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Transforming Workplaces: The Power of Authentic Leadership with Lasha Murray

• Keith Greer, CFRE • Season 1 • Episode 17

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Unlock the secrets of authentic leadership with Lasha Murray, the visionary founder of The Unapologetic Leadership Coach. Lasha introduces her groundbreaking BANG framework—Belonging, Authenticity, Networking, and Growth—designed to create meaningful professional connections. Together, we tackle the challenges young professionals face in maintaining their authenticity amidst workplace conformity and explore how leaders can foster individuality without compromising their organization's identity. Lasha's insights promise to transform the way you view leadership and community-building in the workplace.

Our conversation with Lasha highlights the critical role leaders play in creating inclusive spaces by setting aside personal biases. Tune in to discover practical strategies for promoting individual growth and team collaboration, including the "stop, start, and continue" feedback framework. With engaging stories, like a child's desire to dye their hair, we explore how unconscious biases shape decision-making. Lasha emphasizes the importance of building authentic connections and offers tips for leaders to immerse themselves in their teams' daily experiences, aligning leadership with the dynamic needs of modern workplaces.

Get ready for a dose of enthusiasm as we introduce the exciting series of live coaching sessions coming this November. Lasha shares how these transformative webinars will cover essential career development topics, from salary negotiation to mastering interviews, ensuring an open and inclusive atmosphere. As we gear up for the rapid-fire coaching sessions, the excitement is palpable—join us to experience firsthand the power of authentic leadership and community building. This episode promises an engaging journey toward fostering a more connected and thriving workplace.

Sign Up for Lasha's Webinar.
Email Lasha Murray at info@theunapologeticleadershipcoach.com

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Keith Greer, CFRE:

Hey there, hi, and welcome back ambitious fundraisers. I'm so excited about today's episode because we're diving into a conversation that touches the core of what it means to be an authentic leader in today's fast-evolving workplace. Joining us is Leysha Murray, a powerhouse leader, corporate veteran and founder of the Unapologetic Leadership Coach. Leisha spent more than two decades navigating the corporate world, but one of the things that makes her special is how she's taken all that experience and shifted her focus to helping young professionals build their leadership through soft skills, authenticity and community. In today's chat, we're going to explore three major themes. First, we'll discuss the struggle young professionals often face when trying to stay true to themselves in environments that value conformity. Leysha will help us understand the challenges and offer some key strategies for how leaders can encourage authenticity without compromising our organization's identity. Then we'll walk through Leysisha's own BANG framework, which she designed specifically to help people build meaningful, lasting professional connections. You're going to love how practical and powerful this is. Finally, we'll dig into why relationships, community and connections matter more than ever. We'll talk about how leaders can build strong communities, especially when leading teams from Gen Z, who value that sense of connection and belonging so deeply. By the end of this episode, you'll see how these three big ideas authenticity, intentional networking and community building all tie together to form the blueprint for a thriving in the modern workplace.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

So let's dive in and start unpacking this wisdom with Laisha Murray. Laisha is the owner and founder of the Unapologetic Leadership Coach, a coaching firm specializing in soft skills, training and career development. With a focus on leadership development, the firm helps organizations retain top talent by equipping leaders with essential interpersonal skills. The Unapologetic Leadership Coach empowers professionals to cultivate effective communication, emotional intelligence and strategic thinking abilities through personalized coaching programs. By prioritizing these soft skills, the firm enables organizations to foster a culture of growth, collaboration and success, ultimately enhancing employee engagement and retention. Leysha, welcome to the podcast.

Lasha Murray:

Thank you, I'm so happy to be here. It's so weird to listen to someone read your accolades.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

But they're such amazing accolades anyways, I'm so excited. I want to dive in and just kind of ask you what are some of the biggest challenges you see young professionals facing when trying to stay authentic in environments that demand conformity.

Lasha Murray:

Well, I feel like there's so many organizations that haven't updated their policies as it relates to their programs, their policies, their procedures and how people can bring their true selves into work, their dress code. Some policies still have no tattoos, which why, why does that matter? I've said into interviews where we interview younger generation and they don't have on a suit, maybe they just have on a button up and jeans and we still have people going. I don't know if we should offer them the opportunity they didn't have on a suit and I have to remind people that we need to move into the new generation. Just because they don't have on a suit, just because they come in different, it doesn't mean that they cannot add value. They cannot create opportunities that really promote a healthy work environment.

