Being Brown at Work

Holding back from really putting yourself out there and shining at work? Afraid that your taking up space will make others uncomfortable?  If being yourself and feeling confident to grow to any level you desire at work is something you struggle with, then tune in to this episode with my guest, PR and Communications Specialist, Alicia McNease.  Alicia McNease is a Sr. Internal Communications Manage...

Woman of color, the job of your dreams is waiting on the other side of you showing up and shining! 🌟🌟🌟 And this doesn't include doing the barest minimum as required at work. You're going to have to step up, take the lead on projects, and be someone that can be trusted by your coworkers to be excellent.  I would love to see more of this being the norm than the exception in every workplace and th...

So you've secured amazing benefits and compensation... ...Now what? In this episode, Cassandra Rose and I compile everything we've learned to discover how to establish and build GENERATIONAL WEALTH! Cassandra is an employee benefits & engagement expert, DEI consultant, and Partner at Meritarc, an IT & human capital management company. Are you ready to take your compensation and benefits to the nex...

For Black and Brown women, our underrepresentation in corporate boardrooms makes it harder for us to advance in our careers, because so often we're not the ones in the rooms where decisions are getting made.   However, this is exactly why allyship is so important.   Allies— in this case I mean white men, white women, and other people in positions of authority— can use their privilege to reach back...

Imposter syndrome is characterized as doubting one's own abilities and feeling like you're unworthy of your accomplishments.  It can stop us from applying for leadership positions, negotiating better pay or benefits, or advocating for ourselves at work at all. It can be debilitating both professionally and emotionally. As Black and Brown women, race/gender intersectionality puts us in a more vulne...

Is code-switching necessary for the advancement of Black professionals? The Harvard Business Review defines code-switching as adjusting one's style of speech, appearance, behavior, and expression in ways that will optimize the comfort of others in exchange for fair treatment, quality service, and employment opportunities. Listen in as I tackle this concept and how it affects how Black and Brown wo...

There's no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic has been brutal on EVERYONE. However, studies show that the pandemic's impacts are still being felt in the workplace - particularly by Black women, who were the hardest hit demographically. How can we bounce back and re-establish ourselves in the corporate world? Deepa Purushothaman, Co-Founder of n2Formation, joins me this week to discuss how the pand...

Have you ever considered how your culture impacts your career? You may not always realize it, but our culture serves as the lens through which we filter and interpret the world around us. This can impact our personal and professional lives in both positive and negative ways.  So how can we use our cultural influence to benefit us in the corporate world? Find out in this episode with my special gue...

You know you deserved that promotion...so why weren't you chosen for the job? It may be hard to believe, but getting promoted is about FAR MORE than the quality of your work output. I recommend that people begin by reflecting on previous positions they were passed up for. Why were you overlooked in the past? When you begin analyzing the gaps in your career and presence, you'll start to get a clear...

Do your truly understand your benefits and compensation arrangements? Have you ever looked at your benefits package and wondered what on earth it all means? This week on Being Brown At Work, I speak with Cassandra Rosee, an employee benefits & engagement expert, DEI consultant, and Partner at Meritarc, an IT & human capital management company.  Together, we do a deep dive into benefits literacy in...

It's important not to underestimate the importance of PASSION in your career. When you have passion for your career, it drives you and keeps you focused and interested in your goals. It's the secret ingredient to keeping you both happy and motivated...which can only make the journey to success feel even sweeter! On this week's episode of Being Brown At Work Live, I'm joined by special guest Juanit...

Let's face it - feeling stuck in place in your career is incredibly frustrating. That's why I teach a 3-step method to achieving your career goals. I call it the AMA Method, which stands for Accelerate, Maximize, Achieve. When it comes to making strides in your career progression, the first step involves digging deep to identify your gaps. But once you've identified them...then what?  In this epis...

