Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: This is Be Better Than youn BS with Resha Grint. And around here, we get rid of the BS game changing women, raw stories, real truth about what it takes to lead, win, and stay sane in the process. If you've ever had to fight for your seat at the table, this space is for you. This is now media television.
What's up, everybody? It's your girl, Reisha Grant. Today on Be Better Than your bs, we're rolling with my girl, Taunya Williams, the one who runs the room at UNT Health Fort Worth. As Chief of Staff, she's the brains behind the moves in the President's office. Smooth operator and operations, communications strategy and more. Taunya's got two decades plus of turning chaos into clarity. From billion dollar health contracts to startups, branding and winning at every level. She's Hampton bred, Baylor educated and brings that Delta Sigma Theta hust. So, Taunya, let's do this. Welcome to the show.
[00:01:00] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me.
[00:01:03] Speaker A: I'm so glad you're here.
[00:01:04] Speaker B: Oh, man, I appreciate it.
[00:01:05] Speaker A: So I have to ask you because I've known you for years and I knew you to start in marketing, but always like, what was the aspiration to be in leadership?
[00:01:14] Speaker B: Oh, man. I think early on. So I started my career as a stay at home mom. I was a stay at home mom for almost a decade. So I'll be honest, I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up. When I was at Hampton, I thought I was gonna go to law.
I got married two years out of Hampton, hadn't really started my career and so I didn't know about my leadership abilities. I didn't really fully understand. But my first job I got after being a stay at home mom and I met with the CEO of the company that I went to work for and I told him I was looking for a career and not a job.
And so. And he saw something in me. He gave me my first leadership role. And it just sort of as soon.
[00:01:58] Speaker A: As you went back into.
[00:01:58] Speaker B: Right. It started me actually from the ground up because that's the way he started.
So he started me the lowest on the totem pole in the company. And I think it was a test too, to see how serious I was.
And after about a year, he gave me a leadership sort of committee responsibility to see how I would do there. And then eventually I became the marketing director and kind of went on from there. So that's when I kind of got the bug and thought, I think I can do this now.
[00:02:25] Speaker A: Let's talk a little bit. Because you said stay at home mom, and I think that's important for our audience because first of all, it's the job.
[00:02:32] Speaker B: It's the best job and the hardest job you'll ever have.
[00:02:35] Speaker A: It is the job. It is a job. I didn't think I could do it all. I didn't think I could have kids, do the business, live the life that I wanted. So, first of all, respect and props for doing that.
But can you talk a little bit about that journey of being a stay at home mom? And because you went to college, like, was that the.
You probably weren't thinking, I'm gonna be a stay at home mom, perhaps?
[00:02:57] Speaker B: Absolutely not. Yeah. I never thought that would be my life.
I grew up in a single parent household, although my dad was around, but it was pretty much my mom and I, so I never thought that would be my life. It didn't even enter my consciousness.
And frankly, it was tough because I got married so young right out of college. All of my friends were doing their thing, living their best single lives in big cities around the country. And I'm here with two babies and living also a different life that they didn't know anything about. But I really felt a little bit like a dinosaur at that time, you know, and when it all sort of ended, wondering, what in the world do I do now? Because I don't even know one who I am. I don't know what my skill set really is. I haven't built a resume, like, so I went all in, like.
So I knew I had. I was always very ambitious. So I knew I had to sort of just say yes to things and even. And just. Just do it. Afraid. And that's what I did.
[00:04:02] Speaker A: Talk about that journey a little bit because I think a lot of women out there are at home with kids, they want to get into the workforce. They don't know who they are. You said something big. I didn't know who I was.
And I think so many women struggle with that. Even if you don't have kids, it's just something. So how do you figure out who am I?
[00:04:20] Speaker B: You know, I took out. So I'm a very intentional person. You know, I'm a Virgo. So we're all very, you know, so I'm very intentional. I'm always trying to level up, always trying to be a better version of myself.
So I knew that it was a time for me to try to figure out who I was. I was 20 something years old when I got married, started having Babies right away.
So there was a lot about life that I just did not know. So I was intentional and I took risks. I took a role that I felt I was overqualified for, and I was. But I needed to learn what I didn't know. And so it was good to do that. So having courage to do things that you don't really know and go out there and do it afraid, just do it, you know, really, you hear, do.
[00:05:06] Speaker A: It afraid all the time. And I almost honestly think if you don't do it afraid, you're not gonna do it because you're always scared. I'm always scared.
[00:05:13] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:05:13] Speaker A: Even this. I've been in TV really, since I got out of college, but I'm so nervous about this whole thing.
[00:05:19] Speaker B: Sure.
[00:05:19] Speaker A: You know?
Yes. I'm just like, yeah, it feels courageous.
[00:05:25] Speaker B: You're being courageous, and you never know what will happen. So you just go out there and do it. Because what I have learned is the people you see that are high on the moun top, per se, all of them not really smarter than you, don't have a better mind than you. Like, you realize, oh, I belong at this table too.
[00:05:45] Speaker A: Yes. And that's the thing belonging. And especially as women, we have to belong. But then as black women, we have to belong. Is there a recipe for success in belonging?
[00:05:59] Speaker B: Well, one thing is you need to figure out who you are, figure out what's important to you. And also, I tell people all the time when I'm mentoring folks, understand what your non negotiables are. Because in corporate America, you will be probably asked to do some things that may conflict with your personal views about certain things, of course, nothing illegal, nothing like that. We're not going that far. But just things that maybe you're like, I don't really agree with this decision, but, you know, you're a leader and you have to, you have to do it. But it's in the way that you lead.