Lasha Murray:

The young people are it. I am currently raising three Gen Zers and let me tell you something they are so inspirational to me and a lot of people call them lazy, but I don't think they're lazy at all. I think they are the best generation to show us how to show up authentically as themselves. They are demanding more, they are asking the tough questions and they are actually pushing the status quo to be different, based on what organizations have kind of built a foundation around and I'm inspired, I'm excited about them and I cannot wait for organizations to jump on board and truly change their cultures so that we can promote some belonging in these kids and not kids Let me not say kids. I don't want you to feel like you're not a grown up but in this younger generation.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

So true, so true, and I think that's a very common misconception from every generation to the new generation coming in is that they're lazy, they're entitled, they're narcissistic. We heard that as millennials growing up, and I'm sure Gen X heard that from the people above them and boomers probably heard that from the people above them, and I think part of that is just being a young person and having a different way of lifestyle. So it's not necessarily a generational thing. I think it's just a part of being young and not having the same values and priorities as somebody that's in their 50s or 60s. But it absolutely does not mean that they don't have the dedication, the drive, the ambition and certainly the intelligence. It's just a different way of operating at a different point in our lives.

Lasha Murray:

And oftentimes we think that they're not articulate, that they don't do well at communicating and some of that could very well be true, right, because I have teenagers and they're not the best at communicating. But what?

Keith Greer, CFRE:

is the nature is.

Lasha Murray:

I mean. But here's the thing there are definitely some adults that I know that aren't great at communicating. But here's my question that my pushback that I give to organizations that I facilitate training for, okay, great, if you don't think they're great communicators, now what? What are we going to do about it? Are we just going to keep talking about it? Are we going to create solutions to make sure that we incorporate them into the needs that we need to foster their environment and them wanting to be here, or else they're going to just keep on shucking up those deuces and leaving organizations left and right.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

So true. Can you share a time in your own leadership journey when you had to make a decision between being authentic and fitting in, and how did that affect you personally and professionally?

Lasha Murray:

Yeah, I remember this very vividly because it was kind of the pivotal moment that changed my career. I had just recently been promoted to a manager and so in the claims operation so I started out as a claims adjuster on the phone, taking phone calls, and then I worked my way up to becoming a claims manager, and so as a part of that new role, there was a series like a six-week class, if you will. That was for all of the leaders who were recently promoted into claims managers, teaching them how to lead teams. So there was some HR sessions, there were branding sessions, where it was all about what is your brand. And part of that discussion was facilitated by the leader who actually hired me, and so I'll never forget, he calls me to his desk and I'm sitting down and he's like okay, so let's talk about your brand. And so, of course, I sit down because I'm excited, because this energy, this passion, this engagement that you all are currently witnessing, it's me, that's just who I am.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

So I sit down and I'm excited.

Lasha Murray:

I'm like, yes, let's talk about it. And he says you know you really the whole thing where you keep changing your hair, it doesn't really, it's not fitting for this type of culture. You always wear really bright clothes and you're always so really matchy and I understand that that's kind of the culture of where you're from, but it probably would be better if you kind of left that in your rear view mirror. So we would like you to be more like Michelle Obama or Oprah. Now, mind you, I am maybe late. I am late 20s, right and so he's now telling me I should be more like Oprah, which is 20 to 25 years my senior, if not more. Same for Michelle Obama. He's like I really need you to leave Detroit in your review mirror because this company is always going to be ran by a man and if you want to be a part of the Good Old Boys Club, we're going to need to feel comfortable with you sitting at our table and right now, your passion and your ability to always speak up and always have something to say and then kind of how you look, it'll never be accepted at the Good Old Boys table. So just want to give you something to think about. And I remember sitting there in my head going don't you cry, don't you cry, don't you give him the satisfaction of crying. And so I didn't cry. And then the other thing I was saying in my head is don't hit him, laysha, you need this job. And I just said thank you for your feedback.

Lasha Murray:

I got up, I immediately packed up my things and I left for the day because it was the only way that I was going to be able to keep my job. And then I went home and I cried like a baby and I listened to him. I allowed his feedback to penetrate me in a way where I completely changed who I was. I wore dark colors. I wore blacks and browns and blues. I wore little earrings. Anybody who knows me knows the bigger the hoops, the better. I kept my hair the same. I changed my hair like I changed my clothes. My hair, to me, is an accessory. It's the last thing that I put on to put my outfit on, and so I wore the same hair. I put on to, you know, put my outfit on, and so I wore the same hair. I really just dimmed who I was. I still produce results. I still got my job done. I was still an effective leader, but I wasn't doing it as my true, authentic self. I was leaving myself in the car and bringing a version of who I thought they wanted to see in the building and then fast forward maybe six months or so.

Lasha Murray:

I got a new leader and I have been working with her for a couple of months and she pulled me to her desk and she said I'm going to tell you I was super excited to meet you and I was excited to have you on my team. When I had a download with other leaders about the team that I was acquiring, they all spoke very highly of you. You had such great energy, you inspired others to get the results done and I just I haven't met her. So where, where is she? And it was really the first time that I had just spoke up in my professional, in my professional world, about what had been said to me, because I never told anybody, obviously other than my husband, but I didn't say anything to anyone, and so I kind of just rambled it all off to her and she had some pleasant words to describe that person who said what he said to me. But she said I want you to come back tomorrow who you were before. You got that feedback, and so did I.

