https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-tnn5x-f6735a
Dr. Banks-Hall, shares the butterfly story. This story is a reminder of perserverance.
Category: Communication
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-xhubv-f6734e
Dr. Regina Banks-Hall, shares a message on what we learned in 2020 that we can take with in 2021
This was not the 2020, I believe that most of us envisioned. This was the year of a 2020 vision for success. But over the last few months, covid-19 and the death of over 100,000 American citizens has changed our lives. When I reflect to the beginning of the year, I never saw the pandemic or the protests, the loss of life, high unemployment, or the closure of thousands of businesses. We were sheltering in place, and now we have people all over the world calling for justice.
As we continue to wrestle with these events, we all must ask ourselves this question. Where do we go from here? This may sound like a loaded question, but it is not. If you are a business owner, what will you do to restart your business? If you are an advocate for justice what must you do to bring about reform? If you work in law enforcement, what must you do to gain public trust? If you are an elected official, what must you do to ensure the safety and well-being of your constituents? If you are a Faith Leader, what must you do to restore hope and faith? If you are a parent, what must you do to educate and prepare your children for the current world events?
The point that I am trying to make, is that we all have a role to play in handling the pandemic, the restart of businesses, rebuilding communities, and addressing injustice. Therefore, I want you to think about your platform, your reach, your knowledge, your skills, and your ability to help? Today, I am going to share my thoughts on what I think we must do.
- First, we must remind everyone, that change takes time, and it is not easy to change systems that have operated ineffectively for years.
- We must continue our community conversations regarding poverty, inequality, voting, and all types of discrimination. As we can see, many of these issues have been pushed to the back, but they continue to hurt ordinary people.
- We must review workplace policies, laws, and demand change.
- We must educate citizens about the process, and as citizens we must now pay attention and become involved.
As a leadership expert, professor, and coach, I talk about influence, understanding the needs of people, and leading change, all the time. Today, I am asking that all of us dig deep and ask ourselves, what can I do to help bring healing, understanding, and acceptance to my community. Remember, now is the moment, where we must examine our leadership and determine our influence. We must examine if we are using our platforms effectively, willing to have tough conversations, or do we remain absent from the conversation?
On Saturday, a student reminded me of a poem entitled: The Dash, written by Linda Ellis. In this poem, the writer shares a story about a person’s birth and death, and how the dash represented their time on earth. As we think about where we are today, the poem is relevant. When our time is finished, how will we be remembered. As I close, I would like to remind you, that to bring about real change, it is going to take all of us to become involved in the process. When we do, we can affect, our homes, schools, churches, businesses, civic offices, and our communities. We all can become the change we need. It is up to each of us to answer the question, “Where do we go from here”?
Dr. Regina Banks-Hall
Leffler, W. K., photographer. (1963) Martin Luther King with leaders at the March on Washington. Washington D.C, 1963. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2013649720/.
Today, we are celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929. In December of 1955 when he was a young minister, he got involved in the Montgomery, Alabama citywide bus boycott. At the beginning of the 1960s he used his voice and his talent to galvanize individuals to speak out against segregation. In his famous ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech, he laid out a vision for a better world. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis Tennessee, where he was there supporting striking sanitation workers.
As I thought about Dr. King, I thought about how he maximized his gifts. He used his voice, and his ability to champion his cause. He suffered criticism, was beaten, and jailed for believing in his dream. However, he pushed through despite the challenges. His willingness to utilize his gifts, has become a blessing to us all.
As you celebrate him today, I want you to think about your gifts. Are you maximizing your potential? Are you using your speaking skills, writing skills, and music ability? Are you being the Change Agent you always knew you could be, or are you letting others define your destiny? Recognizing your gifts is tough and maximizing them is even harder. But just like Dr. King, you must maximize your gifts, so you can maximize your dreams. Remember, when you maximize your dream, it can be the blessing that the world is waiting for.
As I close, I leave you with this challenge. Let go of negativity and say no to fear. Start by putting one foot in front of the other, maximize your gifts, and follow your dreams. I believe that 2020 can be the year, where dreams come true.
Dr. Regina Banks-Hall
Hello Everyone
Today is January 6th, and many of us, my self-included, have created goals that we want to accomplish for the year. As you begin to create goals for yourself, and think about how you will impact 2020, one area that I want you to focus on is looking beyond where you are. Often when I conduct vision board or leadership workshops, or do motivational speaking, I share with my audience the importance of looking beyond what is in front of them.
You may be saying to yourself, why is this important? Often as individuals we become accustomed to the status quo. We expect nothing better. We buy into other people’s comments about our abilities. We sometimes overlook the notion that they are afraid of what we might become, so they plant negative seeds. Finally, we hold back our dream, because we are waiting for someone to validate our ideas instead of moving forward with our vision.
In order to grow and truly live out your purpose in 2020, it will be important for you to look beyond what is in front of you. It is important for you to visualize success. There is no limitation to your success, there is only the limitation to your vision.
Today, find the courage to venture out. This venture can lead to a new promotion, a new book, or a business opportunity. For years, I had a dream of becoming an author, professor, life coach, and motivational speaker. Yes, I wanted it all. I knew the odds were stacked against me, because I knew there were people who did not want me to succeed. However, I was willing to look beyond what was in front of me, because what I saw was people standing in my way.
I began to change my attitude and my inner circle. I began to put action behind those goals by writing the book, becoming a motivational speaker, coaching others to success, and my favorite of all, becoming a college professor. I held onto the faith I had, that I could do it. I realized that the purpose of my goals was bigger than me. These goals were associated with helping others see that, if I could do it, so could they. But most importantly, I held onto my faith in God, knowing that he had a plan for my life.
