Rising Stars: Meet Sheri Lewis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheri Lewis.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always been a writer. During my high school and college years, I would either tutor others or at times find myself doing most of their book reports, LOL. Books and school in general have always been important to me. I was that kid with good grades but who also worked hard for them. Nothing came naturally or easily for me. As I often say, ‘I yearned mine, so I learned mine, power to the mind’ and the grace of my determination that must accompany it. However, it’s important to acknowledge journey.

When I was about six years old, I got my first library card and would spend hours in the library scouting out as many books as I could carry. But unlike most kids, I was interested in biographies and autobiographies. I wanted to know more about people, their life journey, the obstacles and challenges they faced along the way. What in life shaped them into the person they have become. I was then and am now genuinely interested in people.

Then around eight years old, I gave my first class presentation on one of the most interesting life’s I’d ever read about – Miss Harriet Tubman. I was super nervous; I had never spoken in front of anyone before.

It took a lot of encouragement from my teacher Mrs. Browning, but she did manage to coax me along.

I stood in front of the class and froze. Yet quickly, before I said a single word, I heard a still small voice within me say ‘you must speak well for you are presenting someone else so you please present them well’.

And just like that spoke. I gave my report to my entire class who then gave me an astounding round of applause! My teacher gave me quite the atta-girl for my speech. She then submitted my name to give this same presentation to the PTA meeting later that month. Again I was a ball of nerves and my teacher could see it. Again she came to comfort me.

I recall standing in the school auditorium shaking like a leaf upon seeing so many people in attendance. There were grown people there! This was not just my class rooting for me but the Principal and other Teachers were there as well. I got scared. I felt I would cry. I felt alone. Then I felt arms around me. It was Mrs. Browning – she saw my fear. My teacher squatted down to my height and said ‘Sheri you CAN do this everyone believes in you and I believe in you’. She knew I was scared. But I knew she was right; I CAN do this – just go! I bolted out leaving Mrs. Browning right there (LOL).

I stood on the stage nervous as I took the audience in. Then quickly again I heard that same still small voice within me say ‘you must speak well for you are presenting someone else so please present them well’. And just like that, I spoke about a woman named Harriet Tubman. And once again at the end of my presentation was a standing appreciative audience. Both my teacher and my mother had smiles on their faces that even at eight years old, I knew what those smiles meant = they were proud of me.

That journey of mine is important to share because I have realized that everybody has a story. People are people, humans are human, and people’s treatment (you meant to treat that person that way) has a profound effect on them.

I have been impassioned about the lives of other people and involved with helping them succeed in the workplace. I have worked diligently to help the leadership understand that every person has a story, carries value & contribution, and no one’s story is worthless.

I insist that the Human Resources Personnel Management department place an emphasis on the Human piece, the Person piece of those words. Open door and receptive. Yet even so, I also realize that we all have flaws and no one is perfect. I am proof of that, but no one is limited and I am proof of that as well.

I have dedicated my books to a series on the very notion of People at Work and if you’re quiet enough a still small voice will guide you along your way.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
So the journey is what a journey! I don’t believe anyone’s journey is exactly precisely as they dreamt or hoped it would be. Unfortunately, the Universe likes to teach unforgettable lessons along the way to let us know whose really in charge, LOL.

I segued into the field of Human Resources (HR) after spending the first part of my career in Finance. That was many years ago and it took most of those years for me to realize two things.

One, the Boss is not always right. Two, there is often a preconceived negative view of the HR department which mostly comes from a person’s history of having to deal with HR in the past.

This realization was like the Matrix red-pill blue-pill for me. The question then became, will I take the red pill of reality by the horns and deal with it; or will I bask in the seas of the blue-pill where it’s most comfortable? I chose the red pill because Mrs. Browning taught me not to be afraid!

It hasn’t been easy but it’s been worth it.

We all know how difficult it can be to try to change someone’s perspective but I have the nerve to try.

I guess that’s what former President Barack Obama calls ‘The Audacity of Hope’.