Lasha Murray:

I came back in the next day. I changed my hair. I wore a bright orange shirt. I am one of those matchy people, so I had a bright orange shirt, orange earrings, orange shoes. Like I was super excited and it absolutely changed the way I showed up. Although I thought that I was still producing results. I was still inspiring my team to get things done. I was doing it in a different version that didn't fit the body that I was walking in, and so her creating that space for me to feel like I could belong and that I could bring myself is truly what changed the trajectory of my career, and from that day forward, I never allowed anyone to make me conform. I tell people I don't fit into the boxes people try to put me in. I'm a triangle. I poke out of the side.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

I love what you were saying about how somebody was trying to dim your light, and I think that's something that all of us have probably experienced at some point in our careers. And when you're finally able to let go of that and to shine as bright as you possibly can, so many new opportunities come to you and people are really gravitated towards that shining light in a way that's really remarkable and almost indescribable, right. And I think when I first saw you, when I first met you, like I could tell how bright you were shining and I was just like, oh, that's a special person and that's somebody to get to know. So what was it that was able to flip that switch so fast in yourself from the dim light to the shining light?

Lasha Murray:

Honestly, permission. I was seeking permission from a leader because here's the thing when somebody who hired you and has influence over your career tells you you need to do this, this, this, this and this, when do you go? I mean you feel like, okay, I have to conform because the person who hired me, the person who makes decisions over my career and how my career can develop or not, is telling me this. So when I had a leader who created the space to say you know what? Forget what you were told, come back the way that you were, she gave me permission. And once she gave me that permission, I never seeked to get it from anyone else, because all I needed it was once, and that's that's. You just need one person to say you, it's okay to be you.

Lasha Murray:

And then, once you have that one person that says it, and then not only says it but follows through by encouraging it when you do come in as yourself going yes, I'm so happy to see you. Yes, bring all of that energy and then create space for you to insert those parts of your personality into your workspace. It changes the game. It really does. It changes how a person feels. It changes the tie to the organization. It changes the tie to the mission. If more people understood the benefit of allowing people to be themselves and create a sense of belonging, they would be surprised, and the innovation and the results and the collaboration that comes out of it.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah, I think that getting permission, especially from somebody that's in a leadership position over you, is such an important piece because it hits differently than if a co-worker says it to you or if somebody that you're managing says it to you. But to get that permission from somebody who does have that power and authority over your job is really important. So what advice would you give to leaders who want to encourage authenticity among their teams without compromising the company's identity?

Lasha Murray:

I think sometimes leaders make things very personal that don't need to be right. So there are situations where, if you remove self from the equation, it's funny because when I started to create these changes in my, in myself, at work, I led differently. I led people differently, because I truly use that as an experience to hone in. And so one of the things that my husband and I my one of my kids is like mom, can I, like, dye my tips blonde? And my husband's I one of my kids is like mom, can I dye my tips blonde? And my husband's like absolutely not. And so I have to take a step back and go. Why? What does his blonde tips have to do with you? How does that impact you? How does that change you? What does that do for you? And he really had to take a step back and go. Well, it doesn't. And so that's the same advice that I would give to a leader when you're considering having conversations with people about their outer appearance and what they look like.

Lasha Murray:

Take a step back and go. Is this you? Is this your unconscious bias? Is this something that you're used to seeing, you're used to promoting, you're used to being a part of the corporate culture and then ask yourself do I want to be a part of the solution or do I want to be a part of the corporate culture? And then ask yourself do I want to be a part of the solution or do I want to be a part of the problem? Do I want to be an obstacle, do I want to be a barrier, or do I want to inspire this person to be the best version of them that they can be? And in order to truly do that, you have to remove yourself from the situation. You have to think about what your unconscious biases could be and then, if you know that you have some or maybe you don't know that you have them maybe just having some conversations with your team.

Lasha Murray:

One of the things that I encourage leaders to do is a stop, start and continue, and so just have a conversation with the individual and then also have a conversation as a whole team. So, as an individual, as your leader, what is something that I do that you could grow from, benefit from or be inspired by? If I just stopped doing it and allowed you to have space to do X, what would that look like? What about? What is something that I can start doing? Do you feel like I don't do, I'm not supportive, or I don't recognize you the way that you wanna be recognized? What can I do to start to support you differently and then, of course, continue? Obviously, I would hope that you are a good enough leader, that there are some things that you are doing that are beneficial to your team. So what can I continue to do to support you? But I just think it's removing yourself from it and then focusing on the person, and then focusing on the team as a whole and then determining where you can create space.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah, now you've also created a great framework for helping people start building their leadership, and you call this the BANG framework. Walk us through that.

