May 7, 2026
Quick Lift: What Young Girls Need Before the Workplace
Confidence does not begin when girls become women. It starts much earlier — in the small moments where they are learning whether their voice matters, whether they should speak up, and whether they are capable of leading.
In this Quick Lift, we break down the biggest takeaways from our conversation with Sharice Johnson, a youth empowerment leader, mentor, and education administrator at Milton Hershey School. This recap is all about what girls really need from the adults around them — from confidence modeling and leadership practice to mentorship, exposure, and intentional support.
We cover:
- Why confidence needs to be modeled, not just talked about
- How girls build leadership through repetition and practice
- Why it matters when adults recognize potential early
- How exposure helps girls see bigger possibilities for themselves
- Why mentorship is really about consistently pouring into someone
If we want stronger women leaders tomorrow, this episode is the reminder that it starts with how we support girls today.
Links:
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.100
Welcome to Allowed and Lifted Quick Lift, where
00:00:02.100 --> 00:00:04.679
we take the biggest takeaways from the full conversation
00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:07.660
and turn them into something practical. And the
00:00:07.660 --> 00:00:10.359
episode with Cherise Johnson is such an important
00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:12.960
one, because we spend a lot of time on this podcast
00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:16.379
talking about human leadership, confidence, voice,
00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:19.019
community, mentorship, owning your seat at the
00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:22.239
table. But this conversation was a reminder that
00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:24.600
these things do not suddenly become important
00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:27.980
when women enter the workplace. They start much
00:00:27.980 --> 00:00:30.719
earlier. They start when girls are still figuring
00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:33.759
it out. Do people listen when I speak? Am I allowed
00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:36.899
to take up space? Can I try and not get it perfect?
00:00:37.700 --> 00:00:39.859
And Sharice's work lives right in that space.
00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:42.539
She has spent years helping young people, especially
00:00:42.539 --> 00:00:45.859
girls, build leadership skills, character, confidence,
00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:49.240
and purpose through mentorship, role play, exposure,
00:00:49.479 --> 00:00:52.420
and community. And what I love most about her
00:00:52.420 --> 00:00:55.000
perspective is that it was not fluffy. It was
00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:58.810
practical. patient, and very intentional. So
00:00:58.810 --> 00:01:00.869
here are five takeaways from this conversation
00:01:00.869 --> 00:01:03.890
and one action item for each. Number one, girls
00:01:03.890 --> 00:01:06.230
learn from what we model before they believe
00:01:06.230 --> 00:01:08.430
what we say. One of the things Sharice talked
00:01:08.430 --> 00:01:10.469
about is how she shows up in a room with young
00:01:10.469 --> 00:01:13.189
people. She leads with presence. She speaks clearly.
00:01:13.370 --> 00:01:16.170
She gets their attention. That combination matters
00:01:16.170 --> 00:01:18.790
because we can tell girls all day long to be
00:01:18.790 --> 00:01:20.849
confident, speak up, and believe in themselves.
00:01:21.099 --> 00:01:24.019
but they're also watching us. They're watching
00:01:24.019 --> 00:01:26.959
how we walk into rooms, how we introduce ourselves,
00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:30.000
and how we handle pressure. Also, let's remember,
00:01:30.099 --> 00:01:32.219
they also see how we talk about ourselves when
00:01:32.219 --> 00:01:34.400
we think that no one is really paying attention.
00:01:34.819 --> 00:01:37.159
And let's be honest, they're always paying attention.
00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:40.219
Girls don't just need lectures about confidence.
00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:42.939
They need to see women living it in real time.
00:01:43.159 --> 00:01:46.689
Not perfectly, not always loudly. not even performatively,
00:01:47.290 --> 00:01:50.030
but with groundness, with a sense of I'm allowed
00:01:50.030 --> 00:01:52.310
to be here. That kind of modeling gives girls
00:01:52.310 --> 00:01:54.609
a picture that they can borrow until they can
00:01:54.609 --> 00:01:57.390
build their own. Action item, pick one moment
00:01:57.390 --> 00:01:59.609
this week where a girl in your life can see you
00:01:59.609 --> 00:02:02.430
model grounded leadership. Introduce yourself
00:02:02.430 --> 00:02:05.250
clearly, speak up in a room, set a boundary without
00:02:05.250 --> 00:02:08.050
over explaining, let her see what it looks like
00:02:08.050 --> 00:02:11.069
to take up space without making it weird. Because
00:02:11.069 --> 00:02:13.870
sometimes the lesson is not what we say, it's
00:02:13.870 --> 00:02:17.169
in what they see us do. Number two, leadership
00:02:17.169 --> 00:02:20.050
has to be practiced before it feels natural.
