Level Up Your Resilience

Anita Brick:

Hi, this is Anita Brickman. Welcome to Career Cast at 黑料传送门 Booth to help you advance in your career. Today we are delighted, actually, a bit more than delighted to be speaking with Lamell McMorris. He is a 黑料传送门 native entrepreneur, author, civil rights advocate, and maybe a few other things. You are quite prolific in what you do and how you give back to your world. To our world. As founder of Greenlining Realty, us and CEO of phase two consulting, he advances equity, urban redevelopment, and strategic advising for Fortune 300 firms, author of Power to Persist. Great book, by the way. Lael

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Thank you.

Anita Brick:

Is clear and concrete and actionable, and that's what we love. We totally love it. Thank you. He serves on nonprofit and college boards, mentors, youth, and is respected for his thought leadership. Dr. McMorris holds degrees from Morehouse College, Princeton Theology Seminary, and Northeastern University, continually driving impact and opportunity way beyond DC where you are. This is a thrill for me. I am so glad to be doing this. I have my own ties to Morehouse. Yeah. And yeah, it's great to have someone who is clear and concrete and clearly genuine. 'cause when we're real, that's what everybody wants. And that's especially what young people want today. Yes. And although our audience is from 20 something way higher than that, what you wrote clearly resonates. So let's jump in. My first question to you comes from an MBA student, and he said, how do you set audacious goals that are not just talk and actually are action.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Anita, before I jump in and answer the question, if you don't mind, I, I have to acknowledge the fact that, you know, as a kid who grew up on the south side of 黑料传送门, and not just on the south side of 黑料传送门, but actually in Woodlawn, steps away from the campus of the University of 黑料传送门. What a remarkable full circle moment it is for me to be on this podcast with you as a true son and child of Woodlawn. Thank you very much. It, it is, uh, in, in many ways humbling, especially, but also, uh, nervous. You know, I'm like, oh boy, this is the big university that was down the street from my child at home, and I'm on, I'm on the podcast. So thank you very much.

Anita Brick:

We're thrilled to have you. I'm glad that we could do this because you are a great example of what's possible.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

It's this notion of there aren't any goals that are outlandish or outrageous. When I was a kid growing up in our little apartment at 66 in Cottage Grove, I had a dream of being president, very moved by Harold Washington, the first black mayor of the city of 黑料传送门. I thought that I was gonna be, uh, the next mayor of 黑料传送门. There was a, was a guy down the street from University of 黑料传送门 telling us, I am somebody, you know, I thought I was gonna be in the trajectory of a, a civil rights leader like Jesse Lewis Jackson Sr. Reverend Jesse Jackson. Right? The whole notion of shoot for the moon, land on a star, feel like I'm very much in the trajectory, uh, of what I set out to do, and that's what I would share with the student. Like, it's all actionable. There's no lose. It's a noose proposition. When you set high expectations and when you set high goals, it's actually a, a major component and a habit of being on a resilient journey, having that focus to achieve, achieve high goals for yourself, and along the way, you know, some losses, some hardships, but a remarkable number of wins and possibilities too, because you have set such high goals and high standards for yourself.

Anita Brick:

Okay. This was reflected in something an alum said, too. You make it seem easy. You make it seem easy with what you just said. You make it seem easy in the book. I know it wasn't. So here's the question. Yeah. What was the reality of your situation when you were torn between wanting to move ahead with conviction and being swayed? You know, you talk about Martin Luther King ii Yes. And working for him.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yes,

Anita Brick:

Yes. And getting fired, and it was astonishing to you.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

That's exactly where I was getting ready to go. I

Anita Brick:

Absolutely, and and you talk about your partner of more than a decade saying, we're done, and you have 24 hours to move out. Yes.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

How

Anita Brick:

Did you stay the course and not get swayed? Tell us a little bit about the messy middle.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yeah, yeah. Uh, no, I'm a, I'm, I'm do more than that. So everybody sees the glory, right? They see the end result me today, hear the result of the story, the result of the journey. But very few people get to see the story, and that's why I like these questions. You can't get to the glory part unless you go through the story. It is difficult, especially the story which I, I share in the book being what I thought on this path, being in this lineage of civil rights, social justice thinking that I was going to, you know, in many ways be the leader. And then boom, <laugh>, you know, I, I get fired at, at 27 years old as, uh, the executive director and chief operating officer of this venerable, well-known civil rights organization. I'm literally sitting in Dr. King's office on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia, where he led these Seminole movements and moments.

