The Culture Soup Podcast®️

Hosted by L Michelle Smith

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200

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Jun 2026

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This show airs in 70+ countries and boasts more than 315 episodes. It can be streamed on Apple Podcast and is in audio and video formats and it can also be hear whereever fine podcasts stream. It's where tech, culture and business collide. Executive producer, host and creator L. Michelle Smith has been interviewing her friends that exemplify innovation and thought leadership at the intersection of tech, culture and business, and sometimes, she shares her own thoughts based on trending conversations and hashtags. Called one of the best Black podcasts to binge by BLAVITY & AfroTech and listed as one of the podcasts you can't miss by Black Enterprise, binge it now.

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June 11, 202628 min

Ep 201: The Leadership School Hidden Inside the Black Church

What if the most sophisticated leadership training you ever received happened before you turned 15, and it happened in church? In this fireside chat recorded live at Greater Life Church in Dallas, L. Michelle Smith joins Pastor Stephen G. Brown for a conversation that moves between sermon and scholarship, between science and story. Drawing from her bestselling book Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church, L. Michelle traces the origins of her keynote career back to a Sunday school floor at Good Street Baptist Church, where she learned to stand in front of a room and deliver. This is not nostalgia. It is a leadership masterclass grounded in neuroscience, positive psychology, and the lived wisdom of Black excellence. In this episode, you will hear: - Why real team bonding requires going through something real together, and what the science of social cohesion and oxytocin reveals about how trust is actually built in high-performing teams. - The story of Trudy Bourgeois, former Fortune 500 executive, who was deliberately left behind by her new leadership team at the Kentucky Derby, and what she did next. - Why resilience is pliability and not strength, and how the name-it, tame-it, reframe-it framework turns adversity into a passport for growth. - How hope theory, neuroplasticity, and the music ministry of the Black church connect to what the most rigorous leadership research is only now beginning to name. - What it means for the future of leadership development that the generations who need these formation lessons most have largely left the building. Go deeper: Free leadership toolkit: soaracademy.nsccoaching.co The Circle (community for leaders): lmichellesmith.com/thecircle Speaking requests: lmichellesmith.com/speaking FlightPath newsletter: soaracademy.nsccoaching.co/subscribe Heart-Centered Leader Assessment: SOARacademy.nsccoaching.co/a/CallandResponse Substack: lmichellesmith.substack.com #HerNextPowerMove #HeartCenteredLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #CallAndResponse #BlackChurch #CultureSoupPodcast #GreaterLifeChurch #PastorStephenBrown #Resilience #SocialCohesion #BlackLeadership #FaithAndLeadership #LeadershipLessons #BlackExcellence

June 11, 2026Episode 20128 min

Ep 201: Call & Response Book Tour: Fireside Chat w/Rev. Stephen G. Brown — feat. L. Michelle Smith

Episode Summary: What if the most sophisticated leadership training you ever received happened before you turned 15 — and it happened in church? In this powerful conversation recorded live at Greater Life Church in Dallas, L. Michelle Smith joins Pastor Stephen Brown for a fireside chat that is equal parts sermon, scholarship, and strategy session. Drawing from her bestselling book Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church, L. Michelle traces the origins of her own keynote career back to a Sunday school floor at Good Street Baptist Church, where she learned to stand in front of a room and deliver — or get coached until she could. This is not a nostalgia trip. It is a leadership masterclass grounded in neuroscience, positive psychology, and the lived wisdom of Black excellence. In This Episode: L. Michelle walks us through the moment a 25-million-impression keynote made her trace her gifts back to a 14-year-old junior deacon. She unpacks why community is her favorite leadership lesson in the book — and why it has nothing to do with pizza Fridays. She shares the science behind social cohesion, oxytocin, and why teams that have never truly failed together have never truly bonded. She tells the story of Trudy Bourgeois — former Fortune 500 executive, mentor, and one of the book's featured leaders — who was deliberately left behind at the Kentucky Derby by her new senior leadership team. What Trudy did next is a clinic in dignity, resilience, and showing up when you have every reason not to. L. Michelle also breaks down what resilience actually means — it is not about being strong, it is about being pliable — and introduces the name-it, tame-it, reframe-it framework that turns adversity into a passport for growth. From her grandmother in Louisville, Arkansas playing records beside the railroad tracks, to the science of hope theory and neuroplasticity, L. Michelle connects the hush harbor to the Harvard research and makes the case that what the Black church has always practiced, science is only now catching up to name. She closes with a challenge to the room and to every leader listening: the interpersonal and communication skills forged inside the Black church building — the junior usher boards, the choir loft, the adult Sunday school — cannot be replicated on a screen. And if the generations who need them most have left the building, the work now is figuring out how to bring those lessons to where they are. Key Concepts Covered: Social cohesion and oxytocin — why real team bonding requires going through something together Resilience as pliability, not strength — the skyscraper model Name it. Tame it. Reframe it. — a three-step framework for processing adversity Hope theory (positive psychology) — goals thinking, pathways thinking, and agency thinking Neuroplasticity and the leadership intelligence hidden in the music ministry What Gen Z and younger millennials leaving the church building means for the future of leadership development Featured in This Episode: Cynt Marshall, former CEO of the Dallas Mavericks Trudy Bourgeois, former Fortune 500 executive and leadership mentor Books Mentioned: Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church by L. Michelle Smith Available now wherever books are sold. Book signing available at Pan Africa Connection, Dallas. Connect with L. Michelle: Website: lmichellesmith.com The Circle private leadership community: lmichellesmith.com/thecircle Podcast: Her Next Power Move + The Culture Soup Podcast® Coaching: cal.read.ai/coachlmichelle/30-min

