Welcome to our session today. The title of our fireside chat is can technology help decode the global workplace at every level?My name is Gail Moody Byrd, and I will be chatting with Ebony Beckwith, our special guest. Ebony is a speaker, advisor, executive coach, and founder of Framework. The fireside chat topics that we're gonna cover today will be the rooms that we've seen, the framework. What are the invisible rules that govern corporate America? And then stop hoping, start moving. We're gonna begin with, an introduction to hear from Ebony and hear about her background, and then we will get right into the fireside chat. So, Ebony, welcome to this session. I want you to, lean in a little bit and tell us, about framework, about your background, and, we'll get into the chat.

So let's talk about, who you are and, what you found missing in the conversation and in the discourse that led you to where you are today. Sure.

And thanks so much for, moderating this, and I love that we get an opportunity to have this chat together, Gail. It's such a privilege to be here with you. And hi, everyone. Great to be here with you all too. So I've had the rare experience of sitting in boardrooms, c suites, IT war rooms, philanthropic strategy meetings, and everything in between over my career. And so I've seen how decisions really get made, what's said, what's left unsaid. And over the years, I've realized that what's missing wasn't more talent, more hustle. It was really a blueprint for success. It wasn't that that blueprint wasn't just performance based. It was, like, culture aware because we all know that there are two handbooks that they give you when you start.

There's the one that they hand you, like, that employee handbook that we caught all just, like, uh-huh, and we sign because we want the job, and we're really excited. And then there's that one that you have to decode for yourself. And these unwritten rules govern who rises and who doesn't. And most people, I think, are just playing this game without knowing the playbook. So I created framework to help decode those invisible rules and to help people stop hoping and start moving with intention because I think so many people are waiting for their work to speak for themselves, for someone to finally recognize their potential. And, yes, visibility is definitely your currency. I believe that. But visibility alone won't get you there. You have to know how to read the room, how to build influence, how to navigate power structures because power structures do exist.

And you have to know how to navigate those with clarity and confidence. And technology can definitely support that process, but it definitely starts with that awareness. Because once you understand the system, you don't just survive it. You learn how to shape it. And that's what I like teaching people how to do, Gail. Mhmm.

Why do you think these conversations haven't come up? Is it that people aren't aware or that there isn't the safe space to engage?

I think it's a little bit of both. If we one, if you don't know, you don't know. Two, I think a lot of the conversation has been gatekept from people. People like, you know, knowing that they have it, like, a secret a secret that they're not sharing with others. And then, you know, I I don't think that others necessarily know how to share, you know, that secret that they've tapped into. They don't know how to unlock it for others. And so that's one of the things I love doing. That's what we talk about this decoding and demystifying it. So we help people do that framework.

One of the reasons I'm so happy to do this at the Women in Tech Global Conference is my experience, I think guys are more comfortable having these conversations, and I think we have to learn how to be more open in understanding these things, that it's not manipulative, that it's not, sort of subterranean conversation that you can yell, but it's perfectly fine and it happens every day.

But somehow, I think the rules for women feel a little bit different. How do you think about that?

That's right. I think one of the biggest career unlocks and one of the things that's hardest to teach because so many of us were taught to be polite and prim and proper and wait our turn, follow the rules. And don't get me wrong. Home training is super valuable. Thank you, Deborah Freelix. It's my mom, for all the home training. But in the corporate culture, especially at the highest levels, it can actually hold you back if you're not careful. I had to learn that, you know, waiting to be noticed is not a strategy. Reading the room starts with observation. Every workplace has its own culture. And if you're not paying attention, you'll keep playing by the rules of the last room you were in.

And those don't always apply to the corporate structure that you're in. Just a side note, I hate it when, there's a person at your job. I don't know if you've ever noticed this or come across people like this. They're like, at my last company at my last company, we did this. And at my last company, we did that. And you're like, okay. Well, then why did you leave? You know? Learn the culture that you're in. So I think some things to note are, you know, who speaks freely in meetings? Who gets interrupted? Who doesn't? Who does your boss really listen to? If you are that leader, who are you listening to and leaning into, you know, to get advice from and feedback from? What gets celebrated and what quietly gets ignored? I remember when I transitioned from banking into tech, I had to completely relearn what credibility looked like. In banking, it was suits, structure, polish.