Admittedly, yeah, I was down, and it's all right to be down for a while, but there is a point. The ground is no place for a champion where you have to look at yourself in the mirror and say, this cannot be the last story. This is not why I've had all these great opportunities while I've gone to school, while my parents and community and family have sacrificed. All of this did not happen for this to be the last story. And so there is a, a gathering up of yourself. It is not pretty. It is, uh, in some ways ugly. I had friends who had to come by and kind of pour into me and tell me, you know, you can do it. Ultimately, it comes down to the decision that we make where, listen, Anita, if you knock me down today, I'm on the ground that's on you. If you come back next week and I'm still on the ground, that's the part that's on me. And that's the part that I'm trying to message here. That at some point we take the blow, we take the hit in many ways, we internalize the loss, but at some point you galvanize, you get back up and you keep going knowing full well that there are goals. There's a vision for our lives that we've set. I talk about Dogg of determination as one of the habits of the resilient journey. There's this dogg of determination to achieve.

Anita Brick:

Okay, so here's a real life situation. Someone got hired. Very bad situation from day one. I can't even imagine that this was tolerated. His manager would yell at him and tell him that he was not very competent,

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Right?

Anita Brick:

He kept doing his best. He let people know that this just really wasn't fair. And eight months he was fired. No performance plan fired outright. It really knocked the wind out of him. He was shocked and surprised. And his question is, given all of this, what are a couple of actions you've taken that others would take to help me get back on my feet, to help me pick myself up? What is something concrete that you can share with him?

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

There are a couple of things, and a couple of them are habits that I talk about. You know, getting knocked down and getting back up is part of the resilient journey. Being resilient is not all about being down. And now, as a matter of fact, you have to be even more resilient on the highs of life, on the successes of life as well. But here are a couple of practical things. Number one is the initial habit that I mentioned in the book. He controls his attitude both about himself in the wake of being fired and about how to regroup and go forward in the wake of being fired. So attitude is a big deal. You know, before we can do any practical steps, like get to the part about, you know, leveraging your network, first of all, you just have to have an attitude. Hey, I got fired.

That negative opportunity, I'm gonna turn this into a positive, what this person meant for the worst to happen to me, I'm gonna turn into the best and the good. So first, let's start with an attitude of things are gonna be okay, I'm gonna get another opportunity. This is not gonna be the final story of my life. Secondly, I would say, then let's now do some of the practical stuff. Okay, I've been in this career, I've had this opportunity. What does my network look like? What are my relationships? Who can help me get my resume in front of some other folks? Get in, uh, some interview opportunities, move on. So our network, so it's attitude, which is one of the habits I talk about. Then it's our network. Our network sometimes equals our network. I tell people, I can tell a lot about you by the last five to 10 people that you were on the phone with, or you send a text to tell young people, show me your friends, and I'll show you your future.

Literally tap into that network and ensure that that network and people that we keep around us are people that can help us, not just in the high times of life, but when we take on headwinds. And then lastly, another habit in the book that I talk about that will be critical at this type of juncture is maintaining focus do of determination. And for me, my faith has been the mm-hmm <affirmative> the secret sauce. You know, and I know in academic settings and otherwise that can mean different things for different people. But you're asking me what does sustained me? And one of the habits, the last habit that I lift up in the book has been this unwavering unmovable faith that even though I don't see the positive outcome, even though I don't see the end, even though I can't touch it, I know that after I take the practical steps I take, after I embrace all these other habits I'm talking about, there is an unshakable, unmovable, unwavering faith that everything Anita is going to be all right. Very much connected to attitude. It's the thing you can't touch. In my faith tradition, we define faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. To have faith in something, especially as a student, especially on the journey of career and job and something that you can't touch. And in this era, something that I can't push a button and make happen or click on a, a device and bring to life, that's the secret sauce. If nothing else, I would leave to your listeners today.

Anita Brick:

I totally agree. I think the things that we can't see or touch or measure, throw someone or, so some people actually a curve ball, but it is the thing that allows us to go beyond what we think is possible, in my opinion. Okay. So

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

You mentioned, can I, can I double down on that? I'm, yeah, go

Anita Brick:

For it. Please. Go for it.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

People tend, and rightfully so, to lean on the tangibles, the spreadsheets, the data, et cetera. So much of life is about the intangibles. So much of life. And that's where the, the faith, and I know that's, again, very difficult to translate to students in academia when it is all about data. It is all about analytics. It is all about the charts. But let me tell you, if they can also simultaneously embrace both the tangibles and the intangibles, the things we can touch and the things we can't touch, a remarkable balance of life that we have to both have our hands in both worlds.