April 18, 20262 min

Call and Response: About the Research

"It was important to me to not just go on a hunch..." LMS Watch this clip from my recent book tour stop at Texas Christian University's Brite Divinity School with my friend and classmate, Rev. Dr. Shonda Jones as she probes about my research methodology for my new bestseller Call and Response. No pressure at all...right? I always get a little nervous when I'm speaking to a well-credentialed scholar, but I have to say that this book has been extremely well received from academia, with some universities buying the books in bulk. Shoutout to all the PhDs giving this book praise! I am honored and humbled. You can watch my full conversation with Dr. Shonda and most of the Q&A on The Culture Soup Podcast on YouTube, or listen on any podcast platform.

March 20, 20261 hr 49 min

TCU Call and Response Conversation with Rev. Dr. Shonda Jones

There is something powerful about returning to a university campus to talk about leadership. At Texas Christian University, our conversation around Call and Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church (Amistad Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing and JVL Media) was not just about a book. It was about formation. It was about where leadership really begins. About the spaces that quietly shape courage, discipline, and voice long before someone earns a title. The conversation was sponsored by the TCU Brite Divinity School and the TCU Bob Schieffer College of Communication, my graduate alma mater and where I currently serve on the Board of Visitors. We explored the idea that the Black Church has functioned as a leadership laboratory for generations. Not simply as a place of worship, but as a place where people learned to speak with conviction, collaborate across differences, regulate emotion under pressure, and lead with both authority and empathy. Grateful to TCU for hosting a rich, honest exchange. If your campus or organization is thinking about the future of leadership, I would love to continue the conversation.

March 19, 2026Episode 2001 hr 3 min

EP. 200: Call and Response Conversation at TCU w/Rev. Dr. Shonda Jones

Show Notes: Call & Response at TCU — A Conversation on Culture, Leadership, and Legacy At Texas Christian University’s Carr Chapel, L. Michelle Smith returned to her alma mater for a powerful conversation on Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church, joined by Rev. Dr. Shonda Jones, Executive Vice President and Dean of Brite Divinity School. What unfolded was more than a book talk. It was a rich exploration of how culture, history, and applied science intersect to shape leadership in profound and often unrecognized ways. Drawing from both personal story and rigorous research, Michelle shares how her leadership journey began long before corporate boardrooms, tracing back to her formative years in the Black church, where young people were given real responsibility early. That early formation became the foundation for the leadership capabilities she would later see reflected in high-performing Black executives across industries. The conversation explores: The Black Church as the original leadership incubator A space where communication, accountability, resilience, and community-building were not taught theoretically, but practiced in real time. The research behind the framework Insights drawn from 155 high-performing Black leaders, combining qualitative interviews with quantitative data to identify the most impactful leadership lessons. Resilience redefined Moving beyond endurance to a more nuanced understanding grounded in neuroscience, including the process of naming, processing, and reframing adversity. Culture as a leadership engine How traditions like storytelling, music, and intergenerational connection shape leadership capacity and emotional intelligence. A critical leadership gap The declining participation of younger generations in the Black church and what that means for the future leadership pipeline. Heart-centered leadership in a changing world In a time marked by workplace disruption, AI acceleration, and shifting expectations of leaders, the need for leaders who can combine performance with empathy, courage, and community-building has never been greater. Throughout the conversation, one idea becomes clear: the leadership lessons cultivated in the Black church are not confined to the church. They are transferable, teachable, and urgently needed across corporate, academic, and community spaces. This conversation is an invitation to rethink where leadership is formed, how it is practiced, and what it will take to develop leaders with both strength and heart in the future. Key Takeaway Leadership is not only learned in formal institutions. It is shaped in culture, reinforced through experience, and now, increasingly, understood through science. Learn More Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church Explore the book and leadership resources at: lmichellesmith.com