Lead from a human perspective. Caring about people and all those kinds of things I think is really, really important.
[00:06:44] Speaker A: So we're still in the pregame section where we're really talking about mindset. Right. And so I'm thinking, what did your kids teach you? Oh, boy. About. About leadership. Right. And about your mindset.
[00:06:55] Speaker B: Yeah, that's a great question. You know, I think when they're young, so I love that baby stage. And when they're young, you control their whole world. And you know, you are their whole world. When it starts getting difficult, I tell people all the time is once they leave elementary School, because influences become more important, friends become more important than parents. And I was a bit of a disciplinarian, you know, A bit. A little bit. And so. But my kids are amazing. They are very successful, smart, just doing great things. But I think pouring into them young and parenting them. I wasn't interested in being friends.
[00:07:37] Speaker A: Neither was my mom. She had me at 16. When I tell you she was not my friend, and I knew it.
[00:07:42] Speaker B: I'm not your little friend. Don't want to be your little friend. I don't have broke friends, so it's a no for me. But now we're best friends. You know, my son and my daughter, we talk all the time. We talk about everything.
So they taught me, man, they've taught me so much. And they teach me so much even today as young adults, you know, because the relationship changes. And now I tell people I've moved into a consultant and not manager in their lives. Right. You know, so.
But they teach me a lot. Just about love, about unconditional love, about acceptance, about how to guide young people through life, and also about wisdom and how I love the wisdom that I have at this big age I am now. I embrace it and I can impart wisdom. You know, I have been married, I have been single.
I know what those worlds are like. I have been single as a grown, fully, you know, made adult and all those types of things. So I understand both sides of that coin. And I can give some good advice there. I can give good advice about career. And so I think it taught me to sort of step into my wisdom and be comfortable with what I know and also be comfortable to tell them what I don't know. You know, because as you age, as your kids get older, they see parents as people like, as I'm a human being, so they start to see all your flaws.
[00:09:05] Speaker A: Yes, yes.
[00:09:06] Speaker B: You know, and all those things. But I think that's healthy. They see me as a human being. They know my struggles. They support everything that I do, 110%. I have no bigger fan club than my children. And so they are my whole world.
[00:09:21] Speaker A: I love that so much. So tie all of that into leadership then. Because I heard so many parallels.
[00:09:27] Speaker B: Yeah, you know, it's owning your authority, sort of, you know, knowing, being. Being good with what you know and also being good with what. With what you don't know. And getting advice. I talk to my girlfriends all the time, you know, those that are parents, but some that aren't parents, like, so I need to talk through this. And we do this amongst Ourselves all the time. And, and I think that's really important because we don't always, we don't know. We don't come with the parent handbook. O this problem, go to chapter 14. No, you don't know what to do. We're figuring it out too. But having a circle of friends that I can confide in when I'm struggling is important too.
[00:10:07] Speaker A: But in heading over to leadership and with your employees that you run, do you have a circle still? And are you as transparent with what I don't know?
[00:10:17] Speaker B: Yes.
Well, yes, I'm transparent with the people I lead as well because I think it's important. Important for leaders not to pretend that they know everything.
And I think a good, strong leader surrounds themselves with other strong people who can speak to my weaknesses. So if I'm not a heavy detail person, I'm a very big picture person. I know I need somebody on my team who is going to be in the weeds, in the detail to make sure we all come together and have a good end product, you know, and so understanding where your weaknesses are, I think that comes from parenting as well. Right. Because.
And I think it makes a more authentic leader when people can see that I'm okay with saying I don't know and I don't want to. If I'm in the smartest person in the room, I'm probably in the wrong room room. You know what I'm saying?
[00:11:11] Speaker A: Most definitely.
[00:11:12] Speaker B: And so I don't mind that. But that's, I think, a big challenge with leadership because a lot of leaders feel like that makes them look weak. And I think it's the total opposite.
[00:11:21] Speaker A: It is a huge challenge, especially as we look at what's happening around the world in our companies. I don't think that people feel like they have whiplash in these companies because it's like, oh, you said you believe this, but you actually don't, do you? Are you scared? Like, what's happening? I really want to get into this next segment here and talk more about leadership, talk about the risk, talk about the plays. So we're going to get to it in just a second. We'll be right back. Hold up. We're just getting started. More truth, more strategy and less bs. Coming up next on BE Better than your BS right here on NOW Media Television.
This is Be better than your BS with Reisha Grant. And around here, we get rid of the bs.
The warm up is done, y'. All. Now we're about to talk about the real moves Tanya made when it was time to step up and change the game. Okay, so every leader has a defining play. What was your defining play?
[00:12:18] Speaker B: I will always say my defining play really was deciding to go back to school and get my mba.
It changed everything for me.
I have always been in school. I love to learn. So I was working on a master's degree when my children were small, like toddlers, and life happened. I had to leave school following my ex husband's career and those types of things.
But the MBA I always wanted, in the back of my mind, nobody knew I always wanted it. It was something about people with an mba, I just thought, oh my goodness, like you got a master's, but if you got an mba, that's a whole different thing. Next level, next level. And there was a time when I didn't think I could. Like, I didn't think I was smart enough. I didn't think I had. I had a picture in my mind of what it meant to have an mba. And I decided to go back to school late. So I was in my 40s, my daughter was a freshman in high school. My son was a red shirt freshman in college playing ball.
