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Climbing the Corporate Ladder: Overcoming Barriers and Embracing Empowerment Pt-1
Episode 165 • 27th August 2024 • TonyTidbit: A Black Executive Perspective • TonyTidbit ™
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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/Climbing the Corporate Ladder: Overcoming Barriers and Embracing Empowerment Pt-1

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In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective podcast, hosts Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed discuss the journey up the corporate ladder, focusing on personal and widespread hurdles such as imposter syndrome, workplace politics, and the effects of race in corporate America. They outline the three psychological stages of a career—survive, thrive, and create—and offer insights on how to navigate these stages while debunking myths around corporate hierarchies. Featuring a discussion on the impacts of imposter syndrome on high achievers and marginalized groups, as well as practical advice for building confidence and resilience in a corporate setting.

▶︎ In This Episode

  1. 00:00: Introduction to Career Phases
  2. 00:46: Welcome to the Podcast
  3. 01:34: Exploring Corporate Challenges
  4. 02:36: Surviving the Corporate World
  5. 04:59: Navigating Career Expectations
  6. 08:02: The Role of Education and Confidence
  7. 15:03: Generational Differences in Career Approach
  8. 18:59: Personal Career Journeys
  9. 28:15: Building Confidence in Corporate America
  10. 29:13: The Pitfalls of Entitlement
  11. 30:22: Navigating Corporate Dynamics
  12. 35:19: Understanding Imposter Syndrome
  13. 36:25: Personal Experiences with Imposter Syndrome
  14. 41:47: The Role of Mentorship and Self-Belief
  15. 55:23: Final Thoughts and Advice

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Transcripts

Speaker:

Chris P. Reed: I think many people who

dive in have aspirations of climbing

2

:

that, you know, corporate ladder.

3

:

And the way that I've thought about

it for a very long time, years

4

:

now, you know, almost 20 years

is, it's three phases to a career.

5

:

Now different people might have

different things that they've read

6

:

about or applied, but for me it's, you

go through the first stage is survive.

7

:

The second stage is to thrive.

8

:

And these are all emotional,

you know, psychological stages.

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:

Right.

10

:

And then the last stage is to create where

you get to a point where you so up there

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:

that you can put other people on, or you

can guide people at that point in time.

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:

And that's the Holy grail to me.

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:

We'll

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:

Tony Tidbit: discuss race and how it

plays a factor and how we didn't even talk

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:

about this topic because we were afraid.

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:

BEP Narrator: A black.

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:

Tony Tidbit: Welcome to a Black Executive

Perspective podcast, the safe space where

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:

we discuss all matters related to race,

especially race in corporate America.

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I'm your host, Tony Tidbit

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:

Chris P. Reed: and I'm

your co host, Chris P.

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:

Reed.

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Tony Tidbit: And again,

we are live at WNHU 88.

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7 on the Richter dial University,

New Haven's podcast studio.

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Want to thank them for hosting a

black executive perspective podcast.

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:

Actually, the students

will be back next week.

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:

So we've got a lot of

people running around here.

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:

So we look forward to

seeing them go chargers.

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Chris P. Reed: We also want to

thank and help to appreciate

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our partners at CODE M Magazine.

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com CODE M magazine, where the

mission is saving the black family

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by first saving the black man.

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That's CODE M Magazine to m.

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com.

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Tony Tidbit: Code M.

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Check them out.

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So today, Chris and I are going

to explore the challenging

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journey up the corporate ladder.

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Focusing on personal and widespread

hurdles, we'll discuss imposter

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:

syndrome and the effect on

professionals in corporate America.

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We're going to debunk myths around

corporate hierarchies and the limitations

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:

of rigid job roles that stifle creativity.

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We'll also exam workplace politics,

revealing the patterns that

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:

influence leadership advancement

and how subjective criteria.

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Often change the standards of success.

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:

So my brother, you ready to dive

in into the corporate leadership,

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:

corporate ladder, uh, topic.

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Chris P. Reed: Absolutely.

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:

You know, this

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Tony Tidbit: is something we

both been working in corporate

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America for a long period of time.

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So, uh, you ready to tackle it?

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Chris P. Reed: And give

it our perspective.

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Tony Tidbit: All right, buddy.

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Let's talk about it.

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Chris P. Reed: All right.

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The one thing, you know, I think that

when you are going to do something,

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you want to do your best at it.

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And that includes your career.

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And so if you get into this

area of corporate America.

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I think many people who dive

in have aspirations of climbing

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:

that, you know, corporate ladder.

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:

And the way that I've thought about

it for a very long time, years

63

:

now, you know, almost 20 years

is, is three phases to a career.

64

:

Now different people might have

different things that they've read

65

:

about or apply, but for me is you go

through the first stage is survive.

66

:

The second stage is to thrive.

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:

And these are all emotional, you

know, psychological stages, right?

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:

And then the last stage is to create where

you get to a point where you so up there

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:

that you can put other people on, or you

can guide people at that point in time.

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:

And that's the Holy grail to me is when

you can create lives and opportunities

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:

for those who are developing and

coming up under you, you know, in

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:

the same route, but it's a tough

climb and understanding how and when

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:

and where to move and position and

attack and fall back and all of that.

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It becomes very tough, especially when

you come from a certain environment

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or you come from a certain personality

perspective where you, you know, um,

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you seem somewhat out of your element

depending on how you were raised.

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You know, I say all the

time, Ivy league schools.

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Teach leaders like you go to, you go to

Harvard to become in charge of something.

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You don't go to Harvard

to become an employee.

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:

You know what I mean?

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They don't have that.

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They don't really have that class, right?

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You learn how to lead employees.

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You go to other schools to learn

how to fit in and make it work

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or whatever the case may be.

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So those of us who didn't have that

silver spoon or didn't have that, The

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:

education geared at making you in charge

of others, you have to find your way.

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And it's a personality mix.

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It's a kind of figuring it out.

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I earlier I was talking to some

brothers and talked about it

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like being double Dutch, right?

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You learning, you rocking back and forth,

knowing when to jump in, you know, without

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getting hit in the face with the rope.

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Right.

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And so in that regard, I think

that I know you and I had a candid

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conversation recently where your

personality being, uh, someone just

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naturally who you are, the military,

all these other things kind of helped

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you go in there with your chest out.

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And it was like, I can do this.

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And I came in a different

side door, right?

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You came in the front door.

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I came in the service.

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I came in the side door and just

wanted to figure it out and survive.

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And so I think that would be important for

us to talk about those two perspectives

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and how we navigated our careers to

end up meeting each other ultimately,

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which was which was a wonderful thing.

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But the reality of it is, uh, it's

more than one way to skin a cat.

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And you and I are two, you know,

examples of Different perspectives

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:

on things as it relates to that

corporate hierarchy, that dynamic of

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gaining or ascending up the ladder.

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And I think it's a valuable,

uh, conversation to be had.

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Tony Tidbit: Yeah.

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Well, number one, thank

you for that, my brother.

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I really appreciate it.

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So right off the bat, so I'm

going to, there's, you said a lot.

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They kick us off, which I

really appreciate, right?

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Um, some of it I agree with,

some of I disagree with, right?

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But before I get into that, I

want, I want to back up because

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you said there's three levels.

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You said there's survive,

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Chris P. Reed: survive,

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Tony Tidbit: what was the second level?

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Chris P. Reed: Thrive.

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Tony Tidbit: Thrive.

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And then the third level was what?

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Chris P. Reed: Create.

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Tony Tidbit: Okay.

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So just do me a favor,

do everybody a favor.

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When you say survive,

like, what do you mean?

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Chris P. Reed: So you get into this job.

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So this is, think about young you, anybody

that was a young you, you get into this

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job and you want to show that you belong.

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You want to show that you're going to make

it past this 90 day probationary period.

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You want to get vested in the,

in the 401k, you know, you

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want to get vested in the 401k.

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You just want to make sure that this works

for you as much as it works for them.

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And that's really, you want to

survive the, the newness of things.

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:

You want to figure it out.

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You want to understand

how things go around here.

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And you want to see where you could

apply your best self to the situation.

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To me, that's level one.

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And it depends on if you feel equipped

or capable of that role, or if you got

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hooked up or whatever the case may be to

get in there, you might have a little more

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paranoia as it relates to your survival.

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But everybody that starts something new

should start with a baseline of having

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:

something to hang their hat on, prove.

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Give the first impression, whatever

the case may be in that regard.

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Tony Tidbit: Yeah.

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So, so that makes total sense.

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So I, so the word survive is a tough word.

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Okay.

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Just from my perspective, I got a new job.

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I just want to survive.

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All right.

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So, but I like the part where you

said, Hey, you want to fit in.

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You want to come in and prove yourself.

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You want to learn the landscape

because that's really what it's about,

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right, is learning the landscape.

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I think the majority of people, when

they start a new job at, at Xerox or,

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you know, uh, Warner media or, uh, CBS or

whatever company they're, they're excited.

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They, they're, they have, their

eyes are wide open, right?

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They're coming in.

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They feel that they're

going to make a mark.

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They, they, they want to,

um, they're ambitious.

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They want to grow, right?

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They're not looking to stay stagnant.

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Right.

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So I think for the most part,

everybody, not everybody, but majority

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people start that way right now.

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Yes, you have to, uh, you know,

you have to learn the landscape.

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It reminds me of when I went in the army.

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Okay.

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When I went basic training.

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Okay.

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And I remember, uh, we were in

basic and they took us out to see

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some movie, some military movie.

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I can't remember.

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And because the drill sergeants

wasn't all over us, we started acting

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up a little bit in the theater.

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Okay, because the lights are

out, you know what I'm saying?

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We got, I mean, trust me up to this point.

