The Impact of Implicit Bias

Organizations that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion can unlock the full potential of their workforce, access diverse markets, and cultivate a positive brand that will lead to ultimate growth and success. On the other hand, organizations that do not implement fair and unbiased processes to promote a culture of inclusivity will hinder their progress for business growth and credibility in the following ways:

1. Hinder innovation, creativity, and problem-solving when their biases influence hiring decisions, promotions, and team creation and limit their ability to attract and retain diverse talents.
2. Prevent equal opportunities for training programs and leadership roles based on subjective assumptions about individuals or groups outside a dominant culture that leads to hinged growth and potential of talented employees and limited contributions to the organization.
3. Decrease employee morale and engagement when they feel undervalued, demotivated, and disengaged when they experience or witness biased behavior.
4. Cause ineffective marketing strategies and exclusion of diverse customer segments because of prejudiced assumptions about customer preferences, needs, or behaviors.
5. A negative brand reputation can damage its prominence among potential employees, customers, and partners, making it difficult to attract top talent, gain customer trust, or form valuable collaborations.

Getting Unstuck

Where are you? Where do you want to go? How are you going to get there? These are the questions a technical instructor asked to help trainees learn how to change directories using DOS (i.e., Disk Operating System).

Post-DOS days, the technical instructor realized these questions apply to our everyday lives, and we believe these questions can help individuals get unstuck in their careers, relationships, or finances. If you feel stuck, click here and download our guide that can help you get unstuck.

Stop Thinking Like an Employee

Stop Thinking Like an Employee is a workshop The SOFEI Group provides to individuals seeking to become an entrepreneur. Since we started facilitating this workshop, we have learned there isn't a vast distinction between an employee and entrepreneur; except for their attitudes and their approach towards work. For example, if you're an employee whose work is based on the instruction of your employer, you're what Seth Godin states in his book, The Linchpin - a "cog in a machine."

A “cog in a machine” is a compliant person who shows on time to work, do what they’re told, but get paid less than what they're worth. The gap between their worth and pay creates a profit for the business owner. The Linchpin is a non-conformist to the cog system. They're a career activist! They know how to take control of their career and have a clear understanding of the value they bring to a work environment or project. And, here are a few suggestions to help you perform and think like a business owner:

• Trade your gifts, time, and talents for money
• Your boss, coworkers, and vendors are your customers
• Do more than what’s expected, and make things happen
• Be a problem-solver
• Use diplomacy to get along with people who don’t look, think, or act like you
• Work to make a difference
• Operate with integrity and flexibility
• Build or engage in a network
• Be a Power Broker to help others achieve their goals
• Stay focused on your goals; not your feelings
• Be accountable, and
• Build your brand from your work ethics.

Employees ask, "What do you want me to do?" Entrepreneurs ask, "What can I do for you?"

Character Assassination

”And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set amoung our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the curse of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” (James 3:6)

”But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessings and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:8-10)

The danger of the tongue. James compares the tongue with fire because it cannot be controlled and the damage it causes cannot be reversed. And, sometimes when water is added, it spreads the fire instead of putting it out!

When I worked in the corporate world, a manager attempted to assassinate my “working” characteristics with lies about my inability to perform tasks in a male-dominated career. The manager also stated, “I was not a team player and did not like to be critized.” I confronted my manager about the accusations and he denied them. In spite of his denial, the rumor had already spread.

One of my favorite scriptures that has helped me in my career is, “whatever I so doeth, do it heartily as unto the Lord and not unto man” (Colossians 3:17). After working with this manager, I realized the importance to work as unto the Lord and not man.

I was provided an opportunity to travel to Florida to assist with deploying and upgrading a system. I believe the manager thought he was setting me up for failure, not knowing he had already been defeated.

My travel time was scheduled for three days, but was extended because of my work performance. And, one of the site managers in Florida was sending email messages to my manager’s supervisor, advising him of my good work. As a result, my assasinated character was brought back to life!

Many of us do not get an opportunity to experience life after a character assassination. Some of us only experience death because we continue to eat its fruit or bring back to life the fruit of “death”. Damaging words can leave deep wounds and scars, but it does not mean we cannot receive healing.

We live in a world where people are vicious like roaring lions that thrive on bringing others down. We do not have control of what people will say or think. However, we have control over our response.

The devil is like a thief. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy our character, but he can never destroy our spirit. Satan uses the tongue to divide relationships. John 4:4 tells us, “greater is He (God) that is within us, than he (Satan) that’s in the world.”

Proverbs gives four types of tongues:

1. The Controlled
2. The Caring
3. The Conniving
4. The Careless

The first two, should be practiced diligently to bring forth life and unity in our homes, work, and church. The Conniving and Careless tongues should be avoided at all times because they’re poisonous, and do not bring glory and honor to God.

Deborah M. Avens

She's Not a B****, She's Confident

Why are women called a B**** when they exude confidence? Confidence has nothing to do with lewdness, selfishness, or being a female dog. It has everything to do with relying on an inner power and strength to achieve and succeed in life. Once a woman reaches a level of self-confidence, she doesn’t need to be torn down. No one knows her journey to reach her height and our level of confidence will never increase when we tear women down.

We've launched a tee-shirt campaign to end negative languages and images associated with confident women and women in general. And you can show your support here.

Don't Die with Your Baton

‘The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without a purpose.” – Dr. Myles Munroe

On Sunday, November 9, Dr. Myles Munroe, a leader, prominent pastor, and author expressed his concern about the next generation of leaders not passing on the legacy of leadership. He described this as – a person dying with their baton. And if someone wanted that baton, they would have to pry it from the hands of the person who was dead.

Exodus 32:9 states, I have seen these people, and indeed they are a stiff-necked people! This verse signifies the depiction of people with hardened hearts and ears who are unwilling to listen or heed to the voice of God. Pride is the culprit of a stiff-necked generation, and this generational type implies growing from the strength of pride.

Individuals who are unwilling to learn are not willing to lead. And, they should not question or complain about the demise of their communities or society? God did not create humanity to receive and keep but to receive and bless! Dr. Munroe used his life to teach people how to discover and live with purpose!

In his book titled, Understanding Your Potential, Dr. Munroe affirms, You must decide if you will rob the world or bless it with rich, valuable, potent, untapped resources locked away within you. If you do, then you have chosen to die with your baton.

Who's Tooting Your Horn?

Horn Tooting is the normalcy in many business environments. But when and how loud should we toot our horns?

• When we’ve closed the deal on a sale? Toot!
• When we’ve written a book? Toot!
• When we’ve made our first million? Toot!
• Appeared on TV or radio? Toot!
• When we’ve been embraced by an elite or exclusive group? Toot!
• Received a degree from an Ivy League college? Toot!
• Best Business of the Year Award recipient? Toot!

Luke 14:11 states, For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbled himself shall be exalted.

If our clients aren’t tooting our horns, is our horn tooting in vain? Who's tooting yours?