Tuesdays 5:00pm - 6:00pm (EDT)
EPISODE SUMMARY:
Have you ever wondered how to go from one career to a very different one? Or how to integrate all of the interests you have into a professional career? This is the area of professional identity development and formation and Dr. Williams will lead us through how to do this. Listeners will gather information on how to start building the career they want by assessing themselves, understanding their unique skills and talents, and taking calculated risk with a supportive community.
Have you ever wondered how to go from one career to a very different one? Or how to integrate all of the interests you have into a professional career? This is the area of professional identity development and formation and Dr. Williams will lead us through how to do this. Dr. Williams, Founder and CEO of Legacy Consulting & Research Group LLC, is a Licensed Clinical and Consulting psychologist who is an enthusiastic leader who has experience in assessment, consulting, research, and speaking on topics related to leadership development and culture. Dr. Williams works with clients, delivering executive coaching and consulting services. Dr. Williams is a member of the American Psychological Association, Division 13 Society of Consulting Psychology. In addition, Dr. Williams is an Infantry Officer who has served soldiers and families in the United States Army (active and reserves) for over 20 years.
www.legacycrg.com
www.formationpublishing.com
Career Development, Professional Identity, Career Exploration, #TheHardSkills, #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipidentity
Tune in for this empowering conversation at TalkRadio.nyc
Dr. Mira introduces the guest, Dr. Cedric Williams, CEO of Legacy Consulting & Research Group LLC, recounts his path to becoming a clinical psychologist. Raised in a military family and moving from city to rural life, he acknowledges the influence of supportive figures like coaches and teachers, as well as guidance counseling, in shaping his forward-thinking outlook. The impact of 9/11 during his senior year prompted him to enlist in the army, where he gained crucial leadership experience.
Dr. Cedric Williams reflects on his army experience, highlighting how it exposed him to exemplary leadership while serving the country. His shift towards psychology occurred about 20 years ago during his deployment in 2004, marked by the deaths of two friends in service, prompting him to contemplate the trauma soldiers face. This led him to pursue psychology, aiming to assist those reluctant to seek therapy. His interest in psychology grew during deployment through reading and learning about human behavior. In grad school, a mentor suggested he explore consulting or business psychology, steering his career path.
Dr. Williams discusses the importance of self-assessment in career development, referencing Rodney Lowman's book "Career Assessment." He emphasizes the need to understand one's interests, abilities, and personality before changing career paths. He suggests asking key questions: Who are you? What are your goals, and how do you plan to achieve them? Lastly, he stresses the significance of having the passion and curiosity required for the work you aspire to do.
Dr. Williams stresses the importance of surrounding yourself with individuals who will provide honest feedback when building a community. He advises aspiring community builders to seek out people unafraid to speak truthfully, regardless of their own accomplishments or credentials. These individuals should offer support and genuine engagement, fostering an environment conducive to personal growth. Dr. Williams suggests adopting a learner's mindset, which encourages curiosity and facilitates ongoing development within the community.
00:03:40.150 --> 00:03:42.160 Mira Brancu: Ever wondered.
00:03:43.300 --> 00:03:44.360 Mira Brancu: how
00:03:44.730 --> 00:03:46.070 Mira Brancu: did they get there?
00:03:46.780 --> 00:03:52.439 Mira Brancu: We all look at other folks who have had interesting careers and wonder.
00:03:52.490 --> 00:03:53.759 Mira Brancu: how do they do that.
00:03:54.090 --> 00:03:59.680 Mira Brancu: And if you're especially curious about becoming a clinical or consulting psychologist especially.
00:03:59.760 --> 00:04:11.539 Mira Brancu: this episode is a super unique one, and especially for you. And that's what we'll be talking about today with Guest, Dr. Cedric Williams. Welcome, Dr. Williams.
00:04:13.700 --> 00:04:19.049 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Hi! Miracle! It is so good to see you. Thank you for having me just say
00:04:19.149 --> 00:04:31.630 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: excited to be on here and to have an opportunity to be able just to dialogue with you and have a conversation about, you know. My journey, but also other people's journeys and some things that they might
00:04:31.770 --> 00:04:35.480 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: think about along the way. So I appreciate you having me. It's it's great to be here.
00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:53.709 Mira Brancu: Absolutely absolutely. And those of you who are joining and those of you who might be listening later on. I was just rushing back to back one thing after another nonstop. This was not my ideal situation, and I came late for Cedric. But
00:04:53.710 --> 00:05:11.770 Mira Brancu: it's like the last thing I wanna do for for Dr. Williams here? Because I respect him so much. But you know what sometimes these are the days right? It is what it is, and here we are, and I'm so excited to have you here. So welcome to you. Welcome to everyone else, to the hard skills show where we discuss
00:05:11.770 --> 00:05:27.420 Mira Brancu: how to develop the most nuanced and challenging soft skills needed to drive significant systemic change to make a real impact through your leadership. I'm your host, Dr. Mirabu. And so I want you to be ready to take notes.
00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:30.070 Mira Brancu: I always do reflect
00:05:30.090 --> 00:05:36.190 Mira Brancu: deeply and identify at least one small step to further develop your hard skills muscle.
00:05:36.220 --> 00:05:55.819 Mira Brancu: Now, today's topic, is around career building. But within specific kind of journeys. And it helps you with mapping your strategy. Whether that's a leadership strategy, a career strategy. It's aligned with Season 3. Mapping a strategy for ourselves. Right?
00:05:55.910 --> 00:06:02.960 Mira Brancu: So let me describe a little bit about why Dr. Williams is here, why him so? He is the founder
00:06:03.130 --> 00:06:07.840 Mira Brancu: and CEO of legacy, consulting and research group.
00:06:08.643 --> 00:06:12.240 Mira Brancu: He's a licensed, clinical, and consulting psychologist.
00:06:12.270 --> 00:06:31.500 Mira Brancu: and he's gonna be sharing his own very interesting career and leadership journey that he described in his book, Brick by Brick, which is a great book that I highly recommend. Brick by brick is about becoming a clinical and consulting psychologist, and he's gonna share that as he moved from military Service member.
00:06:32.050 --> 00:06:46.489 Mira Brancu: 2 clinical psychologists, 2 consulting psychologists, 2 business owner, some of those things actually overlapped. And I think that's always interesting for people to know. How you do that? What? He scrapped, what he kept
00:06:46.941 --> 00:06:57.480 Mira Brancu: and then why and how you can do it as well right. Dr. Williams works with clients delivering executive coaching and consulting services focused on leadership, development, and culture
00:06:57.830 --> 00:07:08.819 Mira Brancu: and he was an in infantry officer who has served soldiers and families in the United States Army. Thank you for your service. 20 years, 20 years of service.