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You have no freedom, right?

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These guys are all over, right?

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We get in the theater.

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We act in the fool.

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Okay, at least not to the

standards of what we were doing.

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Right?

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So as soon as the movie

is over, they, they.

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He was in formation, marches back.

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And I remember the first

sergeant saying something.

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He was like, look, we're not joining you.

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You're joining us.

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Okay.

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So in other words, you're going to follow

these rules or you ain't going to be here.

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And so it's no different when you go

to corporate America, there's rules,

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there's things that you need to learn.

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All right.

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For you to become successful going

into the military, I couldn't be

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successful doing my own thing.

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I had to follow the military a

little bit different because a

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lot more rigid stuff that nature

versus going into corporate America.

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And I just think the majority of

people who go in, they're excited.

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They want to do well, but they need to

learn the landscape and sometimes, but not

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learning the landscape can trip you up.

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Right.

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And if we go to today, it's totally

different now because a lot of

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companies are hybrid, right?

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Young people coming out of college,

you know, they're, they're maybe

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working two, three days from home.

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So they don't get a chance to go in

and learn the landscape, learn the,

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you know, You know, the etiquette.

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All right.

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When I was in the military, I had

to learn the etiquette, what to

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do, what to say, how to stand,

how to look all those type things.

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Take your hat off when you come

inside, put your hat, all those things.

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Right?

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So same thing in corporate America.

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You want to come in and you

want to learn the etiquette.

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The landscape, how to deal with

your coworkers, how to navigate or

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communicate with your boss, how you

learn stuff, not just, uh, directly,

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but indirectly how you build your brand.

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So there's a million things

that you need to learn.

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But at the end of the

day, you won't learn.

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If, um, if, if, if you won't

learn in terms of not being

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there or not being involved.

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So to me, that's the first part.

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Now, if you want to say

that's part of surviving.

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It.

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Chris P. Reed: Okay.

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Tony Tidbit: All right,

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Chris P. Reed: Tony.

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I've seen some people who were

capable young and they didn't

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have any survival skills.

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And so what happened was, and I can

tell you verbatim, I had a leader

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come to me and say, Hey, why is

why are we losing young talent?

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What is the issue?

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Well, first of all, it's the

young talent and it's how you

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got to understand them where they

are and and how they see things.

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But more importantly, I sat through an

orientation dynamic for new hires and

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interns and things like that, where a

guy that was at a senior vice president

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position said to these young folks.

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I see so much talent and it was political,

but these kids don't see it that way.

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I see so much talent in the audience.

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One day I might be working for you.

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And they took that more

literal than they should have.

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Right?

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So they come in and they work two

months, three months, and they

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like, when is the next brass ring?

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When is the promotion?

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When is the, you know, I, I, I mentored a

guy at a 23 years old making six figures.

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I'm thinking, He on easy street.

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He got a good trajectory.

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He going to work talking about

being a billion, a millionaire.

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And I was like, you in the wrong

environment in a fortune 15

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company talking about, you need

to hurry up and be a millionaire.

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That, that takes time

for that cake to bake.

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And so these kids come in entitled,

so they come in and then they get

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disenchanted and then they, they leave

or they get pushed out because they

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get mad because I was told by him that

within three years I could be his boss.

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Tony Tidbit: Why the hell did you believe

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Chris P. Reed: that?

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Tony Tidbit: I mean, But,

but is that surviving?

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Is that's just the expectations

are not setting the right, right.

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Yeah, because you were, you're right.

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They, they, there is a different level,

you know, uh, of expectations or you, you

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want to use the word entitlement, right.

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You know, when I was coming up.

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You were just happy to have a job, right?

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You were happy to be there.

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Um, and at the day, you, uh, you

did whatever people told you to do.

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That's right.

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And so, because that was part,

that was part of, yeah, so, okay.

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You want to say survive, but at

the end of the day, you want to

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grow in the organization, right?

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That's correct.

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So you, you, you were going to be tutored.

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All right.

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By people who've been there

for a long period of time.

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So they're going to show you the ropes.

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And now they don't always tell you,

I'm going to show you the ropes,

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but it's just automatically you

learn from people who've been there

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for a long period of time, right?

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You had no expectations in terms

of you're going to get promoted.

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You want to get you, your goal

is to get promoted, but you

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didn't, there wasn't a timeframe.

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There was none of that, right?

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The goal was I'm going to come in,

I'm going to work hard and they're

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going to know, hopefully they know

my name and I'm able to move up.

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That's as far as you,

most people would think.

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Okay.

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So, so yeah, it is totally different.

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I just think that, and, and, and, and

just because somebody took it literally.

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Okay.

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Cause look, I've been in places

before and people said that,

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Hey, there's great talent here.

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One of you guys, believe it

or not, you guys are gonna.

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You know, take over and

you're going to be leaders.

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I don't think we took it

like, all right, next week.

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All right.

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Or in a couple of weeks or in a

few months, we're going to do that.

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We just took it as, I don't

even think to be fair.

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I don't even, and again,

I'm speaking for myself.

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I don't even think that I even took it as,

I just remember it was a conversation and

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I didn't even look at it as this, this is

me, or this could be me or whatever the

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case may be, because you are a hundred

percent focus on doing a good job.

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Right.

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That's number one.

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Learning your job and doing a good job.

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That's it.

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Okay.

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And then from there you get visions

of grandeur and stuff to that nature.

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But at the day, you're trying,

you're getting a paycheck.

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You want to get paid.

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Okay.

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And you want to come in and you want

people to say, Hey, Chris did it.

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We like Chris.

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We like Tony.

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We like Noel.

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We like Michaela.

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We like them.

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Right.

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That's number one before

anything else happens.

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Right.

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So, so I just think.

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So I'm, all I'm saying is that the

survive thing, I hear you, right.

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But I just think it's like learning

how to navigate the landscape.

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All right, because sometimes to your point

there, the expectations are out of whack.

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Okay.

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And, and to your point, we've seen

people want to leave after six months

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because they didn't get a promotion.

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Okay.

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Or this, you know, I, my, I

didn't think this was what I

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thought it was going to be.

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Right.

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So I just think that at the end of

the day, those are, um, You know,

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I think that, I think that's more

of a society, a generational stand.

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Chris P. Reed: I do too.

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And so one of the things that's showing

up in studies is the commitment or

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the patients that's being exercised

by the Gen Z, the, you know, the

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younger, you know, folks in the

idea of the biggest investment that

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you'll make classically, of course,

somebody's going to say a house, right?

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So that's, that's just no, no big

investment as a house, but your house,

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your car, Your education and your

career, like these are significant

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investments, but people are not looking

at their career as an investment.

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And as you know, by investing in

things, you get in early, you continue

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to put in on it and it grows slowly.

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It's not hitting the lick.

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It's not hitting the jackpot is not

taking these big wild swings and

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these big gambles, but people tend to

want to do that more and more often.

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Recently in their career, they

want to, they want to come in hot.

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They want to come in and be the

supervisor day one and tell you

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how they think it should go.

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And it's like, hold up, have you,

we've been around for a hundred years

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:

as a company and you come in all

these bright ideas and then you get

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frustrated and upset because we're not

taking everything you say verbatim.

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To the CEO and and that's what I

mean by you got to come in and kind

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of like you said peep the scene.

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Understand the landscape,

see where you can fit in.

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And make it to the anniversary,

make it the two anniversaries.

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They don't get to the point

where your reputation is.

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So, um, disgruntled because you

got all these ideas, they not

362

:

putting into place and all this net.

363

:

And you have a lot of these

younger entrepreneurs, these,

364

:

these kids that are free thinkers.

365

:

Outside the box.

366

:

Remember that became a thing.

367

:

We want people to think

outside the box and all that.

368

:

Well, like you said, from a military

perspective, y'all can't have a whole

369

:

bunch of outside the box, people in the

army that don't, that's called chaos.

370

:

It don't work.

371

:

Here's

372

:

Tony Tidbit: the thing though, buddy.

373

:

So let me ask you this question.

374

:

How long does a job become a career?

375

:

Chris P. Reed: For my and

I'll give you my testimony.

376

:

My testimony was like most people.

377

:

I think it's, it's in the high

seventies now of people who don't

378

:

have a role in what they got a

degree in or what the school for.

379

:

Right.

380

:

And it might be higher than that.

381

:

Tony Tidbit: I get that point.

382

:

What I'm saying is, is that how long.

383

:

Does somebody have to work somewhere

where it becomes, they come in and

384

:

have a job and then after a certain

amount of time, they now have a career.

385

:

What's the, what's the,

what's the timeframe on that?

386

:

Chris P. Reed: Yeah, I don't, I don't,

I don't know the timeframe on that.

387

:

I think that it's a matter of

when you get in, it's kind of

388

:

like a liberal arts education.

389

:

You get in and figure out what

attracts you and what you're good at.

390

:

But as I was stating, You just

want a job to start off with,

391

:

you just want to get in the door.

392

:

Tony Tidbit: But that's the point.

393

:

So, so that's why we have to understand

the majority of people who start off.

394

:

It's just a job,

395

:

Chris P. Reed: just a job, not a career.

396

:

Tony Tidbit: Right.

397

:

Correct.

398

:

So when it's just a job, okay.

399

:

You're not, uh, uh, a

hundred percent sold on it.

400

:

You're not a hundred

percent committed to it.

401

:

Correct.

402

:

So they don't give you what you want.

403

:

You're willing to come because

there's no investment yet.

404

:

Right.

405

:

And to be fair, unless you a doctor.

406

:

Right.