Anita Brick:

Absolutely. A hundred percent. Here's an alum, and this is a very seasoned alum, and she said, my family and close friends are wonderful people that said they are negative and are committed to being right and blaming others.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yeah.

Anita Brick:

How do I move to expand the positive people in my life without disrespecting the people close to me today?

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yeah. What a remarkable question. But also I see it as a remarkable opportunity, right? We all get a chance in life, in, in various facets, Anita, to refresh, to regroup, to reassess, and frankly to realign. I don't think you or I would suggest to that questioner that we discard because those folks are family. That whole saying, we, you literally have to love the hell outta people. But the opportunity is, and it, it sounds like the questioner recognizes that, Hey, I've got the opportunity to enlarge my circle. I've got the opportunity to insert some elements of positivity, some elements of affirmation, some elements of folks who are gonna push me forward rather than hold me back. And what a phenomenal opportunity, I would say to that question that they have, right? They have an opportunity. The first step that sounds like they've already overcome is a recognition. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. A recognition that, look, these people are impediments, <laugh>, I may love them, they may be my family, but I may need to bring some people closer to me and put some other folks in the rear view mirror and bring some other folks closer to me. And yes, our network, in many ways has implications for our net worth. That questioner has a remarkable opportunity before them. I agree with you.

Anita Brick:

So here's someone who sounds like they may be not as confident as you.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Okay. And

Anita Brick:

This is an MBA student. I looked at your advice on how to set and achieve goals. Mm-hmm

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

<affirmative>.

Anita Brick:

How would you advise someone where I think I could fail? I'm not just ready. What would be an easy first step that I could create a foundation on and then move from there? But right now I'm just a little scared. Yeah.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Fear is part of it. Fear is something to be embraced. Fear is not a negative. I'm nervous two seconds before you and I went on, I'm nervous before I hit a stage. I'm nervous before I engage in front of, uh, a client. It's how we embrace that energy. And I would say to your questioner, everything about our journey, everything about being in business, everything about taking the first job. Everything about taking the leap to be an entrepreneur is based in fear. And that is okay. As a matter of fact, I'd rather someone be scared every day as someone in business every day about, you know, needing to do what they need to do to work hard, to stay in business, to give the best customer service, to have the best product than, you know, sitting in their office kick back, looking in the mirror and beating their chest about how great they are all day. I'd rather live on the fear side than live on the side of telling myself how great I am. It's something about the edge of fear, keeping your edge, keeping on focus, staying on your square, and making sure that I'm doing everything I can to you to move forward and to propel. I don't see fear as a negative thing. I say embrace it and use it to push you forward. Got it.

Anita Brick:

You know, you talk about weak ties, I think people don't understand what that means. Sometimes the whole lead in to expand a network is, I'm gonna go reach out to someone. I'm gonna get someone to introduce me to someone and they're gonna find me a job. We know that that's not what you mean by weak ties, but let's talk a little bit about it. Given that you are clearly good at building relationships, oh my gosh, you have advocates wherever you go. Tell us a little bit about how you use weak ties to help you achieve your goals and do it with deep appreciation.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

It's probably helpful for me to kind of explain a little bit of where I am on this whole concept of networking. The concept of networking is pretty surface and pretty superficial. I bump into you, Anita, at a reception, and you and I exchange cards. That's the extent. And yeah, we network, but it's really the, the harder work and the more focused and the more determined and the more consistent to actually cultivate relationship. I reach out to Anita, I schedule a breakfast, a lunch, a coffee. It's not just business on the table, but Anita begins to tell me about her family. Anita begins to tell me about her journey that, you know, what she's gone through, how she made it to where she is, the critical junctures and pivot points in her life, be it medical professional, et cetera. And so then Anita's pulling me in, and then I began to share my journey.