00:02:20.710 --> 00:02:22.710
Cherise talked about using role play and real
00:02:22.710 --> 00:02:24.909
life practice with students, and I love this
00:02:24.909 --> 00:02:27.169
because it's such a good reminder. Leadership
00:02:27.169 --> 00:02:30.330
is not built through one magical moment. It's
00:02:30.330 --> 00:02:32.979
built through reps. Kids need chances to practice
00:02:32.979 --> 00:02:36.199
speaking, practice answering questions, introducing
00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:38.900
themselves, making decisions, leading peers,
00:02:39.699 --> 00:02:41.840
practice recovering when something feels awkward.
00:02:42.219 --> 00:02:44.819
And that matters because we often expect young
00:02:44.819 --> 00:02:47.520
people to suddenly know how to show up with maturity,
00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:50.699
presence, and communication skills. But where
00:02:50.699 --> 00:02:53.500
exactly were they supposed to learn that? Leadership
00:02:53.500 --> 00:02:55.460
does not become natural because someone tells
00:02:55.460 --> 00:02:58.960
you to be a leader, step up. It becomes natural
00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:01.219
because you've been given opportunities to try.
00:03:01.900 --> 00:03:04.780
And yes, sometimes it's clunky and feels uncomfortable.
00:03:05.180 --> 00:03:07.120
They may mumble or freeze or rush through it
00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:08.960
or probably look at the floor and that's okay.
00:03:09.460 --> 00:03:12.500
It's just practice. The goal is not perfection.
00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:16.080
Action item, give a girl in your life one small
00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:18.879
leadership rep this week. Have her order for
00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:21.259
herself. Ask her to introduce herself to someone
00:03:21.259 --> 00:03:24.639
new. Lead a hard conversation. Ask for her opinion
00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:28.020
and wait for a full answer. Small moments count
00:03:28.020 --> 00:03:30.680
because every time she practices using her voice,
00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:33.810
she learns that her voice works. Number three,
00:03:34.330 --> 00:03:37.469
potential is not always obvious at first. One
00:03:37.469 --> 00:03:39.509
of the most powerful stories Charisse shared
00:03:39.509 --> 00:03:41.830
was about a student who completely froze during
00:03:41.830 --> 00:03:43.669
an interview as a freshman. She could barely
00:03:43.669 --> 00:03:45.710
answer the questions. And it would have been
00:03:45.710 --> 00:03:48.289
easy to assume that she wasn't ready and maybe
00:03:48.289 --> 00:03:50.349
not leadership material or not the right fit.
00:03:50.610 --> 00:03:53.129
But Charisse saw something more. She followed
00:03:53.129 --> 00:03:55.310
up. She invited her into a leadership program,
00:03:55.349 --> 00:03:58.050
and she gave her other opportunities. And over
00:03:58.050 --> 00:04:00.870
time, the same student became a senior, speaking
00:04:00.870 --> 00:04:03.550
in front of hundreds of people and also mentoring
00:04:03.550 --> 00:04:06.930
young girls. Love that story. Because potential
00:04:06.930 --> 00:04:10.009
does not always walk around into the room polished.
00:04:10.370 --> 00:04:13.250
Sometimes it's quiet or nervous, and sometimes
00:04:13.250 --> 00:04:16.670
it's buried under fear, anxiety, lack of exposure,
00:04:16.910 --> 00:04:19.689
or just one bad moment. And if we judge too quickly,
00:04:20.009 --> 00:04:23.019
we miss it. This is true with girls, employees,
00:04:23.300 --> 00:04:26.319
and emerging leaders. Sometimes people need someone
00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:29.160
to see what is possible before they can see it
00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:32.560
themselves. Action item, look for a quiet potential
00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:35.060
this week. Not the loudest person or not the
00:04:35.060 --> 00:04:36.800
most polished and not the one already raising
00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:39.660
their hand. Pay attention to the girl who is
00:04:39.660 --> 00:04:42.620
thoughtful, observant, kind, but maybe hesitant.
