Empowering Bytes: Don't Drop the L.E.A.D.
The salient point of this podcast episode revolves around the imperative notion that every individual is destined to lead, a theme thoroughly explored by Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson and co-host Gaby Mammone.
The discussion delves into the acronym "L.E.A.D.," which signifies Learn, Elevate, Activate, and Disrupt, explaining the profound implications each component holds for personal and collective empowerment.
Nkechi articulates the significance of self-awareness and the transformative journey of leadership that commences from within, emphasizing that true leadership is not predicated on titles but rather on one's identity and purpose. Furthermore, the hosts underscore the necessity of action, urging listeners to confront their fears and activate their inherent gifts, thereby fostering a culture of positive change and influence.
Ultimately, this episode serves as a divine call to embrace one’s leadership potential and to steadfastly uphold the lead despite life's myriad challenges.
Takeaways:
- Nkechi take listeners through the significance of the acronym L.E.A.D., -- Learn, Elevate, Activate, and Disrupt.
- Leadership is not predicated on titles or positions but is fundamentally rooted in self-awareness and personal identity.
- The episode emphasizes that true leadership involves guiding others while also fostering self-discovery and personal growth.
- The episode culminates in a powerful reminder that each individual is called to lead, regardless of circumstances, and must not relinquish their leadership role.
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Find us online: https://linktr.ee/nkechinwaforrobinson
Transcript
Great day, amazing human.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Welcome to Empowered at My Skin podcast where our mission is to help 1 billion people in this world think in more empowering ways.
Speaker A:Empowered humans.
Speaker A:Empower humans.
Speaker A:So you are in the right place to become a lead domino for empowerment today.
Speaker A:My name is Nkechi Mwaho Robinson.
Speaker A:I'm not only your host, but I am a vibrant optimist obsessed to bring you empowering content with every single episode.
Speaker A:We will bring you weekly content, alternating between longer episodes with featured guests and a shorter episode called Empowering Bites, where I will be joined by my co host, Gabby Memone.
Speaker A:So if you're ready, let the show begin.
Speaker A:Great day, amazing humans.
Speaker A:Yes, it's your girl in KT, LaVernet Robinson.
Speaker A:And I'm here with the amazing, the incomparable, the.
Speaker A: aordinaire of the lead summit: Speaker A:Co host, I should say, of the lead summit.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:2025, girl.
Speaker A:What?
Speaker B:Oh, thank you.
Speaker B:Woo is right.
Speaker B:What an event that was.
Speaker A:I love it and I thank you so much.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:I give you your flowers.
Speaker A:It was amazing.
Speaker A:You made it amazing.
Speaker A:You guys started on time, y' all.
Speaker A:You started early.
Speaker A:You started early.
Speaker B:We take timing very seriously.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:You work with us.
Speaker B:It's like, this is the time.
Speaker B:This is the time.
Speaker B:Even if there's six people in the room, we're starting on time.
Speaker A:To everyone that's listening, it's so funny because I.
Speaker A:It was.
Speaker A:I made it really clear.
Speaker A:I'm like, even if there's one person in the room and you asked that at our.
Speaker A:At our pre event meeting, I said, yeah, one person in the room.
Speaker A:We start.
Speaker A:Not only did they.
Speaker A:I was like, they started ahead of time.
Speaker A:Because I was like, whoa, is the event starting?
Speaker A:I was.
Speaker A: clock and I was like, it was: Speaker A: use you guys started house at: Speaker B:I was like, we were asking people to, like, start sitting.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And then you guys just started.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:So I was like, well, they don't even start on time.
Speaker A:They start early.
Speaker A:That was awesome.
Speaker A:I loved it.
Speaker B:You know, time is currency and we appreciate everyone's time.
Speaker B:And those that are on time, we're starting.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker A:And we finished on time.
Speaker A:We started on time.
Speaker A:Finished on time.
Speaker A:Every segment was pretty much on.
Speaker A:Every segment was on time.
Speaker B:Excellent.
Speaker B:Yeah, excellent.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:You had a timer in the audience showing green, yellow and red cards.
Speaker B:Like, we took it seriously.
Speaker A:I appreciate it.
Speaker A:I love it.
