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Turning Conflict into Clarity: How Leaders Can Leverage Ideational Differences

In every room where progress is made, there’s bound to be some tension. As a leadership expert and engineer by trade, I’ve learned that not all conflict is personal. Sometimes, it’s the push and pull of ideas—what I call ideational conflict—that creates the spark for innovation. This type of conflict doesn’t stem from personality clashes or miscommunication. It arises when team members have fundamentally different ideas, perspectives, or approaches to solving a problem. And when managed well, it can lead [...]

By |2025-07-09T10:51:37-05:00July 9th, 2025|DEI, Leading|0 Comments
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Faith at Work: Respect, Grace, and the Gentle Invitation

The Most Spiritual Act at Work Might Be Respect One of the most spiritual things we can do in the workplace isn’t preaching or praying out loud—it’s respecting and appreciating someone else’s faith practice. At its core, honoring another’s beliefs reflects the grace that Jesus modeled throughout His ministry. Much of the New Testament is filled with stories of Christ engaging people where they were, not forcing them into belief, but inviting them through compassion, humility, and truth.   An [...]

By |2025-06-27T11:16:29-05:00June 26th, 2025|DEI, Leading|0 Comments
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From Inner Critic to Inner Coach: Reframing the Voice Within

We all carry a voice within us — that persistent inner monologue that often tells us we're not good enough, smart enough, or talented enough to pursue what we truly desire. For many of us, especially women navigating leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal growth, this "inner critic" can be the loudest voice in the room. But what if I told you that this inner critic could also be your inner coach? What if, instead of silencing it or letting it hold [...]

By |2025-03-13T15:47:10-05:00March 13th, 2025|DEI, Healing, Leading, Lifting|0 Comments
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The Tale of Three Interns

When I was a project manager leading global change initiatives, I had the opportunity to mentor interns and add them to my team. My first intern, we’ll call him LM, performed well, exceeded my expectations, and presenting his work to executives at the end of the summer. This young student from an HBCU showed everyone what young Black engineers were capable of (I didn’t need convincing, but I knew my peers did). The next summer, I had another Black engineering [...]

By |2025-02-05T13:56:49-06:00January 30th, 2025|DEI|0 Comments
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Listen…Then Lead: A Modern Approach to Inclusive Change Leadership

One of the challenges seasoned change leaders face in today’s rapidly evolving workplace is entering a new environment and establishing credible, inclusive leadership. Whether through reorganization, job changes, or consulting work, being “the new person” requires a carefully calibrated approach. While listening remains the foundational first step, the modern workplace demands a more nuanced understanding of what we’re listening for and how we process that information. […]

By |2024-11-06T03:35:33-06:00November 6th, 2024|Leading|0 Comments
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If You Want Something Done Right…

Many leaders fall into the trap of completing this phrase the traditional way: “If you want something done right, do it yourself!” However, in today’s collaborative and inclusive workplace, this mindset is not just outdated—it’s detrimental to team development, psychological safety, and organizational success. […]

By |2024-10-24T04:30:11-05:00October 23rd, 2024|Leading|0 Comments
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Want to be an ally? Just ask!

Fear stands in the way of well intentioned people when it comes to allyship in the workplace. Many senior managers and executives are wary of doing and saying the wrong thing. So they stay quiet. High profile missteps and misfires have contributed to a miscalibration in how allyship efforts are perceived. It doesn’t have to be this way. New research has found that advantaged groups greatly underestimate the positive effects of allyship in the workplace. On average, attempts at allyship [...]

By |2024-06-23T05:39:56-05:00June 23rd, 2024|DEI, Leading|0 Comments
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How to be a memorable speaker

I recently contributed to a conversation on LinkedIn about common mistakes in public speaking and I felt compelled to make the point that when we are speaking – to audiences of any size – connection is crucial. As I typed, I realized how strongly I felt the following to be true, and how often it is overlooked in favor of clickbait soundbites and the dominant narrative around data. Here’s what I said, and keep reading for some insights into how [...]

By |2024-05-15T23:14:29-05:00May 15th, 2024|Leading|0 Comments
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A new perspective on bias

We’re in control after all!  We have long been told that the majority of actions, decisions and behaviors are driven by our unconscious mind – the ‘hidden’ part of us where our attitudes, beliefs and biases reside. A new book has turned this concept on its head – literally turning Freud’s iceberg upside-down to illustrate that the majority of our existence is conscious – and we have access and control. Doing otherwise is an abdication of responsibility says Professor Ben [...]

By |2024-04-30T21:24:05-05:00April 30th, 2024|Leading|0 Comments
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