Farah Harris, MA, LCPC

Teachers truly deserve the world!

This week, I had the privilege of supporting the staff of two Minnesota school districts.

(If you missed my story of my crazy trip there, check out my previous post).

In my talk with the staff from Proctor Public Schools, I equipped them with the skill of emotional intelligence.

They will need it to navigate all the emotions and dysregulation of so many of our children and youth—and their own.

I want to help them ground themselves and remind them that their EQ can keep them connected to their WHY.

Grounded staff equals impactful teaching!

Check out what they had to say about my session, Teaching With Heart.

If you are looking for a speaker to motivate your staff or a facilitator to train your team, I'd love to connect with you.

What do you do when you get less than four hours of sleep?

You deliver back-to-back keynotes for two school districts.

Yesterday, I had the privilege to pour into hundreds of educators, but it was a journey to get there.

My 8:07 pm flight was delayed. We finally took off at 11:07 pm due to:

⛈ There was a random thunderstorm here in Chicago. (The Weather App be lying to us y’all)

🏃🏽‍♀️ The gate changed three times. (If you’ve been to O’Hare, then you know I got ALL my steps in)

✈️ A plane was ready, but we couldn’t board because we were waiting for the crew

⛽️ We boarded but had to wait because we didn’t have enough fuel (why didn’t they do this while we were waiting on the crew?)

💃🏽 Then, we did the cha-cha slide on the runway. (We’d move and then stop, then move and stop, without explanation)

😴 To top it off, I had a chatty brotha sitting beside me. I was more than happy that he fell asleep before we even took off. 

The joy quickly dissipated once I heard the loud snoring.

Honestly, the entire experience was laughable, so when the passenger in front of me whispered to her husband next to her, “I think the pilot is driving us to Duluth.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Finally, I landed after midnight. 

The shenanigans continued when my slow Uber driver wanted to make random small talk about the state of the world and teenagers va**ng and smoking. Then turned to me and asked if I vaped or smoked. I simply replied, “no.” That was the longest 10-minute ride!

I crashed after 1 a.m. and set my alarm for 5 am to review my slides again since I had a 7:30 am pick-up time for my first talk and had a short window before heading to the other district for my second.

Guess what my talk was about?

Emotional intelligence and resilience.

I truly believe Yah tests me to ensure I live out what I teach. 😄

My delivery is authentic because I live this work.

I look forward to sharing all the feedback that’s already pouring in from these amazing humans who care for our children.

Stay tuned for more stories from the day, but for now, here’s a little tale of delivering keynotes on minimal sleep! 

Excited to share that my first Course, Developing Emotional Intelligence to Further Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, is now available!

Discover the significant link between emotional intelligence and DEI in this course.

Emotional intelligence is the key to creating spaces of belonging and psychological safety.

Join over 1500 learners on this journey to elevate their EQ!

Enroll now to learn how to utilize emotional intelligence for inclusive environments in and out of the workplace.

Happy watching!

Share your thoughts after checking out the course link below.

My bookkeeper is better than yours 😝!

No, seriously. Working with .rotondo has been such a blessing to me and business over the last few years.

Because of her, I have felt lighter.

Administrative tasks frustrates my ADHD brain, so knowing someone is looking over my finances for me is a relief.

She does a great job with helping me steward my finances and is resourceful.

She will connect you to other service providers that she believes can benefit your business.

Plus, this woman’s integrity, kindness and thoughtfulness is like none other.

This weekend she surprised me with this beautiful flower!

She has been faithful in celebrating all of my milestones by sending me an email, card, or gift.

This time, it’s to celebrate my new course that was released just over a week ago.

The cherry on top is that this I get to work with another follower of Christ who is a mompreneur!

If you want to work with someone who helps you steward your business well and roots for you (especially when you’re down), please run, don’t walk to connect with Andrea!

It’s here!!!

My first LinkedIn Learning course is now available!

Developing Emotional Intelligence to Further Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion was designed to help you connect the dots between emotional intelligence (EI) and DEI.

Because you cannot do DEI without EI.

In this course you’ll:
- Explore your own emotions and biases
- Learn to navigate cross-cultural interactions with empathy and understanding
- Develop an awareness of cultural nuances, biases, and the impact of cultural differences on emotional expression, and more.

