Fast Forward Podcast

Get ready for a dose of bold truth on 'World, Opportunity' with Kimberly Ofori! 🔥 The founder of The Bold New Company shares her journey from navigating life as a Black woman in Europe to building resilience through "small wins." We discuss reconciling identity, understanding your "ego" as a GPS for your business, and why authenticity is a feature, not a bug. Kimberly also offers vital advice for...

This week, I'm chatting with the legendary George Land! 🏀 I met George being nosy about his plate (true story!), and now you get to hear his journey from pioneering content for the NBA (hello, Emmy for The Last Dance!) to growing the brand across China and Africa. We're talk the unrecognized power of cultural humility, snagging early wins, and building Youth Quake Nation to create pathways for Af...

Ever wonder how your strengths show up everywhere, not just at work? 🤔 Join me and the brilliant Jo Self, a fellow Gallup Certified Coach, as we unpack the power of strengths-based living! From being "Mama Jo" to navigating life overseas, Jo reveals how embracing your true identity neutralizes stereotypes. We also dive into cultural humility in global business and why intimacy is the real safe sp...

I'm kicking off 'World, Opportunity' by hopping across the pond to Europe! ✈️ Meet Lushentha Naidoo, a part of the pioneering force behind the European Supplier Diversity Program. We chat about the real talk on global business development, from navigating Europe (it's a continent, not a country! 😉) to the power of visibility for minority businesses. Lushentha shares her incredible journey, growin...

In our final episode on conflict management, I unpack three vital, yet often misjudged, aspects that can make or break conflict resolution: critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and charisma. I also how to recognize the true actors behind a conflict, even if they are third or fourth parties. Finally, we tackle the societal over-prioritization of charisma, revealing how it can eliminate balanc...

Join us for Season 5's first "Out of Scope" episode on the late 90s movie, The Siege, to extract profound lessons on conflict management. This film beautifully illustrates how the "villain shifts constantly," mirroring real-life conflicts where the perceived enemy or ideology might not be the actual root cause. I discuss how the character Samir exposes common human blind spots: ego, oversimplifica...

In this "Dear Lil Sis" episode, we address conflict mismanagement. We discuss the importance of delineating what is your responsibility versus what is other people's responsibility. Through real-life examples, including a social media interaction and dating scenarios, I illustrate when to "step out of the ring" and avoid unnecessary engagement, especially with those looking to provoke or emotional...

We're shifting our focus to the tangible outcomes of conflict management: performance, productivity, and behavioral change. I'll explain why defining clear performance standards mitigates conflicts even when majority opinions differ. You'll discover why you must check your ego and avoid enabling dysfunction, especially when "favorite people" subsidize your immaturity. Then, I share the profound im...

Who pulls our life's strings? We're breaking down "locus of control", which measures the amount of control someone feels over their life's events, ranging from an external locus (life controlled by fate, others, higher power) to an internal locus (you are fully in control). I'll share why misjudging your locus of control can cause more harm than good in conflict management, especially in professio...

Let's focus on inner work as the starting point for conflict management. That's our ability to sit with information that is new and unfamiliar will make or break us. In this episode, I draw on lessons from formal debate and graduate school literature reviews to illustrate how to manage inner conflict. Tune in to me then tune into yourself - where can you manage inner conflict better? --- About the...

Welcome to Season 5 of the Fast Forward Podcast! To kick things off, we're tackling conflict management and exploring three paradigms to understand it: philosophy, political science, and business. This episode emphasizes the importance of digging into the "why" behind choices and considering the long-term consequences of conflict resolution through the lenses of Locke, Hegel, Thomas, Kilman, and h...

We made it to the Season 4 finale! Today's topic is the final change shift: STRUCTURE. Inspired by conversations around Black women's lifestyles, we're focusing on owning our aesthetic and power. 🚫 Learn why consumption cannot buy equality or change negative perceptions of Black women. 💖 Recognize the importance of community affirmation over proving worth to outsiders. 🌟 Celebrate the legacy of...

We're tackling the often misunderstood change shift: OPERATIONS! We'll be using the iconic movie "A League of Their Own" and its antihero, Dottie Hinson, to illustrate key concepts. 🔭 Learn to look at operational change from a macro level to see the wide-ranging impact. 🔗 Grasp how changes in one part of an organization inevitably affect other teams and functions. 🦸‍♀️ Explore Dottie's battle b...