00:04:43.220 --> 00:04:46.199
Then say something specific like, I noticed how
00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:47.750
carefully you thought about that. You have a
00:04:47.750 --> 00:04:50.829
calm way of leading. Or maybe you may not see
00:04:50.829 --> 00:04:53.709
it yet, but I see leadership in you. The way
00:04:53.709 --> 00:04:56.889
you helped her mattered. Do not praise the outcome.
00:04:57.310 --> 00:04:59.850
Name the strength. This is how people start to
00:04:59.850 --> 00:05:02.810
recognize it in themselves. Number four, exposure
00:05:02.810 --> 00:05:06.370
expands what girls believe is possible. Charisse
00:05:06.370 --> 00:05:08.850
talked about the idea that every 15 -year -old
00:05:08.850 --> 00:05:11.129
should have at least one spark, something that
00:05:11.129 --> 00:05:14.110
brings them joy. fuels them, and helps them imagine
00:05:14.110 --> 00:05:16.889
a bigger future. And one of the ways girls find
00:05:16.889 --> 00:05:19.629
their spark is through exposure. Because how
00:05:19.629 --> 00:05:21.629
can a girl dream about something she's never
00:05:21.629 --> 00:05:24.430
seen? How can she picture herself in a room she's
00:05:24.430 --> 00:05:27.129
never been invited to? How can she imagine a
00:05:27.129 --> 00:05:29.490
career, a calling, a leadership path, or a version
00:05:29.490 --> 00:05:32.389
of success that no one's ever showed her? This
00:05:32.389 --> 00:05:34.850
is where adults have more influence than we realize,
00:05:35.009 --> 00:05:37.230
and exposure does not have to be complicated.
00:05:37.569 --> 00:05:40.269
It can be inviting her to an event. Introducing
00:05:40.269 --> 00:05:42.170
her to someone in your network, letting her shadow
00:05:42.170 --> 00:05:45.009
you, having a real conversation about work or
00:05:45.009 --> 00:05:48.050
leadership, money, service. Sometimes the door
00:05:48.050 --> 00:05:52.069
we open feels small to us, but huge to her. Action
00:05:52.069 --> 00:05:54.910
item, create one exposure opportunity this month.
00:05:55.149 --> 00:05:58.430
Invite a girl to attend something with you. Introduce
00:05:58.430 --> 00:06:00.269
her to a woman doing interesting work or let
00:06:00.269 --> 00:06:02.589
her ask questions about your career. Bring her
00:06:02.589 --> 00:06:05.550
behind the scenes. The point is not to map out
00:06:05.550 --> 00:06:07.750
her whole future. The point is just to widen
00:06:07.750 --> 00:06:11.480
her view. And lastly, mentorship is consistency,
00:06:11.939 --> 00:06:15.360
not a title. Cherise used the phrase, pour into
00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:18.959
them. And I love that. Because mentorship is
00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.600
not just a formal program. It's not just giving
00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:24.480
advice once and checking a box. And it's definitely
00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:25.899
not pretending that we have all the answers.
00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:29.980
Mentorship is a consistent investment. Noticing,
00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:33.100
encouraging, following up, asking better questions,
00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:35.259
challenging someone when they're playing small.
00:06:35.500 --> 00:06:38.100
helping them see a future version of themselves.
00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:40.759
Sharice shared a story about her own mentor looking
00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:42.639
at her LinkedIn profile and basically saying,
00:06:42.779 --> 00:06:45.319
this does not fully reflect who you are. And
00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:47.639
that's a perfect example of good mentorship.
