise executives and boards through cultural transformations at Egon Zehnder. What lessons about brand translate to leadership?

A: Every leader is, in a way, a brand. Leaders have to ask: How do I want to show up? How can my behaviors be consistent with the values I want to convey? Internally, you’re branding yourself with your organization. Externally, you’re representing your company to the world. The key is consistency — aligning who you are personally with what you’re called to represent professionally. Leadership is storytelling, just like branding.

Running Toward Difference

Q: You’ve encouraged leaders to “run toward difference.” How has that shaped you?

A: The hardest place to practice it has been as a parent. There’s probably no stronger instinct than wanting to mold your children in your own image — but when they make different choices, you have to confront your own discomfort with difference. That’s been a real lesson for me. My kids have taught me so much about truly embracing difference.

Lessons From Music

Q: Sports often dominate the metaphors in business. You’ve often turned to music instead — especially your experience in choirs and classical ensembles. What leadership lessons do you see there?

A: In a choir, the expectation isn’t competition. It’s harmony. Most of the time you’re blending; occasionally you’re stepping forward. Learning when to do each — and valuing the contribution of every voice — is exactly what leaders need to do.

Orchestras offer a similar lesson. The conductor may not have played every instrument, but they need to understand enough to guide each section and earn credibility across the group. For me, that’s a powerful metaphor for organizations — leaders don’t have to do every role themselves, but they do need to know how to bring out the best in everyone.

Curiosity for the Future

Q: Darden turns 70 this year. What mindsets will the next generation of leaders need most?

A: Absolute curiosity. We live in a world that’s changing faster and more unpredictably than ever. Leaders need to ask questions, connect unexpected dots and distill insight from the noise. That’s what the case method trains you to do — sift through complexity and spot what really matters.

Persuasion at the Highest Level

Q: You’ve worked with both consumers in the aisle and CEOs in the boardroom. Which is harder to persuade?

A: Persuading CEOs. With shoppers, you’re reading data at scale. With executives, you’re sitting across the table from individuals — often on issues as personal and consequential as succession. It requires persuasion, psychology and partnership at the highest level.

Passing It On

Q: What do you hope your kids — and Darden students — learn from watching your leadership?

A: I hope they grow up to believe in inclusive leadership. That means engaging with difference, running toward it and letting it inform your own perspectives. That’s what I want them to see and carry forward.

Quick Takes With Cynthia

• Favorite Darden Professor(s): Dick Brownlee (Accounting) and Ed Freeman (Ethics)
• Most Memorable Case: Kodak — “a lesson in never resting on your laurels and always innovating”
• Go-To Coffee Order: Black
• Hidden Talent: Birthday cake baker for her family
• Dream Dinner Guest: Barack Obama
• Favorite Way to Recharge: Singing — sometimes even karaoke alone in her living room after a long week