Speaker A:I love it because people's time, you can't get it back, but you can, you can enrich it.
Speaker A:And that's what we.
Speaker A:That was the focus.
Speaker A:Let's, let's use their time for value, you know.
Speaker A:And so anyway, Lead Summit was, was prolific.
Speaker A:It was epic.
Speaker A:Really, really excited.
Speaker A: We have the date for: Speaker A:It's coming.
Speaker A:I have to just confirm with the venue.
Speaker A:So same place, different.
Speaker A:It's going to be a different date, but.
Speaker A:But yeah, a year from now.
Speaker A:Just under a year.
Speaker A:For now.
Speaker A:I'm really, really excited.
Speaker A:The countdown's on.
Speaker B:Love it.
Speaker B:It's in my calendar already.
Speaker A:So what are we talking about?
Speaker A:I guess we're going to talk about lead.
Speaker B:Let's talk about lead.
Speaker B:Lead means different things to different people.
Speaker B:But I love the acronym that was used at your event.
Speaker B:And I think that it's important for the listeners of viewers to understand the place that we're coming from because the word lead means something so profound.
Speaker B:So do you want to take us through that?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So if you.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker A:If you kind of go.
Speaker A:If you want, you can go back to our May 8th empowering bites because we actually said why, why we lead.
Speaker A:And I think at that point in time we announced the event, we were kind of explaining the event, and I introduced that Lead came to me in spirit, and it means it stands for Learn, Elevate, Activate and Disrupt.
Speaker A:And so I, I truly, you know, I, I believe that everyone is actually called to lead.
Speaker A:And you know, through the work I get to do everywhere, even just like definitely through the platform of Empowered by Skin is really about helping people figure out what their lead really is supposed to be, the one that they're, they're designed to do.
Speaker A:And, and it's always from within, right?
Speaker A:It's within their skin.
Speaker A:And so, you know, it was really important for me to make sure that everyone that attended that event knew that their.
Speaker A:They were not only born to lead, they were called to lead.
Speaker A:And that summit was really an invitation.
Speaker A:It was a divine calling for everyone that entered into that space to really come in under, like get some insight as to.
Speaker A:To their lead, you know, like through hearing other nuggets and this any other.
Speaker A:Because that's how we, we really learn, right?
Speaker A:Like, it's really about learning other people's experiences and then using that to add to our toolkit, but to then leave from that environment really even more and better equipped, especially in this world that we're in now with all of the disruptions that are happening and uncertainties that are happening to be able to be better positioned to continue to lead in our lives.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And so, so we talked about it.
Speaker A:So I can, I can start to share the framework, right.
Speaker A:I talked about how I developed specifically for lead an inner power paradigm.
Speaker A:So IPP and the inner power paradigm is.
Speaker A:So if you can imagine, if I had a diagram, it's, it's lead, then the arrow goes into elevate and then the arrow goes into activate and to disrupt.
Speaker A:And you're continuously on this continuum of this paradigm.
Speaker A:And so at any given, anybody that was in that room, myself included, at some point on the paradigm, we're somewhere.
Speaker A:We're either in the learning, we're in the elevation, we're in the activation or we're in the disruption component.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:So L for learn l was learn, which is about awakening the inner leader.
Speaker A:And I think I've been doing that since I, how actually empowered my skin got founded was.
Speaker A:You know, I, I always talk about be convinced about who you are, otherwise you going to be, you're victim to what the world will ascribe on your human right.
Speaker A:And typically it's not always going to be something that serves you in the best.
Speaker A:But you can't, the truth is you can't lead others out first leading yourself.
Speaker A:And, and you know, leadership is not about being.
Speaker A:It's not about having a title, it's not about a stage.
Speaker A:It's really, it's, it starts in the qu.
Speaker A:Places.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:It's actually how you lead self, right?
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:So it's the work that you do in the mirror, it's the work that you do in, in your journal.
Speaker A:It's the, it's the uncomfortable self reflection that you need to walk through.
Speaker A:And so, you know, it was about, you know, perhaps changing the perspective of what typically people chase titles.
Speaker A:And I'm like, but true, real, I think true leadership is actually defined through your identity.