Thanks again to my LinkedIn for Learning team for all of your wonderful support, especially Scott Erickson and my producer, Nicole Mangona, PMP, for helping bring my vision to life!

I can’t wait to walk and guide you through this course.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and takeaways!

Enroll in the new course using the link below.

Kicking off August on a high note!

It’s one thing to be excited about creating your first LinkedIn Learning Course, it’s another when the Beta Test team gives their stamp of approval!

Check out their feedback on my upcoming course, Developing Emotional Intelligence to Further Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

“This course is excellent for anyone wanting to learn more about improving their emotional intelligence to add more diversity and inclusion to their workplace. This course walks the learner through the steps of how to use and improve your emotional intelligence. The handout helps the learner gain a deeper understanding of the content and gives them the opportunity to reflect on their learnings. The instructor, Farah Harris, taught this course at an excellent pace which made it easy to follow along and understand the content. She provides great examples, stories, and strategies on how to better understand yourself and develop your emotional intelligence to further diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. She is enthusiastic about the topics, making this course enjoyable to watch and learn. Overall, I recommend this course for any learner. This will be a valuable addition to the library.”

I’m excited that this course will be available for you this month!

More details coming soon!

If you think that removing the equity piece can create greater belonging and psychological safety, you are sadly mistaken.

Inclusion + DIversity does not Equity make.

Make it make sense.

However, I understand the vision and the goal.

Remove one thing at a time, but say that you are still moving towards the same goal.

It’s like writing with disappearing ink.

For those who get it, don’t get distracted by the new rhetoric.

Stay focused on the core math.

Please don’t sleep on the end of the year when it comes to your employee engagement and learning.

Close the year off by sending your employees into the holiday season inspired, motivated, and empowered.

If you desire an engaging practitioner to support your leaders and staff during your last quarter, look no further!

Check out what a few attendees had to say after a recent keynote:

“WOW! This was one of the best keynotes I’ve ever attended! I am so thankful for the opportunity to hear Ms. Harris speak to us!”

“She was fun, witty, engaging. Kept our interest and I feel like I learned a lot.”

“This was SO GREAT! I loved this speaker! I could have listened to her for so much longer! It was great information and she was so engaging and real. Loved it!”

“Excellent presentation with a very effective presenter. Content will stick with me!”

“I really appreciated how Farah was able to engage the audience. I have never seen such a successfully interactive presentation with such a big group before. Farah’s skills and knowledge are so impressive, and she is a dynamic speaker.”

“Amazing speaker! I could listen to Farah all day. Very powerful and helpful message.”

“Very effective speaker both in content and style. Both in data about Emotional Intelligence building and own illustrations to make for a wonderful listening experience.”

“Dr. Harris was professional and engaging. She shared experiences and language that were thought-provoking and relatable.  I will recommend her for other conferences.”

(I’m not going to lie. I always chuckle when folks call me Dr.— because I’m not 😆.)

Oh, and if you are already planning your first-quarter events, don’t hesitate to schedule a call with us.

We are already 1/3rd booked for Q1 2025, and I’d love the opportunity to partner with you before I’m completely booked.

Send me a DM or check the contact link in the comments to connect.

I look forward to speaking with you soon!

NINETEEN!

19 years we’ve been in this covenant.

Best decision of my life!

I love you !

When I say, this week owes me nothing! Nuthin’!

First, I can’t believe that today marks the first anniversary of the release of my debut book, The Color of Emotional Intelligence: Elevating Our Self and Social Awareness to Address Inequities.

It became an instant Amazon international bestseller, with over 1000 copies sold within a few days—a huge milestone for a self-published author.

I have been overwhelmed by all of the emails, DMs, posts, and reviews from readers impacted by my work. I’m so grateful!

Speaking of reviews. Can you do me a solid and write a review of my book on Amazon? I’m 4 reviews away from 100 (another milestone I’d love to reach). It would fill this author’s heart and encourage future readers to grab their own copy.

Second, I’M NOW A LINKEDIN LEARNING INSTRUCTOR!!!!

Ahhhh!!!