And that's when I decided to go back to school.
[00:13:23] Speaker A: I was about to say, wait a.
[00:13:24] Speaker B: Minute, the worst possible part, her senior year, his freshman year.
But I knew and I just decided, you're just gonna have to do it. Afraid if you get in, you're gonna do it and you're just gonna keep the end in mind.
[00:13:37] Speaker A: What made you think you couldn't do it?
[00:13:39] Speaker B: Oh, because I lived a lot of my young life, like really up into my probably mid-30s to early-40s in a lot of fear.
I had a lot of imposter syndrome. I think it came from being a stay at.
I was married to a professional athlete. And they just eclipse your whole being, really. If you know professional athletes, it takes a special grit to have to. Because they are the universe.
[00:14:09] Speaker A: Well, you know. Okay, this show has a heavy sports theme.
[00:14:12] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:14:12] Speaker A: So I'm gonna jump into that a little bit, talk a little bit more about what it looks like to be with somebody that has that kind of light.
[00:14:23] Speaker B: It's not for the faint of heart. And it's difficult. You now, there are a lot of things that are great. There is a lot of accoutrement that comes with that life. Right. But there's another side that's very, very difficult. And especially when you marry somebody and you're so young and he was much older than me.
And so I didn't even know what I didn't know about life. Right. And so it was pretty deep to marry a professional athlete so young, because you're just now coming. Trying to come into who you are. So I think for me, that was a little stunted, but I always pride myself on being a late bloomer, you know, and that's just what it is. So I didn't really start blooming. Just the decision to leave that relationship was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever made in my life, because a lot of people don't leave that life.
[00:15:19] Speaker A: And when do we know it's time to make a ditch, to pivot? When do we know it's time to pivot?
[00:15:23] Speaker B: Literally, I woke up one day, and I.
I literally woke up and I said, yep, I've had enough. That something had happened that morning.
And I was like, I'm done. And went to see an attorney that day, and I knew I had to.
[00:15:37] Speaker A: I find out women, when they tired, it's a wrap.
[00:15:39] Speaker B: When they tired, it's over.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: It's a wrap.
[00:15:42] Speaker B: We've said for years, this is a problem. We need to change this. Blah, blah, blah. And I'm not kidding. I woke up that morning, I dropped the kids off at school, and I drove straight to an attorney's office.
[00:15:52] Speaker A: Wow. And what I'm hearing, Tonya, the more we talk is the. The life. The life lessons.
[00:15:58] Speaker B: Oh, boy.
[00:15:59] Speaker A: It. They're what drove the career lessons, and they do for all of us, really, that. But I don't think we. We look at it as much like we. We have all these things that we're doing, and at some point, we look up and we're like, okay, that all came together. It came together in the way that it was supposed to. But the things you're talking about, imposter syndrome. And I didn't think I could.
So many women.
So many women.
We don't think we can.
So many black women. You add the layer to that. And I know people may be watching this saying, why does she keep making that distinction? Because it's different.
It is really different. And so can you continue to just really speak to how all of that morphed into leadership? Like, what was the biggest risk that you had to take or the biggest failure that maybe helps you fail forward?
[00:16:51] Speaker B: Yeah, that's a great question, because I believe we don't talk about our failures enough. And you see people on the, you know, in these positions, and you think, oh, they've always been winning.
[00:17:00] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:17:00] Speaker B: Absolutely not. That's not my story. I've lost a lot, you know, so. But I fail forward. You know, I think the biggest risk I took was changing careers. So I've always been a marketer and I've changed a few times, but changing industries is what I mean. So I was in. I started my career in financial services. So I worked for a bank, banks, credit unions and things. And I just was not really happy or fulfilled. I had made it to be the cmo, the chief marketing officer of an organization here in Dallas. And it just was underwhelming for me. I wasn't happy. It wasn't, you know, it was kind of that pinnacle moment. And I'm like, this is not what I thought it was going to be.
And I always wanted to be in health care, actually.
And so that's when I decided to go back to school, get my MBA in a healthcare sort of focus, and I switched careers and went into healthcare. That was a huge risk in my 40s after not working the first 10 years of my career. So I had only been working 10 years. So I was kind of mid career when I made that decision. That's a huge risk. Everybody can't just leap from one industry to another.
I got a job working at a startup and. Oh, man, a healthcare startup. My favorite job I've ever had. The only reason I left there is because we sold the company, which was the goal of. So it was a great, but such a great experience.
And that's how I leapt from financial services into healthcare. But that was a big risk of just switching industries.
[00:18:35] Speaker A: Okay, so what was your. After you got into that industry, what was that big move or that bold move that everybody thought, she's crazy.
[00:18:45] Speaker B: Well, frankly, it could be the move I just made where I am now because I.
So I've been, as you said, a marketing executive for 20 years and this where I am now. They were recruiting me to be their marketing lead. They were looking for a marketing person, recruited me for that. After I had my interview with the president, I was on campus all day, interviews all day, final interview with the president. It went amazingly well. The HR person calls me the next day and is like, well, I got some good news but also some bad news. I'm like, okay, I don't know where this is going. And he's like, well, you did great.
We don't want you to be the marketing person.
