In this episode of Revolutionary Leadership, Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown is joined by Leilani M. Brown (Founder and CEO of "Giant Steps", LLC) for a grounded, strategic conversation about how Black women leaders can advance without getting trapped in the "savior and scapegoat" dynamic and without compromising their full humanity.

Building on Episode 1, Dr. Kerry connects the glass ceiling and glass cliff to real advancement pathways, especially when Black women are recruited into crisis leadership roles and expected to "fix everything" with limited authority, resources, or support.

Leilani shares a powerful metaphor for authenticity and self-preservation, describing the ways we can literally and figuratively damage ourselves to fit into systems for "a possibility." From there, the conversation turns practical: how to ask better questions before saying yes, how to spot red flags early, and how to use a 90-day advantage to set expectations, hold up the mirror, prioritize what's solvable first, and build collective buy-in instead of becoming the lone warrior.

Dr. Kerry also introduces friend-raising vs. networking, naming why real relationships, trust, and proximity often create the sponsorship and opportunity that transactional networking cannot.

You'll Discover

How the glass ceiling and glass cliff show up in Black women's advancement pathways.
What to ask before accepting a new role or client so you don't inherit impossible expectations.
Leilani's "Giant Steps" approach to diagnose challenges, prioritize, and build a shared roadmap.
Why friend-raising (real relationship building) matters for sponsorship, wellbeing, and long-term success.

Featured Voice

Yuyang Mei, Primary Care Physician and Anti-Racism Champion at Asian Health Services (Oakland, CA), shares how partnering with KMB Consultancy supported their organization's anti-racism journey. He explains how Dr. Kerry's organizational assessment and culturally sensitive approach helped clarify unspoken roadblocks, surface meaningful trends through focus groups and interviews, and translate anti-racist values into specific, actionable practices across departments. Her key reminder: strong culture change work requires flexibility, openness, and the right partner to help leaders name what's been hard to define.

Where to Find Leilani M. Brown

Giant Steps LLC: giantstepsllc.com
Free resource: Your Next Giant Reset: A Career Comeback Guide
Download (as shared in the episode): https://resetguide.giantstepsllc.com/#page=1
Podcast: Giant Steps with Leilani Brown
Social / Professional: LinkedIn

About the Host:

This podcast is hosted by Dr. Kerry Mitchell Brown, founder and CEO of kmb Consultancy and cultural architect specializing in revolutionary leadership and organizational transformation. Drawing on her entrepreneurial experience and a career spanning nonprofits, academia, and Fortune 100 companies, Dr. Kerry equips leaders across industries to navigate systems not designed for them, amplify their strategic power, and create environments where equity and innovation flourish. Connect with her here.

Join the Conversation:

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Let's Connect:

🌐: RevolutionaryLead.com

✉️: DrKerry@revolutionarylead.com

Social Media: @RevolutionaryLead

Credits:

Intro and outro music: "Feeling Free" by Jesse Lawrence (Epidemic Sound)

A Crackers In Soup production