I wore my hair pulled back in a ponytail. I had, you know, glasses. Even though I did meet up, they were, like, clear first. And in tech, during my interview process, I got to the inner the elevator with Marc Benioff, and he's in Hawaiian shirt and shorts, khaki shorts. And that moment in retrospect taught me a lot because it wasn't about blending in. It was about showing up again with confidence and clarity. So if you're trying to decode your own workplace culture, here are a few tips that I I share with my clients. First of all, get curious. Listen more than you speak. Watch who holds influence and how do they use it. Two, speak up in those small moments, and that's really how you build trust and learn really what lands. Three, notice what gets rewarded, not just what gets praised.

Sometimes those two things can be the same. But more often than not, they're not the same. But notice what gets actually that drives the outcomes. And then don't assume that the rules are fair or that they're fixed. Your job isn't to follow every rule. For the rule followers out there, I'm a rule follower. Our job is not to follow every single rule, but it's to understand which ones matter and how to move through them with intention.

And so one of the things that some of the viewers might be thinking about is, gee, this corporate thing sounds really hard. Why do you want it all? You know, I've gone to reunions, college reunions, business school reunions, and so many folks are entering the work world through entrepreneurship. And so many people may be thinking, why corporate? What's the advantage of doing this for a while before entrepreneurship? How do you think about the trade offs between doing your own thing, what you're doing now versus working for a corporation? And and what are the trade offs in terms of having to learn a culture and fit in versus building your own? How do you think about that economy?

Well, that's a that's a fair question. I think more people are going straight from college into entrepreneurship now because now more than ever, there's a proven path. The playbook is out there. It's fun. It's cool. And younger folks are seeing their people their age building businesses, raising capital. Things are going viral. And there are tools and platforms that have made it so much easier to start something from scratch. And that's great. It's easier than ever to scale and build quickly. And it looks possible. In many cases, it is. And we definitely need that. We need the builders. We need the innovators. We need the people that are willing to bet on themselves from day one. That's great. We also need people who are willing to learn how systems actually work from the inside.

I think corporate environments can teach you things that are much easier lessons to learn on someone else's time, like how to manage a team, how to navigate power dynamics, how to build a budget, scale an operation, how to influence without authority, things like that. And that's free education in how organizations succeed or how they stall. And I remember somewhere along the way, I got the advice, study what works and watch what breaks. And that really stuck with me because once you've seen it up close, you can take those lessons and use them to build something better. Whether that's your own company, which is something I'm doing, a nonprofit, which is something I built at another company, or a stronger team in your next role. Right? So let's be real. None of us need, but we we need more insights as we need to learn sorry. My words are getting mixed up. I'm so excited about this. We need to shift culture from within.

And if we just go jump straight to entrepreneurship, we won't have the people who know how to do that. And as technology continues to transform how work is happening, we'll need people who understand both the human side and the digital sides of leadership. And if we all walk away from the table, then we'll lose the chance to shape that. So I think, yeah, go build the systems, go dream, but don't underestimate the power of how to how understanding how system works. So when it's your turn to lead, you're you're not guessing, but you're ready. You're really, really ready.

And and also learning from the masters. So when you're at Yeah. A company like SAP or at a division of Microsoft, which is what LinkedIn is, seeing them prepare for things like the quarterly meetings. How do we talk about financials? What are the headlines you choose when you're talking to the market? Because all of this is analyst driven. It's stock market driven. But seeing this masterful play of how the story is spun and how you portray your business results within the market, there's so much to learn from seeing it done at a massive scale of a $30,000,000,000 company or a $14,000,000,000 company. So I'm sure with the rooms that you were in at Salesforce, just seeing how stories were told about where the business was going, even understanding that at that level, they don't always understand or know the answer, but there is an answer anyway. So just the mastery of communication to the market is something that I found fascinating at every large company that I've worked for.

And I think there's so much there that you can apply to your business when you're ready to be an entrepreneur, but there's just so much to learn. So learn it on someone else's dime.

Yeah. And like I said, there's room for both. And I love that, you know, as we were talking before, you know, there, when we were in college that entrepreneurship courses didn't exist. You know, it was something that older people did. It was more mom and pop. It wasn't, you know, as it is now. But I do believe that, you know, it's a it's a more understood path, but the corporate path is for someone like me. I did not think that I could work for myself until now. And I did learn it on someone else's dime, and I'm so glad that I did. And I got to test the technology.

