Episode Title:
Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/your-pivot-is-not-failure-
Episode Video Link:
Success is not always linear, and sometimes the most powerful move a leader can make is to pivot.
In this episode of A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with TaShun Bowden-Lewis, Founder and CEO of The Bowden-Lewis Consulting Group, to unpack what it really means to navigate a forced pivot with clarity, courage, and control.
Drawing from her journey as an attorney, executive leader, and the first Black Chief Public Defender in Connecticut history, TaShun shares powerful insights on leadership identity, executive resilience, emotional intelligence, self-worth, professional reinvention, and the importance of protecting your peace when life shifts unexpectedly.
This conversation explores what happens when your title disappears, how to recover from career disruption, why Black executives carry a different weight in leadership spaces, and how to stay valuable in a changing workplace shaped by uncertainty and AI.
This is a real conversation for anyone facing transition, career pressure, reinvention, or the challenge of leading through adversity without losing themselves in the process.
What you will learn
- Why a pivot is not failure, but evolution
- How to separate your identity from your title
- Why peace, self-awareness, and boundaries matter in leadership
- How to stay adaptable and relevant in a changing workplace
▶︎ In This Episode
00:00 Pivoting with power
02:00 Meet TaShun Bowden-Lewis
07:08 Why the strategic pause matters
10:16 When your title becomes your identity
16:00 How to recover after a forced pivot
22:02 Self-worth, peace, and executive resilience
27:16 AI, adaptability, and staying valuable
32:00 Building The Bowden-Lewis Consulting Group
46:09 Emotional intelligence, boundaries, and leadership
50:05 Final thoughts, your pivot is evolution
53:14 Tony’s Tidbit
54:01 The LESS call to action
🔗 Resources
Links and resources mentioned in this episode:
🔔 Listen and Subscribe
Listen to this episode and subscribe for future updates
subscribe to A Black Executive Perspective podcast on
if you like what we're doing and would like to support us, here's some ways you can help us continue the uncomfortable conversations that drive change
- subscribe to our newsletter
- give us up to a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts
- share an episode with a friend, family member or colleague
🗣️ Follow @ablackexec
follow us across social media @aBlackExec
⭐️ Follow @TonyTidbit
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 .