16 Books By Black Authors We’re Excited About This Month From a raw relationship guide from one of your favorite 1990s rappers to a captivating novel rooted in the beauty of friendship, these are the picks you won’t want to put down in February. Read the article at Essence.com.
February 2026 Books By Black Authors We Can’t Wait to Read February may be the shortest month of the year, but it is full of great new books by Black authors. By Angela Johnson Published February 1, 2026 It’s hard to believe February is already here. But a new month also means great new books by Black authors for readers of all ages. A memoir from actress Marla…
Neuroscience shows that prolonged stress suppresses the brain’s default mode network, the system responsible for imagination, insight, and strategic problem-solving. Positive psychology research confirms that inspiration isn’t a trait. It’s a state, one that requires psychological safety, novelty, and play to emerge. If your team feels flat heading into 2026, it’s not a motivation problem. It’s a brain-state problem, and January is the ideal moment to reset. I’m…
Iron fists and machine-centered cultures may dominate the headlines—but the most effective leaders are charting a different course. They’re leading with heart. As I share in my forthcoming book, Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church (Amistad Books | JVL Media, Feb 2026), heart-centered leadership isn’t sentimental. It’s strategic. It’s the science of emotional regulation, empathy, and trust at work. My research revealed that the…
People are exhausted. Budgets are tightening. Certainty feels out of reach. And yet—there’s a quiet call for something deeper. In today’s FlightPath, I unpack what that means for leadership right now and what the science says about empowerment—not as a buzzword, but as a neuropsychological process that fuels courage, connection, and change. It comes directly from the Call & Response Leadership Revival Framework which reveals that the work…
Every leader faces moments when the path forward blurs—when market shifts, organizational change, or world events make it difficult to see what’s next. In those moments, calm becomes more than composure. It becomes strategy. Neuroscience shows that uncertainty triggers the amygdala—the brain’s fear center—causing stress hormones to rise and focus to narrow. But there’s another way. When you slow your breathing, reframe the situation, or anchor to purpose,…
In a world that prizes logic, metrics, and constant optimization, emotional regulation has quietly become the differentiator between managers who simply execute and leaders who truly inspire. As I explore in my forthcoming book, Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church (Amistad Books | JVL Media | Feb 2026), the most resilient executives don’t rely on head-only decisions. They lead from the intersection of heart…
If you’re feeling weary from yet another round of reorgs, RTO mandates, or shifting priorities, you’re not alone. Change fatigue has quietly become one of the most underestimated barriers to leadership effectiveness today. Neuroscience tells us that our brains are wired to protect us from uncertainty. Positive psychology reminds us that hope and meaning are the antidotes. But how do you bridge the gap when you’re leading a…
Right now, many people are showing up to work carrying invisible weight. Economic uncertainty. Social tension. Cultural unrest. When the world doesn’t feel safe, it’s no surprise that the workplace often mirrors that unease. Psychological safety is one of the most powerful tools a leader has to shift that dynamic. Coined by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, the term refers to a shared belief that it’s safe to take…
Every leader faces moments that test them: a failed project, a missed opportunity, a layoff, or a time when expectations fell short. These moments can feel heavy, but neuroscience and positive psychology tell us something powerful—how you frame these experiences changes everything. When you consciously reframe a setback, your brain begins to reinforce new pathways for clarity and confidence. Positive psychology calls this post-traumatic growth—the ability not only…