I knew the exact systems and structures that I wanted to put in place when I was ready to build my own business when the time was right. Yeah.

So let's talk about when it's time to go or when you know that you've been in an environment, you've had great sponsors, things have gone well, but it's time to shift. How do you read the room to say, I've done everything I can with this organization, and it's time to find another pasture? How do you think about that? How do you read that room? What are the signals that you've seen, and what advice would you give?

That's a good one. Yeah. So, knowing when it's time to leave your current role isn't always about burnout or a bad boss. So I'll start with that. Sometimes it's about recognizing that you've outgrown the opportunity and that the growth you need next isn't available where you currently are. And that's a leadership skill too. The ability to read the room, not just for the company, but for your own self. So I would say start noticing that the work you that used to challenge you, does it now feel just routine? Are your ideas not being acted on if you've surfaced them? Is your vision bigger than the role that you're in? And when those signals start showing up really consistently and you've tried to evolve from within and you've hit that ceiling, then it might be time to to build your success platform somewhere else, and that's okay.

So, you know, this session you know, we've we've been talking about, like, how to decode the workplace at every level, and and that includes this knowing when to move on. And and I think that tech platforms and their three sixty tools and coaching apps and even internal dashboards that can offer you signals. You know, are you growing faster than your role? Are you getting the right feedback from your, you know, boss? Or are you just receiving recycled praise? That's something to look for.

Recycled is recycled praise.

What? It's recycled praise. Recycled braids is, you know, are you just a lot of people I hear, you know, tell me, but my boss just gives me I ask consistently ask for feedback, and they just tell me I'm doing a good job over and over again. It feels like like I tell my puppy. Good boy. Good boy. Good puppy. You know? And it's just like they just give you the same platitudes over and over again. They don't really offer you anything new, or anything constructive. You know, we all have things to work on. And I think receive giving and receiving feedback is a gift. And knowing how to accept feedback, is something that is learned. It's not criticism.

So you want feedback, and you want that, you know, critical eye in order for you to grow. If everyone is telling you all the time that you're you're the best and, you know, whatever, that's not actually you may be a top performer, but there's always room to grow. And I always look for bosses who were like, yes. You're great, but you can improve here. It was tough to learn that skill, but I didn't want, like, you're amazing. You know? That echo chamber of awesomeness is not great for growth and pushing to the next level. Go ahead, Kara. Go ahead, Kara.

Well, I was just gonna say, I think the the idea of thinking about your career as a portfolio of experience is reading one room is one thing. But, you know, looking back on careers and, you know, I'm able to do that at this stage. Everything's a building block. Nothing is permanent in this very shifting environment and economy now. Thinking about this as movement, thinking about roles as building blocks and building a personal framework, I'd say, for how do you wanna advance your career is really it's what I'm excited about, in terms of the business that you're building. Are there any parting thoughts or things that you'd like to leave folks with in that realm of stop hoping, start moving? I know you gave some tips earlier, but just the the exciting thing is building a framework for one's life.

And how how do you think about

that? Yeah. I think that, I think success isn't just about talent. It's about translation. And the most effective people today aren't just working hard. They've learned how to read the rooms, navigate the power structures they're in, and move with intention inside of the system that they're working in. And technology can help decode the workplace at every level, but it's only as powerful as the awareness that you have behind it. So whether you're early in your career, you're pivoting, or leading at the top, don't just play the game. You have to learn how to decode it. And when those rules stop serving you, you have to be bold enough to rewrite them.

Right. Okay. So I want to end on a note of an invitation. First of all, Ebony, thank you so much for your valuable insights. You've been in those rooms. You've got such wisdom. Thank you for sharing, with our audience today what you've learned. I wanna invite people to stay connected. You see here Ebony's, website, leadershipframework.com, and also her LinkedIn profile. You also see for me, my LinkedIn profile. This conversation can continue. It can continue on the platform. That's what LinkedIn is for. Please reach out. We also are happy I see a couple of questions in the chat, and, let's keep the dialogue going. It's very exciting. I I say onward and upward at the end of every conversation that I have with folks, but you have been a fantastic audience. Thank you so much for joining, and please enjoy the rest of the conference. Okay. There we are.

And then, I I guess we get the recording, but I don't know.

Hold on. Let me see if I can try it again.

I see. Yep. Yep. Let's see.