The president wants you to be her chief of staff. She had been looking for a chief of staff for over a year. I had no idea this was, you know. And I'm like, what does that mean? Everybody does chiefs of staff. So differently so I'm like, I don't even know what this means. Like, send me some information on the role. Like. And it was just inspired. And so I took a leap. But it was scary because I'm like, this could be a defining moment.
[00:19:55] Speaker A: Right?
[00:19:56] Speaker B: Because I am, well in my career now. I am an executive and taking a role outside of marketing. I hadn't done that in over 20 years.
But I absolutely, this is the perfect role for me.
[00:20:11] Speaker A: So a woman that's looking to climb the ladder and they come and they're looking for a job from the chief of staff. What do they need to have? What's important to you that's not on the resume.
[00:20:21] Speaker B: Oh boy.
[00:20:21] Speaker A: That's not on the resume.
[00:20:23] Speaker B: Resilience.
You must, I think, have high eq. So you need to know people, you need to be able to relate to people, all kinds of people. You need to be able to see people for who they are. And how do you pull really, really good leaders, I think make other great leaders. They don't make followers. Right. And so can you pour into people to help them blossom and grow and achieve what their goals are for their career? Right. But I think those things are just so, so, so important.
[00:20:56] Speaker A: The soft skills.
[00:20:57] Speaker B: Those soft skills. And you're hearing now that's a lot of the conversation being had right now when you are in college. Conversations about leadership and corporate America and what's missing and those types of things. People come very educated, they come with great experience, but they don't have those soft skills. And I see it every single day. I can relate to just about anybody.
I love building strong, high performing teams. That's like my jam, you know, and it's because I really do love people and I believe that everybody can win. And I'm not threatened by your success just like you shouldn't be threatened by mine. Because what's for you is for you and what's for me is for me. And the pie is big enough for all of us. And I think people want to work for people like that who see them as human beings, know that they have a life and work is not their whole end all, be all life. And it shouldn't be.
[00:21:51] Speaker A: So wait a minute, you said work is not the whole. Okay, so we just had a guest that's like it's everything. There's no work, life, balance.
It does not exist. You either want this or you don't want this. If you want this, this is what it takes.
Taco Bell, work like that.
[00:22:05] Speaker B: Oh yeah.
Am I not here?
[00:22:08] Speaker A: Yes, like that's a myth.
[00:22:11] Speaker B: And listen, I don't know how people. So that person is an entrepreneur too. Right. And I think it's a, maybe it's a little bit different.
[00:22:19] Speaker A: That person hires people that won't work.
[00:22:22] Speaker B: Like that's exactly right. You're so right. You're so right. So I'm a big work life fact at this point in my life and I think because I've been grinding for a long time and now I want to be able to enjoy. I love to travel, I love to get together with my girls. I love good food, I love, you know, I want to do those things that I love because that's how I can remain a great leader. Yes. If I don't have balance, I'm not good if all I'm doing is working.
[00:22:48] Speaker A: Maybe we need to talk to our girl.
[00:22:50] Speaker B: I think maybe we do.
[00:22:52] Speaker A: But I'm just at a stage of my life where I'm trying to have more work life balance because as an entrepreneur you don't. Yeah. You don't really, you don't think you can really have it.
[00:23:01] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:23:02] Speaker A: And a lot of times you can't. But I think the older I get, it's so important.
[00:23:07] Speaker B: It's so for our mental health, our emotional health. There's a lot going on in the world right now and I think we have to find ways to keep our peace and our joy. And so me having work life balance is important. Like after this interview, I'm going home, packing and getting on the road for, to do some things for me, you know, So I just think that's important and I think that makes a well rounded leader. If they see, if my team sees me taking time off, they know it's okay for them to take time off. When leaders say, oh no, take your time, we want you to have your vacations. But they never, they're working 60 and 70 hours a week. You're demonstrating that that's really not what you need.
[00:23:45] Speaker A: Exactly, exactly. I love it. I love it. We have more for you in just a moment. We'll be right back.
Hold up, we're just getting started. More truth, more strategy and less BS bs. Coming up next on Be better than your BS right here on Now Media Television.
This is be better than your BS with Risha Grant. And around here we get rid of the bs.
She ran the play. Now let's break it down. The wins, the lessons and the bs she had to cross over to keep moving. So this is my question for you. There are the world is so different right now, especially, I mean, just different. Right, but especially in business.
And we touched on this a little bit earlier, but leaders are giving employees whiplash. They're giving the world whiplash. And I personally think that the corporate world and our businesses are, they're places where you can actually be a, be a leader as a corporation. You can say, you know what, I don't care what the world is doing here. You're going to have work life balance here here, you don't get fired for being gay here. You know, we can make these rules in our companies.
How can a leader truly lead today when they're scared as well?
[00:24:59] Speaker B: Yeah. Oh man.
[00:25:00] Speaker A: Because they're scared. It's like, yeah, we've been talking about DEI and we've been on this road, but now we couldn't.
And so, and that's just one example. There are so many other ones out there. I just want to hear, speak to. How do you lead when you're scared? Because a lot of people are scared. They might not say it, they might not say it, but their actions are showing it.
[00:25:21] Speaker B: You're right. A lot of people are scared and rightfully so. I mean, I understand the fear.
This is a really difficult question, right. Because of the environment that we're in right now, companies have to be careful. I think there's a way to sort of keep yourself out of the crosshairs without betraying the people who have helped build your business. You know, we've seen some of those examples where people or businesses are making decisions and have suffered because of those decisions. Right.