00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:51.019
It helps you see what you cannot see. And young
00:06:51.019 --> 00:06:53.180
girls need that too. They need adults who are
00:06:53.180 --> 00:06:55.620
willing to stay engaged past the inspirational
00:06:55.620 --> 00:06:58.519
moments. Because one pep talk, it's nice, but
00:06:58.519 --> 00:07:01.269
consistent support. That's what actually shapes
00:07:01.269 --> 00:07:04.689
people. Action item. Choose one younger person
00:07:04.689 --> 00:07:07.069
that you can be more intentional with. Send the
00:07:07.069 --> 00:07:10.189
text. Ask how things are going. Check in after
00:07:10.189 --> 00:07:12.730
a big event. Ask what's feeling hard. Don't ever
00:07:12.730 --> 00:07:15.230
complicate it. Mentorship does not have to start
00:07:15.230 --> 00:07:18.110
with a formal label. It can start with being
00:07:18.110 --> 00:07:21.110
someone who keeps showing up. Cherise's episode
00:07:21.110 --> 00:07:23.569
is such a strong reminder that leadership development
00:07:23.569 --> 00:07:25.730
does not start when someone gets their first
00:07:25.730 --> 00:07:29.110
job title. It starts much earlier, when a girl
00:07:29.110 --> 00:07:31.750
gives space to speak, when someone notices her
00:07:31.750 --> 00:07:34.129
strength, when she gets a chance to practice
00:07:34.129 --> 00:07:37.149
something new. And that is what makes this conversation
00:07:37.149 --> 00:07:40.410
so relevant to all of us. Whether you're a mom,
00:07:40.689 --> 00:07:43.410
aunt, mentor, manager, coach, teacher, or just
00:07:43.410 --> 00:07:46.110
someone with younger girls in your orbit, you
00:07:46.110 --> 00:07:49.509
have more influence than you think. So if this
00:07:49.509 --> 00:07:51.389
episode spoke to you, go back and listen to the
00:07:51.389 --> 00:07:53.529
full conversation with Charisse. And this week,
00:07:53.589 --> 00:07:55.930
don't just talk about supporting the next generation.
00:07:56.550 --> 00:07:59.290
Give them a rep, open a door, name what you see,
00:07:59.370 --> 00:08:03.089
and keep showing up. Until next time, stay loud
00:08:03.089 --> 00:08:05.110
and keep lifting the girls who are still learning
00:08:05.110 --> 00:08:07.009
how powerful their voice can be.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.100
Welcome to Allowed and Lifted Quick Lift, where
00:00:02.100 --> 00:00:04.679
we take the biggest takeaways from the full conversation
00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:07.660
and turn them into something practical. And the
00:00:07.660 --> 00:00:10.359
episode with Cherise Johnson is such an important
00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:12.960
one, because we spend a lot of time on this podcast
00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:16.379
talking about human leadership, confidence, voice,
00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:19.019
community, mentorship, owning your seat at the
00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:22.239
table. But this conversation was a reminder that
00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:24.600
these things do not suddenly become important
00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:27.980
when women enter the workplace. They start much
00:00:27.980 --> 00:00:30.719
earlier. They start when girls are still figuring
00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:33.759
it out. Do people listen when I speak? Am I allowed
00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:36.899
to take up space? Can I try and not get it perfect?
00:00:37.700 --> 00:00:39.859
And Sharice's work lives right in that space.
00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:42.539
She has spent years helping young people, especially
00:00:42.539 --> 00:00:45.859
girls, build leadership skills, character, confidence,
00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:49.240
and purpose through mentorship, role play, exposure,
00:00:49.479 --> 00:00:52.420
and community. And what I love most about her
00:00:52.420 --> 00:00:55.000
perspective is that it was not fluffy. It was
00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:58.810
practical. patient, and very intentional. So
00:00:58.810 --> 00:01:00.869
here are five takeaways from this conversation
00:01:00.869 --> 00:01:03.890
and one action item for each. Number one, girls
00:01:03.890 --> 00:01:06.230
learn from what we model before they believe
00:01:06.230 --> 00:01:08.430
what we say. One of the things Sharice talked
00:01:08.430 --> 00:01:10.469
about is how she shows up in a room with young
00:01:10.469 --> 00:01:13.189
people. She leads with presence. She speaks clearly.
00:01:13.370 --> 00:01:16.170
She gets their attention. That combination matters
00:01:16.170 --> 00:01:18.790
because we can tell girls all day long to be
00:01:18.790 --> 00:01:20.849
confident, speak up, and believe in themselves.
00:01:21.099 --> 00:01:24.019
but they're also watching us. They're watching
00:01:24.019 --> 00:01:26.959
how we walk into rooms, how we introduce ourselves,
00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:30.000
and how we handle pressure. Also, let's remember,
00:01:30.099 --> 00:01:32.219
they also see how we talk about ourselves when
00:01:32.219 --> 00:01:34.400
we think that no one is really paying attention.
