Good Vibes Leadership with Bernadette Smith

I recently sat in a room of strangers — different backgrounds, different everything — and within an hour we were sharing grief and shame. Heavy stuff for a Saturday morning. But here's what I keep relearning: connection doesn't require similarity. It requires honesty. And somebody has to go first. In this week's Good Vibes Leadership, that's the thread — what happens when you're willing to go first, whether that's in a living room or a boardroom. Takeaways Going first changes the room: The person who says the tough true thing sets the tone for everyone else. Honesty over sameness: You don't need common ground to connect — you need courage. Your Challenge: Think about the rooms you're in this week. Will you be willing to go first? Good Vibes to Go: Check out the comedy of ALOK — they're on tour and genuinely hilarious. One of our own team members is driving from Chicago to Grand Rapids just to see them. That's a good vibe. Connect with Me The Newsletter: This week I wrote about student dignity in Philadelphia schools, Jake Adicoff making Paralympic history, NYC's new LGBTQIA+ Affairs office, Disney singing in sign language, and WNBA pay finally matching the talent. Subscribe to the 5 Things Newsletter here. Work with Me: Let's talk. Watch 5 Things on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

In this micro-lesson, I'm breaking down the Bubble World theory of inclusive leadership — why most collisions at work aren't malicious, they're assumptions — and how the ARC Method® gives us a way to move through the world without bursting each other's bubbles. Plus: we built an actual game to practice it. Link in the show notes. Takeaways The Bubble World Metaphor: Why picturing our lived experiences as invisible protective bubbles changes how we think about conflict and triggered reactions at work Trauma Soup and What Causes It: Most workplace collisions aren't about bad intent — they're about skipping the ask and charging forward on assumptions The ARC Method® as Your Bubble Shield: How Ask. Respect. Connect. gives you a practical tool to move with more intention through every conversation Your Challenge: Think of the last time you bounced into someone's bubble without meaning to. What would one better question have changed? Good Vibes to Go: If you haven’t watched any of the Paralympics, please do! I’m inspired by the athletes’ determination. This is the last weekend. You can watch clips on NBC/Peacock. Connect with Me The Newsletter: This week in the newsletter, I wrote about paid job pathways for refugees, neurodivergebt talent leading in advertising, Amtrak making station support easier for disabled passengers, and more! Subscribe to the 5 Things Newsletter here.  Work with Me: Let’s talk. Watch 5 Things on YouTube. Play Bubble World (not mobile-friendly yet) Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

I spent time this week in a musical improv class, and it was a masterclass in one thing: staying on the beat. In improv, if your mind wanders for even a second, you’re out of sync with the whole team. It made me think about a request my son made when he was little for my "phone-free attention." That request stuck with me because giving someone our undivided focus is the most basic act of leadership we can offer. In this micro-lesson, I’m exploring why inclusion isn’t a grand gesture—it’s the radical, simple act of being fully present. Takeaways: The Gift of Presence: Why undivided attention is a non-negotiable leadership skill. Mental Leftovers: How to stop dragging the energy of your last "scene" into your next meeting. Tactical Grounding: Why staying in the moment sometimes requires tools like compartmentalizing (or even fidget toys). Your Challenge: Where are you finding it hard to stay on the beat today, and what’s one thing you can do to tune back in? Good Vibes to Go: Watch the documentary Come See Me in the Good Light on Apple TV. It’s about poet Andrea Gibson navigating their terminal diagnosis. It sounds dark but it’s actually joyful, love-filled, and even funny. Connect with Me The Newsletter: This week in the newsletter, I wrote about prime-time disability leadership in Major League Baseball coverage, funding the first Inuit-led university, and more! Subscribe to the 5 Things Newsletter here.  Work with Me: Let’s talk. Watch 5 Things on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Summary: I’m currently taking an improv class, and it has highlighted a major leadership blind spot: the leftover vibe. In improv, if you carry the "stiffness" of a bad day onto the stage, the scene fails. Leadership is no different. We play many roles—the efficient delegator, the empathetic coach, the bold visionary. These aren't masks; they are authentic "costumes" we wear to meet the moment. But if you don't "shake out" the energy of a budget crisis before walking into a sensitive one-on-one, your team feels that residue. This episode is about the power of the 30-second transition and why your energy speaks louder than your words. Takeaways Energy is Pre-Planned: Just like an improviser chooses a vibration for a scene, you can consciously choose the energy you bring into a room. The Hazard of Residue: Carrying stress from one meeting to the next isn't just a personal burden; it’s a "vibe-killer" for your team that prevents real connection. Costumes vs. Masks: Adapting your energy for different leadership roles is an act of respect and intentionality, not a lack of authenticity. The 30-Second Reset: Before your next call, literally "shake it out." Take half a minute to shed the previous meeting so you can show up fully for the person in front of you. Good Vibes to Go:  For those of you into HGTV-type shows, check out Homegrown on HBO. Hosted by urban farmer Jamila Norman, it’s a joyful, grounding series that helps families transform their yards into thriving food gardens while celebrating Black agricultural traditions and food justice. We love this show! Connect with Me The Newsletter: This week in the newsletter, I wrote about trash bags turned into duffels, protest songs turned into $600,000, classrooms turning fast fashion on its head, courtrooms redefining family, a global vote affirming who counts, and more! Subscribe to the 5 Things Newsletter here.  Work with Me: Let’s talk. Watch 5 Things on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