I’m preparing to fly back from recording my first course: Developing Emotional Intelligence to Further Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

I can’t wait to share this course with you, so stay tuned for updates on the release date and more details.

My plane is getting ready to take off so I can return to my hubby and our babies.

I just wanted to share my joy and gratitude with you all!

I promise I will share more about my amazing time on the Carpinteria campus tomorrow! Until then, enjoy these throwback pics from my book launch and my recording this week in Cali.

The first 10 testimonials from my recent session with staff are in, all centered on Unlocking Your Potential: Navigating Change, Embracing Growth for their mental health event. It’s rewarding to see the impact firsthand!

Creating fresh content and revitalizing existing material is always a fascinating journey. I find that teaching and training not only enriches others but provides me with personal growth opportunities too.

I believe this is what makes me a great speaker. I’m authentic in my delivery because I don’t just share theories; I bring my lived experiences to the table, making my talks relatable and impactful.

My expertise stems from hands-on experience. I’ve walked the walk, and that’s what sets me apart as a speaker who truly understands the subject matter.

If you seek to empower your team with emotional intelligence (EQ) to foster a growth mindset and enhance their well-being while navigating change effectively, look no further!

Let’s connect for more insights. Drop me a DM or check out our website (link in the comments).

A mini photo dump from pet of my time in Williamsport, PA. Had the opportunity to do an author talk and book signing at the with Dr. Nathaniel Woods, Jr.

It was done in an interview style presentation focused on the effective application of emotional intelligence in the workplace, particularly for leaders, police officers, in parenting, and just in general. The session provided valuable insights and practical strategies for enhancing emotional awareness and interpersonal communication skills. 

It’s National Black Author’s Day!

I still am in awe of Yah’s faithfulness in letting me become a published author.

We are soon coming up to the first anniversary of my book launch.

Thank you to everyone who purchased, read, and recommended my book.

If you have yet to write a review, I’d be so grateful! I’m seven reviews away from 100 Amazon reviews!

I’d appreciate it if you’d help me reach this milestone as an author.

To all my hopeful, soon-to-be published Black authors: KEEP GOING! Your voice and words are needed!

I love this shot, which the photographer took during my keynote address at the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health conference this past Tuesday.

It perfectly embodies my speaking style. 

I’m not just up on stage to talk at people—I’m there to speak with them. 

During one activity, the lady with the green jacket’s neighbor had left to use the restroom, and not wanting her to be alone, I offered to be her partner. 

I squatted down, and we unpacked the scenario together.

I’m not the kind of speaker who thinks that because I’m up on the stage, I’m above getting down to connect with my audience.

Later that morning, while I was walking with a conference team member, two attendees stopped us.

One of them mentioned that while the four of us were chatting, she noticed several folks passing and looking our way but were hesitant to interrupt our conversation and speak with me.

I replied, “Oh no, I’m open to speaking with anyone!”

She then shared how several presenters wanted to avoid engaging and talking with attendees.

I was shocked and disappointed!

First of all...ummm, that’s rude.

Secondly, to my fellow professional speakers, remember that we are still learners and that being asked to speak, facilitate, or present isn’t just a service provided; it’s an act of service to others.

Engagement and connection happen beyond the stage.

At the end of each engagement, I ask for feedback.

Why?

Because feedback helps me increase my self-awareness and improve as a practitioner and facilitator.

It doesn’t matter if I think my work is impactful.

If attendees walk away without new knowledge.

If attendees walk away feeling the same after my time with them.

If attendees walk away empty-handed without tools.

Then I didn’t do my job.

Just over a week ago, I had the opportunity to spend two days with LiveWire Construction, Inc. and BlackRock Construction LLC. for their leadership retreat.

I’ll share more about this amazing company and group of leaders in a future post.

But today, I’d like to share this beautiful testimonial from one of their thoughtful leaders about their experience.

It’s always a gift to pour into learners and have them pour right back into me.

Connect with me, and I’ll share how I increase awareness and change by elevating the emotional intelligence of your leaders and teams.

Visit our website or send me a DM so we can get started.

I look forward to speaking with you!

I'm going to be honest with you. Last year was ROUGH

In my January 2024 newsletter, where I shared my lowlight reel, I was honest about 2023 being a poor fiscal year, with me ending in the red.

