A curated collection of engaging conversations, thought provoking articles, and expansive excerpts that offers sharp insights, compelling ideas, and rich narratives around leadership, storytelling, and nuanced frameworks all hand-picked by Dr. Nafeesha Mitchell.
PODCASTS | EPISODES
MEDIUM READS | 10-20 MINUTES
DEEP DIVE | 20 MINUTES +
PODCASTS
John Biewen- Scene on Radio: Seeing White
Estimated Listen Time: Series Listen (14 episodes, ~30–45 minutes each)
Summary: Seeing White investigates the origins, construction, and function of “whiteness” in America, revealing how police violence, white-supremacist terror, identity politics, and persistent racial inequity are part of a much older narrative. Through deep reporting and conversation with scholar Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika, the series interrogates what whiteness is, where it came from, and why it continues to structure U.S. life.
Why It Matters: The series offers leaders critical historical grounding for understanding racial systems today, equipping them to navigate power, equity, and culture with more clarity, humility, and precision.
Nafeesha's Insights
Estimated Listen Time: Series Listen (14 episodes, ~30–45 minutes each)
Summary: Seeing White investigates the origins, construction, and function of “whiteness” in America, revealing how police violence, white-supremacist terror, identity politics, and persistent racial inequity are part of a much older narrative. Through deep reporting and conversation with scholar Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika, the series interrogates what whiteness is, where it came from, and why it continues to structure U.S. life.
Why It Matters: The series offers leaders critical historical grounding for understanding racial systems today, equipping them to navigate power, equity, and culture with more clarity, humility, and precision.
Nafeesha's Insights
- I was struck by how clearly the podcast shows whiteness as an invention, not a fact, which changed how I think about race and power inside organizations.
- Hearing the historical arc helped me understand contemporary inequities not as isolated problems but as patterned outcomes of long-standing design.
- I appreciated the way Chenjerai Kumanyika models critical inquiry; it reminded me of the kind of reflective leadership I try to cultivate with clients.
- The series pushed me to examine moments in my own work where whiteness silently shapes culture, expectations, and interpretations of “professionalism.”
- It reinforced the need for leaders to develop a vocabulary for discussing race structurally, not just interpersonally.
Special Episode: Nafeesha Mitchell on the Dynamics of Power
Estimated Listen Time: 30 minutes
Summary: In this Dynamics of Power special episode, Nafeesha Mitchell, Program Leader at the Groundwater Institute and Principal of B² Consulting, joins the hosts to explore how power operates within organizations and systems, especially as it relates to equity, leadership, and structural change. The conversation unpacks how dominant power dynamics shape organizational behavior and what it takes for leaders to shift those dynamics toward more just, inclusive outcomes meaningfully.
Why It Matters: This episode centers power not as an abstract concept but as a lived force that influences who gets to lead, how change happens, and where resistance emerges. For leaders committed to equity and systemic transformation, the discussion offers practical insight into reading, challenging, and restructuring power in ways that align with sustainable, justice-oriented leadership.
Nafeesha's Insights:
Estimated Listen Time: 30 minutes
Summary: In this Dynamics of Power special episode, Nafeesha Mitchell, Program Leader at the Groundwater Institute and Principal of B² Consulting, joins the hosts to explore how power operates within organizations and systems, especially as it relates to equity, leadership, and structural change. The conversation unpacks how dominant power dynamics shape organizational behavior and what it takes for leaders to shift those dynamics toward more just, inclusive outcomes meaningfully.
Why It Matters: This episode centers power not as an abstract concept but as a lived force that influences who gets to lead, how change happens, and where resistance emerges. For leaders committed to equity and systemic transformation, the discussion offers practical insight into reading, challenging, and restructuring power in ways that align with sustainable, justice-oriented leadership.
Nafeesha's Insights:
- I appreciated having the opportunity to articulate how power shows up structurally and interpersonally–moving beyond rhetoric to lived leadership experience.
- The conversation reinforced something I practice often: that organizational power is relational and dynamic, not static, and that leaders must intentionally cultivate awareness of these flows.
- I was reminded that equity work requires leaders to disrupt entrenched power structures and create space for redistributed authority, not just symbolic inclusion.
- Discussing power in this public forum affirmed the importance of grounded language and shared frameworks when coaching others to see and shift entrenched dynamics.
- The episode enabled me to connect my research and practice with a broader audience, demonstrating how structural analysis and relational leadership are essential tools for real-world change work.
