God Made Dirt Substack Podcast

If you’re someone who still takes things, and people, at face value, then you’ve already lost. Not because you’re naive. Not because you lack intelligence. But because you’re operating in a world that rarely reveals itself on the surface. Especially in leadership. Especially in organizations. And especially in rooms where power, perception, and performance are quietly negotiating with one another....

This year, I’m taking a day after Black History Month. Black history does not expire at midnight, and for those carrying the hue, it has never been confined to 28 days. The skin remains 365. The navigation of rooms remains 365. The pride, the pressure, and the legacy inherited remain long after February ends. So I’m extending the reflection; not as protest, not as performance, but as principle. Be...

I’ve been reflecting on how some of the most well-paying jobs come with a cost that isn’t listed in the offer letter. The salary is strong. The benefits are great. Plans for future growth look promising. Yet day after day, the work leaves you anxious, unsettled, or quietly conflicted, because you can see how the product, the service, or the decisions being made are negatively affecting people. Tha...

When life is comfortable, it’s easy to equate security with the amount of stuff we have, both personally and professionally. But when the economy tightens, when jobs are lost, and when certainty disappears, something quieter and truer begins to surface. In those moments, true wealth shows up. To me, wealth, including organizational wealth, is wrapped up in relationships. Yes, companies exist to ma...

This month’s word has been sitting with me: common . Common — adjective. Having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual. “The common man.” On the surface, “common” sounds unimpressive. Maybe even diminishing. But when you sit with it long enough, something beautiful appears beneath the definition. Something grounding. Something that rem...

The weather was unusually warm the other night for this time of year, so I decided to take my evening cup of tea outside. As I sat under the stillness of the night sky, something caught my eye. A streak of light zipped across the darkness and disappeared almost instantly. A shooting star. For a moment, I questioned it. Did I really see that? Or was it just my imagination? A shooting star isn’t rea...

In business, we often hear the phrase: “Yesterday’s price is not today’s price.” It’s usually tied to the market—the cost of goods, the rise and fall of demand, or inflation. But beyond economics, this principle holds a powerful truth about the workplace, the human experience, and emotional intelligence. Think about it: who you were last year, last quarter, or even last week is not who you are tod...

We've all been there—sitting across the boardroom table, listening intently to the person speaking, and then you notice it: something in their teeth. You pause. Do you say something? Do you risk the awkwardness? Or do you let them go about their day unaware, because it feels easier? That small moment holds a much deeper truth. In life—especially in leadership, in relationships, in growth—we often...

A few weeks ago, we talked about the grim reveal that comes when the snow melts; the "shi(r)t" left behind, literally and figuratively. That image stuck with me. But lately, I’ve been thinking about what happens after the mess is revealed. You see, now that the snow is gone, it’s lawn season. Grass is getting cut, soil is being turned, and people are out here trying to make things beautiful again....

“If you keep making that face, it’s gonna get stuck like that.” You’ve probably heard it. That playful warning—often directed at kids making goofy faces. It carries a not-so-subtle message: Be careful how you show up. Don’t get too wild. Don’t risk being seen that way. But what if that face is part of your power? I recently shared a photo on LinkedIn of myself beside a carved lion, making a bold,...

To be clear, the "r" in the title is silent. Where I live, the snow is melting, revealing a grim reality: an abundance of fecal matter left behind by dog walkers who chose not to pick up after their pets. It’s a vivid metaphor for life, isn’t it? We all have our messes—those parts of ourselves we’d rather keep buried underneath pristine snow. But as the seasons change, as life heats up, those hidd...

In the virtual world, a legacy hand occurs when someone raises the digital hand symbol in a meeting to speak—and then forgets to lower it—a subtle signal that something remains unsaid. For me, this digital gesture resonates deeply with Black history, a reminder of voices raised long ago that still demand our attention. Nas, I Can: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvVfgvHucRY This is a public episod...

Welcome to the first issue of God Made Dirt ! If you're familiar with the popular educational cartoon The Magic School Bus , you’ll recognize this issue’s title: Seatbelts, everyone! Ms. Frizzle’s rallying cry to her students prepared them for a wild ride full of unexpected turns. It’s a fitting metaphor for life—especially the beginning of a new year. We map out plans, set goals, and dream big, b...