And it's because they haven't really been balanced in how they manage. I know for us, our values drive our decisions and we more than people would think at the leadership level, we are talking about our values all the time. When we are making decisions, we are putting them through, through the filter of our values and does this align with that? And if we are sticking with our values, then showing that we care, having leaders that actually care about people.
So we are dealing with this every single day, making difficult decisions.
I work for a university, we're a heavy research university.
So we have been affected by a lot of the things happening. So we're having to make some decisions, but the decisions are always sort of people first and values first. But you know, I can say that for corporate America, it's bottom line driven.
There's not a lot of, there are some companies out there who genuinely care about people. It's built into the fabric of their companies. But as we've seen with These rollback.
Sometimes companies give a lot of lip service to things because it's the popular thing. But you can see that they didn't maybe really mean it per se. Right. And so, but the companies that do, you can see that. And those are the leaders who are courageous. Really.
[00:27:32] Speaker A: Why do you think they're not stepping up in this time and saying, because there's power in numbers first and foremost. You can't just have one over here and one over there.
[00:27:41] Speaker B: There.
[00:27:41] Speaker A: And everybody internally saying, oh, we don't believe like that. But we're being quiet. Which is what I hear a lot.
[00:27:47] Speaker B: Yes. I hear the two.
[00:27:48] Speaker A: Yeah. So how do we really step out and say, look, this is our value. This. We, we will, we will die on this hill for this? Because it's important. The culture of any business is the people.
[00:28:02] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:28:02] Speaker A: They are the people. They're your biggest impact. They're going to go outside this company. They're going to talk good or they're going to talk bad about you.
How do we, in today's climate, how do we do it?
[00:28:14] Speaker B: It's difficult. Point blank, period. Like you can't gloss over it. It takes a lot more conversation than I think we have time for today. But I do think that your point that there is power in numbers and I think companies are fearful of being, stepping out there and then dangling out there all on their own because then they're in the crosshairs and then, and it becomes detrimental for their. And then you gotta think about people. Companies have shareholders that they're responsible to. We live in a capitalistic society. And so capitalism is driving a lot of these decisions.
[00:28:50] Speaker A: All, all of these decisions. And so thank you for that. I'm trying to.
Yeah. Because I'm disappointed.
[00:28:58] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:28:59] Speaker A: We, and I've been telling my clients, I've spoken for some of the biggest clients in the world. And when I have the conversation with them, it's disheartening. It's like, okay, you did all this work, you said all these things. These people still work here. And so, and it's not just I talk about DEI because that's the world that I'm from, but as an employee, as a person who said, finally somebody is paying attention and we know what the world looks like now. Now these people are not coming to work with the same level of, of, I don't know, just the, the strength of this company cares.
So I just, I, I don't want to jump on the, my horse about it, but I just, it's, it's corporate America. It's corporate America. And corporate America has a place and it is to stand.
[00:29:49] Speaker B: Yeah. And this is an environment too that we've really never been in. So I think think companies don't even know what to do, how to navigate this. You know, we're all trying to figure it out and I think that's part of it too. True, true.
[00:30:05] Speaker A: So what's been your greatest leadership win? Not for the company, but for the people that you lead.
What's the win? Woo.
[00:30:11] Speaker B: The greatest leadership win for the people that I lead. I think that you know a few things. One, building relationships with your team.
Making sure that people know you truly care about them. So I can remember actually at the startup I worked at, we went through a really rough season and we were backed by private equity and our PE firm was winding down their relationship with us. They had been with us for several years. They were getting out of the space but that was detrimental for us.
[00:30:47] Speaker A: When you say pe private equity.
[00:30:48] Speaker B: I'm sorry. Yes, private equity, that's fine.
[00:30:50] Speaker A: Just want to make sure everybody knew what we were talking about.
[00:30:52] Speaker B: Yes, private equity. Equity. And so we had to find another private equity firm. So we had to. As the marketer I had to remessage us completely new sales decks, the whole thing. Rebranded the company did a lot of things but we wound up having to do a layoff because we just. And like I think I cried more than the people being laid off like but because we were a very tight knit team. It was a smaller company and we had gone through the fire together and then having to let these people go. What I can say now, looking back, many of those people, most of those people I'm still in contact with to this day, still friends with to this day. Like I can remember one young lady because I was boo hoo, probably not a good leadership display that day. But I was just crying because it broke my heart so much. And she's telling me, tanya, I it's okay, I'm gonna be.
[00:31:47] Speaker A: She had to comfort you.
[00:31:48] Speaker B: Comfort me. And I'm like this is not so that's kind of a little bit of a failure because she shouldn't have had to do that.
[00:31:53] Speaker A: That's not a failure. That is not a failure. That to me that's a good leader.
[00:31:56] Speaker B: I'm so glad I can't empathy. But we're still friends to this day. I've done recos for her to get other job recommendations for her to get other jobs and things. So we are still friends. And I just. That makes me so happy that These folks at least knew that I cared about them as people and they knew this was a tough decision that we actually did have to make for the survival of the company.
And they got that.
But it comes. That doesn't just come that day. You build that relationship over time.
And then when you have to make tough decisions, people know it's coming from a good place and they don't feel so they not going out bad mouthing the company because they know. Yeah, I get it. You have to.
[00:32:40] Speaker A: She's gonna always remember that. Yeah, she's gonna always remember that.
