Across The Pond Talk

The Art of Office Politics: How to Lead with Strategy and Confidence

For Black and women of colour in leadership, excelling at work often requires more than just competence it requires a deep understanding of the unspoken rules of office politics. While these dynamics can feel overwhelming or even discouraging, the truth is, navigating them with grace, strategy and authenticity can help propel your career to new heights.

In the professional world, particularly for Black and women of colour, the ability to engage with office politics can be the difference between remaining stagnant or achieving your full potential. Office politics doesn’t mean playing games or manipulating situations. Instead, it’s about understanding how the workplace ecosystem operates and how to position yourself in a way that aligns with both your personal values and career ambitions.

3 Key Ways Office Politics Manifests for Black Women in Leadership

Leading with Confidence and Compassion

Great leaders are not just experts in their fields they are advocates for empowerment, equity and resilience. Leadership is about inspiring change and no one exemplifies this better than Dr. Priscilla J. Murphy. From her beginnings as a Registered Nurse to her impactful work as a Mental Health Counselor and Motivational Speaker, Dr. Murphy has committed her career to helping individuals break through barriers, particularly within under represented communities, while also prioritising their mental health.

In an era where workplace stress and mental health challenges are at an all-time high, Dr. Murphy’s perspective is more relevant than ever. Neuroscience research consistently shows that emotional regulation, the ability to manage stress and maintain mental clarity—is key to effective leadership. Leaders who prioritize mental well-being are more resilient, exhibit better decision-making skills, and build more engaged, motivated teams. Dr. Murphy’s work directly aligns with this scientific understanding, as she teaches professionals how to…

Breaking the Stigma: Dismantling Mental Health Stigma in the Workplace

The landscape of leadership has shifted dramatically in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with leaders being forced to adapt quickly to an increasingly complex and uncertain world. Mental health has taken center stage, as the global crisis brought to light the importance of well-being both for leaders and their teams.

Yet, despite this, mental health stigma remains a barrier, particularly within the professional and leadership circles, where vulnerability is often seen as a weakness.

Dr. Priscilla J. Murphy, a Registered Nurse, Mental Health Counselor and motivational speaker, has spent decades working to dismantle this stigma. Her mission is clear: to create safe spaces where leaders can prioritise their mental health without fear of judgment.

Dr. Murphy’s work has focused on breaking down barriers for diverse communities, empowering individuals to seek professional mental health services and manage their life transitions with confidence and…

Workplace Civility, DEI, and Career Progression: A New Touchpoint for Transformation

In today’s professional landscape, the conversation around workplace civility and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is more vital than ever. Both play crucial roles in shaping the environment in which professionals thrive, but they serve distinct yet complementary purposes.

Workplace civility is about creating respectful, considerate and professional interactions at every level. It’s the day-to-day kindness, politeness and thoughtfulness that builds a culture where individuals feel seen, valued and heard. However, while civility sets the foundation for positive relationships, it doesn't inherently address the deeper, systemic issues that can hold people back, especially within historically marginalised groups.

This is where DEI comes in.

DEI efforts focus on dismantling structural barriers, fostering diversity, ensuring equity and creating inclusive environments where all individuals can succeed and grow without bias or hindrance. It goes beyond just a friendly work environment, it challenges the systems that impact…

Prioritise Your Wellness in the Workplace and Business

As professional women, we often prioritise work and career growth, leaving our wellness on the backburner. However, Dr. Priscilla J. Murphy MS, MEd, BSN, RN, LPCMH, Founder and CEO of Nylex Educational & Counselling Services Inc. As well as being a distinguished expert in counselling, education and healthcare training the importance of mental health and wellness in our leadership journeys. For over two decades, she has worked tirelessly to promote mental health awareness, particularly within diverse populations, to combat the stigma that often accompanies seeking support.

Dr. Murphy’s career journey has spanned across nursing, mental health counseling and healthcare advocacy. Her focus has always been on providing holistic care, ensuring that individuals feel heard, supported, and empowered as they navigate life’s transitions.

Her transition into mental health counseling in 1999 was a pivotal moment, allowing her to leverage her nursing expertise and advocacy work to support…

Assertive? You’re labelled aggressive. Reserved? You lack presence. Passionate? You’re too emotional. Leadership frameworks still reward one dominant style and it’s rarely one shaped by the lived experience of women of colour. The workplace may preach diversity, but too often it still promotes conformity.

