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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/stop-surviving-start-leading-with-joy
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Today, on A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, hosts Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed sit down with Sheryl Raphael Whitaker, founder and CEO of Eden Anthony Elite Talent Solutions and author of It Starts with Joy. In this powerful conversation, Sheryl pulls back the curtain on the hidden toll of leadership, toxic work environments, emotional labor, and the quiet pressure to be perfect at all costs.
After nearly being broken by a toxic leader, Sheryl chose a different path. She shares how joy became her turning point, not as a reward, but as a leadership strategy. Through her Joy Shift method, she explains how leaders can move out of survival mode and into purpose-driven, sustainable leadership that honors both performance and well-being.
This episode challenges everything we’ve been taught about grit, hustle, and burnout. If you’re tired of leading on empty, carrying the emotional weight no one sees, and mistaking survival for success, this conversation is your wake-up call. Joy isn’t soft. It’s how real leadership begins.
00:00: Horrible Bosses: A Personal Story
00:40: Introducing the Podcast and Guest
01:56: Meet Sheryl Raphael Whitaker
05:13: The Impact of Toxic Leadership
07:27: The Janet Story: A Catalyst for Change
19:52: Coping with Stress and MS
25:58: The Joy Shift Method
31:32: Realizing the Problem
32:0: Strategic Career Moves
32:32: Toxic Work Environment
33:17: Letting Go and Moving On
36:53: Defining Joy
38:27: Joy in Leadership
41:17: Spreading Joy
47:33:Types of Leaders
50:30: Joyful Encounters
54:11: Final Thoughts on Joy
58:40: Podcast Closing Remarks
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