[00:32:43] Speaker B: So that's a little bit of a win, I think.
[00:32:45] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a huge win.
Nobody that has let me go has ever cried so.
[00:32:51] Speaker B: Or you've been friends with.
[00:32:52] Speaker A: Yeah. They ain't shed a tear behind letting me go.
[00:32:55] Speaker B: And that's a good point. Right. You see the difference, you know, when those people. Because it's like a five minute conversation, in and out, no emotion, no nothing. And I get it. It's a tough thing. You have to. But there's a way to do that. You know, you're just disrupting somebody's life.
[00:33:12] Speaker A: I have always said I want to make enough money to hire somebody that just fires people. I hate firing people.
[00:33:17] Speaker B: Yeah. It's awful.
[00:33:17] Speaker A: You have to be a really bad employee for me to fire you.
[00:33:20] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:33:20] Speaker A: Where I. Where I have. No, just you out.
[00:33:22] Speaker B: I can't.
[00:33:23] Speaker A: I don't even want to look at you again. Like it has to be that bad. Otherwise it. It hurts my soul.
[00:33:27] Speaker B: Y agree.
[00:33:27] Speaker A: Because I want to figure it out. And I would think one of my leadership failures is not letting people to go when I need to to let them go. Because I keep thinking they gonna. They gonna figure this out. Sometimes people don't. They don't. Sometimes they don't. And you know, you say help them find their bliss elsewhere.
[00:33:43] Speaker B: Elsewhere. Yeah.
[00:33:44] Speaker A: Yes. It's something that I continuously to work and then the other staff, the other people around me, my right hand people are like, what are you doing?
What are you doing?
[00:33:53] Speaker B: What that does, though, it affects the great people you have. Nothing destroys a great worker's passion than seeing employees that don't do as good a job being kept on. And to me, that's the thing you have to remember. Like those folks that aren't working out, you really do have to make decisions quickly because they can kind of poison the rest of the barrel.
[00:34:15] Speaker A: Yeah. And it brings down the morale of everybody. Like, why is this person still here? Why are they making this money? And they might be over me. And I'm doing their work.
[00:34:22] Speaker B: That's exactly right.
[00:34:23] Speaker A: That kind of thing. So.
[00:34:24] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:34:24] Speaker A: And you're speaking to personal culture is something that's important. It's the vibe that you bring into the room. Right. And the impact when you walk out. And I'm hearing you say empathy.
[00:34:33] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:34:33] Speaker A: Show that you care.
[00:34:34] Speaker B: Empathy and authenticity. You know, I am who I am in any setting. Pretty much. I mean, you know, let me ask you about authenticity. Okay.
[00:34:43] Speaker A: Because I get a lot of pushback. You know, my book deals a lot with authenticity.
When millennials.
The millennials and the generations coming up, when they hear authenticity, they like, okay, I'm wearing a fuzzy pajamas. I'm very. Putting. Put these house shoes on, this hoodie.
Put this hoodie on and go to work. And why should they care? I'mma do the work. I'm going to do the damn job. Why do I have to. Why does it matter? Why does it matter?
[00:35:11] Speaker B: And you know, this is. So. This is now going to make me sound real old. Because there are norms. Right? Right. And I think that you're right, and I find it more with this Gen Z.
They're a whole different breed.
But you're right. They are used to being in environments where freedom of expression is kind of. Their language is what they're used to. And it's difficult. But you have to also show there are norms. There's societal norms, but there's corporate norms, too. We don't show up with unless the pajama day at work. But other than that, it's a no.
[00:35:45] Speaker A: The Bonnet culture is really getting to me.
The Bonnet culture is really getting to me.
Yes.
At home. The Bonnet. Bonnet, leave the home. The Bonnet stays at the house.
[00:35:57] Speaker B: Yeah, that's it. 100 agree.
[00:35:59] Speaker A: Okay. If y' all don't get anything else from this, stop wearing the Bonnets out in public.
[00:36:04] Speaker B: Okay?
[00:36:05] Speaker A: We're gonna be right back.
Hold up. We're just getting started. More truth, more strategy and less bs. Coming up next on Be Better Than your BS right here on NOW Media Television.
This is Be Better than your BS with Reisha Grant. And around here, we get rid of the bs.
[00:36:25] Speaker B: All right?
[00:36:25] Speaker A: We're not packing it up yet. It's time to cut the corporate act. We're going to break through the bs. Okay, so what excites you most about where leadership is headed in the next decade?
[00:36:36] Speaker B: Oh, man. What excites me most? It's hard to get excited right now because there's so much going on, but I think what I'm hopeful for Is that there's a new sort of leadership paradigm that we come out of this season understanding the importance of diversity, understanding the importance of different voices at the time.
[00:36:58] Speaker A: Like for real, for real. Like for real, for real.
[00:37:00] Speaker B: Not so that is my hope and prayer really is that this season is going to teach us something about how we should lead in the future. And I'm hopeful in some of these young leaders that I see coming up up that hold leadership accountable to like where I work, they hold us accountable.
[00:37:18] Speaker A: Now they are good. Now Gen Z is good for that.
[00:37:21] Speaker B: Yeah. And so that makes sense, you know, because they're like, that's not what you said. That's not what you said we were about.
[00:37:28] Speaker A: So what do you think the next generation of leaders will need to be better than the bs?