00:07:09.530 --> 00:07:18.520 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Absolutely well, thank you. Thank you for that introduction and the the support. Yeah, it's been. It's been a privilege, and quite the journey, so grateful to be here.
00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:24.760 Mira Brancu: Absolutely okay. So out of curiosity, I'm gonna start with like a
00:07:25.340 --> 00:07:29.329 Mira Brancu: softball icebreaker. Just also because I'm curious.
00:07:29.593 --> 00:07:32.630 Mira Brancu: If you couldn't do what you could, you? What we do now.
00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:35.970 Mira Brancu: if you were to just sort of dream up a new career for yourself.
00:07:36.150 --> 00:07:38.508 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Let's dream up a new career for myself. Okay.
00:07:38.770 --> 00:07:39.710 Mira Brancu: What would it be?
00:07:39.880 --> 00:07:40.823 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: What would it be?
00:07:41.060 --> 00:07:41.500 Mira Brancu: Yeah.
00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:49.795 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: yeah, I think that this is like the struggle that I've always had is like, I feel like I have so many different interest.
00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:56.792 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: But if I was to pick something and not be a psychologist, or you know, a professor or
00:07:57.200 --> 00:08:01.099 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: yeah, I think that I would probably be a cowboy.
00:08:02.400 --> 00:08:05.569 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, yeah. So growing, yeah.
00:08:05.570 --> 00:08:06.310 Mira Brancu: I know we.
00:08:06.310 --> 00:08:09.207 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: It's so wild, alright, so like growing up.
00:08:10.100 --> 00:08:11.299 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I would like.
00:08:11.760 --> 00:08:22.629 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I'm from like the rural midwest, which I'll kind of get into this, maybe later on, when I started to tell a little bit my story. But I just was like obsessed with like reading stories about the Wild West.
00:08:22.780 --> 00:08:44.129 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and stories about cowboys and native Americans, and so all growing up like I was just like I would always wear cowboy hats, and like like jeans chaps, and like Mom will be like, you have to wear something else right? But I loved. I loved just those stories, and I think that
00:08:44.130 --> 00:09:02.153 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: if it was up to me, and if I wasn't doing this I think that I would be like a rancher. I love nature. I love animals. I absolutely love horses. So I was actually with horses this past weekend. So yeah. So I think that if I was a psychologist I would probably pursue
00:09:02.570 --> 00:09:06.869 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: you know, working at some ranch or owning my own ranch and having.
00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:09.129 Mira Brancu: Interesting. Do you ride?
00:09:10.348 --> 00:09:12.500 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I do ride if I I don't like.
00:09:12.540 --> 00:09:25.689 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I have ridden horses. I wouldn't say that I'm like the person that's like taking out the weekend and and riding horses. But if I have an opportunity, yeah, definitely feel very comfortable on horses and exploring.
00:09:25.690 --> 00:09:31.769 Mira Brancu: And would you? Would you ever combine like, you know, a lot of people do equine therapy like they combine the
00:09:32.404 --> 00:09:35.250 Mira Brancu: horse with coaching, or you know.
00:09:35.250 --> 00:09:35.950 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Political thing.
00:09:35.950 --> 00:09:36.520 Mira Brancu: Be.
00:09:36.860 --> 00:09:38.090 Mira Brancu: yeah, would you have a document.
00:09:38.090 --> 00:09:50.179 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I don't know if I would ever do equine therapy per se, but I would just love to be able to have the opportunity for coaching clients or clinical clients to be you know, to be able to have like a facility that would.
00:09:50.550 --> 00:09:55.990 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: you know, would have that so? I would love to have a branch and do that type of work.
00:09:56.284 --> 00:10:07.120 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: But yeah, yeah. So if if you were to ask me that, that's that's what I would do. I would probably want to be out in nature somewhere with horses on lots of acreage of property, and having a good time.
00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:11.077 Mira Brancu: That's awesome for me, I think.
00:10:11.550 --> 00:10:29.834 Mira Brancu: because as a kid, I was always buried in books. Yeah, I would probably go back to that and I do like writing. I don't. I don't have a chance to write as much or read as much, especially like fiction, so I might lean into writing
00:10:30.530 --> 00:10:34.319 Mira Brancu: you know, children's books or mystery
00:10:34.360 --> 00:10:37.009 Mira Brancu: novels, things that I enjoy reading myself.
00:10:37.010 --> 00:10:38.069 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Sure, sure.
00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:41.620 Mira Brancu: When we bring back all the things that we enjoy as children, we think.
00:10:41.620 --> 00:10:52.725 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I have children. Yeah, it's just like wanting the opportunity to play again. So when I think about that, I think about play, and if there was opportunity to play. That's probably what I'd be doing. So it's a great question.
00:10:52.990 --> 00:10:59.069 Mira Brancu: Yeah. Well, tell us about how you've played with your career. You've had quite an interesting journey.
00:10:59.533 --> 00:11:02.970 Mira Brancu: Were the pivotal moments. How did you get to those.
00:11:03.520 --> 00:11:05.804 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, that's a great question. I think that.
00:11:06.250 --> 00:11:17.130 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I would probably have to kind of start backwards of not necessarily my own career. But my parents. My parents are from the south side of Chicago, and in the early
00:11:17.220 --> 00:11:22.539 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: eighties they moved to a rural part of Illinois
00:11:23.150 --> 00:11:49.979 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: into like kind of like a small Igarian community, and my brother and I were raised in in this place, and so like. I always tell the story like my my dad and mom, like, you know, some of their first jobs were like selling roses off of this, like the street, like, you know, like at the stop stop lights and stuff like that. They would sell roses or newspapers, or things like that. And my brother and I, like, you know, we would walk beans and Detro
00:11:50.210 --> 00:11:57.679 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: right? And so like a very cross-cultural experience for my parents and I and my brothers.
00:11:57.690 --> 00:12:06.549 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and I would say that experience of them moving from the inner city to moving to a more rural community, was actually a
00:12:06.690 --> 00:12:15.130 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: big part of my own narrative about work and my own narrative about becoming, and just the experience of
00:12:15.190 --> 00:12:22.630 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: of of really thinking deeply about what? What am I doing here? How did I get here, and where am I going.
00:12:23.280 --> 00:12:23.810 Mira Brancu: Hmm.
00:12:23.810 --> 00:12:26.949 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And I think for for me
00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:34.959 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: that was one of those pivotal moments, and so growing up in a Morgarian community.
00:12:35.170 --> 00:12:40.250 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I would say also that you know you you we have some great.
00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:41.490 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: some
00:12:41.610 --> 00:12:55.710 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: some great coaches, some great teachers along the way that really, I think, like paved the way for me to think deeply about career development. I had a guidance, counselor, that, I would say, was a pivotal point in my high. So in high school
00:12:55.750 --> 00:13:06.010 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: that really believed in me and was asking me some really serious questions about what is next. It just so happened that 9 11 was my senior year of high school.