The Listen, Organize, Act Podcast : S2.E.3.1: Ella Baker - Part 1
Estimated Listen Time: ~1 hour 26 minutes (Deep Listen)
Summary: This episode explores Ella Baker’s life, her democratic vision of organizing, and how her ideas shaped the grassroots structure of the civil rights movement — particularly the founding of SNCC. The host and guest historian trace how Baker’s insistence on “power to the people,” local leadership, and collective action offered an alternative to top-down activism.
Why It Matters: Ella Baker’s model challenges traditional hierarchical leadership: she offers a blueprint for distributed leadership, community empowerment, and shared agency, essential for anyone working to build equitable, sustainable, and inclusive organizations today.
Nafeesha's Insights
Estimated Listen Time: ~1 hour 26 minutes (Deep Listen)
Summary: This episode explores Ella Baker’s life, her democratic vision of organizing, and how her ideas shaped the grassroots structure of the civil rights movement — particularly the founding of SNCC. The host and guest historian trace how Baker’s insistence on “power to the people,” local leadership, and collective action offered an alternative to top-down activism.
Why It Matters: Ella Baker’s model challenges traditional hierarchical leadership: she offers a blueprint for distributed leadership, community empowerment, and shared agency, essential for anyone working to build equitable, sustainable, and inclusive organizations today.
Nafeesha's Insights
- Listening to Baker’s story reminded me how powerful leadership rooted in community, trust, and humility can be, a contrast to command-and-control styles that mask inequities.
- Her emphasis on collective agency over celebrity leadership resonated deeply: I was reminded that real change often happens in small gatherings, relationships, and distributed networks, not on center-stage.
- I thought about how her approach aligns with my own values around equity and systemic change: that transformation is about shared power, mutual responsibility, and sustained organizing, not just spotlight moments.
- Her life story challenged me to consider whose stories get told and whose remain invisible, especially in movements or organizations claiming justice or inclusivity.
- I felt affirmed that investing in organizing muscle and relational infrastructure, not just charismatic leadership, is a strategic priority for long-term impact in communities and institutions.
Amy Edmondson – Right Kind of Wrong, Chapter 6: “Contexts & Consequences”
Approx. 25+ pages
Estimated Read Time: 18–22 minutes
Summary: Chapter 6 of Right Kind of Wrong argues that failures often escalate because people misread the context, treating learning situations as performance tests and turning harmless “beeps” into sources of embarrassment. The Electric Maze reveals how teams freeze when they fear mistakes, slowing discovery and undermining innovation.
Why It Matters: Leaders have to discern when a moment calls for execution and when it calls for experimentation. This chapter gives leaders a usable lens for diagnosing context, shaping team culture, and enabling psychological safety so learning can actually occur.
Nafeesha's Insights
Approx. 25+ pages
Estimated Read Time: 18–22 minutes
Summary: Chapter 6 of Right Kind of Wrong argues that failures often escalate because people misread the context, treating learning situations as performance tests and turning harmless “beeps” into sources of embarrassment. The Electric Maze reveals how teams freeze when they fear mistakes, slowing discovery and undermining innovation.
Why It Matters: Leaders have to discern when a moment calls for execution and when it calls for experimentation. This chapter gives leaders a usable lens for diagnosing context, shaping team culture, and enabling psychological safety so learning can actually occur.
Nafeesha's Insights
- I found myself reflecting on how often leaders and teams misread what’s in front of them, and how powerful it is to choose the right stance for the moment.
- The distinction Edmondson makes between execution mode and learning mode affirmed how I coach leaders to adapt, not default to perfectionism.
- The “beeps going forward” metaphor helped me reframe failure as simply information, reinforcing how often I try to help clients release shame attached to mistakes.
- I appreciated how clearly she exposes the emotional undercurrents, fear, ego, and embarrassment that can derail learning cultures, which is central to my equity and relational leadership work.
- Her example of leaders using framing statements to normalize imperfection resonated with my belief that transparency and shared humanity strengthen trust and collective action.
MEDIUM READS invite more reflection without demanding a significant time commitment. These pieces offer deeper storytelling, meaningful leadership lessons, or research-backed concepts you can engage with in a single sitting, ideal for a commute, lunch break, or evening unwind.
Atul Gawande – Better (Introduction)
Approx. 9 pages of narrative text
Estimated Read Time: 10–12 minutes
Summary: In the introduction to Better, Gawande shows that excellence is not about genius but about everyday practices of diligence, ethical clarity, and curiosity in the face of imperfect systems. Through clinical stories, he illustrates how small, consistent choices shape whether people experience harm, care, or healing.
Why It Matters: He offers leaders a simple truth: excellence is a daily discipline, not a stroke of brilliance. This frames leadership as showing up with presence, integrity, and consistent follow-through in the mundane, not just in the monumental moments.