5 Things: Good Vibes in DEI is now Good Vibes Leadership What's that? I talk about the transition and what that means for the show going forward.  I recently sat in a room full of ERG leaders who were hitting a wall of fatigue. When I asked how they actually started their leadership journey, the answer was universal: They were invited. In this micro-lesson, I’m breaking down why "voluntelling" someone isn't a burden—it’s a vote of confidence. We explore the fear of career stalling, the privilege of having the bandwidth to say "yes," and how to handle it when someone chooses to protect their peace. Good Vibes to Go The Power of the Ask: Why personal invitations bridge the gap that job postings can't. The Safety Factor: Understanding why folks are hesitant to step up in the current corporate climate. Respecting the "No": How to view a decline as an act of self-preservation, not a lack of commitment. Your Challenge: Who is one person in your orbit that needs to hear, "I see your potential"? Connect with Me The Newsletter: Want the 5 Things good vibes stories mentioned in this episode? Subscribe to the 5 Things Newsletter here.  Work with Me: Let’s talk. Watch 5 Things on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

In this solo episode, I recap the latest good vibes in DEI. This week the stories are about Out athletes at the Olympics, Laila Edwards making history on Team USA, Super Bowl fans getting tactile access, and more! I also spoke about the New York Times article by Nikole Hannah-Jones, which gave me hope: What It Means to Be a White Race Traitor.Here are this week's good vibes:47 Out OlympiansLatino joy took center fieldAccess took the main stageFootball you can feelFire safety gets a new voiceVisibility with protection, not punishmentGood Vibes to Go: Chris Simmons, the first Black Partner elected to the US Governing Board of PwC, has a new book out: NOBODY TOLD YOU: What Blacks, Asians and Latinos Must Know to Win at Work. It’s on sale on Kindle. Chris is a wise man and I’m really enjoying this book! It’s a great book for everyone.Read the Stories.Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch 5 Things Live on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

In this solo episode, I recap the latest good vibes in DEI. This week the stories are about Miis matching real people, Bad Bunny breaking the Grammy ceiling, and Olympics coverage getting more accessible, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Miis Finally Match Real PeopleBad Bunny Breaks Grammy CeilingKnitting Turns Into Collective PowerHappy Trees, Public Media ReliefOlympics Coverage Gets More AccessibleGood Vibes to Go: If you haven’t yet watched Schitt’s Creek, now is a great time to settle in and laugh and laugh and laugh. RIP Catherine O’Hara. I'm re-watching.Read the Stories.Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch 5 Things Live on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

In this solo episode, the stories are about papers for undocumented residents in Spain, debt-free access at Yale, and paid internships for all at Dartmouth, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Spain says papers for peopleYale expands debt-free accessOlympians get retirement-style supportDartmouth funds internships for allMinnesota CEOs demand de-escalationGood Vibes to Go: Check out Marcello Hernández’s standup special American Boy on Netflix. It takes a while to get really funny but I ended up being utterly charmed. Good vibes indeed.Read the Stories.Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch 5 Things Live on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

In this solo episode, I recap the latest good vibes in DEI. This week our conversation is about pickleball making access the default, autistic Barbie done with care, bonuses for the whole crew, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Pickleball makes access the defaultAutistic Barbie, done with careBonuses for the whole crewA font that saves secondsMinecraft breaks the censorship wall Good Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: It’s Girl Scout Cookie time! Here’s the now-annual list of trans kids to order Girl Scount cookies from.Read the Stories.Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch 5 Things Live on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