00:13:06.230 --> 00:13:07.770 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and when.
00:13:07.770 --> 00:13:08.390 Mira Brancu: Oh!
00:13:08.390 --> 00:13:25.190 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah. And so when 9 11 was my senior year of high school, it kind of like shaped. My trajectory ended up going straight into, enlisted into the Army Infantry and volunteer for Airborne School, with another couple of buddies from high school.
00:13:25.620 --> 00:13:37.540 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and we had actually been teammates together in like junior high and high school, and I would say that that was a pivotal moment. So, like my senior year, 9, 11 happening and then going into
00:13:37.580 --> 00:13:38.310 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: the
00:13:39.340 --> 00:13:42.739 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: the infantry as an 18 year old.
00:13:43.112 --> 00:13:47.770 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I would say that that was one of the most significant pivots for me
00:13:47.790 --> 00:13:54.009 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: into really thinking about leadership, because that was like the place where
00:13:54.020 --> 00:13:59.180 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I learned a lot about leadership. I learned a lot about like leadership and followership
00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:26.090 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and truly trying to to be someone and who is serving others. And I think that some of the the leaders that I met at basic training, or the leaders that I met in my drill. Sergeants were very formative in in my early career, and still are right. I still think about them as being pieces that are people. That have really put the pieces together near the the type of leader that I would like to become.
00:14:26.110 --> 00:14:27.509 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and the career that I
00:14:27.630 --> 00:14:31.649 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: eventually have landed in as a psychologist.
00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:47.870 Mira Brancu: Yeah. Well, we're reaching an add break. So let's stop there before you go into the next piece. But I, before we get into add, break a quick question. Did 9, 11 inspire you to go into the military? Or were you already planning? And then 9, 11 was kind of like the
00:14:48.020 --> 00:14:50.449 Mira Brancu: sort of inspiration to keep going.
00:14:50.450 --> 00:15:03.369 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah. So that's a great question. So I come from a military family. So there's 6 boys in my family. 4 of us have served in the military in some ways, I think that'd be considered a fan a part of the family business, right? Like we're a part of the family business?
00:15:03.811 --> 00:15:08.929 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And so I think that there was always a desire to to go into service.
00:15:09.630 --> 00:15:10.204 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: To
00:15:10.940 --> 00:15:13.319 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: but I don't think that I knew exactly which
00:15:13.640 --> 00:15:22.759 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: which service which branch I was going to go into, and I think that in 9 11, when I had another person, a part of my community who said, I will go with you.
00:15:23.479 --> 00:15:26.229 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: That was very solidifying, and
00:15:26.820 --> 00:15:28.650 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: it was a very meaningful.
00:15:28.760 --> 00:15:32.502 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: meaningful year. For my senior year and
00:15:33.110 --> 00:15:36.070 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: but yes, I say, I would say that that was one of the
00:15:36.260 --> 00:15:38.284 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: one of the pivotal moments
00:15:39.090 --> 00:15:40.909 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: into becoming a psychologist.
00:15:41.210 --> 00:15:49.920 Mira Brancu: Yeah, yeah, okay. So when we come back from the ad break, let's get into how that happened. That sort of shift
00:15:50.225 --> 00:16:12.529 Mira Brancu: into psychology. You're listening to the hard skills with me, Dr. Mayor Broncou and our guest, Dr. Cedric Williams. We air on Tuesdays at 5 Pm. Eastern. If you'd like to join us online right now, we are live, we can answer in real time. You can also find us on Linkedin or youtube@talkradio.nyc, right now we'll be right back with our guest in just a moment.
00:18:25.490 --> 00:18:34.649 Mira Brancu: Welcome back to the heart skills with me. Dr. Mirabu and our guest today, Dr. Cedric Williams, who is author of Brick by Brick.
00:18:34.870 --> 00:18:40.949 Mira Brancu: becoming a clinical and consulting psychologist, and he's also founder and CEO of legacy consulting and research group.
00:18:41.020 --> 00:18:43.700 Mira Brancu: So we've gotten through
00:18:44.123 --> 00:18:59.079 Mira Brancu: right up until your your history and pivotal moments here. As you were starting to think about psychology, and the first thing that actually interestingly came to mind for you is leadership, not psychology. A lot of people
00:18:59.220 --> 00:19:02.319 Mira Brancu: who are psychologists come to leadership after
00:19:02.410 --> 00:19:11.979 Mira Brancu: they've been a psychologist for a while, and maybe they were supervising people. And that's how they sort of learned about right. But for you, because you enter the military.
00:19:12.020 --> 00:19:14.570 Mira Brancu: you start exploring leadership first.
00:19:14.690 --> 00:19:23.080 Mira Brancu: So how did how did all of this sort of happen. The military experience, the leadership, experience, and the psychology interest in starting that.
00:19:23.890 --> 00:19:33.289 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah. Great question. I I would say that. You know my time is in the in, you know, in the, in the infantry, the army infantry.
00:19:33.635 --> 00:19:58.529 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: It was. It was such a learning curve for me of being with. Like all different stratus of people. You know you have people who come from higher social, economic status, lower social, economic status. And we're all together right? We're all together, serving one another, serving our country, trying to to trying to figure things out and be good teammates to one another. And so I think that
00:19:58.997 --> 00:20:08.460 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: watching some of my initial leaders when I first got into the military was really helpful, and and watching them be like really trying to teach us about
00:20:08.690 --> 00:20:11.190 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: being good servants to one another.
00:20:11.569 --> 00:20:31.909 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Showing respect. And so leadership was really emphasized from the very, very beginning. And it was something that I always found interesting, like, I think, even just like playing sports growing up. Thinking about being a leader. My my parents were, you know, they they focused a lot on leadership and and kind of character and moral development.
00:20:32.277 --> 00:20:36.789 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: But I feel like in the military that was kind of enhanced even more so. It was always curious.
00:20:36.910 --> 00:20:44.730 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: my my turning point from thinking about leadership and to psychology actually happened. 20 years ago.
00:20:45.160 --> 00:21:00.870 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: in in 2,004, when I was on a deployment in Bagdack Iraq. So I had mentioned earlier. A friend of mine had enlisted with me from high school into the Army Infantry, and then we went to basic training together. But we grew up together.
00:21:02.130 --> 00:21:03.040 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and
00:21:03.050 --> 00:21:06.400 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: about a month into my deployment.
