Professional speaker and business coach L. Michelle Smith says Black women in corporate America are taught to blend in. “If I stand out, if I shine, I get backlash,” Smith says. “I heard from women who lost their positions because the shine got too bright.” That’s why Smith says she wrote her latest book, “No, Thanks: 7 Ways to Say I’ll Include Myself,” which Smith describes as a “hardcore leadership…
You need a sponsor on your personal board of directors, they tell you. So you get one. In fact, they chose you. But they didn’t deliver or never do. Just very exciting talk, you’ve noticed. At the end of the day, you need to put more trust in yourself and your abilities and be pleasantly surprised when a true sponsor shows up and shows out for you. But…
(photo courtesy: Debra Hunter Johnson) The pandemic has spiked in many states. The CDC is issuing warnings about holiday gatherings. That’s all fine, it then it hits you: you have to break it to your family that you won’t be coming. Afraid to face off with your mother or that demanding uncle? Today, I recorded an interview on NBC DFW on how to break that news to family.…
In a piece from Harvard Business Review, Zuhairah Washington and Lauren Morgan say that “women of color don’t need to be told to “lean in.” Research shows that the vast majority of them have confidence and ambition, determination and desire.” Stated in the article’s title, women of color simply “get less support at work.” This concept is not lost on executive coach, author and speaker L. Michelle Smith.…
Sis, what are you telling yourself that allows the bad acting to continue to hurt you in your workplace? 🛑 I’m afraid if I say something about it, it will just reflect negatively on me 🛑 I’m a subordinate. I have to take it. 🛑 I don’t know how in the world to look for a better position 🛑 I just love this company so much 🛑 The…
Are you sleeping on the technology that can support your goals to become the rockstar leader that you know you can be? Are you having others leverage it on your behalf? It’s time you took control. This new fractured, digital and cultural economy demands it. Today, I’m talking about wielding those weapons of mass innovation, Sis. You know, the ones that you’ve been avoiding that now have become…
I had the pleasure of discussing the opportunity to turn a seasonal job into a permenant one during the pandemic with NBC DFW Today. It aired this morning. Highlights: 💎 Build relationships 💎 Manage your expectations 💎 Shine 💎 Understand the entire market 💎 Lean into your entire skill set 💎 Know your why Did you wake up early with me? If you didn’t, you may still have…
Stay away from office gossip, yes…but keep the office gossip close. I’m talking about that office busy body. What’s the opportunity in it? Yes, we go all Art of War in today’s #NSCRockstarLeadership Tip of the Day. If you think everyone is on your side in the workplace, think again, Sis. But this isn’t your cue to hunker down and keep to yourself. It’s your chance to leverage…
Today, I’m grateful to officially add the ICF, Associate Certified Coach (ACC) to the end of my title. It reflects my commitment to excellence, but it really is only a symbol of what I do. Last night, a client called who engaged me about 3 months ago upset that her dreams to be promoted had been deferred. Less than 3 months into our engagement, she reached her…
Thank you to the publishers of Texas Metro News, The Garland Journal and iMessenger who have posted a feature, a cover story called Lead Your Life First. Check out the issue.