Solopreneurship is undeniably challenging. Yet, some persist, refusing to bow out even when the tides turn against us. This resilience is a testament to our strength and determination.

This is why having EQ is essential for business owners. Being able to regulate your emotions during highs and lows helps you maintain.

Today, I'm grateful to share a win with you:

WorkingWell Daily is officially booked through the month of June!

Look no further if you desire an engaging practitioner to support your leaders and staff during quarters three and four!

My goal is to equip and empower individuals to create a positive ripple effect that will improve the workplace culture.

I have partnered with Cisco, Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Navistar, and Hilton.

And here's what a few of those clients have to say:

"Farah is excellent! A true professional with a unique and genuine approach."

"This was such a helpful webinar for many reasons, but especially because Farah Harris was very clear and to the point in her message and provided practical ways to deal with emotions in the workspace."

"Farah is able to weave high-level topics into everyday anecdotes and have people reflect on their own experiences and lives in a way that is non-judgmental and inclusive. She is an exceptional presenter and trainer."

I'm available for virtual and in-person events.

To connect, send me a DM or check the contact link in the comments

I can't wait to partner with you!

Learn some tips on improving your emotional intelligence by watching my conversation on The Kiaundra Jackson Show.

Kiaundra and I have a great time diving into the topic of EQ and how it shows up in our personal and professional lives.

Check out the premiere on Tuesday, April 9th at 9am PT/12pm ET.

I don't take what I do for granted.

When you hire me to speak with your people, I intentionally hold space for them.

I don't say, "This is a safe place." Because I can't determine or guarantee safety for them.

Instead, I give them permission to participate in ways they deem safe.

I don't rely on jargon-filled slides. Because I'm not married to the deck.

Instead, I'm invested in your learning, ensuring you walk away with greater insight and actionable tools.

I don't stay on the surface because change and impact aren't found there.

Instead, I take my learners' hands, and we go as deep as they are comfortable going.

And what a gift when they learn to get comfortable in the discomfort!

So, receiving testimonials like these fills my cup.

I'd love to partner with you and pour into your leaders and staff!

Thank you for highlighting me in your Women’s History Month special! It’s such an honor!

Tuesday, I had my first in-person engagement of 2024.

My business really took off during the first two years of the pandemic.

That meant every training, keynote, fireside chat, and panel was virtual.

While I love the efficiency of virtual work, I’m excited about the greater impact of in-person engagements.

My first in-person engagement was in October 2022; the next few didn’t occur until Fall 2023.

But Tuesday, I got to spend some time with some amazing folks.

During our time together, we dove deep into how to elevate emotional intelligence and well-being in leadership.

As my dear friend and colleague, Sarah Noll Wilson, often says, when we meet a team, we experience their culture.

This is so true.

This sales team was one of the most hospitable I’ve had the pleasure of training.

There’s nothing like sharing laughs and tears (both are spontaneous gifts to a speaker/facilitator) in community.

As I continue to do more in-person sessions, I’m learning that I need to budget more time.

“I wish this session was longer.”

Is what I’ve frequently receive on my surveys after an online session. But I see it even more now that I’m spending time with folk, watching them digest and try to understand the material so they can apply it.

While I’m often asked to teach a lot of material at a high level in a short amount of time for virtual events, in-person sessions allow me to go deeper.

Learning needs space to dive, breathe, and process.

Opportunities like yesterday allow me to pour in and pull from attendees.

And hold space.

I look forward to holding more space...

Thank you again to the beautiful souls at Hilton for making my quick trip to Boston memorable.

If you are looking for an engaging facilitator who authentically serves your employees in ways that challenge them and allow them to be seen and heard, I’d love to have a call with you.

     

It has been an active year already with securing engagements, yet it wasn’t until today that I had my first speaking engagement of 2024!

It was an honor to provide my Color of Emotional Intelligence keynote to Mark AnthonyServices, Inc.

Congrats to the team members who won a copy of my book!

Praising Yah for giving me a booked calendar through May. if folks want me to speak between now and then, they will have to pray premium for my time.

I was recently interviewed for with
Amy C. Waninger, The Inclusion Catalyst and we talked about Emotional Intelligence.

