Practical Self-Protection When You Can't Leave

Lately, it feels like a lot of people are being asked to do more and more at work. Teams are stretched thin, responsibilities keep expanding, and many of us are finding ourselves carrying workloads that don’t always match the support, resources, or recognition we receive. For Black women in particular, these dynamics can show up in some very specific ways. One of them is the glass cliff, the tendency to be elevated to leadership roles during moments of crisis or instability, often when the stakes are highest, and the margin for error is very small.

For this conversation, I’m joined by leadership advisor and keynote speaker Dr. Yasmene Mumby. Dr. Mumby is the founder of The Ringgold, a firm that has helped some of the most impactful organizations in the world achieve their mission-critical organizational ambitions. We discussed what the glass cliff is, why Black women so often find themselves navigating it, and what it looks like to advocate for yourself while leading in high-pressure environments. We also discuss workplace realities many of us recognize—from navigating microaggressions and documenting your work to setting boundaries around your capacity and communicating strategically with colleagues.

About the Podcast

The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.

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Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins

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Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou 

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