Lasha Murray:

So, yeah, do you offer BANG with your book? So BANG. So B starts for creating a sense of belonging. Right, and so what does that look like? Creating a sense of belonging is more than just giving people the opportunity to speak in a room, but it's also preparing people, preparing them for success, asking them do they feel like they belong? How can we help? You feel like there's things in this organization that you could benefit from, or programs or things of that nature. So, really figuring out like some companies have what they call diversity business programs. So what does that look like? Are you a part of those diversity programs? Because if you don't participate in any of that, however you're pushing it on your team to, then that doesn't tell me that you really support it, Right, and so what does creating that sense of belonging look like?

Lasha Murray:

And then the A is an authentic work environment. Right, I shouldn't have to leave myself in the car to be able to come into work and do my job. Do you allow people the space to be themselves? And a lot of people think authenticity is only what I look like. But it's not only what you look like. It's authentic and thought, like diversity and thought. Do you automatically shut people down when they don't think like you, act like you, speak like you. So creating space for people to be themselves is more than what they look like, it's also how they sound. Do you still have policies or procedures where there's issues with the way people speak, or tattoos or things of that nature? Right, Anything that requires people to show up differently? Now, obviously there needs to be rules in an organization so that we're all safe and protected. But take a step back and really understand is it personal to you or is it really something that can change the culture?

Lasha Murray:

And then networking the N is for networking and building relationships. A lot of people think that networking and building relationships are the same thing, but they're not. And so, from an organizational standpoint and from a leader, how are you creating space for people to network? Do you give them time to network? Are you teaching them how to network? Are you introducing them to your network to be able to create those opportunities for them? And then are you building relationships? Because networking is kind of surface and then building relationships is going deeper learning more about the person, learning more about what they do, so that you can make a personal connection and then build sponsorship and allies, but people are the new.

Lasha Murray:

I tell, I say this all the time people are the new currency. And if you don't have relationships, if you're not networking, your network is only as big as your network, right? And so if you're my leader and you don't get out and you're not promoting yourself, you're not promoting the team, then my network is only as big as yours. And so what does that look like? And then, lastly, the G is growth, growth potential. So I can do all of this work to make sure that I am prepared. But what does your succession look like? How are you growing me in the organization? Are you setting me up for opportunities to maybe present to different leaders? Are you speaking to me in a way that pours into me so that I can grow in my career? And I tell people, if you think about any issues that you're having in your organization, I guarantee you they fit under any one of those pillars of not offering bang with your buck.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah, and you emphasize, belonging is the first element in BANG, not just because it makes a nice acronym, but why is belonging foundational for building strong professional networks?

Lasha Murray:

can't see themselves staying at your organization. And so what does your executive leadership look like? What do the managers look like? Do I see myself in any of them? Do you have programs that benefit me or that help me? Do you care?

Lasha Murray:

Some people think, oh, that's just common Caring. No, being empathetic and caring. We're in such a generation where people are desensitized and they're like like the Gen Zs oh, they're so lazy, are they? Or have you lost your ability to inspire them? And so we're so quick to want to point the finger and say this is why things are happening.

Lasha Murray:

But I tell people there are three more fingers pointing back at you, and I can almost guarantee, if I don't feel like you treat me in a way that I belong, that effective communication, if you haven't built any trust, like all of those things, are what is required for people to feel like they belong here. And if I don't belong here, am I going to be innovative? No, am I going to want to give you extra, because we all know that doing your nine to five is just not enough. There is a little bit of extra that is going to be needed. Am I going to want to do that if I don't feel like you care or that I belong here. No, and so belonging is the biggest paramount, and making sure that everything else falls into place.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah, can you walk us through how a young professional might use the Bing framework to really network effectively, especially if they're just starting out?

Lasha Murray:

Yeah, really network effectively, especially if they're just starting out. Yeah, so a lot of people, a lot of my young Gen Z generation, are like oh, laisha, I'm just. When it comes down to networking, there's network fatigue. I just don't want to do it anymore. And so what I would tell my youth is just one you want to make sure that you're the subject matter expert in your space, right, because here's the thing I can make sure that you belong all day long. But if you can't even tell me what you do, if you can't tell me what your job entails, if you can't articulate, step by step, how your business or how what you do helps move the business, do you really belong? Is this really the job for you? Are you really growing your career? And then here's the thing there's this acronym, wifm. What's in it?

Lasha Murray:

For me, it's still a business, and so you have to present yourself in a way that make business decisions that best suit your business needs, because the organization is going to do the same. So, when it comes to belonging, are you always a person that is nagging about? I don't belong, I don't belong, but I don't belong. But yet when there are events, when there are opportunities that presented, you're not attending any of them. You're not, you're not available. Or when it comes to authenticity, you're only authentic depending on your surroundings, right? So when you're around certain people, you only allow people to see a version of you. Be okay with being exactly who you are, but being in a professional way. So what does that look like for you? And then just making sure that what your network looks like.