If you're trying to build a more inclusive workplace, check out this episode:
https://leadatanylevel.com/including-you-podcast-emotional-intelligence-farah-harris-working-well-daily/

e087. Emotional Intelligence with Farah Harris - Lead at Any Level® Farah Harris (she/her) is the best-selling author of The Color of Emotional Intelligence and founder of WorkingWell Daily.

Weekends should be for rest; not for recovery.

January is the perfect time to begin increasing your emotional intelligence.

When you think back to last year, there were moments that you wish you had handled better.

Let’s face it. There are times when we let our emotions get the best of us.

And I know that there’s the perpetuated myth that we are to leave emotions out of the workplace, but we all know that we are wading through the emotional waters of our colleagues, leaders, and our own stuff every day.

Increasingly, we are watching how a lack of high EQ impacts our society. From political to sports areas. And from the corporations to the institutions.

We continue to collectively fail at having emotional and self-regulation.

We aren’t smart about feelings, culture, and even ourselves.

Here’s what I can tell you. Elevating your EQ supports healthy relationships in and out of the workplace.

And I want to support you in developing this skill and the competencies therein.

Grab a copy of my bestselling book, The Color of Emotional Intelligence.

I promise you will see and understand EQ in a whole new light!

The first quarter is underway, and I'm hoping you have already begun or are finalizing your Black History Month and Women's History Month events.

If you are looking for inspiration, look no further!

I am available for speaking engagements for Black History and Women's History Month.

My expertise includes inspiring talks on The Color of Emotional Intelligence, Leading from the Inside Out, Well-being and Belonging, and Cultivating Psychological Safety in the Workplace.

My goal is to equip and empower individuals to create a positive ripple effect that will improve the workplace culture.

Change can really begin on an individual level.

I have partnered with Cisco, Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Navistar, and Live Nation.

And here's what a few of those clients have to say:

"Farah’s workshop on Emotional Intelligence for Black employees was highly effective and thought-provoking. She led with a dynamic presentation style and humor to deliver easy to understand explanations and insights to both the neurology of emotional intelligence and actions to take to manage one’s emotions and reactive behavioral responses. I highly recommend her as a skilled facilitator and engaging expert."

"Exactly what I didn’t know I needed today. Thank you for the opportunity to pause and consider the importance of emotional well-being of leadership."

"This was such a helpful webinar for many reasons but specially because Farah Harris was very clear and to the point in her message and provided practical ways to deal with emotions in the workspace."

"Farah is able to weave high-level topics into everyday anecdotes and have people reflect on their own experiences and lives in a way that is non-judgmental and inclusive. She is an exceptional presenter and trainer."

I'm available for virtual and in-person events.

To connect, send me a DM or check the contact link in the comments

I can't wait to partner with you!

I consider each speaking engagement an opportunity to serve.

As a decision-maker, you want it to be a worthwhile investment when you hire your speakers. You want your employees not only to enjoy the speaker but to walk away with new learning, feeling something, and desiring more!

I serve, and I serve well.

This recent testimonial was from my training “Leading From the Inside Out” for the PCMA Greater Midwest Chapter.

This session explored the emotional journey to leadership.

We are the sum of our parts. Therefore, our past experiences impact how we show up as leaders today and in the way we interface with our team and clients.

Connect with me to learn more, and I’ll share how I help increase awareness and change by elevating the emotional intelligence of your leaders and teams.

Visit workingwelldaily.com or send me a DM so we can get started.

I look forward to speaking with you!

Your performance review might actually be about your boss.

Sometimes managers can call something feedback but in reality, it's projection.

I share more in my CNBC Make It feature.

Have you experienced this before?

Your performance review might actually be about your boss, says psychotherapist—here's the No. 1 way to tell Your boss may be projecting their own issues onto you during your performance review, according to a psychotherapist. Here's the top sign to look out for.

As you move forward into the new year, ask yourself the hard questions like, “have I made my job my identity?”

Also as you consider your goals or resolutions, have pondered why you even want to achieve them.

If you want 2024 to be a great year, start building your “strength skills” right away!

In my interview with CNBC, I share why emotional intelligence is essential for a successful life.