Nafeesha's Insights
I was struck by how Gawande reduces excellence to the daily habits, attention, care, and discipline that any leader can practice, not just the exceptional few.
Approx. 9 pages of narrative text
Estimated Read Time: 10–12 minutes
Summary: In the introduction to Better, Gawande shows that excellence is not about genius but about everyday practices of diligence, ethical clarity, and curiosity in the face of imperfect systems. Through clinical stories, he illustrates how small, consistent choices shape whether people experience harm, care, or healing.
Why It Matters: He offers leaders a simple truth: excellence is a daily discipline, not a stroke of brilliance. This frames leadership as showing up with presence, integrity, and consistent follow-through in the mundane, not just in the monumental moments.
Nafeesha's Insights
I was struck by how Gawande reduces excellence to the daily habits, attention, care, and discipline that any leader can practice, not just the exceptional few.
- His framing of “doing right” resonated deeply with how I think about purpose-driven leadership and the moral commitments embedded in our everyday decisions.
- I appreciated his notion that leaders can quiet “organizational noise” through steadiness and clarity, something I emphasize often in my coaching and consulting.
- I valued how he demonstrated that leadership impact emerges from consistent small acts, reinforcing my belief that leadership is accessible, relational, and human.
- The blend of rigor and humanity in his writing aligns with the tone I strive to bring to my work with clients and learners.
10-20 MINUTES
MEDIUM READS
Research Spotlight Summary: Black Women Leading Organizational Change (Mitchell & Watson)
Estimated Read Time: 2.5–3 hours (Deep Dive / Full Study)
(Full document ~120 pages. Best approached over multiple sittings.)
Summary: Co-authored by Nafeesha Mitchell, this mixed-methods study examines how Black women leaders experience, navigate, and implement organizational change, focusing on how race, gender, and power shape their strategies and exposure to institutional resistance. Partnering with the Groundwater Institute, the research explores how Black women mobilize relational organizing, interpret resistance, and work within—and against—organizational structures that often fail to recognize or support their leadership. The study ultimately calls for new change leadership models grounded in structural analysis, relational power, and the lived expertise of Black women.
Why It Matters for Leadership & Organizational Practice: As a co-author, I helped surface insights that challenge dominant leadership frameworks and reveal why equity-centered transformation requires a fundamentally different set of assumptions about power, identity, and organizational culture. This work elevates Black women’s strategies as essential to understanding how real, lasting institutional change occurs.
Nafeesha's Insights:
Estimated Read Time: 2.5–3 hours (Deep Dive / Full Study)
(Full document ~120 pages. Best approached over multiple sittings.)
Summary: Co-authored by Nafeesha Mitchell, this mixed-methods study examines how Black women leaders experience, navigate, and implement organizational change, focusing on how race, gender, and power shape their strategies and exposure to institutional resistance. Partnering with the Groundwater Institute, the research explores how Black women mobilize relational organizing, interpret resistance, and work within—and against—organizational structures that often fail to recognize or support their leadership. The study ultimately calls for new change leadership models grounded in structural analysis, relational power, and the lived expertise of Black women.
Why It Matters for Leadership & Organizational Practice: As a co-author, I helped surface insights that challenge dominant leadership frameworks and reveal why equity-centered transformation requires a fundamentally different set of assumptions about power, identity, and organizational culture. This work elevates Black women’s strategies as essential to understanding how real, lasting institutional change occurs.
Nafeesha's Insights:
- Co-authoring this study reinforced for me how deeply Black women rely on relational organizing as a survival strategy and as a lever for institutional transformation.
- I was struck by how consistently participants named identity-based resistance as a defining feature of their leadership journey—not a barrier they occasionally encounter, but a structural condition they must constantly navigate.
- Analyzing this data challenged me to interrogate the assumptions embedded in dominant change leadership frameworks; many of them simply do not account for racialized and gendered dynamics that shape organizational life.
- I reflected deeply on the emotional labor, care, and collective power Black women deploy, often invisibly, to move organizations forward, and how rarely these forms of leadership are valued as strategic assets.
- This research reaffirmed my belief that institutions need new models that translate relational currency into sustained structural action, creating conditions where Black women leaders can succeed without carrying disproportionate burdens.
DEEP DIVES are more expansive and immersive. These chapters or long-form articles give space to complex ideas, rich narratives, or nuanced frameworks that reward slow reading and thoughtful consideration. Best for when you're ready to sit with a topic, wrestle with new perspectives, or stretch your thinking as a leader.
