Hi, I’m Carolyn Lawrence.
Carolyn Lawrence is an Impact Strategist who works with leadership teams to identify and eliminate the invisible barriers that prevent strategy from delivering results.
Her career spans sectors and contexts — from early executive exposure in financial services, to leading and scaling a purpose-driven business, to senior consulting and global people leadership at Deloitte. Across each chapter, her work has focused on the same core challenge: helping organizations translate intention into execution by strengthening the people and systems for impact.
At Deloitte, Carolyn built the firm’s national inclusion consulting practice in Canada and later served as its first Global DEI Leader, operating across geographies and business units. In parallel, she led work spanning talent advisory, leadership development, and large-scale change initiatives — navigating complexity at scale and partnering closely with senior executives responsible for results.
Earlier in her career, Carolyn led and successfully exited a purpose-driven enterprise, giving her firsthand experience of what it takes to operate, grow, and make trade-offs in real time. That operator lens continues to inform her work today — grounding strategy in execution realities rather than theory.
Carolyn is known for her calm, and studied approach, her ability to speak truth to power with credibility and care, and her focus on outcomes that work. She has been recognized as an award-winning leader and is a sought-after advisor, facilitator, and speaker for organizations navigating growth, complexity, or transition.
My Approach
Most leaders sense where things aren’t working, but not why. I work from the outside-in, bringing an integrated view across strategy, leadership, culture, and systems. I identify the barriers and blind spots limiting performance, define a Clear Path forward, and work alongside leaders and teams to bring it to life — without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Ecosystem Partners
Trusted experts and companies that I engage when depth or scale is required, particularly in leadership assessment, large scale training, governance, and social impact. They are brought in selectively and aligned and integrated seamlessly, so leaders have access to the right expertise without unnecessary complexity.
Tools & Diagnostics
A range of diagnostic and assessment tools are used, that I have developed and tested over my career. These are used to surface patterns, gaps, and opportunities and include: leadership and team impact assessments, culture diagnostics, inclusion surveys.
Experience
Informed by my global operating experience across sectors and scale, I leverage human-centered design, systems thinking, and inclusive, performance-enabling leadership practices. Frameworks are applied pragmatically, adapted to context, and used to support real decisions and execution — not as off-the-shelf models.
Ecosystem Partners:
✳︎
Inclusive Leadership Compass
✳︎
Paradigm
✳︎
Confirm
✳︎
Canadian Purpose Economy Project
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Ecosystem Partners: ✳︎ Inclusive Leadership Compass ✳︎ Paradigm ✳︎ Confirm ✳︎ Canadian Purpose Economy Project ✳︎
Case Examples
Global Systems & Strategy
Global Professional Services Firm
150+ countries | Senior leadership
Designed and operationalized a global strategy to align leadership, culture, and systems at scale. Built the governance, accountability, and operating model required to translate values into execution across geographies and business units.
Why it matters: At scale, performance depends on integrated systems — not standalone initiatives.
Leadership Capability at Scale
Global Strategy Consulting Firm
Partner-level leadership
Supported the global rollout of inclusive leadership capability using a 360° assessment and targeted executive coaching. Focused on practical behavior shifts that strengthened judgment, trust, and team performance across regions.
Why it matters: Inclusive leadership is not a value add — it is a multiplier of leadership effectiveness.
Strategy for Growth-Stage Organizations
Venture Builder
Early-stage, impact-driven
Led a rapid diagnostic and strategy lab to align leadership, talent, and systems with the organization’s growth and impact ambitions. Delivered a right-sized roadmap designed to scale as the business scaled.
Why it matters: Early systems shape long-term performance. Getting them right early prevents costly fixes later.
What Clients Are Saying
“Carolyn brings a rare combination of deep expertise and executive presence. She navigates complexity with confidence, challenges leaders thoughtfully, and earns trust at the most senior levels.”
— Senior Partner, Global Professional Services Firm
“Carolyn consistently pushes beyond the obvious. Her systems-level thinking and ability to connect human and structural change are truly distinctive.”
— Founder & CEO, Financial Services
“Working with Carolyn feels like a dividend-yielding asset. She doesn’t just deliver in the moment, she leaves leaders and teams stronger over time.”
— Senior Leader, Financial Services
“Carolyn creates the conditions for meaningful dialogue that wouldn’t otherwise happen. She listens deeply and applies exactly the expertise required.”
— CEO, Commercial Real Estate
Beyond Client Work
In addition to client engagements, I spend time advising, building, collaborating, investing, and contributing within ecosystems aligned to equity and sustainable long-term value creation for all.
I share select reflections from this work on LinkedIn.
Community Engagement
Venture + Angel Investment
Boards + Non-Profit Governance