Author and speaker Kim Anthony grew up in a neighborhood where it wasn’t normal for a little Black girl to pursue gymnastics. In fact, people made sure to inform her that gymnastics was a “white-girl sport.” Although they weren’t wrong in the fact that gymnasts were predominately white, she ignored them and went on to become a six-time All-American and four-time national champion.
Kim grew up in an environment that was predominantly Black, but once she became a gymnast, she started spending a good deal of time being the only person in the room who looked like her. She attended UCLA, where she was one of the only African American women on campus at the time. But she didn’t allow those circumstances to intimidate her or stop her from moving forward. She stayed true to who she was and continued pursuing her passions and dreams.
Now, as a speaker and author of “Unfavorable Odds: The Story of an Unlikely Champion,” Kim uses her story to help women reclaim their authentic selves, embrace their unique attributes, and walk in the fullness of who they truly are as leaders in the workplace, at home and in everyday life. She is a specialist in Identity Attunement—a strategy she developed years ago that helps others overcome obstacles that prevent them from embracing their authentic selves.
We live in an age where social media can easily distort our image of reality. Inauthenticity is rampant. We crave authenticity and are drawn to people who show up as their true selves and aren’t afraid to share their vulnerabilities. Authenticity brings forth relatability, a trait held by the best of leaders. In leadership, people want to know who exactly they’re following. They want to see a piece of themselves in their leaders, too, whether that’s in the form of shared values, goals or interests.
At Leadercast Women—Amplify, our annual event on Nov. 9 is designed to address some of the common challenges women face in their leadership, Kim will discuss her Identity Attunement strategy to encourage authenticity in leadership. She will share the stage with four fellow female leaders who will embolden women from around the globe to stand up, speak out and amplify their voices, ideas and passions in a noisy world.
Are you bringing your true self into your leadership? Join Kim at Leadercast Women—Amplify to learn how to use Identity Attunement to amplify your true, authentic voice as a leader. Attend the Nov. 9 broadcast in person at a location near you.