As Black/Brown women, we've become accustomed to reporting to a White boss or team leader. We're familiar with the dynamic, and as such, we're well-versed in what kinds of issues we might expect. But what happens if the person in leadership is a Black/Brown woman like ourselves? What's the dynamic there? 🤔 In this week's episode of the podcast, I address the rarely-addressed topic of the Black/Br...

Are you busy putting in the work, but getting nowhere? There's no point wasting time chasing your tail...you need to get ahead. And to get ahead you need more than just great work output. In this episode of Being Brown At Work, I talk about the foundational steps of Peeling Back to help identify your REAL gaps. This is the process that allows you to understand the connection between who you are pe...

Negotiations are a part of daily life. You may not have realized it, but you're already a master negotiator. Have you ever sorted out house chores with your family? Yes, that was a negotiation. Have you and your buddies ever decided on somewhere to go for the next meet-up? Yup, that was a negotiation as well. Everyone bargains; the only question is how, with whom, and for what. But for some reason...

Do you have a leader in your corner? Do you have someone in a position of authority who can provide you with much-needed encouragement, support, and constructive feedback? Leaders and mentors can provide a treasure trove of advice to help you achieve exponential growth and career progression. Having access to a leader or mentor provides paths to opportunity and career mobility. Which leaves one qu...

Is your organization doing everything it can to implement DEI into the benefits and compensation structure? To begin to make effective and lasting change, organizations need to integrate DE&I practices into ALL aspects of the organization, including existing benefits and compensation structures and systems. Listen in as my special guest Cassandra Rose joins me to discuss the importance of assuring...

You've been so focused on the "doing" piece of your job that the social and networking aspects have fallen by the wayside. While you were nailing every performance metric and hitting all the home-runs you could, you may have been leaving the team-building and networking parts of your job by the wayside. So how can you tell if you're making progress in your career? Listen in to find out.   Connect...

In this episode I'm joined by my special guest, Sonya Moore to explore the benefits of Reshaping Your Mindset and how doing so will help you achieve the kind of career progression you've been dreaming of. Sonya has over 20 years of experience in engineering and program management, supporting the automotive industry. She has successfully led numerous multi-million dollar projects for various compan...

Most people I speak with say they avoid workplace politics at all costs. However, I genuinely believe that avoiding them can be a major career stumbling block. Realistically speaking, politics are part of workplace culture, and the political components of the workplace affect your progress, regardless of your position. This doesn't have to be a bad thing. There are ways to take advantage of the po...

Have you ever been urged to "tone it down" or asked why you "have so much attitude"...even when you weren't angry at all? Black and Brown women encounter these types of situations on a daily basis. They're called microaggressions, which are regular, subtle, purposeful — and frequently inadvertent — exchanges or acts that express stereotypical beliefs about oppressed groups. I have experienced micr...

Black and Brown women, if you could create more equity and inclusion in corporate America, what would you change? How would you do it? Cheryl Thompson join me again in this episode with part 2 of our discussion regarding Things That Go Unsaid. Together, we explore the various systemic changes that are needed within the corporate world to drive real, sustainable equity and inclusion. Cheryl is the...

Are you constantly worried about how others perceive your words and actions? Being overly self-conscious and self-critical can negatively impact your self-confidence. Therefore, it's essential to consider that your self-confidence can dramatically affect how others see you, as well. But how does one truly begin to know themselves, independently from the opinions of others? Listen in as my special...

Is "Progression" going to be your word for 2022? You're certain that you're doing everything you need to do to get ahead in your career. So why aren't you climbing that ladder? Chances are, there's something that's getting in the way of your career progression. Listen in to this week's episode where I share the tips and tricks you need to know to get yourself a seat at the table!   Connect with Li...

In this episode, I'm sharing a recording from the archives.   Connect with Linda: bit.ly/teeconnect https://www.lindataliaferro.com/ https://www.facebook.com/theteewithlinda/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindataliaferro https://www.instagram.com/TheTeeWithLinda/