Lasha Murray:

I tell people all the time networking can be fun. It doesn't have to be fatigue. Networking doesn't have to be really hard, and neither does building relationships. If you're being your true self. Now, if you're trying to be a version of yourself, then, yeah, it can get really hard, but if you're just create the opportunities, that are simple for you.

Lasha Murray:

So if you're walking down the hallway and you see someone with an outfit or a pair of kicks or a hat or whatever that you're interested in start a conversation, if you are someone who are like absolutely not Leisha, that is terrifying to me Then figure out what that looks like for you, right? So figure out what that thing is that you really love and then find the people who love it just as much as you do and make that your tribe. There's really a lot of ways that you can implement, bang in your every day. And then here's the other thing that I'm going to challenge people to do.

Lasha Murray:

It's one thing to want to feel like you belong and be authentic and network and build and then grow. But are you creating space for others? What do you do to create that same opportunity for others in your workspace? So if you don't belong and if you don't treat other people like they belong, and if you ostracize people, or if you don't belong and if you don't treat other people like they belong, and if you ostracize people, or if you're keeping them, atentic.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

it's actually work right. So how do you because being authentic in a workplace can be scary, it's emotionally vulnerable how do you help people kind of really dive into being that authentic person when they're meeting brand new people for the very first time?

Lasha Murray:

So I always tell people to be prepared to talk about three things. So always be prepared to have three things that you talk about. One should definitely be your job right. You should be able to articulate what you do for the business and how you move the business forward or series that you're currently into your sports team, your college, something that could create kind of a connection of a oh yay, I love that team too. And then the third thing is always wear something that you feel most comfortable in.

Lasha Murray:

Whenever you're going to network, don't wear something stuffy or boxy or something that you're going to be tugging on or you don't feel comfortable in, because it will automatically make you resume and go inward Right.

Lasha Murray:

And so I always tell my clients that like, for me, my superpower is lipstick.

Lasha Murray:

I love like, whenever I'm not in the mood, I'm going to put on a really cute lipstick and some earrings and let's go. So if that, for you, is a your favorite pair of sneakers or a pair of socks, or your favorite shirt or jeans, or you're going to spike your hair a little different, I would say dare to be different, because being authentic does take being courageous, and sometimes being courageous is uncomfortable. But on the other side of uncomfortableness is growth, and if you don't ever push yourself to be uncomfortable, then you will remain stagnant and stay exactly where you are, and so I can't tell you that it's going to be comfortable. It's not going to be easy, but what I can say is when you're not pretending and being someone that you're not, it makes it a little easier, because you get to be exactly who you are, and the favorite thing that you have on that makes you feel comfortable talking about something that you should know, which is what you love and then what you do.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah, it reminds me of a quote that I think is often misattributed to Dr Seuss, but it's one that I've really tried to live my life by, which is be who you are and say what you feel, because the people who matter won't mind and the people who mind don't matter. And I think that's just kind of a really nice way of saying if you show up authentically, your tribe will find you and they will gather around you, and then you have those genuine connections, as opposed to pretending to be somebody that you're not and having to work at maintaining that.

Lasha Murray:

So it's just not sustainable.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

It's not.

Lasha Murray:

It's not it's not, it's exhausting.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

It's exhausting. So do you have a time when you were using the BANG framework that really helps someone in your coaching practice make that kind of meaningful connection?

Lasha Murray:

I do so. I am an executive coach and I had an executive that reached out and said I feel that I am so far removed from the people because of their role. They were they had, they were here, right, and they had maybe six direct reports, and then their direct reports had direct reports, and then the people right the worker bees, the people that get things done are in the trenches. She was three levels removed from, and the reputation that she had started to receive is that she was a hammer. She wasn't very pleasant. She had spent a lot of time being about the numbers and the data and the mission and the strategy and the vision that she forgot that the people down here are the people who actually get it done. So she was so disconnected from them and she's like you know, leisha, I just really want an opportunity to lead it differently. I want them to see me differently. I want people. I keep telling people that I have an open door but no one ever comes through it, and so we put together a plan, right, the bang. So let's talk about do you feel like you belong and what does that look like for you If somebody created a space where you felt like you could walk into it and it was great. What would that look like?

Lasha Murray:

And then we figured out how we can create that and how she showed up for others and then like when's the last time you wore a pair of jeans to work? When's the last time you wore something that wasn't so buttoned up and so tight and boxy? That made you look more comfortable and presentable? Because I know on the weekend you're not wearing these business suits, are you? And she's like absolutely not, and I said so.

Lasha Murray:

How do you make yourself more presentable? You show up like some of the employees that work for you. You wear your favorite team hat on team day or you create opportunities for people to show themselves. So if you don't have a team day or a fun day, create that. And so we created a fun day for her team where they got to wear their favorite sports jersey or whatever it was for that moment.