Speaker A:Like it's identified through or discovered through identity.
Speaker A:You know, how do you identify yourself?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And so, and so I invited the group, everyone to what is it that you then need to unlearn in order to lead in truth?
Speaker A:Because I would say that a lot of us, myself included, have picked up false, false truths about ourselves and those will always impact our lead.
Speaker A:So it's about unlearning what that could be.
Speaker A:And, and what I really, really loved is, you know, I just kind of got into it.
Speaker A:I was like, and at no time in any of that learning, as you start to learn the truth about yourself, do you Ever.
Speaker A:And I'm going to say this like, you know, no matter how hard it is, you don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:No matter how much, you know, hurt you might be going through, you don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:No matter how tired you are, you don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:No matter if people talk about you, whether they celebrate you, whether they ignore you or reject you, you don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:No matter if you are in the top of the mountain or you're in the low valley, you don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:No matter if you didn't get that job promotion, you didn't get the job itself or somebody didn't call you back, you don't drop the leave.
Speaker A:No matter if you're feeling sick or you're energetic or you're on a beach or here at home scrubbing floors, you don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker A:No matter whatever it is that you're having to endure in life, you.
Speaker A:You don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:That is right.
Speaker A:And so I, you know, I left them realizing that you cannot leave from a place that you have not yet discovered.
Speaker A:And so it is so imperative that you or haven't visited is so imperative that you get to know who you are.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Before we move to.
Speaker B:Yeah, I love that.
Speaker B:And before we move to elevate, I.
Speaker B:One of the things that I noticed that the audience also took away just from their comments and their, their interaction with each other was they're not leading from a place of ego.
Speaker B:They're leading from a place of wisdom, from understanding.
Speaker B:They're curious, they're humble, they're open to new perspectives.
Speaker B:And, you know, that's key because leaders, yeah, leaders grow in self awareness, like empathy, strategy.
Speaker B:And it's imperative that they.
Speaker B:Again, they're not leading from ego.
Speaker B:They're leading from wisdom and understanding.
Speaker B:So I gathered that in your speech, for sure.
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker A:Then the next one E Elevate was really about growing into higher potential.
Speaker A:And elevation is not about applause, it's about.
Speaker A:And it's about posture.
Speaker A:And if you remember, I was like, if you think about it, like when I say that stand up, like your elevation is going to be about your posture.
Speaker A:Elevation is about the decision you make to rise even when you, even when no one sees you doing it, you know, And I think about, like some of my most elevated thoughts really do happen sort of when I'm, when I'm alone, I'm like, you know what, Ink?
Speaker A:No, your next step has to be like a higher Step like, you know what I mean?
Speaker A:And so, and it's in those moments like you don't typically perform when you're by yourself.
Speaker A:So it's not about presence.
Speaker A:It's, it's, it's, it's about choosing presence over performance.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Like, I'd, I, I want to be completely present in a room to feel my most elevated self than trying to fake it like, then trying to like, perform the way that I think others want me to be performing.
Speaker A:So it's really your presence and the essence of your presence is your elevation.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:And so it's your conviction over convenience.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:It's, it's going to be what are you convicted about?
Speaker A:That's the stuff that's going to really elevate you.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's not the stuff that's easy.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, I agreed.
Speaker B:I loved, loved, love this part of your talk because I actually also related it to recognizing the elevation of talent in others and building my confidence.
Speaker B:Building others confidence.
Speaker B:It's raising, raising the standard basically within your team, within your community, within your industry.
Speaker B:Like, it's, it's elevating all of that.
Speaker B:And you know, I asked myself, I'm like, who am I elevating today?
Speaker B:You know, because the true leaders do not climb alone.
Speaker B:They bring others with them.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:Nobody gets to the top alone.
Speaker B:We have to elevate each other.
Speaker B:And so I really took that from that portion of your.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:And thank you for adding that.
Speaker A:And, and you know, and I think, and it's so funny because Cassie was a complete.
Speaker A:Like, like, if, if anyone knows, like, so Cassie's are one of our hosts of, of witlove podcast.
Speaker A:She also really helped us get to the finish line on this, on this event.