407

:

Or you a lawyer or something of that

nature, the majority of people who

408

:

come into corporate America, they

start off with a job and then after a

409

:

while navigating and you start liking

what you do and you start liking the

410

:

people around you and then you can

see an avenue or where you could go

411

:

and then it becomes a career, right?

412

:

And

413

:

Chris P. Reed: I believe that's when

the thrive hits, but Tony, people

414

:

aren't even giving it a chance.

415

:

It's like a relationship with a woman.

416

:

You got to get a chance.

417

:

To mature and marinate to get to

the point where you're willing to

418

:

engage, get engaged and get married.

419

:

But you got people that's just

hopping around from like they

420

:

dating everything because they so

421

:

Tony Tidbit: impatient.

422

:

Let me ask you this stuff.

423

:

So again, all right.

424

:

So, you know, it's easy to sit back and

be like, they doing this, they doing that.

425

:

Let me ask you this.

426

:

Yeah.

427

:

When you, when you graduated

college, how many jobs did you have

428

:

Chris P. Reed: when I was in one

429

:

Tony Tidbit: place for, and

you stayed there for years?

430

:

Chris P. Reed: No, I left, I left, I left

after a year, a couple of years, a couple

431

:

of years, about a year, a year and a half.

432

:

And then what

433

:

Tony Tidbit: did you do after that?

434

:

Was it in the same field?

435

:

Chris P. Reed: No, it was in the field.

436

:

No, exactly.

437

:

And

438

:

Tony Tidbit: then you went, you see my

point here, my brother got you is that at

439

:

the end of the day, when you first come

out of school or military, whatever the

440

:

case may be, when you first, you don't

know if this is going to be forever.

441

:

Okay, you're that's why

it's about learning.

442

:

And navigating, right?

443

:

The main thing is doing your best,

444

:

Chris P. Reed: right?

445

:

Tony Tidbit: That's the key.

446

:

You, I, I've been at places

where, you know, I didn't, uh, I

447

:

remember I was at, I think it was a

traveler's insurance company, right?

448

:

Chris P. Reed: And I was in,

449

:

Tony Tidbit: I was in the accounting.

450

:

I was NCA accounting,

accounting clerk there.

451

:

So it was back then.

452

:

Late eighties, right?

453

:

And I remember the, uh, senior director

or VP, somebody, he came to me because

454

:

again, I I'm telling you, you come

in, you work, I came in, worked hard.

455

:

I wasn't thinking about,

I want to go here.

456

:

I want to go here.

457

:

This was a job.

458

:

Okay.

459

:

It was a job at travelers

insurance company.

460

:

20, 000 people worked there.

461

:

It was a job.

462

:

Okay.

463

:

And the bottom line is I

was doing such a good job.

464

:

I remember senior director

VP, he came by one day.

465

:

And he sat, he sat, uh, came

and sat on my table, my desk.

466

:

And he said, you know, Tony, you know,

you can make a lot of money doing this.

467

:

Right.

468

:

Something to that point, he

was giving me a pep talk.

469

:

Right.

470

:

And I was like, Oh, for real?

471

:

He was like, yeah, you know, you're

doing well, blah, blah, blah.

472

:

Right.

473

:

Yeah.

474

:

Today I wasn't looking

for that to be my career.

475

:

It was a job, you know what I'm saying?

476

:

So I didn't, wasn't looking to stay

at traveler's insurance company

477

:

for 20 years and some people did.

478

:

Right.

479

:

So my point I'm trying to make is

that part, the, the, the first thing

480

:

when you come into corporate America

is you're coming in with the mindset.

481

:

Number one, if you want to do a

good job, you want to work hard.

482

:

You want a good, good job.

483

:

And then you want to

navigate and learn the ropes.

484

:

You may not stay there for a

long period of time, because

485

:

here's the other caveat to that.

486

:

What's the other piece to that,

that makes it that, um, Decide to

487

:

somebody who's going to stay in that.

488

:

Chris P. Reed: So for me, I

can tell you, I started off at

489

:

the state farm headquarters.

490

:

And when you say 18 months,

I was there for 18 months.

491

:

And let me tell you why I get

there and I'm thinking, man,

492

:

these people are so smart, they

dress so nice, all this, all that.

493

:

And after about six months,

that them rosy glasses had dull.

494

:

And I realized these people

ain't better than me.

495

:

Like they not smarter than me.

496

:

So I can compete here.

497

:

And I ran into a guy who

happened to be a director.

498

:

Yeah.

499

:

He telling me about his job.

500

:

Tell me about his role.

501

:

Tell me about his team.

502

:

He's giving me all this information.

503

:

I'm like, this is what

I would like to do this.

504

:

I would like to do this at State

Farm headquarters, blah, blah, blah.

505

:

Everything looks good.

506

:

And when I said, how

long have you been here?

507

:

And he was like, Oh no.

508

:

How long have you been director?

509

:

He said, I just became a

director two years ago.

510

:

And I was like, okay.

511

:

I like to keep in mind.

512

:

I'm 20, 24.

513

:

Right.

514

:

And I said, how long have

you been at the company?

515

:

He said 22 years.

516

:

I was like, Oh, I'm not waiting 20 years.

517

:

Like in my mind, I'm kid.

518

:

Right.

519

:

I'm not working 20 years

to become just a director.

520

:

You're like three levels above that.

521

:

No, I can't even do it.

522

:

And I ended up moving to another company.

523

:

Totally that I felt had a greater

trajectory for me and my talents at that

524

:

point in time, because like these kids

I'm talking about now, I thought that

525

:

I had more to offer than to wait around

because I felt like he was very talented.

526

:

I didn't know his whole story

in candor, didn't know his whole

527

:

story, but that's the thing.

528

:

When you get to these organizations, you

got to see your CEO, your executives, your

529

:

VPs, your directors, managers, and then.

530

:

Everybody else, right?

531

:

It's the lower levels.

532

:

That's just the corporate

hierarchy, right?

533

:

And he was only at the

second phase of that.

534

:

Like me and him was one level apart

as far as I was concerned in the

535

:

pantheon of how corporations run and

it took too long for him to get there,

536

:

Tony Tidbit: right?

537

:

Well, and again, those could

be personal situations, right?

538

:

Who knows?

539

:

He could have been a, you know, somebody

that wasn't a high performer and they

540

:

kept him on and then eventually he turned.

541

:

Yeah.

542

:

So there's a million reasons, right?

543

:

But what I was trying, what I was

alluding to was a lot of it also has

544

:

to do with You know, the, your boss,

do you get along with your boss?

545

:

Are you, do you have a

relationship with that person?

546

:

Right.

547

:

Do you like working with them?

548

:

Are there a good manager?

549

:

Are they, do they have your

best interests at heart?

550

:

Are they helping you grow?

551

:

Are you learning from them?

552

:

So those are a lot of the other, the,

the other, uh, uh, intangibles and why

553

:

people either leave or they cut out.

554

:

Right.

555

:

And so I think what we should do here,

let's, let's, let's, and again, like

556

:

you said, we, we, um, we've come in,

you know, we have different experiences,

557

:

but we have the same experiences, right?

558

:

So if somebody new was coming

in, they just graduated.

559

:

Oh, well, let me just say this.

560

:

I want to, the one area that I disagree

with you on was when you said, Hey, If you

561

:

go to Harvard, they're creating leaders.

562

:

You go to another school.

563

:

They, and I disagree with that.

564

:

Cause that's what

565

:

Chris P. Reed: they say, Tony.

566

:

I didn't say that.

567

:

Harvard said

568

:

Tony Tidbit: that what they want

to say, but go to, you could go to

569

:

university, uh, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,

and I'm not picking on a school.

570

:

I'm just, it just came to my head.

571

:

Right.

572

:

Right.

573

:

And graduate there and still

come in and be a leader.

574

:

So one of the things is, so, you know,

is that when you go to college and

575

:

you graduate, uh, uh, With a degree.

576

:

Okay.

577

:

Typically you start off depending on

the role, depending on, but a lot of

578

:

times you start off in management.

579

:

Okay.

580

:

So, so if you don't have a

degree, you ain't starting off

581

:

in management in the military.

582

:

If you have a degree, you don't have

to go to West Point, but if you, again,

583

:

you went to university of Wisconsin,

Milwaukee, and you have a degree,

584

:

you can start off as an officer.

585

:

Okay.

586

:

All right, which if you don't

have a degree, you start off

587

:

as a private since saying so by

going, it doesn't really matter.

588

:

Um, you can go to any college and

still come in and have leadership

589

:

qualities and stuff to that nature.

590

:

Or you could go to any college or

you could go to Harvard or, or,

591

:

or, or, uh, uh, Yale, whatever.

592

:

I don't have no leadership qualities.

593

:

Okay.

594

:

I just think that it's, it's,

you know, I just think it's

595

:

based on the individual, right?

596

:

I, yes.

597

:

To your point, do certain schools, you

know, focus, you know, on the, you're

598

:

going to lead, you're going to, you're

going to be this, you're going to create

599

:

this, you're going to be an entrepreneur,

you're going to be a bit, yes, I, I, I'm

600

:

not saying that's not the case, but I

just think that at the end of the day,

601

:

you go to school, regardless of what

school you got, you have the ability

602

:

and depending on what field you come

in, you can have the ability to start

603

:

off, you know, and, and be able to

move up into management pretty quickly.

604

:

Okay.

605

:

That doesn't mean you're

going to be successful.

606

:

Chris P. Reed: But, but, but it

goes back to, you know, life is

607

:

a confidence game, good, bad, or

indifferent life is a confidence game.

608

:

And there's some institutions

that reinforce that confidence.

609

:

They, they, it comes, if you go to Notre

Dame or Stanford or whatever, You come in

610

:

with a, with a different kind of scarlet

letter on your chest of confidence that

611

:

says they taught me to be better or to

be a leader or whatever the case may be.

