Leslie Gordon is Vice President and Chief Accessibility Officer at Cisco, where she leads the company’s enterprise-wide accessibility strategy. She is responsible for embedding accessibility across every aspect of the business, from product design and engineering to AI, digital experiences, procurement, and the employee experience. Her work helps ensure that accessibility is not simply a requirement, but a driver of innovation, business value, and inclusive experiences.
Here’s how she does it.
Responses have been condensed and lightly copyedited.
Leadership Lessons
Ask “What Story Are We Missing?”
One of the most important leadership lessons I’ve learned came from supporting my daughter. With straight A’s and glowing teacher feedback, her school recommended reducing her in-school educational support. While she appeared to be thriving, I knew the reality was different. Her grades reflected her understanding but masked the significant effort required to achieve them. That experience changed how I lead. Expertise matters, but no one person has the complete picture. The best leaders don’t just ask, “What do the results tell us?” They also ask, “What story are we missing?”
Hold Your First Impressions Loosely
Early in my career, I misjudged a team member who is now one of the most talented leaders I’ve had the privilege of working with. I mistakenly interpreted her constantly asking questions, seeking feedback, and looking for opportunities to learn as trying too hard to impress me. Over time, I realized I had completely misread her. What I saw as self-promotion was actually one of the purest examples of intellectual curiosity. When I find myself making assumptions about someone’s intentions, I pause and ask, “What else could be true?”
Career Advice
Deliver Results Through People
Leadership isn’t about choosing between people and results. The best leaders deliver results through people. Early in my career, I thought I had to prove myself by solving every problem. I eventually realized that my greatest contribution wasn’t solving every problem myself. It was creating an environment where other people could solve them by building trust, giving candid feedback, developing talent, and fostering a culture where people felt safe to challenge ideas and take smart risks. Trust isn’t separate from performance. It’s what makes exceptional performance possible.
Energy Booster
Make Movement an Investment
My biggest energy booster is movement. It’s not just about fitness. It’s an investment in my mental clarity and emotional grounding. Running gives me space to reflect and think clearly. Weightlifting reminds me that strength is built gradually, one rep, one workout, one day at a time, grounding me in the present. I no longer view exercise as a chore to fit into my schedule. Today, I value it as one of the most important investments I make in myself.
