The Seat, The System and the Shift: A Person of Color's Reflections on Leadership in Tech Artwork

Bytes, Bits & Brilliance: Career Insights and Inspiration

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The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.

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Bytes, Bits & Brilliance: Career Insights and Inspiration

The Seat, The System and the Shift: A Person of Color's Reflections on Leadership in Tech

December 01, 2025 • Courageous Daring Wonderful You, LLC • Season 2 • Episode 36

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What happens when you realize the language of diversity and belonging is everywhere — yet the systems remain the same? In this episode, we explore what it truly means to have a seat at the table and why representation alone isn’t enough.

Host, Dawn Butler, shares a deeply personal story about leading a critical phase of an in-development framework — owning documentation, process changes, and adoption — only to find her voice dismissed and her expertise ignored. When the chaos came, she was suddenly indispensable. A firefighter. A miracle worker.

This reflection looks beyond personal struggle to examine the system itself — how it rewards performance while resisting change — and what it takes to shift the culture, not just survive it.

You’ll hear insights on:

How to recognize when inclusion is performative, not practiced
The generational differences shaping how we define leadership, power, and voice
The quiet resilience required to stand firm when your contribution is unseen
How to lead with integrity and humanity in the age of AI and automation

If you’ve ever been in the room but unheard, or invited but unempowered, this conversation will speak to you.

Call to Action:
It's critical that your voice is heard! If you need help finding, rediscovering or using your voice, I want to help. Learn more here.

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbutler1/

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The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are personal and not reflective of any employer.