Lasha Murray:

And then that worked really well, because then they were able to talk about what their favorite teams were or whatever that was, and she got to connect with some people and learn more things about the people that she didn't know. And then I told her you need to go get in the business. That means you need to pull up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Go sit down, go listen to some phone calls, go hear and understand what is happening in your business three levels down, because it is very telling to the problems that your employees are facing that some leaders are too scared to tell you about. But you don't have to make them tell you because you're going to go learn for yourself, and so I don't know if you ever watched that show. What was it? Secret Boss or something like that.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Oh, Undercover Boss.

Lasha Murray:

Undercover Boss and I said you don't have to be undercover, but you can absolutely go be in the trenches and see what other people are doing.

Lasha Murray:

And then we also hosted a volunteer event. And so she hosted a volunteer event at a food bank somewhere where it was giving to others, and when people are in a giving spirit, you often learn more about them. They're more open to speak and talk and tell you more about what is going on. And so we just kind of created all of these pockets and moments where she could really get to know the people who worked for her. And then, after she did that, it also changed the way that she led. It changed the way that she spoke to people. It changed the way her leadership reported things to her, because she became more open and she became more of a safe and trusting place where people felt like they truly could talk to her and come to her. And now she tells me all the time girl, I want to close my door because it's way open and everyone's always coming through it, but she said it's a good problem to have, and she was able to be more.

Lasha Murray:

The other thing that helped her be is more proactive instead of reactive, because usually she was the reaction to the reports that she was receiving, versus now I'm down in the trenches, I can see it before it comes, and maybe we can streamline some processes and then get a better opportunity to speak to the people handling and going. What do you think, what do you think we should do? And so, of course, we did the stop, start and continue, and she has truly turned around her leadership talent. She's turned around how people report to her and she's turned around her area. And then the other thing that people forget is when you make necessary changes and people from across the way see this. They then go hey, what are you doing different? Something's different about you. Let me learn more about it, because I see what you're doing and I want to do it, and so it really inspired other people who may have not been necessarily getting down to the trenches, to understand their business too.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah, and making those connections with your employees is so valuable and so critical, and it goes right to what you were saying earlier, that people are the new currency. Can you explain to us what that means and how that idea has shaped your leadership philosophy?

Lasha Murray:

Yeah. So my mom used to always say everyone cleans toilets around here. No one was ever better than anyone to me. I love the admins. I've talked to the custodial workers. It's one of those things where, if you truly care about the people, the people will care about you. When you pour into others, others pour into you. You will never find your cup empty if you fill it with loving other people. And so I know that that sounds so kumbaya, let's hold hands and rock side by side, but it is truly the thing, because here's the thing that I tell my clients when you pour into other people, when you tell people what you do, when you're able to articulate exactly who you are, they start to speak your name in rooms that your feet never touch, which then starts to create opportunities for you, opportunities that never even existed. And so I'll give you an example At one point, I was chief of staff to a claims operator, to the claims executive, and so we were responsible for 6,500 employees.

Lasha Murray:

He had about 19 to 20 executives that reported to him, and one of the things that he was far removed from the people. He wasn't just he. He wasn't far removed, but he was not. He didn't know enough, right? And so what I would do is, every Friday, I would just go walk the floors How's everybody doing? How are things going? What if you, if you, could have Barbie dream house? What would it look like? And then I started to report that stuff back to him, and then he started to get excited about it, and so then he started to come down and talk to the people.

Lasha Murray:

Once he started to talk to the people, we can start implementing things that prevented us from risk. So we were able to catch something before it became a risk. And so people are the new currency, and if you don't invest in the people, they will continue to vote with their feet. They will continue to lead your organizations, because they're not just numbers, they are actual people. And then when you use those people or not use right, when you leverage is a better word those relationships, you build allies, you build sponsorship, you have mentors. It just creates an opportunity for you to be better.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah.

Lasha Murray:

And it gives you different perspectives as well.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah, and I love that very specific action of going and walking the floors and getting to know the people within your organization. What are some small but impactful ways leaders can build community within their organizations, especially when they're working with, maybe like a Gen Z employee?

Lasha Murray:

So understanding them.

Lasha Murray:

So taking the time to sit down and say how do you like to be recognized? What motivates you? Tell me a little bit about your home life, like single married kids, because then you can understand what that's a part of their motivation and then it also builds an opportunity for empathy and connection. And so if I know that you have a five-year-old at home and you come in one day and you're like rushing, it could be because that five-year-old made you behind or there was some. You know five-year-olds are very, they can throw your day off right and so it gives you an opportunity to build empathy.

