Found yourself in a career dilemma as a DEI practitioner or someone in adjacent disciplines, like multicultural (MC) marketing or comms because of the shift in the political landscape? You aren’t alone… watch the video for two things you can do right now to begin to move forward and stop feeling stuck about it. Federal workers, you may find that you need to pivot as well. Take a…
🎙 Guest: A’Lelia Bundles, Award-Winning Author & Journalist 📖 Joy Goddess: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance ✨ What if you were so extraordinary—so magnetic, so dazzling—that Langston Hughes himself called you “Joy Goddess”? ✨ A’Lelia Walker wasn’t just the daughter of Madam C.J. Walker. She was the heartbeat of the Harlem Renaissance—a woman who turned salons into sanctuaries for Black brilliance, who made a space where art,…
As a follow up to the article I wrote about the career dilemma that many DEI practitioners and adjacent disciplines are feeling because of the shift in the political landscape… I’m calling it–this is The Quiet Crisis of 2025. Since I shared the post and the survey that was within, I’ve had conversations with several of these leaders. Some of them are very afraid although they’ve been told…
Not to be ominous, but the writing is on the wall. Maybe you’ve seen it in the sudden restructures, the quiet budget cuts, the shifting priorities that once placed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leadership at the center of the corporate agenda—but now leave it on the outskirts, uncertain, fragile. Maybe you’ve felt it in the whispers of your colleagues, the ones who once stood beside you in the…
A recent case study reported a staggering 4X+ annualized ROI for leadership training. That’s $4.15 for every dollar spent! But the benefits go far beyond the dollars. It also enhances workplace culture with ✅ increased collaboration: Leadership training fosters better communication skills, helping teams break silos and work more cohesively. ✅ empowered employees: When leaders model empowerment and inclusivity, it cascades through the organization, creating a culture where…
I still very much partition my writing as an author and journalism/opinion pieces from my PR and marketing writing. On the whole, these days, I hire others to do the latter, or we begin with an AI draft and add tone and style to the copy, mainly for efficiency. PR and social media marketing copy, even what we write here on LinkedIn is fleeting after all, disposable almost.…
These are turbulent times for leaders. The job market and our cultural context are in seemingly constant flux. It’s more important than ever to build and maintain confidence. According to research from the Center for Creative Leadership, women who participate in leadership development experiences that are grounded in tenets of positive psychology and neuroscience experience a significant boost in confidence and overall leadership effectiveness. 💼 Calling all women…
In the fast-paced world of business, the quest for continuous professional growth and development has become more crucial than ever. As professionals strive to navigate the complexities of leadership and management, the practice of executive coaching has emerged as a powerful tool for achieving personal and organizational excellence. Executive coaching is a specialized form of professional guidance aimed at enhancing the leadership and management capabilities of executives…
Visualize this with me: It’s Dec 31, 2024. Before you celebrate the New Year, you realize that your life looks better than it did, same time last year (today). You actually exceeded those goals you set for yourself in life and at work, and you can see the fruits of your labor before you lift your glass at the celebration or thank God at watch night service. What…
News Release EDITOR’S NOTE: Smith and Gardere will host a private, online kick-off event tonight called “Happy Anyway” at 6:30 p.m. CT/ 7:30 pm ET. DALLAS, TX, August 30, 2023 – Acclaimed author and leading certified executive and personal coach, L. Michelle Smith, have joined forces with renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Jeff Gardere, also known as “America’s Psychologist,” to launch a transformative initiative called “Coaching + Counseling”. These…