And then the next engagement is, Hey Anita, how's your mom doing? The folks I do business with and have done business with friends, et cetera, you know, the first person that they ask me with before we do anything, they ask me about my mom, how's your mom doing? Because our relationship, if you get to know me and we get beyond exchange of business cards and how we can leverage each other, the first thing you're gonna learn about me is that I am crazy about this 87-year-old woman on the south side of 黑料传送门 <laugh>. That's right. And if you know me, you're gonna ask about my mother. And before we get to any business, literally it happened this morning before I got on the line. That's relationship cultivation. My message and challenge to your listeners would be is to don't just network, cultivate relationships. That takes work. That means you've gotta lean in differently. That means you've gotta write a note, send an email, make a phone call. When you don't feel like that means you're gonna reach out to folks even when they don't reach out to you. That means you're gonna go the extra mile and stay in contact. That is true. Uh, relationship cultivation. Yeah. And it's, it goes a step beyond networking. And that's what I would suggest that your listeners do.

Anita Brick:

Agree. If we don't have a relationship based on dignity and respect and value of the other person, and letting that person know the impact that they've had on us, we're leaving so much on the table, but we're hurting ourselves. And, and I would say society, if we don't do what you're saying, really cultivate these

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Best compliment Anita, that I can uh, receive on occasion is when someone, I'm, you know, I'm 52 now, but when a friend or someone that I've met on this journey sends me a note that I wrote them when I was a college student Yeah. Closely

Anita Brick:

Connected

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Today, or a note that I wrote them in my first job, which was on the south side of 黑料传送门 at the 黑料传送门 Urban League. Those are relationships that are sustained over time. And that goes beyond networking.

Anita Brick:

Absolutely. That is a really solid foundation. Tell us about weak ties. 'cause some people keep building relationships without refreshing and expanding, not just for more contacts, but for better perspectives. Tell us about weak ties,

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

The stronger ties, and then there are the weak ties in all of them. It's about asking and seeking how you can lean in and help first rather than what you can extract.

Anita Brick:

Yep.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

The best way to make weak ties stronger when you are not first reaching out making a request, but you're actually figuring out how you can add value to what that tie, what that connection is trying to accomplish. Be it personal sometimes, but especially in business over time. And it does take time. You know, the relationships and the folks that you saw endorsed my book and the folks who I'm in relationship with and the stories I could tell these, these aren't overnight, these are weak ties that over time became very strong ties and there's no substitute for the hard work of relationship cultivation to move those from weak ties to strong ties.

Anita Brick:

Got it. So we know you and I know, and my guess is anyone listening knows that a strong work ethic is essential to achieve anything. There was a question from another MBA student and said, yes, I know I am busy, but I'm not sure of the impact of what I am doing. How can I move from just taking a lot of action to creating an impactful work ethic?

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

A lot of people are busy. Are we productive? And this is a challenge and an opportunity for me every day too. You know, when I make the to-do list every morning, there's a prioritization. I wanna get through all 15 to 20 things that are on the list. 15 to 20 things can't be a need of the priority,

Anita Brick:

Right?

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

So what are the five things that I actually must get done today? What are the five things that are going to move the needle on what I'm trying to accomplish? And hey, it's icing on the cake. If I get to the, the other 10 or the other 15, then I'm really cooking with grease. Right? But if I get through these five, and these are the five, not the five easiest, by the way, it's the five most difficult things on the list. You really wanna knock those out. If the questioner can prioritize some of the goals, put some of the things that are the most challenging, but also throw in, because we all need to feel a sense of accomplishment. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. It's okay to, to bump up something that's, you know, we can check off easily, but it's really tackling the tough things first. Uh, but the, the most important message is to prioritize.

Anita Brick:

How do you prioritize based on impact?

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

The impact is in the prioritization and how we and where we give our largest energy. Everyone, Anita, defines impact a bit different. My impact that I'm trying to seek, uh, on a daily basis via business and otherwise, is how am I positively impacting lives? Yeah.

Anita Brick:

Right.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

How do you crystallize the impact that you seek, clarifying the impact that you seek, and connecting it to a higher ideal on the way to the quote unquote bottom line, uh, helps push the needle a bit further on the kind of impact that we can make.

Anita Brick:

I agree. My mentor said, if most people aspire to three things in a career,

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Hmm.

Anita Brick:

One is he would call it passion, I would call it deep interest.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yes.

Anita Brick:

Second is the financial side, the financial wherewithal to do what we need to do.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yes.

Anita Brick:

And the third is meaning when we can bring all those together, we have a, a really good life. Which leads me to a question that an alum. Yes. And I suspect that this alum, that he is, you know, a seasoned alum and he said, you talk about going from a phase in your career Mm. Or your why

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Mm.