Speaker A:But I, you know, was, she was one of the reasons why I said elevation is like when you stop negotiating your visibility, right?
Speaker A:Because a lot of times she says she was sitting at tables not feeling visible.
Speaker A:And I was like, you know, we got to stop negotiating our visit.
Speaker A:You, you, you are visible.
Speaker A:Like, I actually see you.
Speaker A:I mean, like, so it's about understanding your value that you have in the rooms that you enter.
Speaker A:And I think if anyone, when you get to real elevation, I think just your presence in a room elevates the experience, right?
Speaker A:And it doesn't detract from it, it adds to it.
Speaker A:You know, then a was activate.
Speaker A:So it's so important after you've learned, after you've done the elevation, like, what actions are you taking?
Speaker A:So it's about embodying the work.
Speaker A:It's, it's, it's about, you know, stepping away from the.
Speaker A:I'm not enough.
Speaker A:I'm not good at.
Speaker A:Like, you have gifts, you have gifts.
Speaker A:And so what are you waiting for to really just like, amplify those gifts, shine a bright light on them and like, and, and you should feel a fear when you get to that point where you're like, ready to like, like pounce on, like, pounce in life.
Speaker A:It should feel scary.
Speaker A:Otherwise you're not doing it right.
Speaker A:So it's not just supposed to feel comfortable.
Speaker A:It's actually supposed to feel a little bit like, uncomfortable.
Speaker A:And, and just know that to lead is not about just waiting until you're ready.
Speaker A:It's about doing it on today with everything have.
Speaker A:Because it truly is.
Speaker A:Is enough.
Speaker A:So I think activations, it's a sense of obedience.
Speaker A:And I remember I, I shared with the group that when lead came to me.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Even when empower.
Speaker A:I think I might have even talked to you about it, like, how many people I talk about.
Speaker A:And I still hadn't set a date.
Speaker A:I still hadn't paid a deposit.
Speaker A:And I recognized that I had this revelation to do and I shared it that day.
Speaker A:I had this revelation to do this event.
Speaker A:It took me activating.
Speaker A:It took me activating that revelation.
Speaker A:And I said, I recognized how many sins have I had revelation about that I still have revelation about?
Speaker A:And the truth is that's just spiritual entertainment.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's like, spiritually I'm being entertained.
Speaker A:Like, do this, do this.
Speaker A:You're going to be that.
Speaker B:Going to be.
Speaker A:I've taken zero action.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, no revelation is really about, you know, taking action, embodying the work that you are designed here to do and just leading forward with, you know, clarity and courage.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And one thing that I took from that is leadership is not just about your vision.
Speaker B:It's about momentum.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Momentum comes from activation.
Speaker B:You need to activate your purpose, activate your people, activate your ideas.
Speaker B:To take it to the next level.
Speaker B:You have to act.
Speaker B:You have to act.
Speaker A:So everyone here that's listening, what is the next step that you're actually been Avoid taking, You know, encourage you today to take it.
Speaker A:And last but not least, my favorite disruptees.
Speaker A:Disrupt.
Speaker A:It's about transform and influence.
Speaker A:And I think disruption often gets a bad rap.
Speaker A:People think it's very chaotic.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:But I actually want to say that I think, I actually personally think disruption is.
Speaker A:I think the word disruption is pretty sexy.
Speaker A:But I think I think the divine disruption is sacred.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, and I I think it's, you know, to disrupt is to break cycles, is to break programming.
Speaker A:It's to break the, the old systems, the old way of doing things.
Speaker A:Especially when you recognize that those old ways just feel way too much like a comfortable shoe, right?
Speaker A:Like it's to say enough to the things that just no longer serve you or others, right?
Speaker A:And it's about stepping into the unknown and, and, and recognizing that sometimes just who you are as a human being is disruption, right?
Speaker A:Like you walk into, you're going to challenge the status quo.
Speaker A:Like suddenly the way we've been doing things isn't good enough anymore.
Speaker A:You are listening for the white, like call it the white spaces, but you're listening for those spaces of opportunity that allow you to introduce another way of thinking, another way of being, another way of approaching things.
Speaker A:Like that's disruption.
Speaker A:You know, like when you stop people saying, ah, how about, you know, how about we try this, how about we entertain this?
