7 | POTENTIAL

Towanna Burrous is the President of the Coach Diversity Institute that teaches people to become amazing coaches.

In this episode, Towanna points out the major issue that people of color and women face when they are trying to move up in the workplace. Supervisors and bosses looked for "demonstrated abilities" instead of their potential. 

She used her experiences to become a trend-setter in the mentoring and coaching roles for women, people of color, high school students, and her community. She knows to look for POTENTIAL in people, not just their "demonstrated abilities."

The Burnt Out Experience

Towanna's experience with feeling burnt out involved a non-profit she created that mentored young girls to move forward, go to college, and to keep following their dreams. She was working SO hard and her mentality was that "if I didn't do it, then who would?" She didn't have enough rest, their was a lot of stress, and people were counting on her. 

How did she deal?  Mentorship

Towanna also describes her mentors as friends she still has today. She passionately expresses her gratitude for her mentors and says she can still quote some of the pep-talks she was give 20 some years ago.

Drawing From Her Roots

During the episode, Towanna explains that she sometimes has to do things and make moves on her own, but she draws from her roots to keep her strong. Her grandfather, as she describes in this episode of Burnt Out, is a big source of motivation. Her grandfather did what he had to do in order to contribute to the legacy of Towanna's family. 

Rest

Feeling burnt out for Towanna means she is just so physically exhausted that she needs a break. She takes some time for herself to practice self-care and grab some much needed zzzz's. 

What Makes a Good Leader?

Honesty
Consistency
Be able to say no
Be able to grow
Be able to do things that aren't popular

Notable Quotes "Being alone does not mean you are lonely."