00:01:34.819 --> 00:01:37.159
And let's be honest, they're always paying attention.
00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:40.219
Girls don't just need lectures about confidence.
00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:42.939
They need to see women living it in real time.
00:01:43.159 --> 00:01:46.689
Not perfectly, not always loudly. not even performatively,
00:01:47.290 --> 00:01:50.030
but with groundness, with a sense of I'm allowed
00:01:50.030 --> 00:01:52.310
to be here. That kind of modeling gives girls
00:01:52.310 --> 00:01:54.609
a picture that they can borrow until they can
00:01:54.609 --> 00:01:57.390
build their own. Action item, pick one moment
00:01:57.390 --> 00:01:59.609
this week where a girl in your life can see you
00:01:59.609 --> 00:02:02.430
model grounded leadership. Introduce yourself
00:02:02.430 --> 00:02:05.250
clearly, speak up in a room, set a boundary without
00:02:05.250 --> 00:02:08.050
over explaining, let her see what it looks like
00:02:08.050 --> 00:02:11.069
to take up space without making it weird. Because
00:02:11.069 --> 00:02:13.870
sometimes the lesson is not what we say, it's
00:02:13.870 --> 00:02:17.169
in what they see us do. Number two, leadership
00:02:17.169 --> 00:02:20.050
has to be practiced before it feels natural.
00:02:20.710 --> 00:02:22.710
Cherise talked about using role play and real
00:02:22.710 --> 00:02:24.909
life practice with students, and I love this
00:02:24.909 --> 00:02:27.169
because it's such a good reminder. Leadership
00:02:27.169 --> 00:02:30.330
is not built through one magical moment. It's
00:02:30.330 --> 00:02:32.979
built through reps. Kids need chances to practice
00:02:32.979 --> 00:02:36.199
speaking, practice answering questions, introducing
00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:38.900
themselves, making decisions, leading peers,
00:02:39.699 --> 00:02:41.840
practice recovering when something feels awkward.
00:02:42.219 --> 00:02:44.819
And that matters because we often expect young
00:02:44.819 --> 00:02:47.520
people to suddenly know how to show up with maturity,
00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:50.699
presence, and communication skills. But where
00:02:50.699 --> 00:02:53.500
exactly were they supposed to learn that? Leadership
00:02:53.500 --> 00:02:55.460
does not become natural because someone tells
00:02:55.460 --> 00:02:58.960
you to be a leader, step up. It becomes natural
00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:01.219
because you've been given opportunities to try.
00:03:01.900 --> 00:03:04.780
And yes, sometimes it's clunky and feels uncomfortable.
00:03:05.180 --> 00:03:07.120
They may mumble or freeze or rush through it
00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:08.960
or probably look at the floor and that's okay.
00:03:09.460 --> 00:03:12.500
It's just practice. The goal is not perfection.
00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:16.080
Action item, give a girl in your life one small
00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:18.879
leadership rep this week. Have her order for
00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:21.259
herself. Ask her to introduce herself to someone
00:03:21.259 --> 00:03:24.639
new. Lead a hard conversation. Ask for her opinion
00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:28.020
and wait for a full answer. Small moments count
00:03:28.020 --> 00:03:30.680
because every time she practices using her voice,
00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:33.810
she learns that her voice works. Number three,
00:03:34.330 --> 00:03:37.469
potential is not always obvious at first. One
00:03:37.469 --> 00:03:39.509
of the most powerful stories Charisse shared
00:03:39.509 --> 00:03:41.830
was about a student who completely froze during
00:03:41.830 --> 00:03:43.669
an interview as a freshman. She could barely
00:03:43.669 --> 00:03:45.710
answer the questions. And it would have been
00:03:45.710 --> 00:03:48.289
easy to assume that she wasn't ready and maybe
00:03:48.289 --> 00:03:50.349
not leadership material or not the right fit.
00:03:50.610 --> 00:03:53.129
But Charisse saw something more. She followed
00:03:53.129 --> 00:03:55.310
up. She invited her into a leadership program,
00:03:55.349 --> 00:03:58.050
and she gave her other opportunities. And over
00:03:58.050 --> 00:04:00.870
time, the same student became a senior, speaking
00:04:00.870 --> 00:04:03.550
in front of hundreds of people and also mentoring
00:04:03.550 --> 00:04:06.930
young girls. Love that story. Because potential
00:04:06.930 --> 00:04:10.009
does not always walk around into the room polished.