Speaker A:So, you know, I think disruption has a vibration to it, like a really great vibr to it when it's done right.
Speaker A:And it's not destruction.
Speaker A:I truly do think it's obedience.
Speaker A:There's something in your heart that is pulling you and I think that that's the thing that you need to recognize is, is, is disruption.
Speaker A:And it's going to feel uncomfortable and sometimes it's going to feel like affliction.
Speaker A:And I just was at a great sermon on Sunday afterwards and it said, my anointing is forged from affliction.
Speaker A:I think, I think about your journey, right?
Speaker A:Like, I think how you've taken so much out of, you know, having Ms.
Speaker A:To really contribute to a better world, like to, you know, and I think it's the, it's the, it's the, it's the ones amongst us that go through the most amount of affliction and I think that create the most amount of, of, of sacred disruption in this world, you know, so, so in closing, you know, that's, that's what I was encouraging everybody, that at any given time you're somewhere on that inner, inner power paradigm.
Speaker A:Whether you're learning, elevating, activating disruption somewhere.
Speaker A:You're in there in that cycle, you know, and, and it's not supposed to be easy.
Speaker A:You're gonna have to, you're gonna be doing it while there's a whole bunch of other stuff doing.
Speaker A:And the key call to action was, no matter whatever it is, don't ever, ever drop the lead.
Speaker A:You were meant to lead, you were called to lead.
Speaker A:And I don't care what you have to do.
Speaker A:Don't drop the lead.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And I would say some of my takeaways were create positive impact.
Speaker B:Serve others not to be served.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker B:Guide change, not just respond to change.
Speaker B:And inspire, influence and innovate.
Speaker B:And this kind of, like, embodies everything.
Speaker B:And ask yourself, you know, what are you willing?
Speaker B:What are you willing to risk?
Speaker A:What are you willing to risk?
Speaker A:There's got to be a risk.
Speaker A:There's a sacrifice.
Speaker A:There's something.
Speaker A:But let me just tell you, no matter what it is, don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:Everyone was born to lead, called to lead.
Speaker A:So don't drop the lead, y' all.
Speaker A:Don't drop the lead.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker A:It's a hashtag now.
Speaker A:It's a hashtag.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker A:It's a hashtag.
Speaker A:It's actually a T shirt.
Speaker A:I got don't drop the lead T shirts, too.
Speaker A:I love it.
Speaker A:I love it.
Speaker A:So, Gabby, thank you so much.
Speaker A:Oh, my gosh, I love it.
Speaker A:I'm so excited and feel so passionate.
Speaker A:It truly is a movement and part of it.
Speaker A:And I thank you.
Speaker A:I thank you.
Speaker B:Thank you for the opportunity.
Speaker B:I remember when you had the vision, the dream.
Speaker B:You're like, you know, I.
Speaker B:I want to have an event, and I moved.
Speaker A:It from revelation to reality.
Speaker A:I stopped the spiritual entertainment.
Speaker B:That's right.
Speaker B:It started there.
Speaker B:You took the action.
Speaker B:You did the steps.
Speaker B:You know, we were on time, and people were transformed.
Speaker B:And it was like, okay, I love it accomplished.
Speaker A:I love you.
Speaker A:Thank you, listeners, for listening.
Speaker A:Thank you, watchers, for watching.
Speaker A:And to everyone, this is where I.
Speaker B:Say I'm Inc.
Speaker B:And I'm Gabby with one B.
Speaker A:And we're out.
Speaker B:Bye.
Speaker B:Bye.
Speaker A:Don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:Don't drop the lead.
Speaker A:There you have it.
Speaker A:I trust that you are feeling more empowered in your skin.
Speaker A:As the late Dr.
Speaker A:Maya Angelou said, when you get, you give.
Speaker A:When you learn, you teach.
Speaker A:So it would mean so much for us at Empowered in My Skin, Inc.
Speaker A:If you share this episode and tag us or teach an insight that you took from today's episode on your social and tag us.
Speaker A:Feel free to leave us a review over at itunes and follow us on social media.
Speaker A:Power to My skin.
Speaker A:Finally, remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