We're continuing our discussion on change shifts and looking at EMPLOYEE CAPACITY through the lens of the movie "Crooklyn" and its main character, Troy Carmichael. 👧🏽 See how Troy's role in her family evolves, reflecting shifts in employee capacity in organizations. 🧩 Recognize that people aren't simple equations; change involves many moving parts and considerations. ⚔️ Learn about the role of...

This month we're addressing organizational development and the four key change shifts that happen when you enact change management, whether professionally or personally! In this first episode, we're focusing on STRATEGY: 🔑 Learn why strategy is at the core of responding vs. simply reacting. 🤯 Understand how a lack of strategy can lead to constant reaction mode and emotional hijacking. 🧭 Discove...

Ever felt stuck in a cycle of burnout and missed goals? The culprit might be closer than you think—your team. In this raw episode, I unpack Tuckman’s Stages of Group Development to expose why “who’s on your ship” determines whether you sink or soar. From personal stories of purging toxic influences to hard truths about family dynamics, I break down: 🔷How wrong voices sabotage hope. 🔷Why “cleanin...

What’s the real reason clients keep coming back? Hint: It’s not your deliverables. In this episode, I crack open Kurt Lewin’s Three-Step Change Model (unfreezing, changing, refreezing) and expose why most consultants fail at the final stage—refreezing chaos. But the deeper lesson? Integrity isn’t a line item—it’s your legacy. You’ll learn: 🔷Why “just following the client’s brief” often backfires...

What if the secret to sustainable growth isn’t chasing trends—but leaning into the values that define your team’s DNA? In this, I unpack the Competing Values Framework, a powerful lens for leaders navigating the tension between innovation, efficiency, loyalty, and customer obsession. You’ll discover how to diagnose whether your team’s culture aligns with your goals (spoiler: most “values” are just...

In this episode I dive into hope as a strategic tool—not just a feeling. Discover how the Action Research Model transforms vague aspirations into actionable plans by embracing collaboration, reflection, and generational wisdom. Learn why mimicking others limits growth and how to extract your unique path from the noise. Key Takeaways: 🔹 Why "sandpaper people" are essential. 🔹 The 5 phases of the...

What if hope isn’t a feeling—it’s a strategy? Last month, we dissected grief. Now, we’re flipping the script: hope is the antidote, but only when paired with action. This isn’t about wishful thinking—it’s about redesigning your roadmap using proven change models, sticky plans, and the courage to rewrite the norms you’ve consented to. In this episode, I'll delve into: 🔹 How I built a 10-year caree...

40 years. Forged in fire. This isn't a milestone; it's a testament to the power of evolution. This episode isn't about celebrating a birthday; it's about dissecting the grief that fueled my transformation. From sexual assault to orphanhood, from toxic workplaces to the reclamation of creative freedom, I'm laying bare the painful process of shedding old selves to step into a new era of power. I'll...

It's time to stop running from your past and start embracing it as a source of wisdom and strength. We all have versions of ourselves we'd rather forget, but those past experiences, even the messy ones, have shaped us into the leaders we are today. In this episode, we're ditching the shame and regret and exploring how to: 🔹 Mine your past for hidden gems: Uncover the valuable lessons and strength...

Ever felt the sting of heartbreak seep into your work life? 💔 As leaders and entrepreneurs, our personal lives and our professional endeavors are inextricably linked. In this episode, we're diving deep into the often-overlooked topic of romantic grief and its impact on our leadership and decision-making. We'll explore: 🔹 How unaddressed romantic grief can sabotage our success 🔹 The importance o...

Are you stuck in a career that doesn't resonate with your true self? Many professionals grapple with the grief of missed opportunities and the expectation to follow a conventional path. This video offers a roadmap for navigating that grief, especially if you've felt pushed into roles like people management against your preference. Learn practical steps to turn those "what ifs" into actionable goal...

Ready to build deeper, more meaningful connections? In this episode, we're exploring the power of real-life community and how to cultivate authentic relationships that nourish our souls and fuel our growth. We'll discuss: 🔹 The importance of shifting our focus from online interactions to in-person connections 🔹 How to embrace imperfection and diversity within our communities 🔹 The power of shar...