612

:

And then you have situations where,

like you said, you went to Podunk

613

:

university, Spoon Valley community college

and you have all these intangibles,

614

:

but you have so much more to prove

because your resume doesn't resound.

615

:

You know what I'm saying?

616

:

From, from many different factors,

even from a, And of course,

617

:

for us as black professionals,

from a pay scale perspective,

618

:

Tony Tidbit: see, here's the thing, and

this is where we get and we're going to

619

:

talk about imposter syndrome shortly.

620

:

Okay, cool.

621

:

This is where we kind of this right here.

622

:

This conversation we have right now.

623

:

This is where, um, this starts

off with the imposter syndrome

624

:

stuff because we think people.

625

:

Because they went here or they got

this, or they have this degree or they

626

:

have this title that they're set up and

they're bad and they're not, because

627

:

in the day that all those things are

great, they're great, but at the end of

628

:

the day, human beings are human beings.

629

:

You could, there's people I know

went to West point scared to death in

630

:

terms of, you know, being a leader.

631

:

Don't even know how to act.

632

:

Devay, they're, they're faking

a funk because they still

633

:

don't feel it themselves.

634

:

They don't have confidence in them.

635

:

It doesn't really.

636

:

So my point is, and then, so a lot of

times when we go to school or when we

637

:

start a job, we start a job or we're

somewhere, and then we see that this

638

:

person's got a master's degree or this

and that, and they went to Dartmouth.

639

:

Oh man, how I'm going

to compete with that.

640

:

This, you know, I mean, this is where we

start piling on stuff that maybe at the

641

:

end of the day, that's great for them.

642

:

But that doesn't diminish you.

643

:

All right.

644

:

And that doesn't mean that they're,

you know, got it all together

645

:

because that's not true, right?

646

:

So, so I just think at the end of the

day, we all have to, you know, I, and

647

:

you said the word confidence at the first

thing, the first thing you have to obtain.

648

:

To be successful in anything

is confidence, right?

649

:

Would you agree with that?

650

:

Absolutely.

651

:

And then so how does that start?

652

:

You could, you could start at that.

653

:

You could be a valedictorian.

654

:

You could be on the Dean's list.

655

:

You could be.

656

:

But then when you start this company.

657

:

You don't have the confidence

yet that you're going to come in.

658

:

Sometimes you do, but then there could

be times that you still feel a little

659

:

insecure, or you don't think you rate

well enough, or even though you went

660

:

through all this type stuff, right.

661

:

And which can affect you in

terms of you being successful,

662

:

at least at that organization.

663

:

So I think one of the major

things is, is coming in.

664

:

And, um, you know, affiliating

yourself with the organization,

665

:

with your boss, with your coworkers,

getting confidence in doing the

666

:

job that they're asking you to do.

667

:

Right.

668

:

And then from there.

669

:

Those qualities and all the other things

that was, that you were, that was, you

670

:

were taught and stuff that nature most

likely would come to the forefront.

671

:

But I think for today, most people today,

when they come to corporate America.

672

:

Right.

673

:

Either.

674

:

And you said it, I think entitlement

is really the big thing that hamstrings

675

:

them because they have a sense of,

even if they ain't confident, even if

676

:

they're, you know, trying to hold on

or let's use your word survive, right?

677

:

They still say, well, it's been

six months and I still ain't, I

678

:

didn't go from account executive

to senior account executive.

679

:

All

680

:

Chris P. Reed: right.

681

:

Tony Tidbit: Well, I didn't go

from here to here and that's

682

:

the wrong attitude to have.

683

:

The attitude to have is you

come in and you work hard, okay?

684

:

And you, you, you assimilate and you, you

meet your coworkers and you make friends

685

:

and you build your brand that way, right?

686

:

Where other people in the

organization saying that Chris,

687

:

he's all, is he on your team, Tony?

688

:

He's great.

689

:

I love those little things are the

things that help you build your brand

690

:

and help set you up For promotions

and opportunities, not some, you

691

:

know, invisible, uh, timeframe.

692

:

Chris P. Reed: I agree, but you, you,

and we'll talk about this when we get

693

:

to the imposter syndrome, some companies

have began to acquiesce and create

694

:

these mid level roles or these tiered

structures to give people a vanity

695

:

title or whatever the case may be.

696

:

And so what happens is because

of social media, because of your

697

:

network, your alumni network,

things of that nature, you was.

698

:

First, third, fifth in your class.

699

:

Doesn't matter.

700

:

Right?

701

:

And then you graduated with some

people and Rob went to this firm and

702

:

you went to this firm and then Rob

eight months later is saying, woo hoo.

703

:

They gave me the next, you know,

keys to the private bathroom.

704

:

And you're like, hold

up, I'm better than Rob.

705

:

And that starts getting in your head

where you, if you don't have anybody,

706

:

uh, investing in you, or you don't have a

corporate dynamic that creates mentorship

707

:

or that helps you understand how things

go here, you're looking at Rob's situation

708

:

Inappropriately and comparing your climb

to Rob's climb or to whoever's climbing.

709

:

I've had people talk to me about this,

uh, a lot where they said, Hey, I went

710

:

to school with this guy, all the guys

I went to school with, they have these

711

:

places, they make it this kind of bread

and they doing this then the third.

712

:

And I'm like a haircut.

713

:

Don't look the same on everybody.

714

:

You have no idea what

else is going on there.

715

:

You don't have no idea.

716

:

You don't know the whole story.

717

:

You just know the highlights,

718

:

Tony Tidbit: but

719

:

Chris P. Reed: unfortunately

that starts to chip away.

720

:

At a psyche of people like a

disenfranchised people of people that

721

:

feel like they had to fight extra Anyway,

that starts to chip away at them because

722

:

they feel like man I got to the point

where I had a little bit of confidence,

723

:

got here and they saying, stay in the

corner, stay in the corner, stay, shut

724

:

up and dribble, stay in the corner.

725

:

And it chips away at you a little bit.

726

:

Tony Tidbit: I, so I hear that,

man, but this is where, again, I'm

727

:

just going by my own experience.

728

:

All right.

729

:

You know, I, and I, I, I just came

in and just wanted to do a good job.

730

:

I mean, I, I, I didn't

get caught up in all that.

731

:

Okay.

732

:

And, and, and don't get me wrong.

733

:

I've heard other people

say those things, right?

734

:

Oh, I've been here this time and

this, you know, I didn't get promoted.

735

:

All right.

736

:

And, you know, but it wasn't six months.

737

:

All right.

738

:

Well, I'm talking years ago.

739

:

Right.

740

:

So I've been a couple of

years or they passed me up.

741

:

I just heard those people and I just,

you know, that was their situation.

742

:

Right.

743

:

And to be fair.

744

:

You know, I've been in the ad

advertising industry since:

745

:

Okay.

746

:

But just to be fair, everything

prior to that, it was no career.

747

:

Those was job.

748

:

All right.

749

:

And so when you're working at a

job, I'm just being honest with you.

750

:

You know, now, all that being said.

751

:

I got promoted at a lot of those jobs.

752

:

Okay.

753

:

But I wasn't looking to

stay at those companies.

754

:

Right.

755

:

And so, you know, I was always looking for

the next, better the next thing for making

756

:

more money and stuff to that nature.

757

:

But I wasn't looking like, Oh, this person

made this and I didn't, I was focused

758

:

on doing focus on what I can control.

759

:

And I think that's where

people want to be at.

760

:

What can you control?

761

:

You can control.

762

:

Two things, right, your attitude and your

work effort, okay, and by approaching that

763

:

nine times out of 10, what I've always

found out in my career, when I focus

764

:

on my attitude and my work ethic, nine

times in everything worked out, right,

765

:

all those things took care of themselves.

766

:

But if I'm looking left and I'm looking

right, and I'm trying to compare myself.

767

:

To all these other things then guess

what i'm not focused on the things i

768

:

need to be focused for me to become

successful And and here's the thing

769

:

though, too The other thing where people

miss it and you said it a few minutes

770

:

ago is that success is not linear Okay.

771

:

Since you came in, did you

go straight up like this?

772

:

But it wasn't sideways backwards,

773

:

Chris P. Reed: zigzag,

774

:

Tony Tidbit: right?

775

:

So it's not going to be that way.

776

:

Now there could be a few people that

they go like this, but that doesn't mean

777

:

it's meant for everyone to go like this.

778

:

And you never know when

they stack stagnate or they

779

:

go this, that, this, that.

780

:

So you got to run your own race.

781

:

You got to focus on you.

782

:

Right.

783

:

And look, there's a lot of,

uh, uh, uh, Things you can't

784

:

control this out of your control.

785

:

Some people may get promoted before you.

786

:

Some people may, but here's the thing.

787

:

You don't have to stay

at a company forever.

788

:

Okay.

789

:

But if you work hard and you build your

brand and you focus on that attitude

790

:

and that work ethic, guess what?

791

:

Some company will come

and say, guess what?

792

:

We'll take it.

793

:

We'll, we'll get, you see my point here.

794

:

And I just think that's where

we've kind of gone away from today

795

:

because like you said, companies

are, Hey, we'll give you this.

796

:

We'll give you this.

797

:

We'll give you this.

798

:

And nobody's really worked at it.

799

:

And then because they're getting

stuff that they haven't put

800

:

the work in, they're not ready.

801

:

And this is where the

imposter syndrome comes

802

:

Dr. Kristen Lee: in.

803

:

Imposter syndrome is something

that hooks many of us into an

804

:

idea that we're not good enough.

805

:

And by definition, maybe

you've heard about it.