Charles Payne- I’ve Got the Light of Freedom
Approx. 550 pages
Estimated Read Time: 45–60 minutes
Summary: “I’ve Got the Light of Freedom” reframes the civil rights struggle in Mississippi not as the work of a few famous leaders, but as the result of deep, place-based organizing by ordinary people, families, neighbors, and everyday community members. Payne highlights how grassroots networks, not just top-down directives, built and sustained real social change, showing that transformation often comes from persistent local relationships and collective action.
Why It Matters: The book challenges the myth that leadership and impact flow solely from charismatic individuals. Instead, it shows that organizing culture, distributed leadership, and relational trust are what enable long-term change. For leaders today, that means investing in community, distributed agency, and collective capacity, rather than relying on “star” performers.
Nafeesha's Insights
Approx. 550 pages
Estimated Read Time: 45–60 minutes
Summary: “I’ve Got the Light of Freedom” reframes the civil rights struggle in Mississippi not as the work of a few famous leaders, but as the result of deep, place-based organizing by ordinary people, families, neighbors, and everyday community members. Payne highlights how grassroots networks, not just top-down directives, built and sustained real social change, showing that transformation often comes from persistent local relationships and collective action.
Why It Matters: The book challenges the myth that leadership and impact flow solely from charismatic individuals. Instead, it shows that organizing culture, distributed leadership, and relational trust are what enable long-term change. For leaders today, that means investing in community, distributed agency, and collective capacity, rather than relying on “star” performers.
Nafeesha's Insights
- I was moved by how ordinary people — parents, laborers, elders — carried extraordinary resilience. It reinforced my belief that real power lives in everyday collective commitment, not just titles or spotlight roles.
- The book reminded me that context (place, history, relationships) shapes what organizing can look like. Local roots matter, so building for change means meeting people where they are.
- I appreciated how Payne decentered the “great-man” narrative of social change. That affirmed my conviction that practical leadership work is often quiet, relational, and ongoing, not always glamorous or public.
- It challenged me to think about longevity: that social justice and organizational work are rarely quick wins, but long-haul struggles grounded in sustained community engagement and trust.
- Finally, it gave me a vivid template for combining history, storytelling, and strategy, a model that resonates deeply with how I conceptualize systemic change and leadership development.
Radke et al. (2020), “Beyond Allyship: Motivations for Advantaged Group Members to Engage in Action for Disadvantaged Groups”
Approx. 25 pages
Estimated Read Time: 20–25 minutes
Summary: This article argues that people from advantaged groups engage in justice-oriented action for four very different reasons: to genuinely advance the disadvantaged group, to protect their own group’s status, to meet personal needs, or to act from moral conviction. Radke et al. show that these motivations produce vastly different behaviors, ranging from true solidarity to paternalism to self-serving “performative” support, which helps explain tensions within movements seeking equity.
Why It Matters: For leaders, this framework is invaluable: it reveals that not all support is created equal, and that understanding one’s motivational posture is essential for building authentic, accountable, trust-filled relationships across lines of difference. It also provides language for diagnosing why equity work stalls or succeeds within organizations.
Nafeesha's Insights
Approx. 25 pages
Estimated Read Time: 20–25 minutes
Summary: This article argues that people from advantaged groups engage in justice-oriented action for four very different reasons: to genuinely advance the disadvantaged group, to protect their own group’s status, to meet personal needs, or to act from moral conviction. Radke et al. show that these motivations produce vastly different behaviors, ranging from true solidarity to paternalism to self-serving “performative” support, which helps explain tensions within movements seeking equity.
Why It Matters: For leaders, this framework is invaluable: it reveals that not all support is created equal, and that understanding one’s motivational posture is essential for building authentic, accountable, trust-filled relationships across lines of difference. It also provides language for diagnosing why equity work stalls or succeeds within organizations.
Nafeesha's Insights
- I appreciated how clearly the article names that “allyship” is not a single category; it helped me reflect on how motivations shape the quality and integrity of cross-group partnerships.
- The distinction between outgroup-focused and ingroup-focused motivations pushed me to examine my own leadership practice, especially moments when good intentions may still reinforce hierarchy or control within shared identity groups.
- The idea that personal or performative motives can masquerade as solidarity is especially relevant to organizational DEI efforts; it affirms what I often observe in my consulting work: enthusiasm that does not translate into structural change.
- The morality-motivated pathway resonated with me because it mirrors how many leaders describe their equity commitments as a matter of principle rather than identity. Yet, it also showed me why moral outrage alone isn’t enough without aligned behavior.
- Overall, the article gave me sharper language to help clients interrogate why they want to engage in equity work, not just what they plan to do, something that feels essential for long-term transformation.
20 MINUTES +
DEEP DIVES