In this week's solo episode, I recapped the most popular story and edition from last year, plus shared new good vibes about returning tribal land, safer design for women, inclusive recognition for same-sex couples, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:California returns 17,000 tribal acresWorld’s first disabled dog park thrivesSouth Korean census finally recognizes same-sex couplesDOT backs advanced female crash test dummyBABES Act wins real travel protectionsGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Read Emily St. James’ novel Woodworking about a sweet teacher-student friendship. It’s a great, easy read with good vibes and interesting characters.  Read the Stories.Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch 5 Things Live on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Donald D. Gilliam, Co-Founder, Critical Collective, LLC and I recap the latest 5 Things: Good Vibes in DEI. This week our conversation is about intersex justice, inclusive healthcare, women redefining leadership, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Europe finally shows up for intersex rightsNew York puts dignity in cancer caree.l.f. Beauty claps back for inclusionRelooted lets Africa take its treasures backChurch of England finally gets a her-story momentGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Want some hope? Watch Famous Last Words on Netflix, featuring Jane Goodall. Also, it’s Indigenous People’s Day, a great day to watch North of North on Netflix.Donald’s GVTG: Stay unconventional. You will still be okay. Whatever you define as typical, think about another side to that queue, and be that. We need more color in the world. Read the Stories.Connect with Donald D. Gilliam and here. Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch 5 Things Live on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Maria Gallucci (she/her), Award-winning realtor and proud CODA and I recap the latest 5 Things: Good Vibes in DEI. This week our conversation is about Deaf athletes smashing barriers, Target’s accessible checkout, Costa Rica’s trans political breakthrough, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Deaf athletes smash barriers on the courtTarget finally gets checkout rightCosta Rica votes for trans visibilitySesame Street hugs military kidsWalmart cuts the color—literallyGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Watch some of Zarna Garg’s stand up comedy. She has two hilarious specials on Hulu, including this year’s Practical People Win. I like it when people don’t take themselves or their cultures too seriously. Maria’s GVTG: Try to love everybody…and support the LGBTQ+ community through your local LGBTQ center. More at lgbtqcenters.org.Read the Stories.Connect with Maria Gallucci.Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch 5 Things Live on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Karen Coyne,  President, Clarity Planning and I recap the latest 5 Things (good vibes in DEI) in just 15 minutes. This week our conversation is about women breaking symbolic ceilings, deaf-led service innovation, transformational philanthropy, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:The Grito Gets a Gender UpgradeWhen Coffee Demands Inclusion$70 Million That Changes the EquationNASA Gets a Gender UpgradeFish Equity Isn’t Just a MetaphorGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Watch North of North on Netflix. It’s a great sitcom about an Indigenous community in Canada, created by Indigenous folks themselves and it’s just hilarious.Karen’s GVTG: October is National Financial Planning month. This means unmarried people, too! If this is you, it’s really important to do planning and estate planning in particular because we don't have the same factory defaults that a married couple has. Check out my podcast episodes with Joshua Charles, where we talked about planning considerations for unmarried folks.Read the Stories.Connect with Karen Coyne. Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch the show on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Jad-Évangelo Nasser (He/Él/Lui), Global Inclusion Expert and I recap the latest 5 Things (good vibes in DEI) in just 15 minutes. This week our conversation is about ice cream without activism, bank wages hitting $25, bath bombs for trans rights, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Ice cream without activismBank wages hit $25Thailand extends pregnancy leaveBoston church confronts slavery tiesBath bombs for trans rightsGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Several major Jewish holidays start this week, including Rosh Hashana on Monday. Shanah Tovah to all who celebrate. Learn more about the Jewish holidays in this LinkedIn post by our friends at Seva Global. Jad-Évangelo’s GVTG: Travel more and make a new friend as an adult! Read the Stories.Connect with Jad-Évangelo NasserCheck out Jad’s TEDx Talk. Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch the show on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Rachel Shaw (she/her), President at Shaw HR Consulting and I recap the latest 5 Things (good vibes in DEI) in just 15 minutes. This week our conversation is about beer with a braille bonus, child care goes universal, rainbow door opening at the Vatican, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Beer with a Braille BonusFree Tuition, Priceless AccessFull Bellies, Full FuturesChild Care Goes UniversalRainbow Door Opens at VaticanGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Read the novel Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez. It’s a delightful book that is being adapted by Eva Longoria for film.Rachel’s GVTG: On social media, follow people who spread joy. Share their messages and cultivate an algorithm of positivity. Read the Stories.Connect with Rachel Shaw and on socials @officialrachelshaw Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch the show on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Julie Kratz (she/her), founder of Next Pivot Point and I recap the latest 5 Things (good vibes in DEI) in just 15 minutes. This week our conversation is about honoring disability justice with a new quarter, building groundbreaking housing for adults with autism, tackling Denmark’s reading crisis, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Rolling change into historyAutism housing breaks the moldGig workers want more than “flexibility”Where kids don’t have to hideDenmark takes the tax off readingGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Looking for some fresh data to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts? The Human Rights Campaign foundation reports that companies in the highest Corporate Equality Index score quartile saw average revenue growth of 12.31% over 15 years, more than double the 5.23% growth of companies in the lowest quartile. Read more here.Julie's GVTG: We need to be invite others to participate in allyship with a very clear, direct ask. They're actually waiting for the invitation.  What if we were the one to give them, with no reasons not to join. Read the Stories.Connect with Julie Kratz.Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch the show on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Elaine Marino (she/her/ella), Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Meltwater and I recap the latest 5 Things (good vibes in DEI) in just 15 minutes. This week our conversation is about paid leave for period pain, rocking true access in our national parks, queer rights protection in Illinois, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Portugal pays up for period painRocky Mountain rolls out real accessLive Nation finally hits inclusion notesIllinois schools the nation on queer rightsPrinceton pays up, but diversity slipsGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Looking for a light, fun TV series? Check out Acupulco on Apple TV. The dialogue is in English and Spanish and it's a great celebration of family and culture. Elaine’s GVTG: Listen to or read “Born a Crime”, Trevor Noah’s memoir. Listening to it is ideal as he is hilarious as he tells stories from his childhood growing up in South Africa.Read the Stories.Connect with Elaine Marino. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Shanna Weber from Prima Consulting and I recap the latest 5 Things (good vibes in DEI) in just 15 minutes. This week our conversation is about flushing bathroom bans, rolling out southern hospitality in Spanish, designing trails for every body, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Hot Flashes Meet Hot PolicyBo-Linda Bids BienvenidosWhere Every Sense Gets a SeatBathroom Ban Flushed in Hong KongTampon Tax Tossed in MissouriGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Check out the The Asian American Journalists Association Style Guide, a great resource for anyone in communications.Shanna’s GVTG: Make sure that you see the superpowers in everybody throughout the day. Find the superpower in each person you meet and bring that into your life. Read the Stories.Connect with Shanna Webber.Subscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch the show on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Tom Alexander (he/him), CEO and Co-Founder at Holistic and I recap the latest 5 Things (good vibes in DEI) in just 15 minutes. This week our conversation is about paychecks getting a boost, pop stars signing for change, women running the show in baseball, and more!Here are this week's good vibes:Wages Up, Bills Still DueCoffee, Prescriptions, Groceries… and AccessK-Pop, But Make It SignWomen Call the Shots in BaseballRunway Rich in Culture and CashGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: My good friend Julie Kratz has a new book! Check out We Want You: An Allyship Guide for People with Power, where I also happen to be quoted and share a story or two. Let’s make this book a bestseller!  Tom’s GVTG: Use your notes app to create a daily log titled “People are always doing nice things for me” and add one thing every day to the bottom of the list. Scroll through the whole list every time you add for some extra good vibes!Read the Stories.Connect with Tom AlexanderSubscribe to the 5 Things newsletter.Watch the show on YouTube. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Veronica Smith (she/they), Equitable research and data scientist and I recap the latest 5 Things (good vibes in DEI) in just 15 minutes. This week our conversation is about Barbie rocking a CGM, Brits clocking out and leveling up, and why the UK’s done being gagged by NDAs—and more!Here are this week's good vibes:UK Muzzles NDAsHamilton’s Bigger Race: Equity WinsCabs Provide a BandaidBarbie Rocks a CGMBrits Clock Out and Level UpGood Vibes to Go: Bernadette’s GVTG: Check out this short TED Talk: The Case for a 4 Day Workweek. You’ll be convinced!Veronica’s GVTG: Read the book Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You'd Rather Cancel By Loretta J Ross. Washington LGBTQ+ Survey findingsDr. Leticia NietoJulia Ismael and The Equity Consortium Read the Stories.Connect with Veronica Smith. Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/