806

:

It basically means it's, you know,

it's a situation of an intellectual

807

:

form of self doubt where we

start to really get in our heads.

808

:

We start to worry that our

accomplishments don't really

809

:

measure up to today's standards.

810

:

We feel a sense of underperformance.

811

:

We feel a sense of self scrutiny or worry

that maybe we didn't deserve the spot that

812

:

we have within an academic institution.

813

:

For example, we didn't deserve

our job, that if only people

814

:

really knew the real us.

815

:

And they discovered that, that they would

just be blown away at how bad we are.

816

:

And a word sometimes that

you could think of is like a

817

:

wannabe, or a fraud, or a phony.

818

:

And this is something that is a

reality in today's landscape, where

819

:

it feels like it's never enough.

820

:

No matter how much we accomplish,

there's always going to be more to do.

821

:

Chris P. Reed: So I think that that's

heavy because I can speak for myself

822

:

and the idea and it evoked some, some

memories for me where coming up and

823

:

playing sports, it was easy because

sports is a meritocracy, right?

824

:

Either you, you win or you don't

and you're talented or you aren't

825

:

and it shows up on the field on the

court or whatever the case may be.

826

:

When I first got into.

827

:

You know, corporate America was

a situation where I got promoted

828

:

quick early, like boom, boom, boom.

829

:

It was, and it was within a

matter of 8 months, 1 year.

830

:

Like, I remember 1 time I got a

promotion and I told the guy I haven't

831

:

even been in this position for a year.

832

:

He fell out laughing.

833

:

Right?

834

:

And so, but when I got to that corporate

headquarters, um, I had a boss and you

835

:

talked about this earlier a little bit.

836

:

You kind of touched on this.

837

:

I had a boss that was not supportive in

that regard and she was so non supportive

838

:

and wouldn't, for me, I felt like maybe

the VP who put me in that role should

839

:

have sold me better or, or buddy, like

she should have known that I came under

840

:

his recommendation because I thought she

did everything she could to run me off.

841

:

I thought she did everything she could to

make me feel as if I don't belong here.

842

:

I was the youngest person

on the team by 16 years.

843

:

But my, my acumen, my ability was

there until she kept chipping away

844

:

at like, it would be silly little

things, but when you're in it, you

845

:

don't realize that's what's going on.

846

:

You think because I've been coached

by so many different type of coaches.

847

:

Oh, this is just her coaching style.

848

:

I'm just far exceed that.

849

:

I'm just going to show up and work

harder, work harder, work harder.

850

:

But I didn't realize I was negotiating.

851

:

Against someone who didn't have

the same destination as me.

852

:

Like we didn't, she didn't want mutual

benefit negotiations to come out of it.

853

:

She, I was negotiating against a bad actor

and it took for me in my young twenties

854

:

to realize at some point, wait a minute.

855

:

I think that she doesn't have, she

would take all my work up to the,

856

:

it wasn't until she was, I think

she was sick or some kind of FMLA

857

:

or something medical or whatever.

858

:

And they had a replacement come in

or somebody step in and her stead.

859

:

Yeah.

860

:

And, and the new person, lady named

Nikki, Nikki said, excuse me, you take

861

:

that contract up to the, to the seniors.

862

:

You do this, you do that, you did

all the work and I was like, Oh,

863

:

that's, that's never happened.

864

:

I never was allowed to shine and

thrive and get into feeling into that

865

:

confidence level of my own because

this woman rejected everything.

866

:

It was one point.

867

:

I'm gonna say this and then we can move

on just because it's, it's tough with me.

868

:

It was one point, Tony, that

I purposely created a contract

869

:

dynamic, presented it to her.

870

:

She rejected it because that's what she

always did and five iterations later gave

871

:

her the original one and she accepted it.

872

:

Tony Tidbit: I was

like, what are we doing?

873

:

Chris P. Reed: What are we doing here?

874

:

Tony Tidbit: Let me, let me

ask you this though, bro.

875

:

So that seems like more of you just had

a boss that didn't support you, but did

876

:

you, from an imposter syndrome standpoint,

Did you feel like I can't do this job?

877

:

Like I, I, I, they, um, they have me

here and I don't really fit the bill.

878

:

I don't, you know, I don't, um,

they're going to find out that

879

:

I really don't belong here.

880

:

Right.

881

:

Did you feel that way?

882

:

Because it sounded like it was something

883

:

Chris P. Reed: I must be missing.

884

:

I felt like she knows

she's in a lot of times.

885

:

Also, when you're young, you

believe that these titles and these

886

:

people have earned these spots.

887

:

You don't realize how the

corporation really works.

888

:

Right.

889

:

You think that they got there because

they did what they was supposed to do.

890

:

Once again, that

meritocracy, they did enough.

891

:

They're smart enough.

892

:

They're capable enough.

893

:

They're in a leadership role because

they're leaders now, because everybody

894

:

that's an individual contributor

is not designed to be a leader.

895

:

You have doers and leaders.

896

:

And just because you're a good doer

does not make you a good leader.

897

:

And I found out later by some teammates.

898

:

And some mentors that was her situation.

899

:

She was a good doer and then

she pushed back and told them

900

:

she wanted opportunity to lead.

901

:

And I happened to be

one of the Guinea pigs.

902

:

I happened to get into one of

the roles where, Hey, we're

903

:

going to kick the tires on her.

904

:

And she, she didn't last longer than me.

905

:

Let me put it like that.

906

:

But the fact is it did make me

sit back and say, wait a second.

907

:

I thought that I was this and that based

off of, but maybe this isn't for me.

908

:

Like you said, you, you get

in there, you realize what

909

:

works for you and what does it.

910

:

And because she was saying so vehemently,

this not my, this might not be for you.

911

:

You're not excelling.

912

:

And I had always excelled.

913

:

So think about that too.

914

:

When you've always excelled and you've

always showed up and showed out.

915

:

And then somebody in charge of you is

saying not good enough, not good enough.

916

:

I thought it was a coaching dynamic

where she wanted to bring more out

917

:

of me, but it was just exhausting me.

918

:

And that's where the

imposter syndrome kicked in.

919

:

Tony Tidbit: Yeah, I, again,

though, I, so I hear you.

920

:

I don't, I just think that's more

of you just had a bad boss, right?

921

:

You know, versus you getting up.

922

:

So look at it this way.

923

:

There's people who get

promoted into a position.

924

:

Okay.

925

:

They don't feel like they

are adequate to do that.

926

:

Forget the boss.

927

:

Chris P. Reed: Right.

928

:

Right.

929

:

Right.

930

:

Got you.

931

:

Even if the

932

:

Tony Tidbit: boss is supportive.

933

:

Right.

934

:

They don't feel like I can do this.

935

:

Right.

936

:

They're going to find me out.

937

:

They're afraid to give reports because

they feel that if they give the

938

:

report, it ain't going to look right.

939

:

Right.

940

:

So those type things, even though.

941

:

They are, have all the

capabilities of doing it, right?

942

:

It's just like, uh, the professor

said, and what was her name?

943

:

Just so we can give her some love, uh, Dr.

944

:

Kristen, uh, Lee, who's the professor

at Northeastern university, just like

945

:

she said, is that they don't feel.

946

:

That they can, they belong in this

situation and it's in your head, right?

947

:

Now the boss can make it worse.

948

:

Right.

949

:

But it seems like a situation that was

probably a person who just didn't like

950

:

you or might have been threatened by you.

951

:

And so, you know, so those, and these

are all the dynamics that you have

952

:

to deal with when you're dealing

with corporate America, right?

953

:

If you're dealing with all these

personalities and what other people's,

954

:

Um, um, What their, uh, goals are or lack

thereof and their insecurities and all

955

:

the other things that you got to learn

how to deal with and try to figure out.

956

:

Right.

957

:

But I think a lot of us, especially, and,

and, and let's go to the next clip because

958

:

she breaks down like what groups or who's

mostly affected by imposter syndrome.

959

:

Let's play the next clip.

960

:

Dr. Kristen Lee: Look at who is

affected by imposter syndrome.

961

:

For example, it happens in high achieving,

high performing roles for folks.

962

:

But it also happens to certain groups.

963

:

It happens to people disproportionately

because of race, because of class, because

964

:

of gender, because of sexual orientation.

965

:

and age and any of these other kinds of

categories where sort of there are this

966

:

in and out group situation or historic

and current tide of marginalization,

967

:

discrimination, and oppression.

968

:

So it's sort of this whole thing

of like a dominant group kind of

969

:

came to this decision of what was

good or what the metric should be.

970

:

Or sort of defining it for the whole,

even though that doesn't always fit.

971

:

Or also many times we have barriers

to access, um, in our lives and our

972

:

professional and personal lives.

973

:

Tony Tidbit: Yeah.

974

:

So, so you can see, this is something

that obviously high achieving people.

975

:

And one of the things, when you look

into it, you know, people who are

976

:

perfectionists, all right, have.

977

:

Impostors can, can be, can, uh,

we'll have a posture syndrome or

978

:

could be infected by it because

everything is not going perfect.

979

:

So they don't think that they rate.

980

:

Okay.

981

:

They don't think that they're,

you know, on that level, right?

982

:

I, I just, I, I, I'm, I must not

belong here because it didn't come out.

983

:

Right.

984

:

Okay.

985

:

Because they're perfectionists.

986

:

So that's number 1, but number 2.

987

:

The other thing is, is that Marge,

like she said, marginalized groups,

988

:

because what you're trying to do is

you're assimilating into areas that you

989

:

may not be familiar with, or you may

not have a mentor or sponsor, somebody

990

:

that's going to show you the ropes.

991

:

Okay, and then now you got to

stand up and you got to do it.

992

:

And so you're going

to, you may have doubt.

