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

Alright, William thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?

We live in a day and time where it has become almost second nature to disregard, disrespect, and devalue someone else in the name of pursuing success. I am very big on how people treat people. I have seen firsthand how people go through life feeling unseen and forgotten. It’s amazing how many people live life from the “going through the motions” standpoint. Seeing how many people become almost robotic in nature when it comes to approaching their jobs made me become a champion for those people. I started intentionally going out of my way to make sure that everyone I came in contact with felt seen. I started with intentional conversations that were laced with intentional questions that went beyond the normal “how are you?”. This intentional practice began to change the entire atmosphere of the places I ventured into. It’s amazing how one act of intentionality can change the outcome of someone’s entire day.

Since those days I developed curriculum, courses, and trainings centered around the art of inclusion. Inclusion in itself is rooted relationship so I started teaching people how to transition from transactional interaction to relational interaction. I worked tirelessly to develop inclusive programs and strategies that companies began to implement, and when they did they saw an immediate boost in productivity and profitability. Sometimes people can become so focused on success that they miss the fundamental truth that success is born, cultivated, and produced through relationships. I started training executives on how to start making decisions more collaboratively. This began to revolutionize the morale of organizations and teams. The mark of secure leadership is being able to understand that including the people who facilitate the process does not diminish your ability to lead them. Inclusion empowers a workforce because it establishes a greater level of investment. You invest more where you feel included.

I am a champion for the unseen and a voice for the unheard. I travel the country teaching companies how to establish and implement a S.E.E.N. & H.E.A.R.D. model because it matters to me that everyone is able to know they are valuable to the grand scheme of things. There are no insignificant people. There are only incomplete processes. When we complete the process of inclusion, the people who facilitate the processes will be able to identify the value of their presence. It all goes back to how people treat people.

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 background and context?

I believe that adversity is the greatest developer of people. If we stop and take a true inventory of our difficult time of development, we can see how those times molded the people we are today. In 2000 I had a stroke due to a sinus infection causing fluid to gather on my brain and was paralyzed on the complete left side of my body. Doctors believed I would die and if I lived, I would live in a vegetable state, Throughout the process of having to learn everything over again, from brushing my teeth to buttoning a shirt, I saw the amount of things we, as people, take for granted, talk ourselves out of, or allow fear to cripple us from attempting. This is where I began devoting my life to ensure that I helped people break out of those ideologies and step fully into purpose, success, and fulfillment. I began creating content, programs, and trainings to help people, relationships, families, and organizations.

Over the last decade I have had the privilege to impact tens of thousands of people through my books, masterclasses, trainings, programs, podcast, seminars, speeches, and media appearances. I have been a contributor and partner on several local and national shows to share strategies for finding passion and purpose, living a life of purpose, developing a diverse and inclusive workforce, sustainable business growth, the fundamental rules of success, and more.

My company, Iconic Industries Inc., has partnered with major corporations such as Microsoft, Delta Airlines, Marriott International, NAACP, and more to bridge the gaps of diversity and inclusion by appealing to the hearts, minds, and humanity of thousands of people. Iconic Industries, Inc. has also led the charge for these major corporations and more in advancing and improving how companies approach customer service, marketing and branding, and operational development from a global perspective. I travel the world inspiring international brands and corporations to rediscover the art of unifying the workplace.

My masterclasses, and uniquely designed curriculum, empowers people to maximize every stage of life, love, and leadership. The courses I have developed and material will walk any individual from any demographic into living their best life filled with tools that promote longevity. My focus and mission is to motivate the future leaders of tomorrow and inspire the leaders of today to extract their true purpose, walk in their untapped power, and recognize their hidden potential.

I am also the author of the bestselling literary work “When Life Happens”. This life changing book helps readers prepare for, matriculate through, and recover from life’s storms. The practical yet profound tools penned will help real people, with real issues, matriculate through real life successfully.

“William’s gift for personal and business development, coaching and helping others find their purpose in life has him deemed by many one of the most passionate and visionary leaders of our time, and followers naming him one of the most influential leaders in personal growth.” – Quote from a senior executive at Microsoft

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

I can sum up what I believe helped me build my reputation within the markets I serve to consistency and authenticity. To some that might sound simplistic in nature and not enough to build a reputation off of, but in today’s market authenticity is hard to come by. I started seeing exponential success when clients and organizations saw that I wasn’t trying to “sell” them on anything or get over on them. People do business with people they like and people they know, and you become one of the people they like after they get to know you. The real you. The consistent you. One of the main things that have dwindled in business these days is consistent reliability. We are coming off of the heels of the greatest global pandemic known to man. So much has changed but one thing has remained the same. My heart for helping people and businesses succeed. When people and organizations know that you will consistently provide high level service that is better than what’s on the market but also relatable enough to connect with any person or organization at any level, it’s a game changer.

It’s not enough for my clients to walk away from an interaction with tools for success. I want them walking away knowing they can implement those tools and are guaranteed to succeed if they don’t give up on themselves. It’s important to me to know that any client that my team serves feels that our efforts come from a genuine place. My experiences in life and business molded the empathy in my heart for my fellow man. That empathy funnels through all that we do so when we do anything it provides real people facing real life real solutions.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn this monumental fact. You can’t save everyone. One of the greatest mistakes leaders make is feeling obligated to save everyone. Listen to me. You can not save everyone. One of the main aspects of search and rescue that often gets overshadowed is cooperation. When a fireman charges into a house on fire they call out for anyone who may be inside. It is the person trapped in the burning house yelling out “I’m in here” and following the commands of the fireman that helps facilitate the rescue. There are some people that you have a lifetime obligation to like your spouse or your children, but a large part of your success as a leader will hinge on your ability to recognize the difference between someone who needs saving and dead weight.

I remember vividly fighting to make sure everyone I was connected to was taken care of in some way, shape, or form. I would spend the majority of my energy trying to make sure that I did not drop the weight of people’s wants and needs. I was stressed. I was depressed. I was empty. Society tries to make love and obligation synonymous. That is a lie. Although love is an action word and identified by the action tied to the emotion, one of the greatest acts of love sometimes is your separation from toxicity in order to prevent your burnout and their enablement.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theofficialwilliamjackson.com
• Instagram: @theofficialwilliamjackson
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheOfficialWilliamJackson/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/theofficialwilliamjackson/

Image Credits
Stefani Carol Photography