Therapy for Black Girls – Session 455: TBG Rewind, Black Women Navigating the Glass Cliff
Host: Dr. Joy Harden Bradford | Guest: Dr. Yasmeen Mumby | Release Date: March 18, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode revisits the timely and pressing issue of Black women navigating the "glass cliff" in workplaces – a phenomenon where women (especially women of color) are elevated to leadership roles during times of crisis or instability, often without adequate support or resources. Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is joined by Dr. Yasmeen Mumby, a sustainable leadership advisor and founder of The Ringgold consulting firm, for an in-depth conversation about the unique challenges Black women face on the glass cliff, how to advocate for themselves, create boundaries, and protect their well-being while leading in high-pressure environments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What is a “Sustainable Leadership Advisor”?

• Dr. Mumby works with ambitious, high-achieving leaders (primarily Black women) to prevent burnout by helping them establish sustainable infrastructures, policies, and practices.

  “I support them with creating the infrastructures, the policy, the guidelines, even down to the implementation plan before you hire the person so that you don’t have to work beyond your capacity so you’re not burning out.” (06:28)

The Concept of "Easeful Leadership"

• True leadership should center personal values and well-being for the leader and their team, not just production and output.
• Leaders need to be aware of external pressures and advocate for adaptive, not just technical, leadership.

  “It’s a leader who is operating from the core of their values ... for every meaningful, impactful, transformative decision: How is this going to impact my team, their well-being, their productivity, and the culture?” (07:33)

Prevalent Workplace Challenges

• Many organizations are facing “capacity issues”: goals and visions that are expansive, but resources and staff are stretched dangerously thin.

  “Do we have capacity to take on all these transformative goals and this expansive vision that we have for our work right now? And does it have to be right now?” (08:58)

Guidance for Black Women Facing Mismatched Roles, Pay, or Support

• Questions to ask yourself and your supervisor if your workload exceeds your role or pay:
  • What was the original scope of work?
  • What am I doing now?
  • How has the scope shifted? Whose workload am I absorbing?
• Focus on gathering clear evidence and data about your role expansion; then strategize conversations directly with decision-makers.

  “Having the conversation with folks who don’t have decision-making power can distract from the purpose... I first narrow in, is this the decision maker?” (12:49) “If you’re taking on additional work and you’re noticing other colleagues don’t have such a pace of work expected of them nor quality, then chances are you might be taking on some of their work...” (13:59)

The Importance of Advocacy, Strategy, and Community

• Dr. Mumby uses a four-step coaching approach: analysis, strategy, role play/mapping, and evaluation.
• Community and coaching can provide perspective, support, and embolden Black women to advocate for promotion or fair recognition.

  “So often we’re out here on our own trying to figure it out... that sense of community helps embolden you to stand up for yourself.” (15:45)

Navigating Microaggressions and Colleague Relationships

• Microaggressions often read as antisocial when Black women refuse to accept them, but advocating for your humanity is crucial.

  “A lot of times we can be seen as the person who has to show up and be everything for everybody. And that often takes out our ability to be human, our humanity.” (21:53)

• If you stay in a toxic work environment (out of necessity), focus on:
  • Identifying psychologically safe spaces and allies
  • Strictly technical, non-emotional communication as needed
  • Documenting all interactions
  • Keeping your workload aligned closely with the official job description

  “Document, document, document...you keep your scope of work very closely aligned to what you have been assigned to do.” (23:56)

HR: Friend or Foe?

• HR typically protects the organization, not the individual.
• Seek external support (leadership coaches, trusted colleagues, community, and, if needed, legal counsel).

  “HR is supposed to be supportive, but like you said...their interest isn’t in us, it’s in the protection of the organization.” (26:33)

Clarifying the “Glass Cliff” & Confirmation Bias

• Confirmation bias: Seeking out information that only supports a pre-existing decision or perspective.

  “Instead of looking at the full span of all the evidence...this leader looks for particular instances of evidence that match up with where they want to go anyway.” (27:46)

• Glass Cliff: The elevation of Black women to leadership during crises to solve problems, often publicly scrutinized and without sufficient resources or support.

  “You’ve ascended in leadership, but yet you’re literally on the cliff of success and/or failure. And...it’s glass because everybody’s watching you.” (29:11)

• Sometimes this is a conscious choice by leadership seeking a scapegoat or someone to absorb the crisis without acknowledging the needed structural changes.

  “I know in certain conversations… leaders realize if we don’t have a person to be upfront...it could lead to further damage to our reputation.” (30:18)

How to Assess a Glass Cliff Opportunity

• If offered a crisis leadership role, ask:
  • Who is on my support team?
  • Do we need external hires or consultants?
  • What is the actual/required budget?
  • Will leadership trust my expertise and recommendations?
• Document everything to create your own clear narrative, no matter the outcome.

  “Whatever you need, it’s a conversation. Just like they need you, you, come on, you need some things too.” (35:31)
  “Documenting, documenting, documenting… so you make sure you are very clear on that narrative that you will have to share no matter what at the end.” (37:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Microaggressions:

  “We are human beings. We are not here for entertainment...if people are acting in that way and forwarding on that dehumanization...is this the place for me?” (21:53)

• On HR’s Role:

  “HR is supposed to be supportive, but… their interest isn’t in us, it’s in the protection of the organization to keep going.” (26:33)

• On Time, Balance, and Boundaries:

  “Look at your time. Where are you spending it?...That’s the start. Time reclamation. Reclaim your time.” (41:36)

• How to Say “That’s Not My Job” Diplomatically:

  “That sounds really interesting and exciting. Let me go back to my team and figure out if we have the capacity to do that and if it’s within our scope at this point.” (42:52)

• On Voice and Emotional Labor:

  “The softer my voice is, the more furious I am.” (44:05)

Actionable Strategies & Frameworks

• Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) Framework — for documenting and initiating difficult conversations about microaggressions (40:06)
  • Situation: When this occurred...
  • Behavior: This is what I noticed you did...
  • Impact: This is the impact it had on me, my work, my team...
• Time Reclamation Blueprint: Mini-workshop and resource for values-based time management available at Dr. Mumby’s website (41:36)

Public Examples & Inspiration

• Dr. Mumby spotlights Sheila Johnson (BET co-founder, entrepreneur, memoirist) as someone who’s not only walked the glass cliff but shattered many ceilings despite intense scrutiny. (38:41)

Ways to Connect with Dr. Mumby

• Website: yasmeenmumby.com
• Instagram: @yasmeenmumby
• Monthly(ish) Newsletter with practical, research-based insights

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:08] – Introduction to the Glass Cliff
• [06:28] – Sustainable Leadership in Practice
• [12:49] – Self-advocacy and Scoping Your Work
• [21:53] – Navigating Microaggressions
• [23:56] – Survival strategies in hostile environments
• [27:44] – Definition of Confirmation Bias & Glass Cliff
• [35:31] – Accepting Glass Cliff Roles: What to Ask
• [40:06] – SBI Framework for Communication
• [41:36] – Setting Boundaries & Time Reclamation
• [42:52] – Diplomatic Workplace Language Examples

Summary:
This episode is an essential guide for Black women (and allies) facing high-stakes leadership roles under questionable circumstances. Dr. Mumby’s expertise, concrete frameworks, and affirming, values-based strategies provide listeners with the language and tools necessary to advocate for themselves, maintain their dignity, and, where possible, thrive on — or carefully navigate away from — the glass cliff.