I began to make noticeable changes in the two areas of the boss and the employee’s perspectives.

With the Boss, I began what I call ‘The Workplace Kindness Clinic’. The goal is to be a value-based leader at work; and to demonstrate it. Instead of writing an employee up, coach them through.

Find streams of success for them and set them on that path.

Some Management were resistant, of course. At times I would reverse roles with the Boss who seemed adamant to use adverse instead of coachable alternatives. When the role was on them the method they chose to use would be less arduous. To which I’d take that recommendation and say ‘great Frank, that’s excellent, let’s take your advice, yes’? Yes, he’d say because now it’s his idea, not mine.

With the Employee’s Perspective about the Human Resources Department, I worked with my Team.

We became the Customer Service Department of the Company and the Employee is our Customer.

We work with our doors open. We invite them in. We answer the call and the email same day.

This ‘I can’t get ahold of anyone in HR’ is nonsense and we don’t do that – please come by, we’re here for you.

I also began Brown Bag Thursdays where employees can join me in the lunchroom to discuss any topic of interest to them. To the extent that I can share, I do. Nothing is off-limits.

This really took off! Now each Thursday someone from HR is the lunchroom for that purpose and we are joined by another department head in Leadership who brings their brown bag lunch as well.

The HR Team often wears a positive tee shirt in a bright cheery color. One of my favorites is my yellow tee that reads ‘Be a Nice Human’

I have written my books to help people understand that the workplace is fragile because people are fragile. Not that people are weak or delicate but that people are people and should be treated with respect and honor. Energy is vital to me and I can pick up on the negativity at the door. I typically try to sweeten that energy out before it introduces itself to others and ruins their day too.

People’s perspective was never my intention but it morphed from my red-pill-matrix-moment.

It might sound pretentious but I can go into nearly any company and within 30-days tell them their organizational issues by how they treat and interact with one another. I have become both inward and aware from so many years of experience and observation.

I now seek to make the most of this unique and rare skill set by inviting Employers to shape their future by shaping their views and people’s perspective. I can help with that; if only they’d have a red-pill-matrix moment as well.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My ability to listen and hear what the person is saying as well as what they’re not saying has become very useful to me. I have been able to denote ‘a fear to say something’ from people, so I work hard to make everyone feel valued, validated, and heard. I welcome them to use their voice. I’d like to think I’m naturally such a person but this field has certainly shaped a lot of the people component within me. Just earlier this year my Boss said ‘Sheri I could never do your job, you’ve become somewhat a workplace psychologist. Even I have to come and talk to you. This work would drive me crazy’. So my work would drive the best of them crazy? OK, we laughed!

I am proud to say that a common compliment, per se, is that Employees as well as Bosses (anyone in Supervision or Leadership) has said ‘she gets it’ or ‘she’s real’. I’ve even heard a millennial say ‘she’s a Wakanda Woman so keep it 100 with her’ – we all laughed.

The ability to laugh and still keep things pushing forward has been strengthening for me.

Few Employees even realize all the responsibilities of an HR Director. Most Employees only think of HR as they hire, they fire, and they fix problems with employees. Well, wrong.

HR is more than that – who brings the Benefits to the table and negotiates them for you?

Whose making sure the compensation for your particular position is competitive to market and your particular pay within that range is properly scaled?

Workplace safety? Trainings? Workers Compensation? Job Fairs, Hiring, Talent Management, the Employee Review Process. Whose ensuring these issues are well managed?

What about the Employee manual/Handbook that few Employees read? Someone has to write it, guess who? This writing and observation often led to my going home at night and writing books of my own.

I had more than twenty finished manuscripts written over the years of my career in this field. Yet I’ve only published four and that’s not being lazy. That’s because my newfound red-pill understanding of truth within an Organization helped my magic wand write differently. I now write from a different perspective.

