Navigating your career as a Black Female Professional

Hello My Name is Ekua Cant and I am the Head Cheerleader for Career Magic. I am a Career coach who works with women one to one and organisations on talent attraction and retention. This podcast is named after the Navigating your Career as a Black Female Professional Workbook which I released last year as part of my e-coaching programme. That worksheet is freely available to all those who would like to join us on the career advancement mailing list.

The 5th episode is on the topic C-Suite Leadership in the workplace. I’m really delighted to be speaking with Michelle Raymond, who will introduce herself in just a moment.

Q1 Please can you introduce yourself and tell us 1 piece of workplace insight that you have used to navigate your career as a Black Female Woman or Woman of Colour Professional?

Q2 How would you suggest that Black Women in Leadership roles be authentic at work? What are two tips that you would suggest?

Q3 How would you suggest Black Women in Leadership roles strike the balance between visibility and letting their team shine?

Q4  What 3 things would you suggest that a Black Woman in Leadership needs to do to be successful?

Q5 How would you suggest that as Black Woman in Leadership that you navigate ambition and work-life balance? What are 2 tips you would suggest?

Q6 How would you suggest that Black Women in Leadership navigate Imposter Syndrome? What two tips would you suggest?

Q7 How would you suggest that as Black Woman in a Leadership role that if you choose to take on DEI work for your organisation that it is recognised as additional? What would you suggest to make this clear to your employer?

Q8 Why do you believe it is important for Black Women in Leadership roles to practice self-care? What are two tips you would suggest for practicing self-care?

Q9 Do you believe that it is important for Black Women in leadership to receive coaching or mentoring? How would you suggest that a Black Woman in a Leadership role should go about seeking a mentor or a coach?

Q10 What’s the best piece of professional advice that another Black Woman or Woman of Colour has given you that has helped you to advance your career?

Thank you and until next month we’ll be tackling Microaggressions with Tribeni Chougule, Director, Inclusion & Impact at Visa.

Hello My Name is Ekua Cant and I am the Head Cheerleader for Career Magic. I am a Career coach who works with women one to one and organisations on talent attraction and retention. This podcast is named after the Navigating your Career as a Black Female Professional Workbook which I released last year as part of my e-coaching programme. That worksheet is freely available to all those who would like to join us on the career advancement mailing list.

The third  episode is on the topic of having difficult conversations in the workplace. I’m really delighted to be speaking with Dr Yvette Ankrah MBE, who will introduce herself in just a moment.

Q1 Please can you introduce yourself and tell us 1 piece of workplace insight that you have used to navigate your career as a Female Black Professional?

Q2 How would you define “well-being”? Do you believe it is a universal or personal concept and how do you think the experience of Black Women and Women of colour may best define this for themselves?

Q3  What are 3 ways you would suggest that a Black Woman or Woman of Colour who is experiencing stress related to the “emotional tax” can get relief?

Q4  What are your thoughts about “the collective consciousness” created by BLM and the Death of George Flloyd in relation to having specific workplace wellness policies specifically to support minority employees in the workplace? - By the collective consciousness” - I mean that employees expect more action from employers on social issues.

Q5 What 3 things would you suggest a Black Woman or a Woman of colour do to manage “the stress” and impact of Covid-19 in her workplace?

Q6 What in your experience are the 3 biggest triggers for unwell/unwell being in the workplace for high-performing Black Woman or a Woman of colour? And what’s 1 tip you would suggest to tackle this?

Q7 What are 3 actions that you’d suggest: a high-performing Black Woman or a Woman of Colour who doesn’t know where to start with creating a self-care regime?

Q8 What 3 things would you suggest a Black Woman or Woman of Colour does to be alert to signals of Burnout? And what’s 1 action you suggest that woman takes if she notices she’s heading for Burnout?

Q9 What’s been your biggest “Aha” or “lesson” in managing your own personal self-care routine as a high-performing Black Woman?

Q10 What’s the best piece of professional advice that another Black Woman or Woman of Colour has given you that has helped you to advance your career?

Thank you and until next month we’ll be tackling Microaggressions with Tribeni Chougule, Director, Inclusion & Impact at Visa.

Hello My Name is Ekua Cant and I am the Head Cheerleader for Career Magic. I am a Career coach who works with women one to one and organisations on talent attraction and retention. This podcast is named after the Navigating your Career as a Black Female Professional Workbook which I released last year as part of my e-coaching programme. That worksheet is freely available to all those who would like to join us on the career advancement mailing list. A Full transcript coming soon.

This second episode is on the topic of having difficult conversations in the workplace as a Senior Black Professional Leader. I’m really delighted to be speaking with Beverley Bramwell, who will introduce herself in just a moment.

The interview was based on the questions noted below and were not exactly as quoted below:

Q1 Please can you introduce yourself and tell us 1 piece of workplace insight that you have used to navigate your career as a Female Black Professional?

Q2 How would suggest a Black Woman or Woman of Colour starts a conversation about racial inequality in her workplace that is affecting her career? What are two specific things that you suggest her to say or to do before embarking on this conversation?

Q3  What are 3 ways that a Black Woman or Woman of Colour can prepare herself mentally and emotionally for a courageous or difficult conversation?

Q4 Including how to inform or correct a in-factually correct preconceived notion, e.g. “Angry Black Woman” or a desire to be a “Diversity Champion”.

Q5 What 3 things would you suggest a Black Woman or a Woman of colour to do if she wants to assert her point of view which to date, has not been given full consideration?

Q6 What suggest would you give to a Black Woman or a Woman of colour who is a high-performer to say “No” to prevent Burnout and over-work?

