We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dr. Kristin Morris. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dr. Kristin below.

Hi Dr. Kristin, thanks for joining us today. Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

As a Black woman in corporate America, I was often times the only person of color in the workplace. Feeling like an “outsider” was commonplace. It was difficult for me to find a place where I felt comfortable fitting in and being supported. Who did I feel safe talking to? Who would be a great mentor for me?

These questions left me wondering if my corporate job was a good fit. I didn’t feel psychologically safe sharing who I was and my authentic self. How could I do my best work? My work performance suffered…how could I let this happen? I have always focused on quality work and showing up as a “glass half full” person. Without support, I recognized that I was slowly losing myself.

Inclusion is the foundation of success, and my mission is to assist organizations in building a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a mama to 4 beautiful children- two older boys (21 and 17) and two girls (11 and 5). I pivoted in 2019 to full time entrepreneurship after what I thought was my dream corporate role. Little did I know that other things were in store for me. I wondered, “Can I actually do this”? I wondered if people and organizations would take me seriously- boy was I wrong! I am the Owner and Principal Consultant of Genesis Consulting Services, LLC ( a certified WBE and DBE consulting firm) where I serve as a Performance Improvement Strategist, Global Facilitator, Learning & Development and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Practitioner. As a transformational leader, I have almost 2 decades of experience in identifying performance improvement solutions with corporate, non-profit, and private/government organizations.

Once I pivoted, I knew that my mission was to influence and impact as many people and organizations as possible and through establishing trust, building strong foundational working relationships with clients, and effectively identifying growth & learning opportunities, we solve problems by delivering data-drive and measurable solutions that exceed organizational objectives and that works best for each client to improve employee performance/development.

Our ability to provide an end-to-end solution, from the needs assessment/analysis, implementation, and measurement & evaluation gives our firm a strong competitive advantage because it eliminates the need for organizations to hire specialized consultants, saving time and money. In turn, the continuity of our client relationships are strengthened.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Networking is absolutely critical, and it has been instrumental in my consulting firm’s success! It is from here that I built brand awareness and credibility which afforded me the opportunity to sit in spaces where the decision-makers are. Then, getting the contract and doing the work was equally important and it has turned into repeat contracts and referrals from our current clients.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn that being “strong” is not an adequate leadership trait nor does lead to a successful entrepreneurial journey. In fact, having to know it all and do it all can be extremely detrimental to oneself and organization. As I began my entrepreneurial journey, I felt that if I did not know the answer, it was a weakness. How could I build credibility if someone asked a question and my answer was, “I don’t know”? I was worried about the perception that others had of me rather than how I felt about myself.

Asking for help is NOT a sign of weakness, rather, it is an opportunity to leverage others (and additional resources) and learn from them (or the resources you seek). Leading in my confirm takes a level of accountability, transparency, and vulnerability and I will never again pretend to know it all- because I do not. I have been on a self-discovery journey since 2019 and while I am still a work in progress, I am living authentically, and it feels good!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.genesiscs.org
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-morris-edd-7543339/

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