00:21:06.834 --> 00:21:17.219 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I found out that he had just got done with his deployment but he was killed in a car accident when he was back home at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
00:21:17.567 --> 00:21:22.969 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and it was it was pretty devastating for me to hear this news when I was in Baghdad, you know, like
00:21:23.140 --> 00:21:38.009 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: the Internet was kind of like really Spotty back then. So I didn't hear about until like days later. So it was very disorienting for me. And then, about 3 weeks after that, there was another person we had got just got done, like, you know, eating
00:21:38.060 --> 00:21:41.710 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: a meal together. And then, a couple hours later, he was killed.
00:21:42.424 --> 00:21:51.859 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Sergeant Renee Ledesma. And so the combination of those 2 deaths within 3 weeks of one another.
00:21:52.419 --> 00:21:58.610 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: It was very pivotal. It was a it was a strong moment for me of like really trying to get.
00:21:58.710 --> 00:22:14.109 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: understand and trying to, you know, think about human behavior, human interaction, human suffering. And so I started reading a lot, carrying a lot of books. Started really trying to, you know, put together all the things that I've learned, as far as like from these disciplines of
00:22:14.440 --> 00:22:23.380 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: philosophy, theology, psychology, leadership, you know, being in the military being far away, you know, in this
00:22:23.942 --> 00:22:29.679 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: place, and doing the things that we were doing. So I can remember that
00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:37.290 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: we had all of this trauma, and experiencing all this trauma, but not that many places to like process it. And so
00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:52.270 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I can remember right after Sergeant Ledesman was killed shortly after his memorial service. I just like took my journal ups upstairs in the top of this building and started writing, and in that journal, I wrote one day, I would love to be a psychologist.
00:22:52.868 --> 00:22:57.101 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Which I laugh now because I look back at the journal, and I actually spell psychologists wrong
00:22:57.758 --> 00:23:18.940 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: like didn't put a Y in there which was so funny. You know, it's just like, yeah, that's on brand. But that's like the beginning of my my pursuit of really saying. You know, there's something here, because a lot of the soldiers that were in that situation, I knew they would never step into a place like a counselor's office or psychologist, but they had to carry on.
00:23:19.090 --> 00:23:22.248 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and so I I always thought that
00:23:22.900 --> 00:23:32.199 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I would love to be a psychologist, to be able to come back to these types of settings and to work with people who would never step into a clinical office
00:23:32.966 --> 00:23:47.563 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and go to the work and go where they were at. And so that was really my beginning 20 years ago into the field of psychology and got really passionate about it. And shortly after that deployment I entered into
00:23:48.150 --> 00:23:51.559 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I went off of active duty and
00:23:51.620 --> 00:23:55.940 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and went into college and started to pursue it.
00:23:56.420 --> 00:23:57.940 Mira Brancu: Now out of curiosity like.
00:23:58.550 --> 00:24:11.880 Mira Brancu: how did psychology even come to mind? Was it something that, like you have psychologists in your family? Had you seen a psychologist? You did. You know what psychology was? Cause for a lot of people?
00:24:11.920 --> 00:24:13.696 Mira Brancu: You know, it's it's
00:24:14.230 --> 00:24:15.650 Mira Brancu: It's such a
00:24:16.510 --> 00:24:19.268 Mira Brancu: taboo field for some right
00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:34.249 Mira Brancu: unless they they have access to like somebody who's a psychologist? Or had you just read a lot of books, and you like sort of had a sense that I'm connecting things that you know. I'm seeing right here in these books like, what? How did you get to that.
00:24:34.250 --> 00:24:43.870 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: So that was, it's the latter. So after you know those people. That I just mentioned, Matthew Roncillo and Sergeant Ledesmo were killed.
00:24:44.426 --> 00:24:50.759 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: You know, when you're deployed like people send lots of different books to you like boxes and boxes of books.
00:24:50.770 --> 00:24:56.099 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and so you know, I stumbled upon like some writings by Victor Frankel.
00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:07.890 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I stumbled upon, read writings by John Watson, and in these books right? And so I would just started reading them. And I was interested. I was interested in
00:25:08.498 --> 00:25:18.060 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: how people thought, how people interacted. And that's what really led me to become a psychologist. I had no prior knowledge of psychology.
00:25:18.407 --> 00:25:36.500 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: You know that that wasn't something that we talked about. I had never seen a counselor. at that point. You know. So it wasn't really on my radar to to, you know, pursue that. But I thought to myself like being with people in their most vulnerable and most human moments of pain.
00:25:36.984 --> 00:25:40.819 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And serving them in that way was something that I felt like. I would
00:25:41.080 --> 00:25:46.140 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: my, even my personality and interest like has an alignment. And so that's
00:25:46.550 --> 00:25:53.039 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: cultivated that initially. But yeah, I didn't have that. I didn't have really any prior knowledge to what a psychologist was
00:25:54.826 --> 00:26:02.133 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: so I've been on a discovery journey ever since. Right? I still am learning. So yeah.
00:26:02.590 --> 00:26:08.140 Mira Brancu: Yeah. Okay, so then, let's fast forward to
00:26:08.704 --> 00:26:12.339 Mira Brancu: consulting psychology. Now, how did you get that.
00:26:13.070 --> 00:26:15.190 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah. So when I was in grad school.
00:26:15.820 --> 00:26:22.650 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: one of my mentors there had a project in the class. It was a class called marketing, professional services
00:26:22.660 --> 00:26:37.740 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and the guy's name was Dr. Ted Cocy, who went on to be like the dean of the school. Eventually. But Ted had worked at a a large organization for years before he had pursued his doctoral degree.
00:26:37.780 --> 00:26:46.069 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And you know I would continue to ask him questions about you know what he sees in me? What do? What do you see like? You know my
00:26:46.220 --> 00:26:57.609 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: like me doing really well in I mean, I have these interests in clinical work. But the same time I knew very early on that I wasn't going to be able to see like 30 clients a week
00:26:58.060 --> 00:27:20.349 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: right? And I and a lot of the psychologists that I had talked to. They were clinicians. They were seeing lots of therapy clients, and I think I knew early on. It's like, I don't see myself seeing that many people per week, and plus. I love being with people in the work environment. And I like work, and I like speaking. I like being able to to talk with people and really try to advise in different ways.
00:27:20.410 --> 00:27:37.419 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and he was the first person to say, have you ever considered going into the field of consulting psychology or business psychology? And up until that point I just had no idea what that was. And so he was the person that really got me to thinking about doing
00:27:37.520 --> 00:27:47.359 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: something else besides clinical psychotherapy. And that's what really led me into this discovery process of consulting psychology.
00:27:47.826 --> 00:27:53.800 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And in that discovery process I came to the American Psychological Association Division, 13,
00:27:54.277 --> 00:28:05.402 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: the Society of Consulting psychology, and from there it kind of just took off as far as meeting different people kind of finding the people that I felt very connected with, and
00:28:05.890 --> 00:28:15.879 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and their interest, and got a lot of mentorship along the way of understanding a little bit more about business psychology, and how to
00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:18.148 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: what I would say is, make
00:28:18.930 --> 00:28:24.469 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: a great impact within organizations by reaching lots of different people rather than
00:28:24.730 --> 00:28:26.479 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: one individual at a time.
