The Climb

Felicia Smith
  • 5.0 (19)
  • Careers
  • Weekly Series

At The Climb Podcast, our mission is clear: to empower women of color in their pursuit of leadership roles within the private and public sectors. We understand that the workplace can present distinctive challenges for women of color, and our podcast is your dedicated guide to navigating this terrain. With each episode, we delve into the strategies, stories, and experiences that can propel you forward on your professional journey. Join us as we spotlight the extraordinary achievements of women of color and equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to not only survive but thrive in today’s workplaces. Your success is our focus, and together, we’ll forge a path to leadership that is as unique and unstoppable as you are.

See All
  1. You're In The Room... But Are You In The Conversation?

    Episode 1

    You're In The Room... But Are You In The Conversation?

    For years, we've told women to get a seat at the table. Get the degree. Build the expertise. Work hard. Earn the opportunity. But what happens after you get there? What happens when you're sitting in the room, listening to the conversation, and realizing that attendance and influence are not the same thing? In this episode of The Climb Podcast, Felicia Smith explores one of the most overlooked leadership lessons for women of color: learning how to move from being present in the room to becoming part of the conversation that shapes outcomes. Because leadership isn't just about access. It's about contribution. It's about influence. It's about understanding when to speak, what to say, and how to bring value in ways that move conversations—and organizations—forward. Drawing from her own experience navigating executive spaces, Felicia shares the realization that simply showing up isn't enough. The goal isn't airtime. The goal is influence. If you've ever left a meeting feeling like no one noticed you were there, struggled to find the right moment to speak, or watched someone else receive credit for an idea you were thinking, this episode is for you. ✨ What You Will Learn• Why attendance and influence are not the same thing • The hidden difference between being present in a room and shaping outcomes • Why technical expertise alone doesn't translate into executive influence • How women of color unintentionally make themselves invisible in leadership spaces • The three levels of meeting participation: Attendance, Participation, and Influence • A practical framework to help you contribute strategically in every meeting • Why leadership is measured by contribution, not presence 🔗 Connect with The Climb🌐 Website: https://the-climb.org 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoinTheClimb2024 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/97178217 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jointheclimb 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoinTheClimb1 📣 If This Episode ResonatedShare it with a woman who has earned her seat at the table but is still figuring out how to use her voice once she's there. Because leadership isn't measured by attendance. It's measured by contribution. It's measured by influence. It's measured by whether your presence changes the conversation. And that's a skill we can all learn. Because we are not just climbing careers. We are building ladders.

    21 min
  2. Perception Is Reality: Whether You Like It or Not

    Episode 2

    Perception Is Reality: Whether You Like It or Not

    You can work hard, mean well, and be excellent at what you do—and people can still walk away with a perception of you that's quietly shaping your opportunities. In this episode, Felicia tackles one of her favorite (and most uncomfortable) topics: the gap between your intentions and your impact. Because here's the hard truth in leadership: people don't respond to your intentions. They respond to how they experience you. And for women of color navigating spaces where our leadership is evaluated differently, perception isn't always fair, accurate, or true—but it influences trust, credibility, sponsorship, and opportunity all the same. Felicia opens up about the feedback that held her back early in her career (the "work, work, work" robot who never stopped at the water cooler), unpacks the dangerous perception gap between how you see yourself and how others experience you, and makes the case that real growth requires introspection—the willingness to ask, "What role am I playing in this?" In this episode, we cover: Why your intentions don't equal your impact—and why that's not a failureThe "perception gap": collaborative vs. indecisive, direct vs. harsh, humble vs. unconfidentYour "hallway file" (aka leadership brand) and why peers shape it just as much as leadershipThe myths that keep women stuck: "My work speaks for itself," "They know my heart," "If it's not true, it doesn't matter"How introspection helps you separate what's bias and projection from what's actually yours to own Three shifts to manage perception with intention: Stop asking what you're sending—start asking what's being received. Communication isn't complete when you speak; it's complete when understanding happens.Audit your leadership brand. Ask three people you trust: "When you think of me, what are the first three words that come to mind?"—and be brave enough to listen.Be intentional about your narrative. If you don't tell your story, someone else will. Your Reflection Challenge: Before the next episode, ask three people one simple question: "What is it like to work with me?" Don't defend it. Don't explain it. Just listen. Because awareness is where growth begins. You can't control every perception—but you can be intentional about the one you're creating. If this resonated, share it with a woman who's wrestling with perception at work, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. Remember: we're not just climbing careers. We're building ladders for the sisters coming behind us. 🔗 Connect with The Climb The Climb is a leadership and professional development organization dedicated to helping women of color navigate the workplace, increase visibility, build confidence, and grow into leadership and managerial roles. Through leadership development programs, community, coaching, and honest conversations, we help women move from executing work to influencing outcomes. 🌐 Website: https://the-climb.org 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoinTheClimb2024 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/97178217 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jointheclimb 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoinTheClimb1