Lasha Murray:

I think the other thing is really truly caring about the people. So what does that look like? Like caring isn't just saying, hey, I know that you work here, hey, I know that this is what your degree is in, but why did you get that degree? What when you were thinking about getting that degree? What did you want to do with it when you decided to take this role? What is the thing that you envision that you could do in this role to make it better? Really asking the tougher, deeper questions than just the surface level or even pushing your agenda. So how do you learn more about that person so that you know how to motivate them, how to inspire them? What inspires them? If you're just going in there, going, here's what I need. I need you to do it and let's get it done. I don't really care to work for you, and so I always encourage the leaders to effectively communicate, build trust, learn more about emotional intelligence.

Lasha Murray:

Emotional intelligence is picking up on things that have never even been said. If your employee comes in and normally they're in the best mood and this day they're just kind of blah maybe have a conversation with them. I see that you're. I see that you're not the smiley Leisha that I'm used to seeing. Is everything okay? Taking a moment again, removing yourself and being an empathetic leader to ask the questions is everything okay? Is there anything that I could do to support you better today, asking those types of questions instead of making it what I need from you, maybe understanding what they need from you, because doing that will respire, I guarantee you.

Lasha Murray:

This is what leaders don't understand. They think doing all of that soft stuff is mushy. I don't want to do all of that. It's so mushy. Nobody has time. But if you take the time in the beginning to invest, I guarantee you your people will work the hardest for you.

Lasha Murray:

The conversation that I would always have with my team is look, I will jump over buildings for you guys. I will protect you for any obstacle that is coming your way, but in order to do that, I need you to do the same for me. So if you've made a mistake, if you've done something, if you know that something was wrong, don't sweep it under the rug. Bring it to me. Let's figure out how we handle it together, because if my leader has to bring it to me now, I don't have a choice in the matter. I don't have a choice in the matter. I don't have any way to protect you. If someone brings it to me now, I have to go with whatever the process is to discipline. But if you come to me and go, hey, I made this mistake or hey, this happened, then let me figure out how we can support you and make sure we correct it and get you back on path. But again, that requires empathy and caring, which is all what the bank is about and caring, which is all what the bank is about.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah, and so when leaders are making that intentional relationship effort and they're building the community with their employees, what changes have you seen happen within organizations?

Lasha Murray:

People are happy. People are happy. Here's the thing.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Imagine that.

Lasha Murray:

Yeah, right. So there you. I had an employee, and anytime I asked for overtime she would be like Nope, not interested. And so I worked as a claims manager. And there's always catastrophes, and catastrophes creates surges, and when there's surges, we need people to work overtime. And she would never, ever work overtime.

Lasha Murray:

Now, any other manager could have just taken the position that she's lazy, she's not interested in growing her career, she doesn't care about anyone but herself. But I took a moment and asked her I understand that Saturday may not work for you, sunday may not work for you, but if I created a different method of overtime for you, would you be able to do overtime? And she's like yeah, you can give me overtime at the end of my schedule or the beginning of my schedule, or like some shift or swings. I'll be able to do it because every Saturday I'm a coach, every Sunday I'm coaching, so I'm not able to do it. And so I was able to learn what her schedule was and create an opportunity for her to get overtime based on her schedule. Once I did that, she worked overtime all the time. She encouraged other people to work overtime, and so you can really see people working harder, working smarter, wanting to work because they see that you care and that you're interested in their growth and their development and them as a person.

Lasha Murray:

And so you just start to see a change in attitude. You see a change in collaboration. People are more collaborative. They're grabbing each other by the hand versus doing a lot of this right. You're seeing more of this. You're seeing more ideas because you're creating a space where people trust that if they say something, you're not going to shoot it down, and so they're giving you the ideas that they may feel are crazy, but then you go okay, that might be a little too far, but there's a piece of that. Let's figure out how we work that. And then people are more amped to give you ideas. They're more excited to share what they think could help the business, and so you just really start to see innovation. You see collaboration. You see people be more empowered, which allows you to give them more autonomy to make decisions, which then takes things off of your plate, because now you can trust your team to be a well-oiled machine, with or without you, and so that's some of the things that I've seen really truly impact results for organizations and for the person themselves.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

That's really incredible. And so if we bring these ideas of maintaining authenticity, building intentional networks through bang and fostering community, is really that new currency? What would you say is the one mindset shift that leaders need to make to thrive in the future workplace?

Lasha Murray:

Growth. You have to have a growth mindset. You can't, you can't. You have to adapt a new mindset. If you think that if someone not wearing a suit to an interview doesn't deserve a job, that's a problem. If you feel, if you see someone who comes in with pink hair and you're like, why do they have pink hair? Well, why can't they have pink hair? Does their hair change? Are they member facing? Are they client facing? Is that going to change anything? You really just have to be open to different ideologies. You have to be open to the changes that are happening in corporate and in the world.

