Inside the C-Suite: A Black Woman’s View of Leadership from the Top of an Industry

I was recently featured in a podcast to discuss my point of view on leadership and what it takes to become a great leader in the workplace. As a Black woman, I have faced many prejudices throughout my career, but have never allowed unfair biases to hinder my success. To get to the top and become a great leader, it all boils down to two things: high-level self-performance and meaningful interpersonal relationships.

“If I think about the genesis of my leadership, it really started while I was growing up. The foundation that my parents provided to my sister, my brother, and me in terms of values is what drives my view of leadership as well.

“Some of the things that I was taught was to:

- Be technically sound

- Perform at the top

- Create the right relationships

- Treat people fairly

- Be extremely confident in who you are and what you know

- Ensure your teams are always competent

“To me, those are some key components of great leadership.

“In my professional journey as a Black woman, as I moved up the ladder, there were few women like me at the same level. Always being the minority, it was important for me to remember that I had to be comfortable in my own skin, and be able to lead those who are different from me.

“I’ve surely had instances where I faced racism and sexism but was able to overcome those challenges. When you perform at a high level, it is hard for others to cause problems. The first thing is that you have to perform, and the second is that you have to be willing to speak up and call out those scenarios.

“If nothing else, you must create relationships. That is one of the key things I always tell people whom I’m coaching or mentoring. Performing at a high level and being strategic is key, but creating and maintaining collaborative relationships are important too. Not necessarily everyone will want to create a relationship with you. You have to be assertive and intentional about it. Those relationships have been so crucial to my success throughout my journey. My coworkers knew who I was, they knew my intentions, my integrity, and my work ethic. Allowing that part of myself to be seen by my co-workers proved to be helpful throughout my career journey.”

You can listen to the podcast?here.

You can read the original article here.

You can visit my Signitt page here.