Leading Her Introvert Way: Conversations about executive leadership, career growth, business and mindset for mid-life Black women.

72: Beyond Black Excellence: The Revolutionary Leadership Framework That Gets Black Introverted Women Promoted When Performance Alone Doesn't

• Nicole Bryan • Episode 72

Share episode

Many introverted Black women fall into patterns of being overlooked, regardless of their capabilities, and it's crucial to recognize that this isn’t a reflection of individual worth, but a symptom of systemic barriers. 

But even if the system is decked against you, you do belong.  And you can win. 

In this episode we outline our proprietary revolutionary leadership framework that  empowers you to leverage your natural leadership strengths. The episode is rich with insights on embracing the unique qualities introverted leaders bring to organizations—showcasing how to navigate corporate structures that may not always celebrate them.

--------

LET’S CONNECT!

* Work with me 1:1 to land your executive promotion, increase your impact, hone your executive presence and increase your salary by $50-100k. Book your call here to get your Elite Executive Experience.


**Leave the podcast a 5-star review and help other introverted women find us and join our community.


***Join our community of introverted women leaders and get our weekly LeadHer Lowdown newsletter.

****Want to improve your executive presence? Download MastHER Your Executive Presence email course here.

*****Connect with me on LinkedIn



Speaker 1:

Hi, Lady Leader, and welcome to another episode of the Leading Her Introvert Way podcast. I am Dr Nicole Bryan, and this podcast is where we transform how Black introverted women approach leadership. So a couple of things. If you are not new here, you may be hearing for the first time two things that are different. The first is that we have now transitioned our podcast content to specifically talking to and about Black introverted women issues. I am excited about that. I hope you are excited about it as well.

Speaker 1:

We have made this transition for a variety of different reasons, including the fact that we realize now that our audience is primarily Black introverted women. We started out the podcast just talking about women's issues. Then, throughout our history, we migrated to talking specifically to introverted women, and now we have refined that even further and are now focusing on black introverted women. Like I said, super excited about it, because what I've been doing is really paying attention to the data on the podcast who we're reaching, who we're engaging with, and I, as a leader, pride myself on making data-informed decisions and this is one of them, and I am confident that this is going to help me serve you even better. So that's the first thing that you heard. A little different. The second is that we've made a little adjustment to the name of the podcast as well. We were formerly Leading Her Way and now we have updated the name to Leading Her Introvert Way Again. Same reason wanting to be hyper-focused and wanting to make sure that by including the title in the title introvert, that more women are able to find us. I really want to position this podcast to ensure that people who need us can easily find us and once they find us, they can get what they need here. So those small changes, just calling those out, just so you are aware. Now, if you are a first time listener or a newish listener, then I would invite you to go all the way back to episodes one, two and three, where you can learn more about why I created this podcast, who it's for, and listen and hear my story, my leadership story. I thought it was really important to kind of start the kickoff the podcast and start it off with sharing more about myself, and I think we all have an opportunity to learn from other people's journeys. So if you're interested in that, then definitely go back to episodes one, two and three, and I think there are some great nuggets in those episodes that can help you as you continue to move forward in your own leadership.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so today we are diving into a topic that might completely change how you see your career path, and it is called revolutionary leadership. It is something that is uniquely coined by me, and so I just want to dive into this subject today and see where we go from there. Before we begin, I do need to acknowledge something that may be uncomfortable, right, If you are a black, introverted woman who has been stuck in the same role despite stellar performance, or if you've been told you're not ready for promotion without any clear reasons why you are not experiencing a coincidence. What you are experiencing is a pattern, pattern that affects thousands of women just like you. Now, what I'm about to share isn't conventional career advice. So if you're looking for conventional career advice, I would actually say this entire podcast is not for you. But if you are looking for career advice that is straight shooting and is direct and will help you advance your career, then, yes, you are definitely in the right place. So what I'm about to share is a system that is specifically designed for introverted Black women who are done playing by the rules that were never even created for them. So if you're ready to stop being overlooked and start being sought after for executive roles, for senior leadership roles, and even to flourish in your current role, then this episode is for you.

