Blog

The Many Challenges Faced by Women in Leadership There are many challenges faced by women in leadership. Despite its strides toward diversity and inclusion, Corporate America remains a challenging labyrinth to navigate for women. Women in general. Women of color in particular. And women who aspire to leadership roles, the C-suite, and the boardroom.  There’s no doubt that we have made significant progress over the past few decades. But gender disparities are stubborn, impacting both earnings and opportunities for the women who show up every day and give 100%.  This is especially true of ...

Carrying On Even while Black History Month celebrates how far we have come, it also serves as a reminder that the work is not done. Progress is not promised, and the legacy is only carried forward if we step up to do our part and carry it forward. We cannot forget the before-times and the stories of triumph if the legacy of progress is to endure. It is easy to get lulled into a sense of security - to believe things that have been a certain way for as long as we can remember ...

Unity Is Power We are more powerful when we stand together.  That is a fact. For every singular event and shining achievement, you can bet it took more than one individual to pull it off. Partnerships and collaboration have contributed to every transformative moment in history. It takes a team to leap beyond our singular abilities and requires a collective effort to start a transformative movement.  March on Washington  Since it just so happens to be Black History Month, let’s talk about one of the most crucial collective efforts in our history: the 1963 ...

The Flame of Resilience During Black History Month, we naturally reflect on the remarkable achievements of black individuals throughout history – those who inspire us and those who paved the way for us. Yet we have our own stories, history, and our own legends to celebrate – right there in the branches of our family tree.  It’s important to acknowledge and celebrate the stories within your family, the hardships and the triumphs that enabled you to be here – exactly where you are – today. Our heritage is a part of us. It’s written ...

What It Means to Make Black History It's Black History Month! History is like a quilt, and each of us has our square in it – our own place, our own colors and patterns. Together, they make a beautiful, vibrant, and diverse piece of ever-evolving artwork. Black History Month is the perfect time to unfold the metaphorical quilt, appreciate it, and note our unique place in it.  At this time of year, I always reflect on my place in history and my journey from humble beginnings to an abundant life I am so blessed ...

The Skills You Need to Level Up to Leadership Balancing it all in life. As we move higher in an organization and take on bigger leadership roles we have to let go of being the “doer”, learn to delegate. Build other skills: influence, collaboration, strategic planning, thought leadership, etc. It’s a tale as old as time. A high-performer like yourself, someone who’s really great at whatever it is you do, gets noticed. A leadership role opens up and, because you’re so good at doing your thing, you get promoted. Hurray! You have a fancy ...

Leading With Vision The greatest leaders have a diverse set of skills. They can manage people and projects, strategize, delegate, and inspire. Fundamental to all of this – to being a leader that people want to perform their best for – is having a vision and being able to communicate it effectively. What Is Your Vision? It’s a simple question: What is your vision? If you can’t answer that, we have some work to do! We can’t communicate our vision to others if we don't know what it is. The reason that a vision ...

Becoming a Leader: 6 Strategies to Build Self-Trust Is leveling up your leadership skills on the agenda this year? If so, let’s talk about building a strong foundation from which to grow. Great leaders foster high-performing teams, leading to successful businesses with inclusive company culture. For all that to happen, there’s one very necessary ingredient: TRUST.  I’m not talking about whether or not your boss trusts you. Nor am I’m not talking about whether or not your direct reports trust you. I’m talking today about whether or not you trust yourself. After all, we ...

It's a New Year! Will There Be a New You? One of my favorite things about January 1st is that it feels like a page has turned, and not just on the calendar. After wrapping up 2023, reflecting on successes and – yes – failures, we get to decide what comes next.  Who do you want to be in 2024? One of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard was this: You get to make a choice. And if you don’t like the outcome, guess what? You get to make a different choice. I ...

7 Gifts to Give Yourself (And Your Career) If you’re anything like me, you’re knee-deep in holiday shopping right now. Christmas lists galore, packages from online retailers arriving daily, and tucking things away in secret hiding places so the intended recipient will be genuinely surprised. But what about YOU? You’ve worked hard all year. I know because I speak with so many of you. And I see how much you put into earning a living, providing for your family, and bettering yourself. So this holiday season, I give you permission to splurge - just ...