Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Denisha Tate-McAlister. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Denisha , thanks for joining us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?
The best and worst moment of my business happened during one phone call. Two years after deciding that I wanted to do more in business, but not quite sure what that looked like, I was faced with the reality that it was now or never. I picked up the phone to call an organization that I had recently visited as I participated on an assessment team. We provided the organization with a detailed report that outlined opportunities for improvement, urgent matters, and strategic considerations. I had just left my full time job in search of…SOMETHING. I called the President of the organization to inform her that my contact information had changed. If she had any questions, this is how she could reach me. She asked, “so what are you doing”? Without a second thought I replied, “consulting full time”.
To be honest, I was shocked at what had come out of my mouth. Who made that decision? Did a miss a memo? I wasn’t totally sure of what I was going to do. I had several open options on the table. And consulting full time was not on the list- or was it? She said, “that’s awesome are you accepting clients?” I didn’t know what to say. Clients? Am I in business? With a slightly tentative tone I replied- YES! She then told me that she had the perfect client for me. I rushed to grab pen and paper and was prepared to write down the information of my FIRST CLIENT! I was ecstatic, terrified, and confused. I returned to the phone and said, “Ok, I’m ready.” That statement was not me simply indicating that I was prepared to write down the contact information. That statement was my official declaration that I was open for business and I was ready.
She said with a bit of humor in her voice, “it’s me! You left me a 40 page document of improvements and somebody needs to spearhead this project. Can you come back and do this for me?”
That is the heart of every engagement my team and I secure. What can you we do for you? We serve and work to ensure that the organization is better, stronger, healthier, and more impactful than before. My first contract lasted 6 months and it was ground zero for what is now Denisha Tate & Associates’ secret of success! That was over 6 years ago and we have not stopped successfully doing for others since!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was born and raised in Chicago Illinois and I am hard wired to lead! I was in fifth grade when my personality of bossy, opinionated, caring, outspoken, and inquisitive was redefined in a way that changed my life. My math teacher, Mr. Betts told me I was a leader. I had never really given that title any thought. I knew about bosses, coaches, teachers, parents- but I didn’t really know anything about the term leader. He taught me about the responsibilities of being able to see things others may not, and taking charge to help others get things done in a way that makes life better for everyone. I was a leader! Another important piece of my origin story was my grandparents. They were foster parents and also served as emergency care for children who were in between placement. Their house was always filled with new cousins and someone to play with. I was assigned a job by my grandparents. When a new child was brought into the family, I would relocate to the grandparents’ house to walk to school with the child, introduce them to other children in the neighborhood, and make sure they had a comfortable transition into the new setting. I took this job very seriously. I looked forward to packing my overnight bag and welcoming our new family member home. At age nine, I took responsibility for the emotional well-being of others. Sometimes that kid would be older than me, but it didn’t matter. I was a host like none other! I learned what they liked to eat, watch on tv, play outside- they even shared their fears with me. I assured them they would be alright, and I made sure my grandparents new what was needed based upon the intel I received. Looking back, I was responsible for new family orientation.
My care for children led me to college to study child psychology, become a social worker, a pre-school teacher, raise funds for March of Dimes, and finally a program director in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America national movement.
I had the pleasure of learning everything from program development, staff leadership, organizational assessment, strategic planning, budget management, and organizational development in my more than 20 years with the national organization.
Now, I was home! My years of experience prepared me for this cause. As a Vice President of Operations, I also went back to school to receive my MBA so that I could support even larger organizations.
Today my team and I support organizational excellence. We train staff, create strategy, design ecosystems that propel nonprofit and social service organizations. The foundation of our philosophy is based upon the individual. We believe that everyone should be allowed to LIVELOVE. Live- instead of just being, and Love- which is more than surviving, tolerating, or being ok. There is a gift in being present, experiencing your life as you live it and doing what you were made to do with such vigor that it can only be described as LOVE. Imagine a work environment where this philosophy is practiced and everyone gets to show up that way!
Now you are ready for our second pillar- LEADERS LEAD. Leadership is not simply a position with a title. It is a set of competencies, hard wiring, and opportunities taken advantage of that allows leaders to do what they should…that is lead!
Those two pillars set our work apart from others. We don’t just solve business problems, we help people thrive. My team and I have all experienced the ups and downs of business environments. We have each been on THE BEST TEAM EVER and we have also been to hell and back! We survived and took notes. Those experiences coupled with formal education has created the most dynamic group of professionals one would ever want to join their team as it faces the opportunity to make better happen.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
My advice regarding management a team and maintaining high morale is to manage self-first. As leaders we often have a vision of what our team should be and how we want them to behave. Teams represent their leader. Impactful teams have effective leaders. The first step to managing a team is to consistently role model what you expect. Set the norm of behavior, communication, energy, work ethic, organization, and attitude by how you show up as the leader. Whether intentional or not, your leadership persona will determine the culture and eventually personality of your team.
If you find your team is not aligned with your vision of what they should be, examine how aligned your role modeling has been in that same area. A leader that is consistently tardy for scheduled meetings, cancels appointments the same day, and doesn’t keep to the schedule that was agreed upon, will be baffled why their team never meets deadlines. The truth of the matter is that the leader has role modeled that “time” is a negotiable factor. We may agree upon the time, but it can be changed- obviously. Behaviors demonstrate values, and values drive action. If a leader would like to improve the output of their team, one opportunity is to improve their personal output first.
Maintaining high morale is a bit more complicated. The morale of a team is impacted not only by the culture, expectations, and alignment, it is influenced by appreciation and a feeling of team. Being a member of a true team gives one a sense of belonging. This human need is critical to team success. Being intentional about building the culture of team, unity, togetherness, aligned purpose, and individual contribution is necessary to have high team morale. It should not be assumed that people feel appreciated and seen simply because they keep showing up. A leader that is focused on maintaining high morale must acknowledge contributions, show appreciation, and set a tone of honoring each other. In this area, the leader must go first. A team with high morale is led by a person with high morale.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
My reputation was built in my market through affiliation. I was fortunate to work for a National nonprofit organization that allowed me to build a personal brand that was linked to the credibility of the organization. In retrospect, I realize that my desire to serve provided me exposure. I worked on committees. I provided support to families. I was seen in the community as a person that could make a difference. As my areas of responsibility expanded, I began to mentor younger professionals. I coached up and coming leaders. I provided peer support to those working in the community. These people became my ambassadors. My name showed up in rooms I never entered. Once I launched my consulting firm, my clients received service that they considered noteworthy. Now, people tell others…”You need a Denisha!” Word of mouth, referrals, testimonials, and those who are truly grateful for their experiences with my team and I, are the ones who built my reputation. I work hard daily to ensure that I continue to give them something to talk about because there are many organizations that “need a Denisha too”.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Denishaleads.com
- Instagram: Denishaleads
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/denisha.tate1
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/denisha-tate-mcalister-mba-47131121