CandaceDoby

1. It’s a workplace cliché … like stating “no offense” before an insult, and it broadcasts “I don’t really know how to frame this.”

2. Strong ideas don’t need disclaimers; they need clarity. Instead of strengthening your message, this qualifier invites listeners to scrutinize your credibility.

3. Courage requires you to recognize your power, not give it away ... through an unnecessary apology.

4. ​When you lead with this, you diminish your authority before you’ve shared your insight.

💡Courageous communication is the foundation of courageous leadership. And, courageous leadership is the foundation of organizational growth.

That’s why we choose

Reflecting back on a powerful day at the Soirée Women’s Leadership Symposium with Arkansas Business Publishing Group.

We rolled up our sleeves and got equipped with tools of courage, so everyone in the room could take bigger risks and own their brilliance at work. And, we laughed through much of it.

This was a partnership rooted in meaningful connections.

✨ Huge thanks to and her team for being such a joy to work with.

✨ It was a treat to meet fellow keynote speaker Michelle Anne Richardson.

✨And through the crowd, I found Beth — who happens to be good friends with my brother and sister-in-law. (We nearly fell out when we realized the connection. Small world!)

✨Big thanks and a virtual hug to Deia Starr Rank at Speaker Exchange for connecting the dots in a way that only she can.

Ever wished you could snag a private coaching session with me — without clearing your calendar or pulling out your wallet?

Your wish is my command.

Season 4 of The Courage Hotline podcast is gearing up. It’s the place where you get free coaching simply by asking the right question. In every podcast episode, I tackle real-world leadership challenges — no sugarcoating, just actionable insights to help professionals like you get their courage in formation, so you can take action on Monday morning.

And now, I want your tough question on the line. Think of it as crowd-sourced coaching: your burning career conundrum gets answered on-air, and everyone wins.

Record yourself in a quick voice note (30–60 seconds is plenty). Be sure to share background or context for your question, so I can serve up a tailored response.

Email your voice note to [email protected] by May 31. When you do, you’ll be entered to win FREE one-one-coaching.

Yup. One lucky submitter will score a mini coaching package: three one-on-one sessions with yours truly.

Let’s go!!

Well, that was fun!

Big thanks to Tina and Emily from Dance Studio Owners Association for inviting me to share tools of courage to help members lead and lean into hard conversations.

What a thoughtful and engaged group! The questions were sharp, specific, and showed just how much members cared about growing their business and nurturing their culture with a strong foundation of courageous communication.

Here are three alternatives to help you share your perspective without softening your message:

Build a Bridge.
Connect your idea to one that has been previously shared in the room. For example, “Here’s an approach that might complement our current thinking.”

Express Your Interest in the Team’s Success.
Framing your idea as a contribution to the team can lend a sense of purpose to what you’re sharing. For example, “To help us succeed, I suggest we look at…”

Show curiosity rather than doubt.
If you’re introducing a new concept, framing it as curiosity rather than self-doubt can invite conversation. “Here’s a different angle I’m considering…” or “What if we tried ...”

By owning your ideas and presenting them without preambles that signal doubt, you give them the best chance to be heard and respected.

For more leadership communication tips, sign up for the newsletter. Link in bio.

One thing about me is that I love a good story.

Luckily, my clients and audiences do, too.

What is the hardest part about being a manager?

An audience member from one of my recent programs shared that she considered giving critical feedback “the hardest part about being a manager.”

You might agree that delivering critical feedback feels risky.

What’s at risk is the loss of cooperation or harmony with the person you’re delivering the feedback to. You don’t want to be the “bad guy” or create tension between you two.

You’re afraid of losing social connection.

Giving critical feedback can also feel incredibly hard because you don’t know the right approach or strategy to deliver it.

All of this is true. AND, I’ve come to learn through my work that the difficulty starts, really, with how you view critical feedback, in the first place. You consider it as a hand-slap ... a penalty ... a dirty job. And, this mindset impacts how you approach delivery.

You may serve up a long preamble. You water down the feedback. You delegate it.

💡 But, what if you simply reframed critical feedback as a gift, rather than a “got you.”

When leaders reframe critical feedback as a gift, the entire dynamic shifts. Instead of viewing it as a punishment or confrontation, it becomes an act of service — a way to help someone grow and succeed.

✅ What if you told someone you were offering feedback because that person deserves to gain greater access to their potential?

✅ What if you signaled that your feedback was an indication of how much you respect the person you’re giving it to?

When delivered thoughtfully, critical feedback builds trust, strengthens relationships, and fuels professional growth.

My 3-year-old daughter has been asking all weekend, “How are we going to celebrate MLK day?”

We can all start by openly, unapologetically, and courageously speaking up for ourselves.

If courage was a person — (and, I often think of my internal voice of courage as a no-nonsense, side-eyeing bestie, who has little patience for limited growth for the sake of maintaining the status quo) — it would have a face.

That face, particularly when it shows up in the workplace, would have two equally fierce sides.

😉 One side of courage is “organizational responsibility”, meaning the leaders of an organization have a responsibility to create an environment where professionals feel supported, empowered, and, most importantly, psychologically safe.

😉 The other side of courage is “personal responsibility.” It’s about each professional stepping boldly into their power and potential. Even in the most supportive workplaces, courage only has half a chance of flourishing if each professional hides behind self-doubt or fear of rocking the boat.

When these two sides of courage — organizational responsibility and personal responsibility — come together with a full face beat, workplaces become hubs of innovation, inclusivity, and growth.

One thing I know about myself is that I like using the rule of three, particularly in speaking and writing.

For instance, I leverage my background, education and experiences (rule of three) and combine the academic, artist and activist (rule of three) to uniquely approach courageous communication and leadership in the workplace.

So, when my client, Heather, told me I hit a trifecta after a recent program, I couldn’t do anything but smile. (Actually, I was cheesin’.)