As we begin to move throughout this year, and you begin to formalize your goals, think about how your desire to change your story can affect your community, your family, your church, or your organization. Do not sit back and accept the status quo. Instead, step up and accept the challenge of looking beyond the wall. Realize that today can be the day that changes everything.
Dr. Regina Banks-Hall
Well, today is the final day of this year. As part of my own goal planning process, I conducted my 2019 year in review. I checked off my accomplishments and reprioritized my goals for 2020.
Like many people, I worked through some challenges in 2019. But through it all, I will enter 2020 renewed and ready to use my gifts and talents in this year. As you evaluate your 2019, reflect, evaluate, and celebrate your story. Remember that your failures or setbacks do not define you, because you still have a chance to rewrite your own story.
I want to remind everyone of an important biblical story. In a biblical passage, a Master gives his servants several talents, according to their ability. He then plans to take a journey but vows to return. The Master gave one servant five talents, which the servant doubled. The next servant was given two talents. He did the same. The last servant was given one talent and he buried it in the dirt. This servant, in his mind, played it safe. He was afraid of the unknown, or possibly lazy, so he buried his talent. The servant expected his Master to be thankful for protecting the talent. When the Master returned, he congratulated the first two servants for their diligence. But with the third servant, he was infuriated and dealt with him harshly. The key point in this story, is that we have all been given a portion of talent or ability. However, it is what we do with it that counts. Do we multiply it, or do we bury it?
As you enter 2020, know that it is okay to step outside your comfort zone. In order to change the world and leave a lasting impact, it requires that you take a risk on yourself. Do not be like the servant in the passage and bury your talents. When we bury our talents, we hold back solutions, knowledge, skills, innovation, and creativity. We literally rob the world from utilizing and benefiting from our giftedness.
As a professor, author, speaker, coach, and leadership expert, my goal for 2020 is to convince you not to bury your gifts. Tomorrow is the beginning of a new year, start the year off in grand fashion by utilizing your God given gifts and talents.
Join “Dr. Regina’s World” by following me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, and YouTube and let’s start using our gifts together.
From my family to yours, I wish you a healthy, successful, and prosperous New Year.
Dr. Regina Banks-Hall
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-mqijd-abe46b
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Dr. Regina Banks-Hall sits down with Dr. Tamara Jefferson, Director of the Joyful Tots Childcare and Learning Center. To learn more about Dr. Jefferson and her childcare center, please visit her website at http://www.joyfultots.com
Also, please visit http://www.rbankshall.com to learn about Dr. Regina Banks-Hall’s upcoming Small Business Workshop, “Handle Your Business.”
Today, we celebrate International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day is a day dedicated to celebrating the cultural, economic, political, and social achievements of women. As a female business owner, professor, author, business coach, public speaker, daughter, and wife, today I reflected on my own journey.
As I reflected on my life, I thought about all my experiences good and bad. I acknowledge the journey has not been easy. I have overcome adversity, negative people, and others trying to hold me back. I realized that my focus, commitment, and determination to my dreams has allowed me to press forward. Therefore, my message to my sisters, is to never give up on yourself. Recognize your value and continue to push forward towards your purpose.
Today, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, give thanks to those who have created a pathway for us to follow. However, take a moment to celebrate and honor yourself. Use this moment in time and determine what trail you will create for others to follow. Please enjoy this video in your honor.
Dr. Regina Banks-Hall
https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-kcinh-a89465
In this episode, Dr. Regina Banks-Hall interviews Ms. Kia Sweeney, the Program Director for Girls Group. Ms. Sweeney shares the organization’s mission, and their efforts to transform the lives of young women. To learn more about this organization, please visit their website at www.girlsgroup.org.
Photo courtesy of http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/file:Nelson_Mandela-2008 (edit).jpg
Today, in celebration of Black History Month, I want to talk about Authentic leadership. Authentic leadership is often considered a process, approach, or style. By definition, Authentic leaders are confident, hopeful, optimistic, resilient, transparent, future oriented and focused on developing others to become leaders. They lead with their core values and have courage and self-discipline. They understand the importance for establishing trusting relationships and they are driven by a purpose.
South Africa was ruled by a white minority government for almost two centuries, while blacks made up over 75 percent of the population. Nelson Mandela, tapping into the frustrations of his people, began to focus on overturning the prevailing domination. On trial in South Africa, he said “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an idea I hope to live for and to achieve. But if need be, it is an idea for which I am prepared to die.”
He was sentenced to life in prison. Throughout his imprisonment he rejected offers to be released. He would ultimately be released from prison on February 11, 1990. After being released, he got involved in the political process to end white minority rule and was elected ANC President in 1991. Nelson Mandela, would vote for the first time on April 27, 1994. He never wavered in his cry for democracy, equality and learning, despite his experiences. He is an inspiration for all who have been oppressed and deprived. He remained authentic to his values and purpose. Please visit https://www.nelsonmandela.org/content/page/biography to learn more about his life.
Authentic leadership is important, when you look at the impact you have in your home, workplace, school, church, etc. Followers take a look at your words and your values. They want to see if your talk matches your walk. As you think about yourself today, determine the authenticity of your leadership, and evaluate how that impacts your organization or those you have influence over.
If you are struggling today with vision or identifying your purpose, I end this post with this quote, “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times, I fell down and got back up again” – Nelson Mandala. Sometimes when we experience adversity, it is preparing us for greatness. Therefore, “fall forward your purpose is waiting for you.” – Dr. Regina Banks-Hall.
Please visit http://www.rbankshall.com to learn more about our leadership development programs. Let’s make 2019 a banner year for leadership.
Dr. Regina Banks-Hall, DBA, SHRM-CP 