00:28:28.250 --> 00:28:29.523 Mira Brancu: Awesome. So
00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:32.769 Mira Brancu: sounds like pivotal moments
00:28:33.150 --> 00:28:34.120 Mira Brancu: books.
00:28:34.620 --> 00:28:36.689 Mira Brancu: people in your life.
00:28:38.110 --> 00:28:39.630 Mira Brancu: mentor types.
00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:43.270 Mira Brancu: All of these led you to the path.
00:28:43.973 --> 00:28:51.210 Mira Brancu: Just, you know, kind of similar from for many of us. When we come after come back after the end break.
00:28:51.840 --> 00:29:00.470 Mira Brancu: I'm curious to hear how you pieced it all together for yourself in order to write a book for other people, and especially
00:29:00.923 --> 00:29:23.119 Mira Brancu: you know, you talk about professional identity development and formation. That's a big aspect of what you talk about. And so I'm really curious to hear how you've sort of put it together for others to think through their own strategy for career development. So we are reaching an add break, though, let's get into that first
00:29:23.260 --> 00:29:31.329 Mira Brancu: and you're listening to the hard skills with me, Dr. Mayor Broncu and our guest, Dr. Cedric Williams, and we'll be right back in just a moment.
00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:43.070 Mira Brancu: Welcome back to the hard skills with me. Dr. Mirabu and our guest today, Dr. Cedric Williams, who is the author of Brick by brick.
00:31:43.620 --> 00:31:48.310 Mira Brancu: and also CEO and founder of legacy consulting and research group.
00:31:48.470 --> 00:31:58.459 Mira Brancu: So we've been talking mostly about your journey. How you got from, you know high school to infantry, to
00:31:58.847 --> 00:32:18.139 Mira Brancu: psychologists, to consulting psychologists, clinical psychologists, con consulting psychologists. we haven't even touched on the fact that you're a business owner that that was a choice, too, as a decision. But like just backtracking a little, I think a lot of people struggle with making their own career decisions.
00:32:18.626 --> 00:32:22.639 Mira Brancu: Sometimes it's like general career questions and other times.
00:32:22.850 --> 00:32:27.719 Mira Brancu: because we specifically talk about leadership development and like leadership career paths.
00:32:29.020 --> 00:32:31.569 Mira Brancu: I think a lot of people would be curious
00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:32.440 Mira Brancu: what
00:32:32.610 --> 00:32:37.920 Mira Brancu: what kinds of things they should be sort of internally checking in with
00:32:39.220 --> 00:32:41.160 Mira Brancu: and internally
00:32:42.550 --> 00:32:43.360 Mira Brancu: sort of
00:32:44.485 --> 00:32:45.490 Mira Brancu: observing.
00:32:46.150 --> 00:32:48.699 Mira Brancu: Because what I am struck by
00:32:48.890 --> 00:32:55.829 Mira Brancu: for you is that you observed in yourself certain interests, or
00:32:57.300 --> 00:33:04.690 Mira Brancu: kind of like connections that you made with people, with books, with the things that were happening around you.
00:33:04.980 --> 00:33:05.790 Mira Brancu: that
00:33:06.810 --> 00:33:13.876 Mira Brancu: led you to make some really thoughtful decisions. And I'm not sure everybody's is as attuned
00:33:14.930 --> 00:33:16.600 Mira Brancu: to those things. So
00:33:17.050 --> 00:33:18.870 Mira Brancu: yeah, what are your thoughts on that.
00:33:18.870 --> 00:33:36.460 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, a couple a couple of thoughts to come to mind. I I actually really appreciate some some of the books out there. I'm sure one of one book that's coming to mind is actually Rodney Loman's book about career assessment and and then he really looks at assessing. You know your interest.
00:33:36.610 --> 00:33:45.359 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: your abilities, and then your personality and which I've listened. I've I've read the book, but I've also listened to a lot of
00:33:45.894 --> 00:33:54.505 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: his talks as well, and some some other literature that he has about con just consulting and doing some coaching work, and I found that
00:33:55.170 --> 00:34:02.730 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: for the first step for most people, I think, is assessing yourself of asking that questions. Who am I? And who am I? Who do? I want to become?
00:34:03.246 --> 00:34:31.540 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And when I say become it, it's more of like the values that I have, the beliefs that I have. What I want to like really step into as a human being into what which I feel like living like a mission purpose. Life is important, right? That's part of my own value. Set and so I think that, assessing your interest, assessing those abilities that you have, those skills that you have in your in knowing your personality is really step one
00:34:31.825 --> 00:34:43.379 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: really thinking about that and doing a critical self assessment. Sometimes I think people can do that on them by themselves. Other times, I think that it's important for people to kind of link up with coaches or link up with.
00:34:44.090 --> 00:34:52.969 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: you know, a peer support group or another career development group, or something like that to process this in community.
00:34:52.980 --> 00:35:05.626 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: But I think that before anyone starts into a career or switches career does any kind of transitions there has to be some level of assessment. Who am I? Where am I going?
00:35:06.309 --> 00:35:27.729 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and am I okay with the direction that I'm taking? Right? One of my colleagues. Cameron Lee once said to me, he said, You know it's not just about getting things done. It's about how you get things done along the way, and that's always stuck with me. It's not just getting something done or changing a career. It's how you go about it that I think is important and doing that within community is something that, I I would say is essential.
00:35:27.730 --> 00:35:42.919 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: The second thing that I would say is really goal development. What are the goals that people have that they want to move forward in? Is there something that they want to build? Is there a business that they want to start. Is there an initiative that they want to take on
00:35:43.209 --> 00:36:06.670 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: for some people they might diffuse different words. Some people say goals that they want to accomplish for their life. Some say, like, you know, Mission, that I have for what I want in my organization, or other people might even say like calling right. I feel called to this profession or or this type of work. So I think that there's also a level of understanding the goals like, what are you wanting to do and to accomplish?
00:36:06.670 --> 00:36:23.979 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And do you have the medium to be able to accomplish that? That's one of the reasons why I started a business is because I wanted to be able to have an infrastructure and a medium to be able to co accomplish the goals that I felt like were important, that aligned with my values. So to me that that was something that was really critical.
00:36:24.506 --> 00:36:28.419 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And then I would say, the third step of of thinking through
00:36:29.770 --> 00:36:33.009 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: you know, professional identity and development is.