993

:

You may feel like, oh, and then 9 times

out of 10, we just talked about it.

994

:

You know.

995

:

A lot of times you got to

figure stuff out for yourself.

996

:

So, so let me give you an example.

997

:

I had worked, I got a job.

998

:

I was executive vice

president of this company.

999

:

And, um, I had to, uh, executive vice

president of sales, I should say.

:

00:45:01,874 --> 00:45:07,875

And I had to go once a month to a

board meeting out in LA, meet with the

:

00:45:07,945 --> 00:45:09,675

investors and stuff of that nature.

:

00:45:10,045 --> 00:45:14,525

Talk about, you know, our numbers and

projections and all that type stuff.

:

00:45:14,525 --> 00:45:14,825

Right.

:

00:45:16,175 --> 00:45:17,895

I remember on the airplane.

:

00:45:18,515 --> 00:45:18,905

Right?

:

00:45:19,325 --> 00:45:21,305

Flying there, going to L.

:

00:45:21,305 --> 00:45:28,325

A., scared, because I never did that

before, okay, and can I really do this?

:

00:45:28,404 --> 00:45:32,464

Am I, you know, they're going

to look under the curtain and

:

00:45:32,465 --> 00:45:35,635

say, he don't belong here, okay?

:

00:45:35,705 --> 00:45:39,374

And so there was a fear, there

was a nervousness, right?

:

00:45:39,374 --> 00:45:41,085

Because I've never done it before.

:

00:45:41,345 --> 00:45:44,615

And then I was there, I wanted to make

sure that I said everything right.

:

00:45:44,995 --> 00:45:46,595

I wanted to sit a certain way.

:

00:45:46,845 --> 00:45:49,815

I wanted, you know, and here's the

thing, I'm the only black guy there.

:

00:45:50,300 --> 00:45:50,880

Okay.

:

00:45:51,060 --> 00:45:53,520

So then, then you have to throw it

in as she talked about, you have

:

00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:55,200

to throw that into the equation.

:

00:45:55,560 --> 00:45:56,140

All right.

:

00:45:56,220 --> 00:45:57,800

So, you know, pardon me.

:

00:45:57,870 --> 00:45:59,330

And then let's be fair.

:

00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:04,199

It was, you know, the cup, the numbers,

the company wasn't growing like it should.

:

00:46:04,199 --> 00:46:06,389

So it's like, is this because of me?

:

00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:09,879

Is this, so these are the

things that self doubt.

:

00:46:10,270 --> 00:46:13,580

That you start dealing with now, I

remember I was working with the life

:

00:46:13,580 --> 00:46:17,640

coach at that time and, you know,

and I, we would meet once a week and

:

00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:18,880

I would tell her what was going on.

:

00:46:18,880 --> 00:46:20,050

She was awesome.

:

00:46:20,330 --> 00:46:23,080

And she was the 1 saying

Tony you're in your head.

:

00:46:23,870 --> 00:46:27,024

I'm saying you deserve

this job because you are.

:

00:46:27,025 --> 00:46:28,675

You, they were, you

were the best candidate.

:

00:46:28,675 --> 00:46:30,035

You had done a lot of this work.

:

00:46:30,045 --> 00:46:30,555

Yes.

:

00:46:30,755 --> 00:46:33,775

There's stuff here that you never

done before, but those people that

:

00:46:33,775 --> 00:46:36,605

sitting around the boardroom, they

only know this because they've

:

00:46:36,605 --> 00:46:37,895

been doing it longer than you.

:

00:46:37,925 --> 00:46:40,504

Not because there's some

genius what the case may be.

:

00:46:40,715 --> 00:46:44,244

So she was good in terms of

pumping up my, my confidence and

:

00:46:44,255 --> 00:46:45,934

getting, getting me out of my head.

:

00:46:46,285 --> 00:46:49,865

But those are the things that

people will deal with when it

:

00:46:49,865 --> 00:46:51,465

comes to imposter syndrome.

:

00:46:51,675 --> 00:46:56,395

And nine times out of 10, they

are adequate enough to To do these

:

00:46:56,395 --> 00:46:58,745

roles, but it's a mental thing.

:

00:46:58,935 --> 00:47:02,765

And a lot of times because they don't

have the sponsorships or the mentorships

:

00:47:03,055 --> 00:47:07,545

in terms of people, you know, teaching

you about these things and how to

:

00:47:07,545 --> 00:47:09,625

deal with and how to do these things.

:

00:47:09,895 --> 00:47:11,634

And that's what, that's what can happen.

:

00:47:12,765 --> 00:47:15,265

Chris P. Reed: But a lot of times

when you're young, Tony, you don't

:

00:47:15,265 --> 00:47:19,005

have the discernment to know the

difference between if it's a bad actor.

:

00:47:19,295 --> 00:47:21,255

Or if it's your lack of capability.

:

00:47:21,255 --> 00:47:23,875

So there's something called a

Peter, the Peter principle, right?

:

00:47:23,875 --> 00:47:26,055

Where you get promoted to

your level of incompetence.

:

00:47:26,555 --> 00:47:31,984

And so for me and my situation, I was

young to where I didn't realize until I

:

00:47:31,984 --> 00:47:37,415

got mentors, sponsors, you know, people

that invested in me to tell me it was in

:

00:47:37,415 --> 00:47:42,845

my head because what I was going by with

what my leader was expressing to me was.

:

00:47:43,385 --> 00:47:44,985

Uh, inefficient or incapable.

:

00:47:44,985 --> 00:47:49,425

And so I didn't discern that this was her

and her inadequacies or her insecurities.

:

00:47:49,805 --> 00:47:53,085

I believe what she was saying

verbatim because my entire career

:

00:47:53,085 --> 00:47:56,795

up to that point, I had overachieved

my entire career up to that point.

:

00:47:56,835 --> 00:47:58,525

I had been promoted and

promoted and promoted.

:

00:47:58,795 --> 00:48:01,915

And I felt like, wait a second,

did I finally reach my level?

:

00:48:02,450 --> 00:48:03,180

Of incompetence.

:

00:48:03,190 --> 00:48:05,630

Did I reach the level to

where this is it for me?

:

00:48:05,660 --> 00:48:08,930

And I thought it, how I saw

my trajectory, it was low.

:

00:48:09,030 --> 00:48:10,360

It was very low.

:

00:48:10,640 --> 00:48:13,590

And I was like, if this is it,

I'm a buyer one and that's it.

:

00:48:14,180 --> 00:48:16,570

And I did all this damn school

and all this other stuff.

:

00:48:16,850 --> 00:48:19,770

This is not going to work for

me, but it took for me to be

:

00:48:19,779 --> 00:48:21,960

vulnerable and speak to people.

:

00:48:21,960 --> 00:48:24,960

Cause I didn't grow up around a lot

of learned individuals and scholastic,

:

00:48:24,970 --> 00:48:26,910

you know, folks that had corporate.

:

00:48:26,920 --> 00:48:27,760

That's another thing.

:

00:48:27,990 --> 00:48:30,630

I didn't have a lot of corporate

people in my family or in my life.

:

00:48:31,345 --> 00:48:34,695

And I had a lot of workers, not

a lot of leaders that I had, you

:

00:48:34,695 --> 00:48:36,115

know, close relationships with.

:

00:48:36,345 --> 00:48:40,044

So it took a lot for me when, like

I said, when she was out and that

:

00:48:40,045 --> 00:48:43,014

woman came in, Nikki Barnes and

Nikki put me in her office, it was

:

00:48:43,015 --> 00:48:44,855

like, you are extremely defensive.

:

00:48:45,455 --> 00:48:49,964

I mean, every time something is said,

you got all these emails and receipts

:

00:48:50,005 --> 00:48:54,975

that you come in and I was like, I was

so, you know, scarred at that point.

:

00:48:55,015 --> 00:48:58,255

And she gave me grace and told

me, this is what you need to do.

:

00:48:58,255 --> 00:48:59,614

This is how you should be approaching it.

:

00:49:00,060 --> 00:49:00,950

Talk to this person.

:

00:49:01,220 --> 00:49:04,870

This is, you're doing a great

job and that's all I needed.

:

00:49:05,050 --> 00:49:08,550

You know, just like any athlete, sometimes

you just need somebody to believe in

:

00:49:08,550 --> 00:49:12,020

you and then you can show up and show

out and be who you naturally are.

:

00:49:12,200 --> 00:49:17,220

But I had this lady that was dimming

my light and I didn't realize that,

:

00:49:17,260 --> 00:49:19,889

um, she was so effective at it.

:

00:49:20,120 --> 00:49:20,320

Right.

:

00:49:20,420 --> 00:49:20,500

And

:

00:49:20,500 --> 00:49:24,140

Chris P. Reed: so that's when I was like,

man, maybe, maybe she knows more than I,

:

00:49:24,490 --> 00:49:26,320

maybe, you know, it's something going on.

:

00:49:26,580 --> 00:49:28,190

And I tell this story all the time.

:

00:49:28,580 --> 00:49:31,570

And so, you know, a year

into it, she's my boss.

:

00:49:31,580 --> 00:49:32,420

She's the horrible boss.

:

00:49:32,420 --> 00:49:34,900

And I'm talking to my teammates

and they're telling me that

:

00:49:34,900 --> 00:49:36,599

she has a degree in music.

:

00:49:37,910 --> 00:49:38,619

And what does we do?

:

00:49:39,770 --> 00:49:42,960

And it was, things started to be

revealed to me that I was like,

:

00:49:42,980 --> 00:49:44,710

Oh, this is her problem with me.

:

00:49:44,720 --> 00:49:45,900

This is this.