[00:37:33] Speaker B: They will definitely need high eq. They need these soft skills. You know, they're coming up highly educated. Many of these kids went to these amazing high schools, amazing colleges. They've got the advanced degrees, they've got.
[00:37:47] Speaker A: All the things and they living at home. So they can do all of that and they can say what they want and.
[00:37:51] Speaker B: Exactly right.
But what is missing are those soft skills. Just what you were talking about earlier, understanding about corporate culture. And like, you can express yourself, but no, that doesn't mean fuzzy pajamas. And we're not trying to to have our thumb on you just because we want you to become business casual. You know what I'm saying? So I think that's really important, these soft skills, because they're not really taught. And the more we're on our phones, the less we do this, we're engaging with people.
That's why we have a loneliness epidemic in this country. People don't know how to communicate with one another anymore. And so in my opinion, that is gonna be the difference between really great leaders and mediocre leaders in the future.
[00:38:38] Speaker A: And how much should leaders think about the future? Because I'm thinking about a client that wanted to. They had sleeping pods. Their employees wanted sleeping pods. This is the millennials.
And should we be open? Because, see, in my 20s, sleeping pod was the car, right?
You went to the car, you took a nap and you came on back in. I would think it would be hard for a company to see everybody sleep.
Is that something?
[00:39:05] Speaker B: I love that you asked this question because this is actually a thing in Asian countries, so in Japan they have sleep pods. They have no problem with people taking naps. I think personally, I don't have a problem with it because one sleep is so important. We are sleep Deprived in this country.
[00:39:26] Speaker A: Yes, we are.
[00:39:27] Speaker B: So I think having an area where people can get some rest is not a bad thing. Now, we're not talking about coming in here sleeping for eight hours, but if you need to come in here and take a little nap. But follow the model of Japan. How do they do it? But it's a different culture as well. But how do they do it? And see, these really successful companies have these sleep pods. So I think let's not throw it out. Let's think about it and study how other countries do it.
[00:39:56] Speaker A: Yeah, I think that's a good idea.
So if your team could describe you in one word, what would you hope it would be?
[00:40:02] Speaker B: Oh, what would I hope it would be?
Actually, I'll use authentic again. I hope they say that I'm authentic.
[00:40:10] Speaker A: Yeah, I like that.
[00:40:11] Speaker B: Okay. Yeah, I got no pretense.
[00:40:14] Speaker A: What's the biggest corporate buzzword you wish we would ban forever?
[00:40:17] Speaker B: Good Lord.
So many. Downsize. Alignment. Dovetail.
[00:40:26] Speaker A: No way to read it. Like alignment. Alignment. Yeah. Circle back. Cause you never circle back.
[00:40:30] Speaker B: Yeah. Cause you never circle.
I'm a little bit over and right. You know, so so and so and so. Right. I mean, you know, right over. Over it. Yeah. I know you asked for one, but I have. I have many.
[00:40:42] Speaker A: I see. I see you got them all. And I'm a little offended by alignment.
[00:40:46] Speaker B: Cause I just, you know, I mean, I use alignment. I just used it yesterday.
[00:40:50] Speaker A: We need to align on this.
[00:40:52] Speaker B: But. Yeah.
[00:40:55] Speaker A: What is your leadership superpower?
[00:40:58] Speaker B: Ooh, great question. My leadership superpower.
I'm fearless.
And also, I know people, and I think that's a big superpower.
[00:41:08] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:41:09] Speaker B: And my kindness. My kindness, which is not a strategy. It is who I am. I think that's a good superpower.
[00:41:15] Speaker A: So what's the kryptonite?
Woo.
[00:41:17] Speaker B: Disrespect that's gonna get me all the.
[00:41:20] Speaker A: Time is that when the black woman comes out that you lose all professionalism and go get the bonnet and come on. Okay. All of that.
[00:41:28] Speaker B: Yeah. And people have only seen it a few times, but, like, don't talk to me crazy. It's a way that we can go behind closed doors. Let's not have disagreement out in the open in front of everybody. Let's go behind closed doors.
I've had a few of those moments. Like, let's get behind this closed door. Now we can talk.
But disrespect for me in my professional and personal life, that's a deal breaker for me.
[00:41:53] Speaker A: Understood.
What song will play is your welcome?
[00:41:57] Speaker B: You.
[00:41:58] Speaker A: If the C suite had an arena entrance.
[00:42:00] Speaker B: Oh, that's easy. The largest. Baby. That's my jam right now. Big extra plug theme song. We'll be listening to it on the way home.
[00:42:13] Speaker A: Okay.
What is your guilty pleasure? TV show that nobody will guess you watch. Ooh.
[00:42:21] Speaker B: P Valley.
[00:42:23] Speaker A: That is the show. My jam.
And when are they gonna come out with a new.
[00:42:26] Speaker B: When are they coming back? Why are you making us come, Uncle Clifford?
[00:42:30] Speaker A: Uncle Clifford had the best outfits.
[00:42:32] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. And my sorrow, I just wanted to see.
Yeah. Love her. That's Mercedes, for those of you who don't know. Yes, she is. I'm like, yes, everything, honey. I love that show. And Murda, the acting, the nuance of the character.
[00:42:48] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:42:48] Speaker B: He is playing the hell out of that role.
[00:42:51] Speaker A: I love it so much.
[00:42:52] Speaker B: So, yeah, clearly, I love it.
