We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lakia Elam. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lakia below.
Lakia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?
The most unexpected thing that I have run into is how some internal HR staff are fearful of working with an external HR group to help implement change and increase capacity, as well as the lengths that some people will go through to ensure that such a partnership is not successful. There are two projects that really stand out to illustrate this, and thankfully, they both have very different endings.
For some background, at my company, Magnificent Differences Consulting (MDC), we mostly work with small-to-mid-sized nonprofit organizations that typically have never had HR, or they have a one-person HR department. In most cases, CEOs bring us in because they are at a crossroads where they have goals that need to be accomplished. But at times, members of the organization are fearful that we will make changes without their input. At MDC we are partners, not takeover artists, unless a client is specifically asking us to become their outsourced partner – but we are never the group that has a side agenda.
In one situation we encountered resistance from a staff member who seemed really set in their ways. Despite our efforts to collaborate and align on our goals, there was a mismatch that we just couldn’t bridge. Their reluctance to partner was creating an unnecessary distraction from the company’s goals because their personal agenda was at odds with the organization’s forward momentum. This one person had the ability to create tension for the entire organization, affecting the team’s morale and progression.
We doubled down on trying to connect with the resistant staff member; you name it, we tried it. We held multiple meetings and offered resources aimed at easing their concerns – truly striving to turn the situation around in a collaborative spirit. However, nothing changed, and in fact it was getting worse. I soon recognized the ethical conflicts that were on the horizon and therefore made the tough but necessary decision to part ways.
This experience, though challenging, was enlightening and underscored the complexities of “change management,” while reinforcing the importance of aligning values and goals in order to achieve successful collaboration. As we moved on, we carried with us valuable lessons we learned about the necessity of mutual understanding, and ensuring that we meet with all team members that will be involved in a specific project.
The other situation turned out much better. Although this HR Manager was a bit skeptical about working with us at first, she was always kind, professional, and willing to provide us with the access/resources needed to get the work done. But as we got down to business, working with them, not over them, our intentions and motives were felt and appreciated. We started to see a major shift from the HR manager. Her hesitancy ws fading away, our check-in calls were more collaborative, she expressed how great it was to have a partner and to be able to focus on her areas of strength. With this new energy, things really kicked into gear, and before you know it we were making great strides for the organization. We were in our zone because this is what MDC is all about – changing the game. It was very rewarding to see that HR manager become one of our strongest supporters at the organization and to see the employee engagement scores go through the roof.
It may sound corny or cliche but we enjoy working and partnering with the existing team members to give them added capacity, help them innovate, and accomplish whatever goals are needed for the organization to keep moving forward. Change is and can be difficult, but it cannot be avoided. I often use the phrase “Evolution or Extinction.” You can lean into change to advance yourself and the company, or stay where you are and watch the organization that you love and have given a large portion of your life to disappear. Ultimately, it’s your choice.
Lakia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
At MDC, we are the swiss army knife of HR partners. We aim to help organizations – primarily nonprofits – with anything and everything HR-related that they may need. Our story begins back in 2021, when I decided to leverage my years of HR experience to launch my own partnership firm. I was motivated by the opportunity to combine my expertise in HR with my values as a person and professional.
At a high level, MDC was built on passion for people and the belief that there can and should be workplaces of equity and access for all, regardless of where they come from. Our core values revolve around the idea that organizations should really lean into the differences of individuals because the outcomes are certainly magnificent for all involved. We also believe that people can achieve whatever they want professionally – as long as they are willing to put in the work.
As far as our services go, we pride ourselves on our versatility. Since we work with nonprofits who typically have smaller or no pre-existing HR departments, we are able to take on a wide range of roles to help them achieve their goals. Our ability to see the pain points of organizations – and how to fix them – is second to none. We recognize risks, and create straightforward plans to mitigate them. We connect with staff in a genuine way, and see them for their whole person, not just their professional role.
On the side, we also offer career coaching for professionals who are interested in advancing their careers. We especially excel at helping people understand how their experiential learning/life experiences can transfer to a career path. We help people do the work necessary to get a new start (resume, coaching, job search, interview training, etc). We partner with everyone from returning citizens to recent grads, to those who never worked before, to thriving executives at the top of their field. We play no games about people & their careers. Instead, we get pure joy from seeing people excel in their careers.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
My ability to have tough conversations with people at all levels in organizations has certainly helped build my reputation. It’s important to me that people leave these conversations feeling like they were heard and understood. Even if we are not in agreement, it’s important for people to know that they have a partner in me.
My authenticity and my commitment to helping others has also played a large role. People know that I care about what they are going through and the issues that are facing them. They know that I care about connecting with people on a personal level – not just to check the box on work.
At the end of the day, I’m interested in people and what they are into – I laugh, I listen, I teach, I care and we grow together. People know when you really care – that is one thing that cannot be faked.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Before launching my own firm, I had to leave a position where I was traveling a lot and was extremely busy. I took a roughly 50-thousand dollar pay cut and took on a “lesser” title – because I was working to obtain my associates degree, and needed more time to focus on that. Work was actually my second priority at the time, and so my thought was that this job with a lower title would allow me the opportunity to go hard in school, taking the max workload.
However, I found out in this case that I don’t know how to take a step back. There was such a need for someone who saw things differently because the new organization was right in the midst of changing and needed someone to come in and modernize some of their candidate touchpoints by creating a great experience. I was just the person for the role. I ended up working double time and with the max case load – but it was much more fulfilling.
In hindsight, taking that step back actually set me up for business ownership. I got so many opportunities at the new company that enhanced me. I was supported in school, I was supported in doing great work for the organization, and I was supported in my future aspirations. Most importantly, I was supported personally when I lost my grandmother by leaders and employees at this new organization – something I would have never received at the place where I was making more money.
The moral of the story is that you have to realize what your priorities are and be committed to seeing them through and everything else will fall in line.
Contact Info:
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