Speaker 1:

Let's start by exposing the biggest lie in corporate leadership, and that lie is that you need to be an extrovert to lead effectively. This myth persists despite the research showing that introverted leaders often get better results from proactive teams. For black women, this myth creates a double bind we're either seen as too quiet to lead or, when we do speak up, we're labeled as aggressive or difficult. It is a game we cannot win by traditional rules. So the truth your introversion gives you natural leadership strengths that are in desperate, desperately short supply in most organizations your deep listening, your thoughtful analysis, your genuine relationship building and your strategic thinking. So the problem is not your leadership style. So, despite the gaslighting that has been coming your way, the problem is not your leadership style. It's how you're positioning your strengths in a system that's designed to overlook them.

Speaker 1:

Now, in my years of leadership, in my years of coaching, I've identified five specific types of black introverted women who get trapped below the executive level. And let me ask which one resonates with you. Are you the high performer who is stuck in a loop, consistently exceeding expectations but watching other people get promoted ahead of you? Are you dealing with a blocking boss who praises your work but somehow always has a reason why you're not quite ready for the next level? Are you the six-figure success so you've already reached six-figure salary and you've achieved a good role and a good compensation, but can't quite see yourself at the C-suite level? Or are you the silent self-advocate who runs everything at home but holds back your voice and your ideas at work? Or maybe you are the qualified applicant who keeps applying for executive roles but gets vague feedback about fit or leadership presence that doesn't allow you to land the role? If you recognize yourself in any of these patterns, I want you to know something important. Your situation is not a reflection of your capabilities. Your situation is not a reflection of your capabilities. It's a reflection of a broader system that wasn't designed for black, introverted women to reach the highest levels of leadership.

Speaker 1:

Revolutionary leadership turns traditional executive development on its head. Instead of trying to fix you, making you more extroverted, more assertive, more like the existing leadership, Revolutionary leadership focuses on leveraging your natural introvert strengths in ways the system can't ignore. This approach has three core components. The first strategic visibility. Not self-promotion, but a systematic approach to ensure decision makers see your impact without you having to brag or perform. This includes documentation, strategies, strategic relationship mapping and contribution positioning. Second, authentic authority. This is about developing a communication style that commands respect while honoring your introversion. A communication style that commands respect while honoring your introversion. This means reframing thoughtfulness as strategic quiet, confidence as executive presence and deep work as leadership. Third, system navigation Learning to read and respond to the unwritten rules of your organization while simultaneously working to change them. This includes identifying sponsors, building your executive case and timing your promotion strategy.

Speaker 1:

Now you may be asking well, what makes this revolutionary, Nicole? It doesn't ask you to change who you are and it doesn't tell you to speak up more or be more confident. It doesn't follow the traditional rules of leadership. Instead, it gives you the tools to change how organizations perceive and value your leadership, and it also gives you the opportunity to create change inside your organization and in any organization, frankly, that you go to in the future. Now let's talk about timing.

Speaker 1:

Corporate wants you to believe that reaching executive leadership is a long and slow journey that should take decades. For Black women especially. This often means being asked to pay dues that others never ever have to pay. My clients are proving this timeline is a complete myth. Using the revolutionary leadership framework, they're securing executive promotions in five months or less. How? By being strategic rather than patient, by focusing on high leverage activities rather than checking arbitrary boxes, and by positioning themselves as solutions to executive level problems their organizations already have.

Speaker 1:

If you've been stuck, despite giving your all, consider this possibility, you don't need more time, more skills or more confidence. You need a revolutionary approach to leadership that works with who you already are. Your introversion is not, hear me now. It is not something to overcome on your path to executive leadership. It is your secret weapon, but only when you know how to position it effectively.

Speaker 1:

Ready to learn the complete system? Great, because I'm dropping it here first. I'm saying it here first that I am hosting a free webinar on April 12th and in this free webinar, I'll be sharing the exact framework that my clients are using to secure executive promotions and earning 50 to $100,000 raises in five months or less. Now, if this sounds like something you're interested in, then I want you to do one of two things. I want you to follow me on LinkedIn. If you are not already connected with me, follow me on LinkedIn and come back and listen to the podcast next week, because I'm going to be talking more about this topic revolutionary leadership and I'm also going to be sharing when I'm opening the doors to the webinar. And if this episode resonated with you, please share it with another Black, introverted woman who deserves to be seen and valued at the highest levels of leadership. Until next time, lady leader, remember revolutionary leaders do not wait to be chosen. They create their own path to the top. Now go and lead your ass off your introvert way.