This week on Leadership Matters, the microphone turns around. Co-hosts Dr. Undraye P. Howard and Dr. Loretta A. Howard step into the guest chairs to discuss their new book, Is This the Way It's Supposed to Be? Lessons in Leadership and Lived Experiences — an honest, often funny, deeply personal exploration of the gap between how leadership is supposed to look and how it actually unfolds.

Two kids from Milwaukee grew up just miles apart, never crossing paths until graduate school — then earned their doctorates side by side and built a marriage, a partnership, and three decades of leadership in the process. In this episode, they share the stories behind the book: the cafeteria outburst that sparked its central question, the "Barbecue Blunder" that turned a family cookout into a live lesson on equality versus equity, the first-grade class clown who almost hid his origin story from a board of directors, and the whispered playground moment that transformed an outsider's ache into a leader's superpower.

Along the way, they challenge some of leadership's most comfortable assumptions: that control is real (it's an illusion — influence is what matters), that leaders must project certainty (the best ones lead from "the corner of Confusion and Hope"), and that the past is something to outrun (it's actually your most valuable teacher). Whether you're a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, this conversation will leave you with better questions — starting with the one that changes everything: Is this the way it's supposed to be?

What happens in the mind and body of a leader under sustained stress — and what can leaders do about it before burnout takes the chair? This week, the People's Doctors welcome Natasha Mullen, licensed mental health expert, clinical supervisor, and Founder & CEO of Milestones Consultants, LLC. With more than 25 years of experience spanning schools, community agencies, and private practice, Natasha brings a therapist's insight to a leadership problem: the toll that pressure, responsibility, and unresolved stress take on those at the top.

Drawing on her expertise in trauma-informed care, Internal Family Systems, and clinical supervision, she shares how leaders can recognize their own stress responses, build genuine resilience, and create organizations where wellness isn't an afterthought. A Compassionate Champion Award honoree and sought-after speaker featured in Essence Magazine, Natasha reminds us that healing, resilience, and empowerment are possible for every leader — and every team they serve.

Every leader knows what stress feels like — but few understand what it is actually doing to them. On this episode of Leadership Matters, the People's Doctors sit down with Dr. Yvonne Bell Gooden, a Licensed Professional Counselor with more than 30 years in behavioral health, to talk about the real cost of carrying the weight of leadership. Dr. Gooden has spent her career serving in community-based settings as both clinician and director, with deep clinical expertise in trauma, depression, anxiety, and the chronic health conditions — hypertension, diabetes, cardiac disease — that so often follow years of unmanaged stress.

Together they explore the warning signs leaders miss, the trauma leaders carry without naming it, the hidden toll of leading while managing (or concealing) a chronic condition, and what genuine restoration looks like — not a long weekend, but real recovery. If you lead anything or anyone, this conversation is your check-up. Because sooner or later, stress sends a bill — and the body always collects.

Every leader knows the weight that comes with the seat—but few talk about what that weight costs. In this episode of Leadership Matters with the People's Doctors, Dr. Undraye Howard, Dr. Loretta Howard, and Dr. Sheryl White take an honest look at the hidden toll of leadership stress: the sleepless nights, the decision fatigue, and the quiet burnout that erodes even the strongest leaders. We discuss how to distinguish healthy pressure from harmful strain, why self-care is a leadership discipline rather than a luxury, and how organizations can build cultures where leaders are supported—not just expected to endure. Because the mission depends on leaders who last.

In this episode of Managing Stress in the Workplace: What Leaders Can Do to Stay Fortified and Protect Their Team, co-hosts Dr. Sheryl White, Dr. Undraye Howard, and Dr. Loretta Howard sit down with a mental health expert to unpack one of the most overlooked dynamics in leadership: stress. Leader stress doesn't stay contained — it spreads. It shapes communication, decision making, team morale, and the overall health of the workplace.

Our guest, Jacqueline Manley, explains how leaders can recognize their own stress signals, regulate their emotions, and set boundaries that protect both themselves and their teams. You'll learn how urgency can be communicated without panic, how psychological safety is built through everyday interactions, and how leaders can support employees who are overwhelmed or burning out.

Whether you're a seasoned executive or a new manager, this conversation offers practical tools, mindset shifts, and real world strategies to help you lead with clarity, calm, and resilience — even when the pressure is high. Don't miss Leadership Matters with the People's Doctors: Informing Leaders. Inspiring Solutions!

In this episode of Leadership Matters with the People's Doctors, Dr. Undraye Howard, Dr. Loretta Howard, and Dr. Sheryl White go deeper — beneath the words, the tension, and the friction — to examine what is actually driving the conflicts that leaders face every day. Drawing on research in emotional intelligence, organizational psychology, and lived leadership experience, the Doctors unpack the hidden forces behind workplace conflict: unmet expectations, unspoken values, identity threats, and power dynamics that most leaders never stop to name.

Conflict is inevitable, but escalation is optional. This episode is designed for leaders who want to elevate their conflict resolution toolkit and create healthier, more resilient teams. Kathryn Shade, Director of Human Resources at the National Conflict Resolution Center will join co-host Dr. Sheryl White, Dr. Undraye Howard, and Dr. Loretta Howard in discussing when mediation becomes the most effective path forward and how leaders can use it to transform tension into clarity, alignment, and trust. We break down the situations where mediation is especially helpful—such as recurring interpersonal friction, stalled collaboration, or emotionally charged disagreements—and contrast it with moments when other interventions are more appropriate.

Listeners will learn the key skills and techniques leaders must develop to mediate effectively: deep listening, emotional neutrality, reframing, structured dialogue, and guiding teams toward shared understanding. We also examine how leaders can build a culture where conflict is addressed early, openly, and constructively. Don't miss this episode of Leadership Matters with the People's Doctors: Informing leaders. Inspiring Solutions!