Q7 What are 3 actions that you’d suggest a high-performing Black Woman or a Woman of Colour to have a difficult conversation with herself about how to work on perfectionist tendencies? What should her first steps be to tackle changing this?

Q8 What 3 things would you suggest a Black Woman or Woman of Colour to do if she feels that she’s not being adequately supported or being given fair access to development or promotion opportunities? Who should she talk to and what evidence should she present?

Q9 What’s the best piece of professional advice that another Black Woman or Woman of Colour has given you that has helped you to advance your career?

Thank you and until next month we’ll be tackling Wellness in the workplace, with an Dr. Yvette Ankrah MBE.

Hello My Name is Ekua Cant and I am the Head Cheerleader for Career Magic. I am a Career coach who works with women one to one and organisations on talent attraction and retention. This podcast is named after the Navigating your Career as a Black Female Professional Workbook which I released last year as part of my e-coaching programme. That worksheet is freely available to all those who would like to join us on the career advancement mailing list. A Full transcript coming soon.

This second episode is on the topic of Navigating Politics in the workplace as a Senior Black Professional Leader. I’m really delighted to be speaking with Dr. Twanna Carter, who will introduce herself in just a moment.

Q1 Please can you introduce yourself and tell us 1 piece of workplace insight that you have used to navigate your career as a Female Black Professional?

Q2 As Black Women and Women of Colour we may be a minority in the workplace and navigating Office Politics as Women of Colour can have additional dimensions, such as managing trying not to be seen as “The angry Black Woman” or “Being too Much!” What are 2 specific pieces of advice that you’d give women dealing with those issues on how to balance being authentic and judgment and bias against Black Women in the workplace?

Q3  How can a Black Women or Woman of Colour discern if her workplace has negative Office Politics that she needs to navigate? What 3 things would you say indicate that this is present in a workplace?

Q4 As we all know “Office Politics” is used to circumvent the formal organisational structures in place. How as Black Women and Women of Colour can we use Office Politics to help us to be visible and advance in the workplace? What are 2 specific pieces of advice you would suggest that Women of Colour should take in this respect?

Q5 How would you advise Black Women and Women of Colour to strengthen their people skills in order to discern who are the influencers in their organisation lie and who are the people/leaders that have an influence in their career advancement in their organisation? What are two actions you would advise Women of Colour to take?

Q6 How can Black Women of Colour avoid being sucked in by Office “Gossips and manipulators”? What are two ways to identify these kinds of colleagues in their workplace?

Q7 How would you advise a Black Woman or Woman of Colour that has gone for a promotion and been given the feedback that she’s not “the right fit” and no further explanation. What 2 specific pieces of advice would you give Black Women and Women of Colour to process their emotions about that kind of feedback?

Q8 How can Black Women and Women of Colour protect themselves from “emotional overload” in the workplace? What are 2 pieces of advice to help them stop becoming the Office “Oprah” and to protect their peace?

Q9 How can Black Women and women of Colour avoid carrying the “emotional baggage” of other female colleagues or peers that well-meaning peers seek their advice on? What 2 things would you advise Black Women and Women of Colour facing this issue to do to provide alternative solutions?

Q10 What’s the best piece of professional advice that another Black Woman or Woman of Colour has given you that has helped you to advance your career?

Thank you and until next month we’ll be tackling having difficult conversations in the workplace with Beverly Bramwell. 

Hello My Name is Ekua Cant and I am the Head Cheerleader for Career Magic. I am Career coach who works with women one to one and organisations on talent attraction and retention. This podcast is named after the Navigating your Career as a Black Female Professional Workbook which I released last year as part of my e-coaching programme. That worksheet is freely available to all those who would like to join us on the career advancement mailing list. Full Transcription coming soon! Please note the podcast starts 5 mins in.

This first episode is on the topic of Managing Racism and bias in the workplace. I’m really delighted to be speaking with Mandy Tucker, who will introduce herself in just a moment.

Q1 Please can you introduce yourself and tell us 1 piece of workplace insight that you have used to navigate your career as a Female Black Professional?

Q2 What would you say characterizes a toxic workplace versus a workplace with overt or covert Racist one?

Q3 How would you suggest that a Black Female Professional or a Woman of Colour tackles managing dealing with a Racist colleague or Boss? What are 2 specific actions you recommend that they take?

Q4 How would you advise a Black Female Professional or a Woman of Colour to decline becoming a free Diversity Advisor to her organisation?

Q5 What are 2 phrases that you would suggest that a Black Female Professional or a Woman of Colour uses to call out unacceptable Racist comments or colloquialisms?

Q6 How would you suggest that a Black Female Professional or a Woman of Colour identifies and get allies to support her in tackling racism at work?

Q7 If as a Black Female Professional or a Woman of Colour you feel like you’re being gas-lighted in your workplace how can they validate this or discern if it’s something else? What 2 specific things would you advise them to do?

Q8 If as a Black Female Professional or a Woman of Colour you feel like that despite meeting the performance indicators agreed with you that you are not fairly being treated with either salary raises or career opportunities what are 2 things you would advise that they do?

9 What’s are 2 things that you would advise a Black Female Professional or a Woman of Colour to do if they are feeling stressed out and emotionally taxed in a Racist working environment to do for herself to get some relief?

10 What’s the best piece of professional advice that another Black Woman or Woman of Colour has given you that has helped you to advance your career?

Thank you and until next month we’ll be tackling Navigating Politics in the workplace as a Senior Black Professional Leader, emotional intelligence with Dr. Twanna Carter a Career Coach.