Leadership Beyond the Title

Here's my prediction: in 2026 and 2027, more organizations are going to bring athletic coaching concepts into the workplace to train their leaders. And if you want to be effective, you'd be wise to learn the principles of team sports now. As a basketball mom and a football mom, I've been bringing a sports analogy into corporations, county offices, government teams, and nonprofits for years — and e...

I'm about a quarter of the way into my summer series — and I wanted to pull back the curtain on the experiment itself. This summer, I decided to come back and show up differently: a new podcast episode every Wednesday, weekly Substack newsletters, long-form content, and finding my own voice instead of copying how everyone else does it. Four-ish episodes in, I'm still figuring it out — and that's e...

I was laid off in 2014 — eight and a half months pregnant, losing the job that grew me into an adult. Then again in 2024, on April Fools' Day, when my whole department got eliminated on a 9 AM call I almost didn't join. The first time, I went straight into survival mode. Back on the "campaign trail" three weeks after having my son, never giving myself time to think about what I actually wanted. Th...

I was doing everything right. I had the degrees, the certifications, the relationships. And when the perfect role finally opened up — someone was quietly working behind the scenes to block me from getting it. This week, I'm telling the full story: how I went from administrative assistant to certified coach, three levels up. The gut instinct that made me turn down a role I'd already accepted. The c...

"Am I showing up as the full version of myself — or am I sending my representative to run the show?" In this episode, I'm getting honest about code switching: why so many of us chose it strategically for safety, survival, and career advancement — and what it actually costs us over time. I share my own story of "putting on my white girl" early in my career, what it earned me, and the moment I reali...

You're at your kid's game, phone in hand—technically present, but are you really there ? In this deeply personal kickoff to her summer series Leading Through Every Season of Life , Coach TaSheena unpacks the difference between being in the room and being present in it. After a night at her son's basketball game made her confront a years-long pattern of showing up without actually being there, she...

📜 Summary Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught to stay in our lane. Don't rock the boat. Be loyal. Let your manager handle the relationship with leadership. And whatever you do — don't go over your boss's head. And maybe that advice came from a good place — but it's keeping you invisible to the people who actually make decisions about your career. In this episode, I'm unpacking the bel...

📜 Summary Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that hard work speaks for itself. Keep your head down. Deliver results. Stay humble. Eventually, someone will notice. And maybe that advice came from a good place—but it's keeping you invisible. In this episode, I name a truth that too many accomplished women of color have learned the hard way: your work doesn't speak. You do. I break down...

📜 Summary Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that advancement requires becoming someone else. Speak up more. Be more visible. Get comfortable with self-promotion. Adapt to the culture. And maybe it worked—at least on paper. In this episode, I name a truth that doesn't get talked about enough: self-abandonment is often rewarded early in our careers—but it becomes unsustainable at high...

Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title Podcast! 📜 Summary If you've ever struggled to get your quieter team members to share their strengths — or felt frustrated when team discussions get dominated by the loudest voices — this episode is for you. In this episode, I share how I used a football analogy combined with Visual Explorer cards to unlock collective leadership in a recent team session...

🎙️ Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title Podcast! 📜 Summary If you've ever been told "introversion is your superpower" — but you still feel drained, overlooked, or like leadership requires more adaptation than it should — this episode is for you. In this reflective solo episode, I'm unpacking why praise alone doesn't create inclusion — and how calling introversion a "superpower" can quietly...

🎙️ Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title Podcast! 📜 Summary If you've ever been told you're  powerful , brilliant , poised , or a natural leader — but you don't always feel that way on the inside — this episode is for you. In this grounding solo episode, I'm sharing why so many Women of Color experience a gap between how others see us and what we've been conditioned to believe about ourselv...

🎙️ Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title Podcast! 📜 Summary If you've been saying "new year, new me"…but still feel like you're carrying the emotional, financial, and spiritual leftovers of 2025 into the new year, this episode is your invitation to finally put those bags down. In this reflective solo episode, I share how I've been navigating one of the hardest years of my life — grief, tran...

🎙️ Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title Podcast! 📜 Summary If you've ever felt like you needed permission to show up fully as yourself — or like leadership required perfection, polish, and playing it safe — this episode will feel like a deep exhale. In this conversation with business coach Catalina Del Carmen , we explore what it really means to embrace the cringe in your leadership — the...

Welcome back to  Leadership Beyond the Title Podcast! 📜 Summary If you're doing everything right at work — showing up, delivering high-quality work, being dependable — and your career still isn't moving forward, this episode is for you. In this episode, I break down why hard work alone stops driving career growth at a certain level , especially for women of color who were taught that reliability...

Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title Podcast!   📜 Summary If you find networking daunting as an introvert, this episode is a game-changer. Dive into tried-and-true strategies that don't require you to change who you are. Learn how mindset shifts and practical actions can help you build genuine relationships and open doors in your career. Discover the 2-2-2 method for effective follow-ups,...

Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title! Today's episode walks you through one of the most pivotal moments of my career — a moment that could have damaged my reputation, limited my opportunities, and changed the trajectory of my work… if I didn't intervene. If you've ever worried about what a senior leader thinks of you, felt misjudged by someone with power, or wondered how to advocate for you...

Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title ! Today's episode tackles one of the most overlooked career roadblocks: Trying to lead, grow, and navigate your career alone. We're in a moment where leaders are more isolated than ever — and it's costing people promotions, visibility, and opportunities they're fully qualified for. Inside this episode, you'll learn: ✨ Why going alone slows your career p...

Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title! Today's episode is for every introverted leader, quiet high achiever, and thoughtful professional who has ever said: "I hate networking… but I know I need to be more visible."   Here's the good news: You don't need to be loud, extroverted, or social all day to build powerful relationships. You just need a strategy — especially in today's workplace.   In...

Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title! Today's episode breaks down the exact routine that transformed my career — even during one of the hardest seasons of my life.   If you're juggling a lot, feeling overwhelmed, or trying to figure out how to lead in a chaotic workplace, this routine will change everything.   Inside this episode, you'll learn: ✨ The 30-minute weekly system that kept me gr...

Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title ! In today's episode, we're breaking down how to stay visible in hybrid and remote workplaces — especially when hallway visibility is gone and leaders are overwhelmed.   If you've ever wondered how to be seen, heard, and remembered by your executives without being loud or pretending to be someone you're not… this episode is for you.   You'll learn: ✨ Wh...

Welcome back to Leadership Beyond the Title ! In today's episode, we're talking about a hard truth in today's workplace:   If you're waiting for a title to prove you're a leader… you're already behind. Leadership has officially shifted — and influence moves faster than job descriptions.   In this episode, you'll learn: ✨ Why the traditional career ladder is disappearing ✨ Why companies promote b...

📜 Summary In this episode of Leadership Beyond the Title, TaSheena Braxton and LaShaunique Plummer discuss the importance of leadership beyond formal titles, the journey of career pivots, and the significance of networking and personal development. LaShaunique shares her own career transition from procurement to HR and then to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the need to navigate fear and embrace ch...

📜 Summary In this special episode, I'm celebrating my 44th birthday and one full year of Leadership Beyond the Title . I'm sharing the five biggest lessons that have shaped my leadership this year—how I learned to release judgment, do the inner work, lead my thoughts, stay consistent when no one's watching, and speak the truth even when it's hard. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to gro...

📜 Summary In this conversation, TaSheena Braxton explores the intricate relationship between ego and leadership. She shares her personal journey of understanding how ego can hinder authentic leadership and emphasizes the importance of shifting from an ego-driven approach to a service-oriented leadership style. Through insights and practical advice, she encourages leaders to embrace vulnerability,...