Welcome to Protégé Podcast Presents: #BlackManBrilliance! Over the next 12 months, we are going to celebrate the unique and enduring brilliance of black men. I’m going to interview 20 extraordinary black men and talk about a variety of topics important to us as black men: mentoring, our physical and mental health, our political involvement, community service, marriage, finances, parenting, our culture, our identity, entrepreneurship, and much, much more. On our first of 20 episodes, I’m thrilled to welcome mentoring guru Stephen Powell. Stephen is chief programs and partnerships officer at National Cares Mentoring movement, a national nonprofit founded by Susan Taylor, the founder of Essence magazine. Stephen and I talk about the importance of self care, setting boundaries for toxic people, and the powerful and lasting effects of both youth and peer mentoring.

diversity #leadership #mentoring #blackmanbrilliance #inclusion #MyBrothersKeeper

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week and reflect on what we’re grateful for, I’m reminded of Desiree Robinson’s incredible story of resilience. What do you do when your Plan A in your professional and personal lives don’t work out? Desiree’s story is a reminder that we are stronger than we know, and that miracles can come from simple acts of kindness by our friends and family. It’s a special encore episode of Protégé Podcast for Thanksgiving 2019!

On this special Howard Homecoming edition of Protégé Podcast, I talk with media superstar Depelsha McGruder, the interim CEO of New York Public Radio. The Howard and Harvard Business School graduate talks about her humble childhood in Georgia, her rapid rise through Viacom, and why she started a nonprofit to help protect black boys. On the motivation segment, I encourage everyone to keep the magic going when they experience rough patches in their careers.

blackgirlmagic #diversity #hope #inspiration #lemonade #leadership #media #publicradio

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, Guest co-host Shaunna Jones joins me to discuss this week’s big question: how do you manage issues of integrity and ethics when it comes to reporting malfeasance in your workplace? Should you report an ethics issue above your boss? And what should you consider before you blow the whistle? On the Motivation segment, I encourage everyone to, in the words of Prince, make heart decisions in business. On the Lit & Quit segment, Shaunna and I tackle cancel culture, free speech, and racial solidarity within communities of color.

diversity #inclusion #whistleblower #corruption #ethics #integrity #leadership

On this episode of Protégé Podcast, Guest co-Host Justin Wilson and I talk about the vital information you need to know about your workplace. We talk about how to access information and data about your organization’s strategy, its operating model, and the disruptive threats it faces, and how to use this information to propel your career forward. We also debut the Lit & Quit segment about what inspires us and tires us about what’s happening in the world of work and culture.

#diversity #inclusion #entrepreneurship #boss #goals #inspiration

Protégé Podcast Season 4 launches with our 10-part series, “Inside the C-Suite,” where I interview senior leaders from diverse backgrounds who are part of executive leadership at leading companies and organizations. On this episode, I have a powerfully inspiring conversation with the insightful and accomplished April Miller Boise, senior vice president, chief legal officer, and corporate secretary of Meritor. April talks about the importance of sponsors, the elements of executive communication, and how to build relationships with your professional colleagues.

diversity #inclusion #hope #success #inspiration #believe #women #blackgirlmagic

In our third and final episode in our Career Launch series, I talk with the best career coach anywhere, Coach Pamela Mitchell, the founder and president of The Reinvention Institute. Coach Pamela and I talk about the value of misery in your career, the difference between an ego and spirit led career, and how faith can guide you to career nirvana. On the Rant, Rave and Review segment, I review Coach Pamela’s best-selling book, “The Ten Rules of Career Reinvention.”

In Part II of our Career Launch series, I talk with communications and personal branding guru Henry Stewart, the founder of Emerson Street Strategy Group. Henry and I discuss how your social media profile, communication style, attire and etiquette help form your professional brand. Henry provides expert techniques he’s used with his celebrity and corporate clients to help you maintain a polished professional brand. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I review the Netlix documentary “The Black Godfather.”

This is part one of our multipart series “Career Launch” about entering and reentering the workplace. What are the pitfalls, common mistakes, an unwritten rules we should be mindful as we begin a new phase in our careers? Justin Wilson, a returning Guest Co-Host, and I discuss how to manage your time, your money, and your emotions in those critical first few years of your career launch or relaunch. On the Rant, Rave, and Review segment, I rave about the legacy and spirit of the incomparable Leah Chase.

This week on Protégé Podcast, I talk with master networker Dale Favors, the founder of Adaptive Growth Leadership, a consulting firm focused on business development training. Dale and I talk about leveraging our entrepreneurial skills to build and sustain professional networks. Hint: it’s all about favors. On the Rant/Rave/Review segment, I Rave about Robert Smith’s astonishing act of generosity to the Morehouse College Class of 2019.