Lasha Murray:

Things are different, and if you are so far removed from it because you are just used to doing things the good old way, the good old fashioned way, you will forever be disconnected, and so I would encourage them to read more books. I would encourage them to go and volunteer with the youth and get familiar with who they are and what they are advocating for and what they believe in and what they're excited about. I would encourage them to just get out of their own way, because if you get out of your own way, you would be surprised how you can grow. If you get out of your own way, you would be surprised how you can grow. It's never too late to grow.

Lasha Murray:

My grandma is 82 and she's like I'm too old to grow and I'm like no grandma, that's not true. Like at any age, you can grow, you can learn something, you can be taught, and so if you're one of those people that just feel like I can't learn anything, I'm just going to continue to do things this way, because it's always worked for me. It just it isn't the mindset that's going to help you shift the culture, and so I would just say be open minded, ask a lot of questions, don't be scared to ask questions if you don't understand, or don't be afraid to ask questions for clarity, right. And so, like the LGBTQ, when you start to have those labels, some people are like I don't really know what that really means the she, they and we, and so instead they just don't do it, and then it could come off as the other person is that they don't care.

Lasha Murray:

Well, it's not that they don't care, they just don't know. And instead of in fear of feeling ignorant or unknowing, just ask the questions. Be okay to ask the questions, but also ask in a way that is polite, that isn't rude and that is an open-ended question for an open mind shift.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Yeah, asking questions in a way that builds community rather than passes judgment is such an important thing to be able to do as a leader. I think that's really important, and so I've just been so amazed with everything that you have talked about today, and I really appreciate you sharing your wisdom with us and your Bing network, but you also have some really great webinars coming up throughout the month of November. Tell us about those.

Lasha Murray:

Yay. So there are so many people that ask what is it like having a coach, someone that you can use for your career, and so I decided you know what I'm just going to show you. So every Wednesday in November, I am hosting a webinar and it is going to be a live coaching session. So if you've ever wanted to know what all the hype is about, what is it like to have a coach? How can a coach truly help elevate you in your career and position you in a way to get the roles that you desire out of your career and grow?

Lasha Murray:

I'm going to do that live. So, basically, I am going to pick, you're going to go and reserve your seat, and then I am going to pick someone at the beginning of our live, our webinar, and at that point we're going to say, okay, what's your career concern? And then how can we create a solution? And you're going to be able to witness what live coaching is all about and understanding the importance of having a coach and what a coach can truly do to help transform you and your career.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Wow. So does somebody need to already be a client of yours in order to be selected for that? Or if somebody's listening to the podcast, how do they sign up for that?

Lasha Murray:

for that? Or if somebody's listening to the podcast, how do they sign up for that? Yeah, so after the podcast, if they reach out to me, so you can email me at info, at the Unapologetic.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Leadership Coach, and we'll put that in the show notes as well, so anybody can go and find it there.

Lasha Murray:

And if you say send me the link, I am going to send you the link. You would register for whichever date works best for your schedule and then you show up at that time and during that time I'm going to randomly pick three people. So be prepared, with whatever your question, your issue, your concern and we're going to be talking about salary negotiations Maybe you have to have a difficult conversation. How do you format that conversation? Maybe you're like hey, look at my resume and tell me what I'm missing, because I'm not getting anyone calling me to schedule interviews. Or maybe you've interviewed fatiguely and you've interviewed 20 times and you're not getting the call back and you're like what am I doing wrong? We may talk through some of those answers and maybe talk about how you better position yourself, but it's open forum. We are going to talk about whatever you want to talk about in order to solve a career issue or problem that you may be having, or maybe just ask a question regarding your career.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

That is such an exciting opportunity and I hope everybody jumps on board with that, so check out the show notes. We'll provide a link to be able to email Leisha about that. But thank you so much for showing up today and for sharing all of your wisdom and expertise. It's really invaluable to have this and somebody's going to get lucky and get some executive coaching, maybe in these webinars coming up.

Lasha Murray:

Yes, they are. The goal is to be able to do what we will call rapid fire. So we want to do as many people as possible, and so if we can do five or six or seven in that hour, that's what we're going to do. And so I say, come prepared, be excited. You don't have to tell me what company you work for. We can definitely create some anonymity so that it doesn't get back to whoever you're speaking with. But yeah, I'm super excited about the opportunity. Thank you so much for having me. I met you I guess it's been almost a month ago and you did a presentation and I was just like man.

Lasha Murray:

I love his energy and I just love um. You're knowledgeable, but you made the conversation fun and that's what this podcast is all about. Right, just making information that people need fun.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Oh, thank you. Yeah, I think it's really important to keep it fun, and that's one of the things I always say whenever I get excited about something is this is fun, and so I'm glad that that comes across, so, thank you, it does. Thank you, and we will be in touch, and I can't wait to see what happens in these sessions. I'm going to go and sign up myself.

Lasha Murray:

Yay, love to see you.

Keith Greer, CFRE:

Okay, see you there, take care, bye.

People on this episode

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Keith Greer, CFRE

Host
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Lasha Murray

Guest