Carol Vallone Mitchell, Ph.D.
Author & Leadership Development Advisor
Carol is the author of three books on leadership grounded in her original research: Breaking Through "Bitch:" How Women Can Shatter Stereotypes and Lead Fearlessly (2015); Collaboration Code: How Men Lead Culture Change and Nurture Tomorrow's Leaders (2021); and Collaborative Edge: How Leaders Catalyze Change, Turnarounds, and Transformation (2026).
Cofounder of Talent Strategy Partners in 2001, she works with executive teams to identify and develop their future leaders who will build and nurture the right workplace culture and drive results. Please visit our website http://www.tsphr.com/.
She is an accomplished researcher in gender differences in leadership and has developed over 50 competency models used to assess and develop men and women in all industries. Notably, she developed the Women’s Leadership BlueprintTM, described in Breaking Through “Bitch” and the Men’s New Leadership BlueprintTM, defined in Collaboration Code.
Carol received her doctorate in organizational psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a frequent speaker, podcast and radio show guest, and writer on leadership and culture.
Carol is based in the Philadelphia area.
Collaborative Edge
The Leadership Advantage Hidden in Plain Sight
Carol’s new book reveals that the toughest turnarounds have been powered by collaborative leadership.
Leaders who are perceptive, inclusive, and participative – who read a room before they try to lead it, widen the circle of voices shaping a decision, and share power instead of hoarding it – transformed their cultures.
Through stories of leaders navigating real-world challenges, including those from Microsoft, General Motors, and Walgreens Boots Alliance, Carol brings the Collaborative Edge leadership model to life.
Collaborative Edge is the culmination of a 25-year study of executives that started with understanding what makes women successful leaders, then researching men who lead collaboratively. It was collaborative leaders – both women and men – who were the brilliant drivers of change.
This is an insightful read and practical guide with the book’s self-assessment, structured exercises, individual and team development tools.
Praise For Collaboration Edge
“What if the expectations placed on women—strength without swagger, confidence without ego, authority without dominance—are what modern leadership requires of all of us? Collaborative Edge draws on Carol Mitchell’s twenty-five years of research on leaders who actually catalyze change: the ones who rely on empathy, shared power, and strength to inspire and get things done. These are the people—men and women alike—who make a difference for their companies, and maybe more importantly for the people they lead.”
Annie McKee, adjunct professor, director Penn CLO Executive Doctoral Program University of Pennsylvania; New York Times best-selling author of Resonant Leadership, Primal Leadership, and How to Be Happy at Work
“Carol Mitchell makes a compelling, research-based case for collaborative leadership as a business imperative. Throughout my career as a marketing practitioner and scholar, I found that the best results came from strong partnerships across the organization, especially between Marketing and HR, enhancing both internal and external customer value. In Collaborative Edge, Carol examines how leaders broaden their impact by energizing others, distributing power, and forming an internal network of connections.”
Dennis A. Paris, associate professor of marketing, Fox School of Business, Temple University
“A great read for surgeons and others who lead every day, in the OR and in the hospital overall. Leading in the most complex environments, no one person, no matter how expert, can possibly have all the answers. Carol Mitchell’s book shows how leaders bring together diverse perspectives and create conditions where people will contribute their ideas.”
Diana Farmer, M.D., Department Chair, Pediatric and Fetal Surgeon California
"What if one of the leadership qualities we have historically dismissed as “soft” is actually one of the most powerful drivers of organizational success? In Collaborative Edge, Carol Mitchell makes a compelling case that collaboration isn’t a nice-to-have leadership skill. Rather, it may be the centerpiece of great leadership. Collaborative Edge offers a powerful reframing of what effective leadership looks like, along with an actionable framework for any leader who wants to develop this often-overlooked advantage. It will challenge leaders to rethink not only how they lead, but also which leadership qualities we have been undervaluing all along."
Katina Sawyer, Ph.D., associate professor of management and organizations, University of Arizona; author of Leading for Wellness
“Most leaders don’t need to be convinced that collaboration matters. They need to know how to make it happen. Collaborative Edge takes you from “why” to “how,” with practical ideas you can put to work immediately for yourself, your team, and across your organization.”
J. Glade Holman, partner, Park Li Group
“One of the critical competencies leaders need today is the ability to convene and facilitate robust conversations that bring diverse perspectives and voices to the table. Yet many leaders never master the principles of truly collaborative leadership. Carol Mitchell offers a powerful, practical framework for developing a collaborative edge—the ability to elicit and value diverse viewpoints, vet ideas, and share decision-making power. Leaders who develop this edge build trust, engagement, and lasting alignment around shared business values and goals. A must-read for leaders who want greater influence and impact.”
Rick Koonce, PCC, executive coach & leadership development consultant managing principal, The Huntington Northstar Group, LLC; co-author of Growing Leaders
Collaboration Code & Breaking Through "Bitch"
Men and women both face leadership challenges.
Carol's first book, Breaking Through "Bitch," defines a set of behavioral skills that successful women leaders have in common. Her research and that of others shows that women who lead successfully demonstrate characteristics such as empathy, nurturing, and inclusion — collaborative traits we expect women to exhibit. Women "round off the sharp edges" of male-associated characteristics into their brand of leadership.
Carol’s second book, Collaboration Code, describes how men lead collaboratively. We expect men to be independent achievers, dominant, and ambitious, which was aligned with the old leadership playbook. But in today's business world, we require collaborative leaders, which carries a new set of expectations. And just as successful women have developed a blend of male and female associated characteristics that balance gender and leadership expectations, men need to develop a unique blend of those attributes for their own balancing act.
These books provide men and women leaders with behavioral blueprints for getting the right balance to lead effectively and authentically.
"Leaders instill in their people a hope for success and a belief in themselves. Positive leaders empower people to accomplish their goals."
– Unknown
