Episode Title:
Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/stroke-of-success-the-hidden-cost-of-climbing-the-corporate-ladder-
Episode Video Link:
In this audio episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with Roderick Jefferson, author of Stroke of Success, for a deeply honest conversation about success, burnout, health, family, faith, leadership, and purpose.
Roderick shares how he rose through Corporate America, helped shape the sales enablement profession, and built a powerful executive career, only to realize that professional success was costing him connection, presence, and peace.
After surviving a near-fatal stroke, Roderick rebuilt his life around faith, family, friends, and fun. This conversation challenges high performers, Black executives, Corporate America navigators, allies, and advocates to rethink what success really means.
What you will learn:
The hidden cost of success and burnout
Why self-care is leadership, not weakness
How to balance ambition with family, health, and purpose
Why IQ, EQ, and AI must work together in modern leadership
▶︎ In This Episode
00:00 What Is Success Costing You?
05:40 Building a Sales Enablement Career
10:00 Black Executive Navigation and Safe Spaces
22:00 The Hidden Price of Achievement
25:00 The Stroke That Changed Everything
40:30 IQ, EQ, AI, and the Four Fs
47:00 Redefining Success and Self-Care
58:00 Roderick’s Work, Tony’s Tidbit, and LESS
Embrace L.E.S.S to eliminate all forms of discrimination. Learn: Educate yourself in cultural and racial realities. Empathy: Understand and respect different lived experiences. Share: Share your knowledge and your story to uplift others. Stop: Stop discrimination when you see it.
🔗 Resources
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This episode was produced by TonyTidbit ™ . Copyright © 2024 A BLACK EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this podcast may be reproduced without prior written permission. For permissions, email podcast@ablackexec.com .