:

00:49:46,260 --> 00:49:49,050

And like you stated, ironically

at a corporate headquarters.

:

00:49:49,505 --> 00:49:51,145

It was 88 people on the floor.

:

00:49:51,145 --> 00:49:52,005

Three of us was black,

:

00:49:52,445 --> 00:49:52,825

right?

:

00:49:52,955 --> 00:49:53,155

Right.

:

00:49:53,165 --> 00:49:54,255

Chris P. Reed: Nobody else on my team.

:

00:49:54,455 --> 00:49:54,735

Right.

:

00:49:54,755 --> 00:49:56,235

Chris P. Reed: And so a

lot of that was playing.

:

00:49:56,365 --> 00:49:57,095

I was young.

:

00:49:57,155 --> 00:49:57,804

I was black.

:

00:49:58,055 --> 00:49:59,575

I was, I didn't have a life.

:

00:49:59,625 --> 00:50:00,905

All I had was that job.

:

00:50:00,905 --> 00:50:02,904

So I was doing the hell out of that job.

:

00:50:03,294 --> 00:50:04,544

And that was another thing.

:

00:50:04,544 --> 00:50:05,654

Cause I was pushing the pace.

:

00:50:05,925 --> 00:50:07,124

I was asking for more.

:

00:50:07,354 --> 00:50:10,585

I was winning awards and different

things like that for the things that

:

00:50:10,585 --> 00:50:14,055

I was allowed to do, you know, on

a smaller level, but I never got a

:

00:50:14,055 --> 00:50:15,375

chance to get into those big projects.

:

00:50:15,375 --> 00:50:16,084

And I started thinking.

:

00:50:16,435 --> 00:50:17,185

It was me.

:

00:50:17,405 --> 00:50:21,135

Once again, as we stated, you have

to have someone to pull you out.

:

00:50:21,135 --> 00:50:23,835

And luckily you had that life

coach to calibrate you and bring

:

00:50:23,845 --> 00:50:26,875

you back to reality as opposed

to get out of your own head.

:

00:50:26,965 --> 00:50:28,005

Tony Tidbit: Well, here's

the thing though, bro.

:

00:50:28,005 --> 00:50:30,574

So, so sometimes you're not

going to have somebody, right?

:

00:50:30,575 --> 00:50:32,755

And so this is one thing I had to learn.

:

00:50:32,975 --> 00:50:34,185

Yes, she helped.

:

00:50:34,264 --> 00:50:35,525

There's no question, right?

:

00:50:35,704 --> 00:50:36,084

But.

:

00:50:36,320 --> 00:50:39,230

The thing is, is this, and this is one

of the things we want to talk about

:

00:50:39,230 --> 00:50:40,600

when we talk about imposter syndrome.

:

00:50:40,830 --> 00:50:42,360

What can you do, right?

:

00:50:42,360 --> 00:50:46,940

Because yes, you definitely want to have

mentors or stuff to that nature, right?

:

00:50:47,170 --> 00:50:48,689

You want to have people in your corner.

:

00:50:49,200 --> 00:50:52,300

Here's the thing though, and

those are great, but one of the

:

00:50:52,310 --> 00:50:55,980

things I've learned in my life

is what I call reference points.

:

00:50:55,980 --> 00:50:57,600

And I'll use you as an example.

:

00:50:58,040 --> 00:51:01,324

You just got finished saying,

Hey, I had been successful, but I

:

00:51:01,745 --> 00:51:03,525

Everywhere I went till I got here.

:

00:51:03,985 --> 00:51:04,625

Okay.

:

00:51:04,765 --> 00:51:06,275

So think about that for a second.

:

00:51:06,665 --> 00:51:08,105

I've always thought of that as well.

:

00:51:08,105 --> 00:51:11,614

Well, look, I did this, this, this,

this, and this, and I'm coming here.

:

00:51:11,615 --> 00:51:14,525

Even when I started struggling in the

beginning, because I'm learning something

:

00:51:14,525 --> 00:51:19,474

new, but I just knew I always lend on

those reference points that guess what?

:

00:51:19,715 --> 00:51:22,785

I didn't know this and I kept doing

it and I became very good at it.

:

00:51:22,785 --> 00:51:22,985

Right.

:

00:51:23,055 --> 00:51:25,395

So this is no different, right?

:

00:51:25,445 --> 00:51:29,104

So those are the things you got

to have your own self talk, right?

:

00:51:29,105 --> 00:51:29,605

Yes.

:

00:51:30,294 --> 00:51:33,695

It's great to have people around,

but you have to look at the things

:

00:51:33,704 --> 00:51:37,655

that you've accomplished in your

life already up to this point.

:

00:51:38,244 --> 00:51:42,155

And those things that you accomplish

in the beginning, you didn't,

:

00:51:42,155 --> 00:51:43,875

wasn't good at those things either.

:

00:51:44,230 --> 00:51:48,460

Okay, you had to learn how to deal with

those things and then you did and you

:

00:51:48,460 --> 00:51:51,420

overcame them and you, you surpassed them.

:

00:51:51,630 --> 00:51:53,550

And then that took you to here.

:

00:51:53,750 --> 00:51:56,699

So that's the 1 thing when we

talk about imposter syndrome,

:

00:51:57,029 --> 00:51:58,760

we have to take a step back.

:

00:51:59,410 --> 00:52:03,670

And number 1 knows in our head, and

then number 2, look at our prior

:

00:52:03,670 --> 00:52:09,860

accomplishments, look at how we were

uncomfortable on these other things

:

00:52:09,860 --> 00:52:11,670

that we had to deal with the 1st time.

:

00:52:11,999 --> 00:52:12,650

And we.

:

00:52:13,300 --> 00:52:14,280

Accomplish them.

:

00:52:14,670 --> 00:52:16,320

We beat them, right?

:

00:52:16,430 --> 00:52:19,030

And if that's the case,

you can do it here.

:

00:52:19,300 --> 00:52:23,739

And then more importantly, recognize

that the people that you think

:

00:52:24,540 --> 00:52:27,220

have it all put together, right?

:

00:52:27,239 --> 00:52:29,149

That they're on the

pedestal and they're this.

:

00:52:29,159 --> 00:52:31,100

Well, they have this

title and they're that.

:

00:52:31,440 --> 00:52:35,880

They don't think nine times

out of 10, they're no different

:

00:52:36,150 --> 00:52:37,860

than you and me, right.

:

00:52:37,860 --> 00:52:41,249

And they got there and you just said

it, you know, once you start peeling

:

00:52:41,249 --> 00:52:45,419

the onion back, you find out that they,

they got their own insecurities or

:

00:52:45,419 --> 00:52:48,739

they didn't graduate where they, you

thought they were, or, you know, they

:

00:52:48,739 --> 00:52:54,080

speak with a lisp or they got one leg,

all the things that you may think.

:

00:52:54,100 --> 00:52:54,540

Right.

:

00:52:54,700 --> 00:53:00,040

So that's where we have to really

look at having people in our corner.

:

00:53:00,355 --> 00:53:03,845

It's great, but nine times, and

I'm gonna say nine times, sometimes

:

00:53:03,845 --> 00:53:04,475

you're not gonna have that.

:

00:53:04,795 --> 00:53:07,225

You need to be able to

speak out of it yourself.

:

00:53:07,995 --> 00:53:11,835

Chris P. Reed: I think for us, especially

as, as, as black people, You already

:

00:53:11,835 --> 00:53:16,315

have so many other things that you start

feeling like this is just one more thing.

:

00:53:16,315 --> 00:53:17,995

It's piling on at this point, right?

:

00:53:18,265 --> 00:53:22,905

It's a situation where, um, as I stated

from my perspective, I was a star

:

00:53:22,915 --> 00:53:27,114

everywhere and my teammates thought

that I was a up and coming star.

:

00:53:27,424 --> 00:53:30,925

And it was, it's happened at this

job and another job, but at the

:

00:53:30,925 --> 00:53:35,095

other job, praise the Lord, I was

more mature and I came out the fog.

:

00:53:35,395 --> 00:53:36,725

And so I know exactly what she was doing.

:

00:53:37,190 --> 00:53:39,610

Like, yeah, she hated me the whole

time and I could give a damn.

:

00:53:39,620 --> 00:53:42,570

Like it was, I knew my numbers was this.

:

00:53:42,600 --> 00:53:45,970

I let the dot the data speak for itself.

:

00:53:46,040 --> 00:53:49,520

And I carried myself in

I'm number one on the team.

:

00:53:49,530 --> 00:53:52,269

And I knew I was number one on the

team, not just from a data perspective,

:

00:53:52,530 --> 00:53:56,480

but how the team was approaching

me, how the team rallied around me.

:

00:53:56,600 --> 00:53:58,370

She didn't like that shine.

:

00:53:58,680 --> 00:54:01,390

And so therefore she and I bumped

heads in that regard because

:

00:54:01,400 --> 00:54:02,700

she just couldn't understand.

:

00:54:03,180 --> 00:54:07,570

Why I couldn't humble myself built

more, why I couldn't fall back more

:

00:54:07,590 --> 00:54:11,670

because I was trying to ascend and

I didn't know how to balance that

:

00:54:11,670 --> 00:54:14,740

out to be aspirational and humble.

:

00:54:14,930 --> 00:54:18,110

Like that's, that's a very

strange concoction, right?

:

00:54:18,379 --> 00:54:21,530

Like either I'm on the gas or I'm

on the brakes, but I can't be on

:

00:54:21,530 --> 00:54:23,170

both or else we spend in a circle.

:

00:54:23,480 --> 00:54:26,450

And so, so that was a tough situation.