I write my books in such a way that the reader feels I’m talking to them over lunch. Just like our brown bag lunchroom meeting. All my books are an easy read. I want my readers to feel they know the characters mentioned in my books because after all they are all published non-fiction and based on truth. What can be more real than that?

When I speak at churches, conferences, commencements, I bring my authentic self. At times I am still nervous like the 6 and 8 years old me and I no longer have Mrs. Browning to encourage me. But that still small voice is still there. It never left me. It only became a more familiar voice with the same message: ‘you must speak well for you are presenting someone else so please present them well’. That’s what I try to do.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I highly recommend anyone starting in business to get a SCORE Counselor. SCORE is Service Corps of Retired Executives. These folks are EXCITED to share, mentor, and guide new business ventures and entrepreneurial efforts. It doesn’t matter what line of work you’re in, there is a suitable SCORE Counselor with a wealth of knowledge to assist you. I learned about SCORE through the Small Business Administration (SBA) when I started a non-profit for Youth Leadership. Their expertise and guidance are priceless. Yet, I am still surprised at how few startups, entrepreneurs even know about them. That says to me, have you done your homework deeply enough?

I also believe in what I call linear alignments. That is individuals who are directly aligned to the path you are pursuing. I know quite a bit about Leadership yet I know that sadly not everyone in a leadership position has leadership potential or any leadership training. So pick your people wisely.

Nowadays, we use the term ‘FOLLOW’ me. To that, I’d give the tip my Grandfather gave me early in life ‘will following you will lead me to a better place’.

Test your theories. Before you go to market yourself or your product, test it amongst truth-telling people. It is better to hear a soft truth than a hard lie. Take the information and improve your product along the way. If you are your product, then self-improve along the way.

When I published my first book ‘Guaranteed Simple Keys for Workplace Success’ I was uber-excited.

But I did not have enough experience to realize and take into account the big ship that moves your book from a manuscript to published work. I can admit to crying from frustration. My book was rejected several times due to editing, or proofing, or pagination, or fragmentation. It was very frustrating. Publishing has criteria’s that must be met or your book will be rejected. Annoying! Finally, I just stopped. Breathe. Sit. Still. Let it go. So I did. I shelfed my book for about two weeks. Until my niece invited me to speak to her yearend Women on the Rise Group and present my book as a feature. What book? I’m not ready! So I got back up and got to it. Just like that, it flowed and my first book was published. So expect push and shove, be ready for testy, you might cry but you will also survive!

In that same vein, never give up. I know that sounds trite but it is great advice.

If I had given up, I would still have those twenty-plus unpublished manuscripts.

Now I’m building a series of ‘The People At Work’ and am completing book number five in that series.

I have not been a big fan of networking although I think networking works when you work it. I should expound my views on networking. I believe one person who can come to the table with a genuine interest to help you, guide you, invest in you is more valuable than an entire room of people exchanging business cards whom you’ll never see again. The net-works if you work the net but so few do and that’s why I’m not such a great fan of networking. I’m a results-driven person. I want to leave the room having connected with one person who can change my life rather than ten who can’t.

Lastly, intention is very important. Often people want to know what’s in it for me instead of how can there be a mutual energy between us that produces a positive outcome for both of us as the main intent.

I see people overuse the word honor, then do something dishonorable to someone.

If I could beg of everyone despite your goal or intention, relation or customer – please keep your word and value other parties involved. Me over We and Us over You. When you take that approach, you will always win. My greatest mentor in life was my Grandfather and he always said to me, ‘your word is your bond, keep it and honor it no matter what’ – so that’s what I do.

Pricing:

• $11.95 Keys for Dealing with the People at Work https://www.amazon.com/dp/1792003633
• $11.95 If it ain’t one thing it’s the People at Work https://www.amazon.com/dp/1703770722
• $11.95 (Guaranteed) Simple Keys for Workplace Success https://www.amazon.com/dp/1790880858
• Motivation and Inspiration for The People at Work; price point $11.95 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095LBXYMW

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sheri-Lewis-Speaks-Truth