Leadership isn’t just something we learn. It’s something we step into, often in moments we don’t get to rehearse.
Sharifa Austin is a Senior Director, People Development & Organizational Effectiveness at Universal Music Group. She approaches leadership as something to be designed, built for the moments that matter most. This approach has been shaped inside a global business where leadership is tested in real time. Her work reframes leadership through a performance lens: not as something to perfect, but something to prepare for with intention.
In this episode, Sharifa shares her intentional leadership design framework: Soundcheck, Spotlight, Setlist, Showtime. Leaders, she'll tell you, aren't just soloists. They're conductors, shaping how others come in, align, and deliver.
This episode was captured in front of a live audience, with audience Q&A included.
About Sharifa Austin:
Sharifa Austin is the Senior Director, People Development & Organizational Effectiveness at Universal Music Group. She is a leadership strategist known for designing innovative, business-aligned development experiences across some of the world’s most iconic music labels—including Interscope, Capitol, Def Jam, Republic, and Motown. At Universal Music Group, she has built and scaled a global leadership ecosystem that is reshaping how leaders grow, influence, and perform in high-pressure creative environments. Trusted by senior executives for her insight and strategic clarity, Sharifa blends cultural fluency with cutting-edge program design. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with Specialization in Marketing from California State University Los Angeles and is a recognized as a thought partner in redefining leadership and people strategy for the next era of work.
What is How to Make a Leader?
How to Make a Leader brings you the ideas and voices shaping the future of leadership. Host Hannah Beaver sits down with bold thinkers, builders, and changemakers across learning and leadership development to explore how great leaders are developed, through smart design, real-world experience, and the moments that matter. These are candid, curiosity-driven conversations crafted for L&D and leadership development professionals who want fresh insight, sharper thinking, and a smarter way to build leaders who thrive.
Brought to you by Big Think+.