Most mainstream leadership programmes are designed through a Eurocentric lens, prioritising traits like executive presence, charisma and linear communication. But these markers of “effectiveness” can clash with cultural ways of speaking, leading, or resolving conflict. As a result, women of colour are often forced to choose between authenticity and acceptance.

You’ve got the experience. The outcomes. The leadership acumen. Yet somehow, your name doesn’t make the shortlist. You’re not alone. From Silicon Valley to Westminster, leadership pipelines continue to fail women of colour not because of a lack of talent, but due to the calcified systems built to gate-keep it.

Leadership development programmes and succession planning are often shaped by unspoken criteria based on who “looks the part,” who fits the cultural mould, who is already known. A landmark study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that even with similar qualifications and experiences, Black applicants were significantly less likely to be shortlisted for leadership positions in the UK. In fact, during the pandemic and post-pandemic restructuring, Black and Asian professionals were among the first to be let g often…

You’re mentoring junior staff. Educating colleagues on bias. Sitting on the diversity panel. All while delivering KPIs. Sound familiar? For women of colour, this unpaid emotional and cultural labour is a daily reality and it’s rarely acknowledged as leadership.

The modern workplace often frames this contribution as “extra” or “nice to have,” yet research shows it is essential to the social cohesion and ethical integrity of organisations. But at what cost?

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t just disrupt education it exposed every crack in the system. From infrastructure gaps to digital exclusion, millions of students were left behind while teachers scrambled to adapt. And now, AI is being positioned as the solution to everything.  Personalised learning, automated grading, real-time feedback, but we must ask who is steering this transformation and what values are guiding it?

AI in education promises scale and efficiency, but without diverse leadership and inclusive design, it risks reproducing the same inequities that have always existed this time at lightning speed. Post-pandemic, learners and educators alike are seeking not just technology, but trust, connection and support.

In regions where many women still don’t have a bank account like Africa, India and parts of Latin America AI isn’t just enhancing banking, it’s leapfrogging it. These markets are embracing mobile-first solutions, decentralised finance and community-driven fintech to reach millions. Meanwhile, legacy institutions across the West remain mired in outdated infrastructure, regulatory gridlock and a culture of incrementalism that stifles progress.

While the Western banking system struggles with trust, bureaucracy and slowness, emerging markets are innovating out of necessity. For women in developed markets particularly women over 40 in leadership this creates a sharp pivot point. Do we maintain tradition or do we reimagine access, equity and value creation?

AI is revolutionising healthcare. From early diagnostics and predictive care to virtual assistants and wellness tracking. But as the systems get smarter, public trust is falling behind. Why? Because people aren’t just asking “Can AI treat me?” they’re asking “Who’s watching?”, “Where is my data going?” and “What’s being sold without my consent?”

This shift toward data-driven healthcare has exposed a major gap in trust, transparency and accountability. And that’s where experienced leaders especially women 40+ can step in with unique authourity.

No matter how advanced the tech, it still can’t replicate:

• Compassion in patient care

Transport is becoming smarter, faster and more automated. But as we race toward innovation, we must ask who is designing these systems and for whom?

From autonomous vehicles to smart city planning, AI is revolutionising how we move. But equitable access, ethical infrastructure and sustainability require more than just code. They require community insight and responsible leadership.

Design Your Leadership Intentions

A Personal Blueprint for Purpose, Power & Progress

You’re not just leading a team or a business, you’re leading a vision, a legacy and a future that demands clarity, courage and intention.

That’s why we’ve created a powerful new resource for the Across the Pond community inside SistaTalk:

"Design Your Leadership Intentions for 2025" –a FREE downloadable worksheet to help you align your goals, values and impact in the year ahead.

Leading with Confidence: Harnessing AI for Women in the Workplace and Business

Are you ready to redefine your leadership for the digital age?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t the future, it’s now. And the most powerful women in business aren’t just watching the shift, they’re leading it.

Join us for the next Across the Pond session "Leading With Confidence: Harnessing AI for Women in the Workplace and Business" A dynamic and forward-thinking webinar that will equip you to lead with clarity, purpose and cutting-edge strategy in an AI-driven world.

Whether you’re just starting your business or already leading a team this session will transform how you think about leadership, innovation and growth.