00:36:33.430 --> 00:36:35.970 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: do you have a sense of vitality
00:36:36.020 --> 00:36:46.559 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: when it comes to being a continual learner in the work that you're doing. So. I'm thinking about the work of Christine Porth. Think that she's at Georgetown, but she has a
00:36:46.780 --> 00:36:48.630 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: out of really great
00:36:49.090 --> 00:36:58.359 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: great ideas and great research about work and thriving at work, but talks about this idea of vitality and learning in the occupation.
00:36:58.410 --> 00:37:08.699 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and I feel like people who are curious about making transitions, or even where they're gonna go in their occupation is asking this question, do you feel a sense of vitality.
00:37:09.085 --> 00:37:31.639 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: A sense of of curiosity from your work environment. And I think that exploring that with other people in community in a support group in some sort of cohorts, or in, you know, some sort of relationship with a mentor or an executive coach, or something like that, is really critical right of a asking those tough questions
00:37:31.640 --> 00:37:46.010 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and assessing if you're on the path that's allowing that to happen. So those are some of those steps that, I think are important as far as professional identity development that I would say, people need to be considering as they move forward.
00:37:46.400 --> 00:37:47.742 Mira Brancu: Those are great.
00:37:48.730 --> 00:37:52.979 Mira Brancu: I feel like there's so much packed in each one.
00:37:52.980 --> 00:37:54.129 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Oh, I know. Yeah.
00:37:54.130 --> 00:37:59.530 Mira Brancu: So let's let's backtrack for a second. So let's go back to assessing self because
00:38:00.780 --> 00:38:17.462 Mira Brancu: I work with A lot of women in particular, people know this about me. Especially women in in leadership, and especially those who are kind of mid career, and what I find about their ability to assess
00:38:18.110 --> 00:38:26.879 Mira Brancu: their goals and kind of their interests and their strengths is sometimes because women are so hyper socialized.
00:38:27.800 --> 00:38:28.660 Mira Brancu: To
00:38:29.391 --> 00:38:44.148 Mira Brancu: serve others, to understand other people's needs and nurture those needs, and to not be quote unquote self serving or self, promotional or selfish or self focus whatever that is
00:38:44.860 --> 00:38:55.010 Mira Brancu: for some of us we end up being completely lost mid career. Once we've done all the things to serve all the people
00:38:55.250 --> 00:39:02.320 Mira Brancu: that it could include children and families as well as people at work and other people's vision. And we've succeeded.
00:39:03.013 --> 00:39:06.330 Mira Brancu: Incredibly well. But we're lost
00:39:07.178 --> 00:39:10.389 Mira Brancu: in terms of our needs, our strengths.
00:39:10.798 --> 00:39:35.050 Mira Brancu: You know, and and those are the women that often come to me asking like, I don't even know where to start with what's next for me. I know this is not right, and it feels off, and it feel, and I'm burned out, or I'm not unhappy. I just don't even know where to start, and we start with an assessment right? Because I could possibly tell them where to start. But maybe an assessment can help us
00:39:35.150 --> 00:39:40.449 Mira Brancu: start with like exploring what's inside that has gotten lost.
00:39:41.290 --> 00:39:52.670 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, very much. So I mean, I and I appreciate you bringing that up. I mean even the work that you all are doing at at Towerscope, and you know the the Leadership Academy. And starting with this idea of what
00:39:53.030 --> 00:40:01.880 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: when, as somebody comes and says, what what is next or what do I do? Or they have this problem that they're trying to solve. But they're not necessarily sure, exactly like
00:40:01.890 --> 00:40:07.460 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: one how to solve it or like. If this is the problem, or there's like an underlying problem, I think that
00:40:07.530 --> 00:40:10.980 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: that assessment is so critical
00:40:11.060 --> 00:40:16.319 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: of asking the right questions. Having somebody who's skilled professional to kind of
00:40:16.640 --> 00:40:42.969 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: partner with through this journey and say, Hey, look! We're let's start here and let's see where we go and what develops. And then, thinking about the different pieces along the way. But yeah, I think that most people underestimate the power of a really good assessment meant to in in. When we say assessment, you know, consulting psychology come in a number of different things. It could be like, you know, measurable items or questionnaires
00:40:42.970 --> 00:41:01.500 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: or surveys that that people take? Sometimes it's a series of interviews, right? Not only with yourself, but also with other people we work with, or people who are close to you who know you. And I think that that discovery process is so rich.
00:41:02.264 --> 00:41:18.480 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And in really helping people to see all of the cards. Let's put all the cards on the table and see what is going on. And how can we look towards what you want in the future, and see if there's an alignment or a path forward in that
00:41:18.868 --> 00:41:25.210 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and so I I love assessment right and helping people to kind of think through that together, because I feel like it's
00:41:25.240 --> 00:41:33.090 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: it. It is such a rich discovery process that's really helpful for people to be thinking deeply about their own development.
00:41:33.410 --> 00:41:38.540 Mira Brancu: Yeah. And I also like just reflecting on again these 3 steps, assessing
00:41:38.630 --> 00:41:43.779 Mira Brancu: yourself in terms of interest, skills, personality, goal development and vitality.
00:41:44.390 --> 00:41:49.480 Mira Brancu: Those 3 things you. Ca, it's not just for your own career decision making
00:41:49.530 --> 00:41:51.959 Mira Brancu: like you could apply that to
00:41:52.200 --> 00:42:06.035 Mira Brancu: any process in your personal and professional life, and especially like, you know, you and I work with leaders right? And we don't just do like career development stuff. We do lots of executive coaching and team development and
00:42:06.440 --> 00:42:08.086 Mira Brancu: training. And
00:42:09.230 --> 00:42:13.745 Mira Brancu: so I especially appreciate this last piece about
00:42:14.460 --> 00:42:18.360 Mira Brancu: you, you mentioned a couple of things vitality, curiosity.
00:42:18.430 --> 00:42:25.400 Mira Brancu: and doing a lot of this in community which I don't hear a lot of people talking about. So I just want to like highlight.
00:42:25.630 --> 00:42:26.170 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, on.
00:42:26.170 --> 00:42:36.430 Mira Brancu: And we hear assessment, and we hear coaching, and we hear like thinking through your strategy, for we don't often hear people recommend working in community.
00:42:36.870 --> 00:42:37.830 Mira Brancu: But
00:42:38.000 --> 00:42:39.280 Mira Brancu: that is like
00:42:39.300 --> 00:42:40.630 Mira Brancu: really important.
00:42:40.920 --> 00:42:41.789 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: How's a little bit?
00:42:41.930 --> 00:42:53.409 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, absolutely. I I feel like learning in community and with cohorts of people is just so critical to career development. I think it's critical for just
00:42:54.230 --> 00:42:56.160 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: helping people to
00:42:58.260 --> 00:43:01.859 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: to toggle between between really tough decisions.
00:43:01.970 --> 00:43:05.300 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And I think that when you are in learning cohorts.