[00:42:53] Speaker A: I think we might put a puff of coins toward helping y' all get that soul back out. So. So what's one way you stay grounded when the weight of responsibility feels heavy?
[00:43:04] Speaker B: Ooh, absolutely. It's my kids, my family, just getting around them. We're very close, so we love to be together.
We love to travel together, hang.
So they keep me grounded. And then they also don't care. Like, you think you big time. You know, they ground me all the time, so they like to make fun of Mom.
[00:43:26] Speaker A: So nobody cares. Nobody cares. Your family. That's what one of our guests was saying. Like, I'm doing. I'm traveling all the world. I'm doing all this stuff, and my brother want to know if I'm cooking Thanksgiving. Like, exactly. I love that about Thanksgiving because my family makes me think I've done nothing with my life.
[00:43:42] Speaker B: So I get it.
[00:43:44] Speaker A: If you weren't in the C suite, what would you be doing right now?
[00:43:48] Speaker B: If I wasn't in the sea suite, I think I would. I might be.
I might be interior designing. I love doing that.
Or like, a travel influencer. Because I love to travel.
[00:44:01] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:44:02] Speaker B: And of course, I love to talk about things that I love. Like, I was about P Valley. Like, if I love it, honey, I'm gonna hype it up.
[00:44:08] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:44:09] Speaker B: So, yeah.
[00:44:09] Speaker A: And you wrote a book. I don't want to let that out. You wrote a book. Tell us about that book. Thank you so much. I was trying to keep it in there. Yes.
[00:44:16] Speaker B: My book is called Suddenly Single.
I'm not a fast writer, so. So it took me 10 years to finish.
[00:44:21] Speaker A: It took me 10 years to get my first book, too.
[00:44:23] Speaker B: 10 years. But it's loosely based on my life. It's a fun Book.
You should have it with the old fashioned or a glass of champagne.
[00:44:31] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:44:32] Speaker B: And it's really about my. I have a great circle of girlfriends and it's about life and how you can find yourself suddenly single like I did and how you navigate that and how your girls, your crazy circle of girls help you manage through that. So it's a fun, fun read.
[00:44:50] Speaker A: I don't know how you get life. Well. Yes, yes. And where can they find Sally?
[00:44:54] Speaker B: So Amazon.
[00:44:54] Speaker A: Okay. Because you. It's hard to get through life without. Without your girls.
[00:44:58] Speaker B: Oh, I don't know what I. I think Oprah said this years ago, but like she always said I didn't need therapy because I had Gail and that's how I feel about my girls. Like, although go to therapy. I believe in therapy. I have been in therapy multiple times in my life. But my girl, everything, like, they know where all the bodies are buried. They know all the secrets, they know all the things, but they also hold me accountable. You know, they make me laugh.
I can cry with them.
There's nothing they've lasted through marriages and all kinds of things. Right. And it's unconditional love that I don't know what I would do without.
[00:45:35] Speaker A: Yes. Yes. You need the circle. Life is going to life. And to be able to have, have people that you can call on and people that show up even when you don't want them to.
[00:45:43] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:45:43] Speaker A: When you're just like, I, I don't want to talk to anybody. And they still ringing the doorbell like.
[00:45:48] Speaker B: You need one of my girls. I had sent a text and I'm like, hey, guys, I don't want to talk about this, but this has happened. Blah, blah, blah. So when I'm ready to talk, I'm going to talk. And one of my girl, I knew it was going to be her. Ring, ring.
[00:46:01] Speaker A: What did you. Did you read the text?
[00:46:03] Speaker B: I really don't want to talk.
[00:46:04] Speaker A: But they don't care. They're going to check. They don't care. And you need it. You. You honest, you honestly do need it. And you can sit around in your bonnet and have that conversation with your girl.
Now, fast forward 10 years. What impact do you want people to say you made? Not just on the business, but on them personally. Ooh.
[00:46:20] Speaker B: I want, I want people to feel like I poured into them, that I showed them there is no straight path to success and that no matter how old you are, you can be a late bloomer like me and still live an amazingly successful life. And you can have it all. You just can't have it all at the same time. And so you can be a great mom and have a great relationship with your kids, but in the season when it's time to raise them, you need to just be raising them and not be trying to be their friends and then. And also respect the seasons that you're in too. Like, don't, don't fight against it. Swim with the current and not against the current. You know, that makes sense.
[00:46:58] Speaker A: That's advice from.
Because when I tell you I'm coming against the curve, I mean, I'm just.
[00:47:02] Speaker B: Out here with the shoreline.
[00:47:05] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:47:05] Speaker B: I'm not.
[00:47:06] Speaker A: I have been swimming again. I'm finally start. I'm finally. Because I don't have a choice. Cause it was a pivot that was out of my control and quick. But I'm trying to learn going forward that when things happen, they're happening and they need to happen. And, you know, so I think I'm learning at the big age. You said the big age. The big age. I am. I hold that I continue to learn for the rest of my life.
And Tanya Williams just schooled us on what leadership in action really looks like. Strategic, smooth, and always resilient. She's not just a behind the scenes executive. She's the culture keeper, the energy balancer, the playmaker. That's personal culture. How you lead when nobody's watching and how you lift others while you push forward. Tonya shows us that being better than your BS isn't just about the hustle. Hustle. It's about how you build a culture and carry the team. I want y' all to keep grinding, keep strategizing, and keep being better than your bs. Tanya, thank you so much for having.