:

00:54:26,450 --> 00:54:31,620

When you, when, have you found yourself in

a career position where You thought that

:

00:54:31,640 --> 00:54:36,310

it was time and the other person didn't

want to, you weren't releasable or you

:

00:54:36,310 --> 00:54:41,180

were too much of a, of a, uh, uh, integral

part for them to let you move on and grow.

:

00:54:41,940 --> 00:54:42,150

Tony Tidbit: Yeah.

:

00:54:42,150 --> 00:54:46,879

I mean, I, I, you know, look,

we all have situations where

:

00:54:46,879 --> 00:54:48,749

everything is not going well.

:

00:54:49,250 --> 00:54:55,725

Um, And a lot of them, to be

honest, was more personality stuff.

:

00:54:56,285 --> 00:54:58,985

It wasn't that I couldn't do the job.

:

00:54:58,985 --> 00:54:59,725

I didn't think I could.

:

00:55:00,305 --> 00:55:02,965

It was just more of the people

that I was dealing with.

:

00:55:03,445 --> 00:55:03,825

Right?

:

00:55:03,825 --> 00:55:07,285

Because it can become a lot easier

if you got somebody to support you.

:

00:55:07,655 --> 00:55:11,569

And, um, it can be, uh,

horrible if you don't.

:

00:55:11,920 --> 00:55:12,210

Right.

:

00:55:12,210 --> 00:55:15,560

So that's really what it comes down

to, but what we're going to do now,

:

00:55:15,560 --> 00:55:18,950

we're going to pick this back up in

our next episode, because we got more

:

00:55:19,260 --> 00:55:23,280

to talk about when it comes to, you

know, navigating corporate America.

:

00:55:23,570 --> 00:55:25,289

Um, but final thoughts, my brother.

:

00:55:26,270 --> 00:55:29,459

Chris P. Reed: Uh, I just think that,

like you said, it's, it's something that

:

00:55:29,459 --> 00:55:34,820

you have to go back and check yourself

and make sure that you are really

:

00:55:34,830 --> 00:55:38,840

basing this off something tangible,

as opposed to something that's just

:

00:55:38,840 --> 00:55:40,310

made up, get out of your own head.

:

00:55:40,650 --> 00:55:43,850

And speak to people who either work,

what you care about you, that you

:

00:55:43,850 --> 00:55:47,120

have trust in to make sure that

you're just not making these things

:

00:55:47,120 --> 00:55:49,030

up and, and, and thinking crazy.

:

00:55:49,300 --> 00:55:54,280

Uh, but at the same point in time,

um, you have to have realistic, uh,

:

00:55:54,300 --> 00:55:57,919

dynamics and goals, and you have

to be willing to invest in what you

:

00:55:57,919 --> 00:55:59,430

want the ultimate outcome to be.

:

00:55:59,830 --> 00:56:03,040

And so that would be, you know, one of

the things I think could help as you're

:

00:56:03,060 --> 00:56:04,440

navigating these corporate waters.

:

00:56:04,670 --> 00:56:05,640

Tony Tidbit: Absolutely, buddy.

:

00:56:05,690 --> 00:56:11,170

Come in, work hard, be ambitious, get

your head right in terms of expectations.

:

00:56:11,210 --> 00:56:11,830

Okay.

:

00:56:12,070 --> 00:56:14,739

You're not going to get

promoted in six months.

:

00:56:14,790 --> 00:56:15,400

Okay.

:

00:56:15,560 --> 00:56:20,710

I mean, if it does happen, I mean, that's

great, but focus on really coming in,

:

00:56:20,710 --> 00:56:23,250

learning the job, learning your coworkers.

:

00:56:23,625 --> 00:56:29,545

Learning who your boss is building that

brand and really making your mark in your

:

00:56:29,545 --> 00:56:34,585

work and how you do it and how you become

an asset for the organization and then

:

00:56:34,585 --> 00:56:36,725

you start focusing on the next steps.

:

00:56:36,995 --> 00:56:37,695

So, listen.

:

00:56:38,215 --> 00:56:41,635

We want to thank everybody for

checking out this episode, how

:

00:56:41,635 --> 00:56:42,765

to climb the corporate ladder.

:

00:56:43,005 --> 00:56:46,545

So I think it's now

time for Tony's tidbit.

:

00:56:46,575 --> 00:56:46,995

Okay.

:

00:56:46,995 --> 00:56:52,485

So today's tidbit is by Robert green

and the tidbit is create a ladder of

:

00:56:52,495 --> 00:56:54,964

values and priorities in your life.

:

00:56:55,645 --> 00:56:59,815

Reminding yourself of what

really matters to you.

:

00:56:59,855 --> 00:57:03,615

And we kind of spoke of that

today in today's episode.

:

00:57:04,635 --> 00:57:05,205

Chris P. Reed: Absolutely.

:

00:57:05,205 --> 00:57:09,625

servant leader, Robert Green, but, uh,

and also we want to remind you to tune

:

00:57:09,625 --> 00:57:14,445

in to need to know what Nsenga don't miss

this week's need to know segment by Dr.

:

00:57:14,445 --> 00:57:18,025

Nsenga Burton, black executive

perspective podcast, where Dr.

:

00:57:18,025 --> 00:57:22,165

Burton dives into timely and crucial

topics that shape our community and world.

:

00:57:22,480 --> 00:57:25,520

Tune in and gain unique insights

and deepen your understanding

:

00:57:25,520 --> 00:57:26,530

of issues that matter.

:

00:57:26,910 --> 00:57:27,810

You don't want to miss it.

:

00:57:27,910 --> 00:57:28,090

Trust.

:

00:57:28,090 --> 00:57:28,280

Oh,

:

00:57:28,280 --> 00:57:30,630

Tony Tidbit: you don't want to miss it.

:

00:57:30,860 --> 00:57:31,170

Right.

:

00:57:31,170 --> 00:57:34,520

So again, hope you enjoyed our episode,

climbing the corporate ladder, overcoming

:

00:57:34,530 --> 00:57:37,610

barriers and embracing, uh, empowerment.

:

00:57:38,395 --> 00:57:38,895

Chris P. Reed: Absolutely.

:

00:57:38,895 --> 00:57:43,315

And then we also want to challenge you

and invite you to our call of action.

:

00:57:43,325 --> 00:57:50,644

Remember to incorporate L E S S less

the L is for learn, educate yourself

:

00:57:50,694 --> 00:57:53,414

on racial nuances and cultural aspects.

:

00:57:53,790 --> 00:57:56,850

And make sure that you learn as

much as you can, wherever you can

:

00:57:56,990 --> 00:57:57,680

Tony Tidbit: exactly.

:

00:57:57,680 --> 00:58:00,290

And then after you learn is E is empathy.

:

00:58:00,540 --> 00:58:00,890

Okay.

:

00:58:00,890 --> 00:58:05,910

Now you should be more empathetic

to your friends and colleagues about

:

00:58:05,910 --> 00:58:07,410

the situations that they go through.

:

00:58:08,429 --> 00:58:11,330

Chris P. Reed: And then the first S is for

share, share the things that you learned.

:

00:58:11,340 --> 00:58:11,920

Don't hide it.

:

00:58:11,930 --> 00:58:12,679

Divide it.

:

00:58:12,810 --> 00:58:14,340

Make sure that those around you.

:

00:58:14,690 --> 00:58:17,010

Understand what you've

just gained and understood.

:

00:58:17,500 --> 00:58:19,500

Tony Tidbit: And then the final S is stop.

:

00:58:19,520 --> 00:58:22,130

We want to stop discrimination

as it walks in our path.

:

00:58:22,330 --> 00:58:26,339

So if grandma says something at the

Thanksgiving table, that's inappropriate.

:

00:58:26,339 --> 00:58:28,489

You say, grandma, we don't say that.

:

00:58:28,500 --> 00:58:31,219

We don't believe that

you stop it right then.

:

00:58:31,430 --> 00:58:37,530

So if everybody can incorporate less L

E S S we'll create a more understanding

:

00:58:37,540 --> 00:58:42,000

world and more important, we'll

see the change that we want to see.

:

00:58:42,350 --> 00:58:44,300

Because less will become more.

:

00:58:44,300 --> 00:58:45,259

And

:

00:58:45,260 --> 00:58:47,920

Chris P. Reed: then also we want to

remind you to tune into the episodes,

:

00:58:47,920 --> 00:58:51,580

but go on to the website, sign up

for the newsletter, please leave

:

00:58:51,580 --> 00:58:54,529

your reviews and subscribe wherever

you're listening to the podcast.

:

00:58:54,750 --> 00:58:56,950

And that'll help us scale

and reach you where you are.

:

00:58:57,780 --> 00:58:58,270

Tony Tidbit: Exactly.

:

00:58:58,270 --> 00:59:01,750

And you can follow a black executive

perspective podcast on all of

:

00:59:01,750 --> 00:59:08,110

our socials, Tik TOK, X, YouTube,

Instagram, and Facebook at a black exec.

:

00:59:08,515 --> 00:59:11,045

For the co host with the

most, my man, Chris P.

:

00:59:11,045 --> 00:59:11,585

Reed.

:

00:59:11,825 --> 00:59:15,465

All right, Noel Miller, who's

pumping the muscles behind the

:

00:59:15,465 --> 00:59:17,475

glass and making this all work out.

:

00:59:17,765 --> 00:59:18,975

I'm Tony Tidbit.

:

00:59:19,165 --> 00:59:20,315

We talked about it.

:

00:59:20,474 --> 00:59:21,265

We love you.

:

00:59:21,295 --> 00:59:22,114

And guess what?

:

00:59:22,415 --> 00:59:22,885

We're out.

:

00:59:27,435 --> 00:59:29,995

BEP Narrator: A black

executive perspective.

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