00:43:05.580 --> 00:43:32.899 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: There is something that is just so unique and special about that of being with people. Of course, like a skilled facilitator, is one but also people who are in your same setting in life, or similar setting in life to be able to say, Hey, are you wrestling with this too? And how are you coming to? The decisions that you're that you are the solutions to those decisions that you need to make right and moving together? And I feel like
00:43:33.030 --> 00:43:53.459 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: being able to do that with a supportive community is invaluable, and I think that all throughout my time, whether it be in the military, whether it be as a professor, whether it be through a a business. You know, owner, I have found that there is deep value in learning with a community of people
00:43:53.510 --> 00:43:55.370 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and traveling together.
00:43:55.812 --> 00:43:59.839 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I think that sometimes when we get off the path
00:43:59.850 --> 00:44:03.290 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: from our goals is because somehow we have, you know.
00:44:03.644 --> 00:44:21.679 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: went through some sort of deformation of that professional right? Some of Griffith's work. But it's really staying in that community that I think helps you to stay on that path and be very clear. And and honestly, I think it's it's helpful, even as far as like our ethical decision-making process, too.
00:44:22.226 --> 00:44:29.929 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And so I feel like that. There is a lot of value sticking with the community and learning in that way.
00:44:30.640 --> 00:44:31.669 Mira Brancu: Yeah, yeah,
00:44:33.920 --> 00:44:50.320 Mira Brancu: we're reaching ad break. So let's take a pause. And just like, take all of that in. And when we come back from the ad break. I'd like to sort of close out with this connection between identity and community. I think there's something really big there
00:44:50.380 --> 00:45:05.669 Mira Brancu: beyond just career decision making. That is really important for people's development over time. So let's close out with that. When we come back. You're listening to the hard skills with me, Dr. Mayor Branco and our guest, Dr. Cedric Williams, and we'll be right back.
00:47:10.070 --> 00:47:16.150 Mira Brancu: Welcome back to the hard skills with me, Dr. Mira Bronku and our guest, Dr. Cedric Williams.
00:47:16.210 --> 00:47:16.819 Mira Brancu: So
00:47:17.570 --> 00:47:19.070 Mira Brancu: We started
00:47:19.270 --> 00:47:26.234 Mira Brancu: in a place where we just talked about, you know, a career journey, a leadership journey,
00:47:26.750 --> 00:47:27.790 Mira Brancu: from
00:47:27.820 --> 00:47:30.029 Mira Brancu: high school student to
00:47:30.040 --> 00:47:39.365 Mira Brancu: serving in the military to clinical psychologists and consulting psychologists. But where we landed, I just think, is really interesting. That
00:47:40.270 --> 00:47:41.710 Mira Brancu: piece of
00:47:42.070 --> 00:47:43.420 Mira Brancu: vitality
00:47:43.660 --> 00:47:45.160 Mira Brancu: and community
00:47:45.530 --> 00:47:47.420 Mira Brancu: is ultimately
00:47:49.370 --> 00:47:57.399 Mira Brancu: what we seek and we don't know. We don't realize that that is what moves us forward right without vitality.
00:47:57.680 --> 00:47:59.090 Mira Brancu: We're burned out.
00:47:59.290 --> 00:48:01.200 Mira Brancu: We're feeling empty.
00:48:01.940 --> 00:48:03.380 Mira Brancu: We're feeling lost.
00:48:04.343 --> 00:48:05.630 Mira Brancu: Without community
00:48:06.184 --> 00:48:13.880 Mira Brancu: we might not receive the either the support or the feedback needed. We might be functioning in a vacuum which
00:48:13.960 --> 00:48:16.060 Mira Brancu: it's not realistic for humans.
00:48:16.190 --> 00:48:20.139 Mira Brancu: And so I'm really curious, Cedric, like, what are your thoughts on?
00:48:21.770 --> 00:48:26.659 Mira Brancu: You know our identity and career paths when it comes to
00:48:26.670 --> 00:48:28.840 Mira Brancu: this vitality and community piece.
00:48:31.480 --> 00:48:32.450 Mira Brancu: and you're on.
00:48:32.760 --> 00:48:38.159 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, I would say that one of the things I'm thinking about like my first year of grad school
00:48:38.719 --> 00:48:50.000 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: my first class was called a Nova analysis of variance, and inside of that class I met 3 other people, Dr. And Dr. Tyler Greenway, Dr. Paul Flores.
00:48:50.090 --> 00:49:00.230 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and it was in that class that we've like really built a friendship. And those guys still, to this day, work with with me at legacy.
00:49:00.671 --> 00:49:10.060 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And that community in that learning that we have been able to kind of do together, I would say, is really invaluable. And I think that
00:49:10.450 --> 00:49:16.269 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: for people who are listening and thinking about building their own community is you want to find people who will tell you the truth?
00:49:16.870 --> 00:49:19.640 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: You want to find people who will tell you the truth about yourself.
00:49:19.991 --> 00:49:43.549 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Who are not intimidated by you know your degrees or your achievements, but people who really do are with you, and for you. And I think that there is there is a lot of value in that sometimes, like, you know, that's gonna be with peers or PE other. You know people in your profession sometimes that's gonna be people who are from multi other disciplines. Right?
00:49:43.948 --> 00:49:47.829 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And sometimes it's it's a multidisciplinary effort in order to
00:49:48.636 --> 00:49:49.790 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: to really
00:49:49.840 --> 00:49:55.769 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: grow and have that development. And so I think that that's been one of the things that has been so
00:49:55.780 --> 00:50:25.160 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: beneficial is being able to have people who are with me, who are for me, who, I trust, but people who will tell me the truth, and to help me correct, and to help me to adjust and adapt as needed. And I I don't think that you can. You know you can't subcontract that out. You can't replace that right like you really do have to find people who are going to go with you in the journey. And I've done some, you know my own
00:50:25.540 --> 00:50:32.270 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: coaching along the way, and asked, you know, partnered with other coaches, partnered with other executives, and say, Hey! Like
00:50:32.280 --> 00:50:38.909 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: as an executive as business owner. I need help. Will you journey in this season of life with me?
00:50:38.990 --> 00:50:42.710 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And I would say that that's been really invaluable and helpful.
00:50:43.680 --> 00:50:45.796 Mira Brancu: And how? How does that
00:50:47.280 --> 00:50:51.209 Mira Brancu: inform or help? I should say, help with vitality.
00:50:52.000 --> 00:50:59.359 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, I think it helps with vitality. Because when I think about by vitality, think about being alive and invigorated.
00:50:59.938 --> 00:51:02.170 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And I think that
00:51:02.190 --> 00:51:16.070 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: when you are always taking the posture of a learner, it allows you to remain curious, and allows you to be able to have interest, and when you have so many different inputs from other people.