Anita Brick:

Was success.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yes.

Anita Brick:

In phase two, your focus is about significance.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yes.

Anita Brick:

How did you make that transition,

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

That transition, Anita was born out of defeat on the surface. When I hear you recount it back to me, it sounds like it was born out of several business successes and several victories, when in fact, the clarity that I receive around, perhaps I shouldn't just be on the path for building out this large firm and getting as many clients as I can get and making as much money. Yes. To your earlier point, those things are significant and they are recognizable milestones when it comes to being in business, being an entrepreneur, being in a corporation. But then you, you hit a wall, you know, you have a, a business partner that one day decides that he's just gonna pull the rug out from under you, and you've gotta figure out how to move forward. That's when things become real. You have to really reflect, okay, like, what is my life really about?

And the twinkling of an eye, you just experienced that much of what you work for can be pulled away. What's left? What are you really seeking? What are you really trying to do? And so that's when I, I realized that, yeah, I spent the first phase of my life working towards success and achieving certain goals. But now I, I, you know, I actually want to live the second phase of my life working for significance. And then from that realization, I didn't stop, by the way, with my core business, but I began to level up, if you will, the marriage between business and impact. So that's when I launched Greenlining Realty, USA, with the clear intention of addressing historic redlining in communities like where I grew up in, on the west side of Woodlawn and figuring out, you know, where they drew red lines. I'm gonna pour in as best I can first through housing development, but hopefully through job creation, bolstering educational foundation and health and job opportunities in communities. Yeah. This shift that, uh, your season, uh, alum saw in me, and I hope your students will ultimately one day see in themselves, mine just happened to be born out of a loss, if you will, a crisis, which again, did not lead me to totally shift course. I still do my core business, but it definitely propelled my desire and quest to continue to make meaningful impact. Wonderful.

Anita Brick:

Do you have time for one more question?

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Absolutely do.

Anita Brick:

Alright. Awesome. So what are three things that you would advise someone who really wants to level up their resilience?

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yeah. First, very humbly suggests an acknowledgement and embrace of their faith journey. However, whatever way they define, because at the end of the day, that is the sustaining foundation for everything we endeavor to do in our lives. I would secondly, very simply make the recommendation. And, and all of these just happen to be habits that are in my book, the power to persist. I, I would secondly prioritize the habit of maintaining a positive attitude through it all, the ups and the downs, because that's one of the things that's contagious. Our attitude actually impacts not just our personal, but it rubs off and impacts everyone around us, friends, family, colleagues, people we do business with. It dictates a lot faith attitude. And then this, we talked about it, it being determined to outwork everyone. I mean, literally being determined to outwork everyone in all things in all ways. Those are the three things, three habits that I would encourage your listeners to embrace.

Anita Brick:

I like that. May I ask you a follow on question to the last one to outworking everyone?

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yes.

Anita Brick:

I would add, if I may be so presumptuous to add yes to your list.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Yes.

Anita Brick:

The phrase, without begrudging your life.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Mm.

Anita Brick:

Outworking can mean just being busier than everyone without taking care of ourselves. I think it is also maybe outworking everyone while taking care of ourselves.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

I love it, Anita. And, and thank you for that because that has been part of my journey, this little appreciated known word called balance. Yeah. I've had to get better, not just practically, but in many ways physically remove myself and put myself in different places just to inject more balance in my life from how I started, from a work ethic standpoint to where I am now. So I, I wholeheartedly embrace what you put forth. Thank

Anita Brick:

You. Thank you for doing this. I know you are very busy.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Thank you.

Anita Brick:

Oh my gosh. Oh,

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

I don't mean it. This is you have, you have no idea to be able to brag now and say that I was on the University of 黑料传送门 podcast. This is a big deal for me. It's a big deal for my life. Uh, it's a big deal for my family, and frankly, it's a big deal for my community. And so I thank you.

Anita Brick:

Oh, well this is great. You make things real in a very positive way. It's not just a slogan with you. It's your life and that's what makes you so authentic.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Thank you, my friend. It's a pleasure to meet you. I can't wait to, uh, greet you in person.

Anita Brick:

Me too. Me too. All right. Thanks again.

Dr. Lamell McMorris:

Take care. Have a wonderful day. Okay. You too.

Anita Brick:

And thank you all for listening. This is Anita Brick with Career Cast at 黑料传送门 Booth. Keep advancing.