K. I hung up. Yep. Where did my face go? Where's my face? Where's my

face? What? Hold on.

Hold on.

How did you disappear?

I don't know. It's still okay. Okay. It's still, like, loading by camera. It's my face. It's gonna come on now. Come on.

Okay. Because I have a bigger there you go. Oh my god. This is fine. Okay. So can you take a screenshot?

I'll see. Let me see if

I can forward a little bit so your face is larger in the frame.

Okay. Hold on. I might need to put a booster. I should've flop it. I have a I have, like, a booster.

Yeah. I have one of these metal things that mine sits on to get it more at eye level. That that way you're sort of, like, from breastbone breastbone up. I'm like, okay. Let me see. Go ahead. You know, they did not they didn't tell us if there's a replay or if they do a click because it still says it's recording. It's still there's still five people on.

Well, hello, all five of you. Yeah. Hello. I are gonna do screenshot. Okay. K. You said back. I said forward, so we could've even out. Out. Okay.

Okay. Alright. Here we go. Like that. Like that.

Like that. Okay. Hold on. Hold on. I have to look at it.

Got it?

Wait. Hold on. Let me just tell you.

Okay. I'll wear goose. Isn't it like reiterating your three points of here's the approach? Also, what I loved is why you started the business, the boy that you saw in the market and the conversations that weren't being had, especially for women.

Yeah.

How we're, you know, self promotion is not polite.

I'm gonna take it out of my mouth. It looks cheesy. Hold on.

And then

Wait. I take it out of my mouth.

Okay. You look amazing. You stay amazing. Hold on. I'm a blank I took a school

portrait for my fourth grade photo. Okay. Oh, okay.

Oh, thank you.

I got a direct message. Okay. Hold on. It's hard to do. K.

You got it?

Okay. Alright. Hold on. No. Smile. Okay. Let me look like a group again. Oh, this way we're happy. We look like we're in the middle like, somebody caught us smile. Okay.

Like, we're laughing. I'm having a good time. So when you do your post, then I'll I'll reshare it.

Okay. Look at these two. Okay. Hold on.

You wanna

oh. Yes. I'll I'll I'll, let me work on that.

Oh, I see. I see.

Do you see the two?

Glasses on. Hold on.

And then you'll find us, a place to go in, Lafayette so you can go for lunch?

I will. Right.

I

will. I will. They look they're equally oh, I like the first one. No. Second one has some, oh, you could crop it, but it's got some Some what? At the bottom.

What? Oh, okay. I'll crop that up at the bottom.

Yeah. The first one's a little you probably cropped the right side, but, whatever you think. Just with appropriate cropping, I think they're just they're fine.

Okay. I can crop. Just crop the crop the media at the bottom. Right? Yeah. Mhmm. Alright. Okay. Yeah. And then you want me to are there points that you want me to, make sure I say?

You mentioned the three step process.

Oh, uh-huh.

So I thought that was great. That would be the middle. I think the beginning is what conversation isn't being had? What's the void? What's missing? What what did you find missing in the public discourse that led you to found framework? What is the unmet need? Okay. And then the three step approach, which sounds like the framework. And then, you know, how to get moving. But I think this idea of you must climb the corporate ladder, and if you don't, you're a failure, I think. Especially with so much chatter about layoffs and things, people are judging themselves really harshly. Yeah. The idea that it's life is a portfolio of experiences.

Do you are you gonna share that in your post?

I was I I mean, I wanna support you and your business, so I was gonna take whatever you write and just share it.

But I okay. But

I mean, I could Yeah.

You can add what you put on there to your post. Like, you can repost it now. So then yeah. Yeah. I like that.

I have so many

more questions to ask you, but I don't wanna ask on this forum. So,

Okay. Well, let me my lunch. Let me offer some times. When when do you travel next?

I go out of town. So you have guests coming in town Thursday, and then, I leave on Tuesday, and they come back in town. They're like they're breaking up their time. So the week of June 3 and June 9, I have a lot more availability.

Okay. Alright. We'll go with that.

Okay. Great.

I'll send you some time. This was so much fun. Thank you. Ping me when your post is ready.

Okay. Alright. I'll work on that now.

Okay. Alright. Let leverage the platform for all it's got. Like, what do we say? Write once, publish everywhere?

Okay. Okay. I'm gonna get all those tips from you too.