00:04:10.370 --> 00:04:13.250
Sometimes it's quiet or nervous, and sometimes
00:04:13.250 --> 00:04:16.670
it's buried under fear, anxiety, lack of exposure,
00:04:16.910 --> 00:04:19.689
or just one bad moment. And if we judge too quickly,
00:04:20.009 --> 00:04:23.019
we miss it. This is true with girls, employees,
00:04:23.300 --> 00:04:26.319
and emerging leaders. Sometimes people need someone
00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:29.160
to see what is possible before they can see it
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themselves. Action item, look for a quiet potential
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this week. Not the loudest person or not the
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most polished and not the one already raising
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their hand. Pay attention to the girl who is
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thoughtful, observant, kind, but maybe hesitant.
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Then say something specific like, I noticed how
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carefully you thought about that. You have a
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calm way of leading. Or maybe you may not see
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it yet, but I see leadership in you. The way
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you helped her mattered. Do not praise the outcome.
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Name the strength. This is how people start to
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recognize it in themselves. Number four, exposure
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expands what girls believe is possible. Charisse
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talked about the idea that every 15 -year -old
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should have at least one spark, something that
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brings them joy. fuels them, and helps them imagine
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a bigger future. And one of the ways girls find
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their spark is through exposure. Because how
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can a girl dream about something she's never
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seen? How can she picture herself in a room she's
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never been invited to? How can she imagine a
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career, a calling, a leadership path, or a version
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of success that no one's ever showed her? This
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is where adults have more influence than we realize,
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and exposure does not have to be complicated.
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It can be inviting her to an event. Introducing
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her to someone in your network, letting her shadow
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you, having a real conversation about work or
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leadership, money, service. Sometimes the door
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we open feels small to us, but huge to her. Action
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item, create one exposure opportunity this month.
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Invite a girl to attend something with you. Introduce
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her to a woman doing interesting work or let
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her ask questions about your career. Bring her
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behind the scenes. The point is not to map out
00:06:05.550 --> 00:06:07.750
her whole future. The point is just to widen
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her view. And lastly, mentorship is consistency,
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not a title. Cherise used the phrase, pour into
00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:18.959
them. And I love that. Because mentorship is
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not just a formal program. It's not just giving
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advice once and checking a box. And it's definitely
00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:25.899
not pretending that we have all the answers.
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Mentorship is a consistent investment. Noticing,
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encouraging, following up, asking better questions,
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challenging someone when they're playing small.
00:06:35.500 --> 00:06:38.100
helping them see a future version of themselves.
00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:40.759
Sharice shared a story about her own mentor looking
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at her LinkedIn profile and basically saying,
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this does not fully reflect who you are. And
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that's a perfect example of good mentorship.
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It helps you see what you cannot see. And young
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girls need that too. They need adults who are
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willing to stay engaged past the inspirational
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moments. Because one pep talk, it's nice, but
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consistent support. That's what actually shapes
00:07:01.269 --> 00:07:04.689
people. Action item. Choose one younger person
00:07:04.689 --> 00:07:07.069
that you can be more intentional with. Send the
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text. Ask how things are going. Check in after
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a big event. Ask what's feeling hard. Don't ever
00:07:12.730 --> 00:07:15.230
complicate it. Mentorship does not have to start
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with a formal label. It can start with being
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someone who keeps showing up. Cherise's episode
00:07:21.110 --> 00:07:23.569
is such a strong reminder that leadership development
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does not start when someone gets their first
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job title. It starts much earlier, when a girl
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gives space to speak, when someone notices her
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strength, when she gets a chance to practice
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something new. And that is what makes this conversation
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so relevant to all of us. Whether you're a mom,
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aunt, mentor, manager, coach, teacher, or just
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someone with younger girls in your orbit, you
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have more influence than you think. So if this
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episode spoke to you, go back and listen to the
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full conversation with Charisse. And this week,
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don't just talk about supporting the next generation.
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Give them a rep, open a door, name what you see,
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and keep showing up. Until next time, stay loud
00:08:03.089 --> 00:08:05.110
and keep lifting the girls who are still learning
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how powerful their voice can be.