00:51:16.592 --> 00:51:45.600 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I think it it. It begats that curiosity right it like I find myself when I'm in community that I'm reading more books that I'm listening to more podcasts, that I'm having so many more suggestions of hey, have you tried this? Have you thought about this. And I think that for me, that is where that vitality comes from of having all of those different inputs that propels me forward. Right? It makes me think deeper. So I'm not staying at the surface level. But I'm going
00:51:45.600 --> 00:52:00.450 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: even deeper onto the content of really trying to understand or become better at. You know this skill, or whatever it may be, that I'm putting my, you know, putting my effort towards and I think that being in community and having those
00:52:01.078 --> 00:52:05.761 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: vast amounts of inputs is just critically important for for
00:52:06.240 --> 00:52:08.340 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: you know, having a posture of vitality.
00:52:08.560 --> 00:52:19.354 Mira Brancu: Yeah. Yeah. So pulling it together, here's my takeaways. I'm curious about your your one takeaway that you'd like people to move forward. With mine. Is
00:52:19.980 --> 00:52:22.709 Mira Brancu: that what I heard in this conversation
00:52:23.170 --> 00:52:29.470 Mira Brancu: is you don't have to have all the answers for where you're going in life.
00:52:30.006 --> 00:52:41.510 Mira Brancu: You just need to be open and curious and having a learning mindset, and that will provide you with kind of the guidance, and then be
00:52:41.680 --> 00:52:46.220 Mira Brancu: surrounded by people who are willing to influence you towards change.
00:52:46.310 --> 00:52:48.220 Mira Brancu: So I'm curious what would be your takeaway.
00:52:48.220 --> 00:52:51.409 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, I think that might take away just like.
00:52:51.420 --> 00:52:54.710 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: you know. But talking with you today is.
00:52:54.720 --> 00:53:02.780 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: I think, that it's important for people to find their people who will commit to being with them through the journey.
00:53:03.200 --> 00:53:03.690 Mira Brancu: Hmm.
00:53:04.061 --> 00:53:18.169 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Through their occupational curiosity, through their ups and downs of, you know, in your professional life, like we, we have things that are really hard like life can be hard, and life can present some challenges for people.
00:53:18.803 --> 00:53:41.256 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: And I think that having people who exhibit empathy and who will encourage you. To be the best version of yourself and at work. And beyond is important. And so I think that finding those people that are excited to partner with you in those endeavors is critical. And I have found that
00:53:41.730 --> 00:54:04.739 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: being with people in community and professional communities and coaching communities. And you know, facilitation, guidance, learning, and education that's ongoing to me that that's been something that has just been invaluable. So my takeaway for anybody would be to find a community, or that you could be a part of or find
00:54:05.330 --> 00:54:13.879 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: but find, you know, cohorts, or whatever it may be that is going to best serve you in your occupational journey, because I feel like it's it's critically important.
00:54:15.270 --> 00:54:22.069 Mira Brancu: Absolutely. I love that where can people find you
00:54:22.120 --> 00:54:25.429 Mira Brancu: and learn more about legacy
00:54:25.580 --> 00:54:28.460 Mira Brancu: and more about your book, brick by brick.
00:54:29.390 --> 00:54:35.419 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, that's a great. That's a great question. So people can find me at legacy.
00:54:36.252 --> 00:54:44.119 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Consulting and research group. Our website is www, dot legacy. crg.com.
00:54:44.666 --> 00:54:54.080 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: That's us right there and then. People can also find our team and learn more about the work that we're doing at formation, publishing.
00:54:56.810 --> 00:55:01.429 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Yeah, yeah, so that's us. This is my book by brick and
00:55:01.841 --> 00:55:07.300 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: it's been a great journey, and you know we're happy to to partner with people and to
00:55:07.310 --> 00:55:14.330 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: and to you know, to talk more about their journey and the work that they're doing like we're really excited about this next
00:55:14.510 --> 00:55:20.110 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: next season. And yeah, happy to to be a part of people's journey as well. Thank you.
00:55:20.510 --> 00:55:25.050 Mira Brancu: Awesome, awesome. So audience, what did you take away?
00:55:25.150 --> 00:55:32.289 Mira Brancu: And more importantly, what is one small change you can implement this week, based on what you learned from Cedric.
00:55:32.510 --> 00:55:40.460 Mira Brancu: Share it with us on Linkedin. You can find us there, too, right? And at talk radio. Nyc, so we could cheer you on.
00:55:40.820 --> 00:55:45.340 Mira Brancu: We're also on Facebook, Instagram Twitter twitch all over the place.
00:55:45.350 --> 00:55:50.430 Mira Brancu: But Linkedin is where I live, online and social media. I'm pretty sure that's where you live, too, Cedric.
00:55:50.430 --> 00:55:52.380 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Where I live. Yep, that I'm there.
00:55:52.570 --> 00:56:02.550 Mira Brancu: Alright. So find us there, and follow us. And in addition to being a live show, the hard skills is also on apple podcasts and spotify.
00:56:03.238 --> 00:56:13.960 Mira Brancu: These shows are, put up, and the recordings go go on there in about a week to 2 weeks, go subscribe.
00:56:14.100 --> 00:56:19.139 Mira Brancu: leave a review, share with others, to help increase our visibility and reach and impact
00:56:19.490 --> 00:56:27.779 Mira Brancu: the stuff we talk on. This show is part of our research-based strategic leadership pathway model that we teach in our Towerscope Leadership Academy.
00:56:28.150 --> 00:56:36.990 Mira Brancu: which is a private coaching and learning community community folks. That's what we've been talking about. And this community is for socially conscious leaders
00:56:37.170 --> 00:56:42.560 Mira Brancu: in healthcare, academia, tech and stem industries. Looking to make a greater impact.
00:56:42.720 --> 00:56:48.010 Mira Brancu: to learn more and apply. You can go to go towerscope.com.
00:56:48.030 --> 00:56:51.719 Mira Brancu: and click on Leadership Academy. There's also a QR. Code here.
00:56:51.880 --> 00:56:53.269 Mira Brancu: If you're watching.
00:56:53.290 --> 00:56:56.409 Mira Brancu: Thank you to Talkradio, Nyc. For hosting.
00:56:56.520 --> 00:57:03.199 Mira Brancu: I'm Dr. Mirabuku, your host of the Hard Skill show and thank you for joining us today. Dr. Cedric Williams.
00:57:03.200 --> 00:57:04.769 Cedric Williams, Ph.D.: Thank you for the appreciation.
00:57:06.050 --> 00:57:10.060 Mira Brancu: Absolutely have a great rest of your day wherever you're tuning in from everyone.
00:57:10.310 --> 00:57:11.190 Mira Brancu: bye.
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