Leading When Everyone Is Over Capacity (Including You)
By the second week of the year, many leaders realize the pace hasn’t reset; it’s just resumed. Most leaders I work with are running organizations that are permanently “on.” Calendars…
Insights.
What Marjorie Taylor Greene Revealed About Our Capacity to Change
I’ve spent a year refusing to let polarization be the whole story. And strangely enough, Marjorie Taylor Greene became the example that clarified why. She’s not someone I ever expected…
When the Work Speaks Louder Than the Words
A mentor once said to me, “We have to commit more to the work than the words.” That phrase stuck with me. In equity and leadership conversations, we often get…
Small talk isn’t small at all.
In the latest episode of Unpacked Culture Chronicles, I had the joy of sitting down with my longtime colleague and friend, Mariam “Mo” Abdullah, a professional energizer of people, teams,…
The Courage to Unchoose
There comes a point in many of our lives when the path we’ve worked so hard to stay committed to begins to feel a little too tight. Maybe nothing is…
Leadership of Baltimore County
Photo credit Karlitha L. Umoja Last week, I joined the Baltimore County Public Library for a powerful Digital Divide Simulation, led by Kansas City Digital Divide. I walked away with…
Grief in the Aisles: Culture, Curiosity, and What We Don’t Say at Work
IKEA wasn’t where I expected grief to hit me. But there I was, walking past sleek displays and tiny model kitchens when a wave of tears came out of nowhere.…
When We Can’t Even Get to the Table
When We Can’t Even Get to the Table Recently, I was in conversation about a question that feels like it’s defining this moment in time. How do we find a…
What does inclusive leadership look like in practice, not just in theory?
We throw around terms like “inclusive leadership” a lot. But too often, it’s treated like a checkbox, something you say you are, rather than something you do daily. I coach…
How can I foster a culture of accountability without making people feel like they’re being policed?
Let’s be honest: Accountability has gotten a bad reputation in some circles. Too often, it’s mistaken for micromanagement, or worse, punishment. And really… who hasn’t found themselves either giving or…