    27 min
  3. Emotional Intelligence Part 1: Self-Awareness

    Episode 3

    Emotional Intelligence Part 1: Self-Awareness

    Everyone wants to talk about leadership.Leading teams. Managing conflict. Influencing decisions. Driving results. But before any of that comes self-awareness. And if we're honest, that's often the part we skip. In this episode of The Climb Podcast, we're kicking off a four-part series on Emotional Intelligence by exploring the foundation of it all: self-awareness. Because you cannot lead others effectively if you don't understand yourself. You cannot change what you refuse to acknowledge about yourself. We spend so much time evaluating everyone else—our managers, our coworkers, our teams, and the systems around us—that we rarely stop to ask: Why did I react that way? What triggers me? What stories am I telling myself? How do other people actually experience me? For women of color, this conversation is especially important. Many of us have become experts at reading the room, adapting, and navigating environments that were never designed with us in mind. But somewhere along the way, we may have forgotten to read ourselves. In this episode, I share lessons from my own leadership journey, the blind spots I had to confront, and why introspection is one of the most underrated leadership skills you'll ever develop. Because leadership doesn't start when people begin following you. Leadership starts when you begin understanding yourself. In This Episode• Why self-awareness is the foundation of leadership • The difference between self-confidence and self-awareness • How pressure reveals your true leadership patterns • Understanding emotional triggers and internal narratives • Why introspection requires accountability • Three practical ways to strengthen your self-awareness Reflection QuestionWhat is something about yourself that you may be avoiding acknowledging? Sit with it. Because growth often begins where avoidance ends. Connect with The Climb 🌐 https://the-climb.org 📲 @JoinTheClimb 🎧 Subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Because we are not just climbing careers. We are building ladders. ✊🏾

    24 min
  4. Emotional Intelligence Part 2: Self-Management

    Episode 4

    Emotional Intelligence Part 2: Self-Management

    Knowing yourself is only the beginning.The real test of leadership is what you do with that knowledge when emotions are running high. In Part 2 of our Emotional Intelligence series, we're talking about self-management—the ability to regulate your emotions, respond with intention, and lead strategically under pressure. Because leadership isn't measured when everything is going well. It's measured when you're frustrated. When you're overlooked. When your ideas are ignored. When someone challenges your expertise. When you have every reason to react—but choose strategy instead. In this episode, I explore why professionalism isn't the absence of emotion; it's the management of emotion. I share lessons from my own leadership journey, the importance of "the pause," and practical strategies to help you respond thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively. If you've ever sent an email you regretted, responded too quickly in a difficult conversation, or struggled to separate what you were feeling from what you needed to do next, this episode is for you. In This Episode• Why self-management is essential for effective leadership • The difference between reacting emotionally and responding strategically • Why emotions are data—not directives • The power of the pause in high-pressure moments • Three practical strategies to strengthen your emotional regulation Reflection QuestionThe next time you feel yourself getting frustrated, pause and ask yourself: "What outcome am I trying to achieve?" Because leadership isn't about pretending you don't have emotions. It's about making sure your emotions never make your decisions for you. 🌐 Website: https://the-climb.org 📲 @JoinTheClimb 🎧 Subscribe, share, and join the conversation. Because we are not just climbing careers. We are building ladders. ✊🏾

    23 min
See All Season 7 (4)

Trailer

5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

At The Climb Podcast, our mission is clear: to empower women of color in their pursuit of leadership roles within the private and public sectors. We understand that the workplace can present distinctive challenges for women of color, and our podcast is your dedicated guide to navigating this terrain. With each episode, we delve into the strategies, stories, and experiences that can propel you forward on your professional journey. Join us as we spotlight the extraordinary achievements of women of color and equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to not only survive but thrive in today’s workplaces. Your success is our focus, and together, we’ll forge a path to leadership that is as unique and unstoppable as you are.

Information

  • Creator
    Felicia Smith
  • Episodes
    64
  • Seasons
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Felicia Smith
  • Show Website
    The Climb