March 6, 20261 hr 38 min

The Call and Response Conversation w/ Cynt Marshall

If you couldn't be in the room, now's your chance to be a part. TOMORROW at noon, Thursday, March 5 we'll be streaming video of the kickoff to the Call and Response book tour that happened at the Barnes & Noble bookseller at Hillside Village on multiple platforms. It will be featured here on Linkedin, so grab your colleagues, family and friends and bring a journal: Cynt Marshall and I will be holding class, a different kind of Sunday School, not about religion, and not on a Sunday. It's all about a leadership revival during a time where harsh leadership trends, values misalignment, character failures and more are breaking trust at every level in business and beyond. Return to heart-centered leadership with us on The Culture Soup Podcast, because episode 199 is the live recording of that Feb 11th book event. It's guest hosted by my friend and former colleague Neil Foote of Foote Communications. Settle in for the hour, and light up the chat. I'll be in the chat live to answer your questions. The video and audio will also stream across all podcast platforms beginning at noon as well. Call and Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church is a collaboration between Amistad Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing and JVL Media, the brainchild of the incomparable Viola Davis, Julius Lennon and Lavaille Lavette. Purchase your copy or audiobook ahead of the stream and follow along as we go!

March 5, 2026Episode 19949 min

EP 199: A LIVE Call and Response Conversation w/Cynt Marshall

The Culture Soup Podcast® Live from Barnes & Noble: Call & Response — 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church In this special live episode of The Culture Soup Podcast®, L. Michelle Smith celebrates the launch of her newest book, Call & Response: Ten Leadership Lessons from the Black Church, recorded live at Barnes & Noble in Cedar Hill, Texas. Joined by trailblazing executive and former Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, L. Michelle explores how leadership principles rooted in the Black church tradition translate into powerful lessons for modern leaders in business, community, and culture. Blending storytelling, neuroscience, positive psychology, and leadership strategy, this conversation highlights how cultural traditions can shape resilient, innovative, and heart-centered leadership. In This Episode Values as a Leadership North Star L. Michelle shares the three values that guide her leadership and decision-making: faith, family, and freedom. Values act as non-negotiables that help leaders determine when to say yes—and when to say no. Community: The Antidote to Isolation Strong leadership cultures are built on connection. Drawing from neuroscience, L. Michelle explains how human bonding and trust strengthen teams and create environments where people move together with shared purpose. Collaboration and Emotional Intelligence Great collaboration requires emotional awareness, cultural understanding, and trust. The conversation highlights how early experiences in community environments—like church choirs—can sharpen the emotional intelligence leaders rely on in the boardroom. Creativity and Innovation Innovation often emerges from constraint. Leaders who cultivate calm, focused thinking create the mental space needed for insight, creativity, and new ideas. Resilience That Builds Strength Resilience isn’t simply pushing through adversity. L. Michelle shares a powerful practice for navigating challenges: Name it – Identify what’s happening and the emotions attached to it Tame it – Process the experience rather than suppress it Reframe it – Discover the opportunity or lesson within it A Leadership Framework Throughout Call & Response, L. Michelle introduces three pillars of leadership growth: Self Work – mastering purpose, mindset, and personal leadership Relationship Work – building trust, collaboration, and community World Work – using leadership to create meaningful impact Learn More To learn more about Call & Response: Ten Leadership Lessons from the Black Church, visit: lmichellesmith.com/callandresponse There you can explore the Call & Response leadership curriculum, designed for corporations, universities, and ministries, and submit a speaker request to bring L. Michelle Smith to your organization or event.

January 29, 202649 min

Ep 198: A Litte Me Time with Tara Jaye Frank

In the first episode of year seven of the Culture Soup Podcast, L. Michelle Smith sits down with equity strategist, author, and Waymaker Change Group founder Tara Jaye Frank for a timely and deeply personal conversation about leadership, grief, obedience, and self-preservation. They explore the making of Tara’s new book, You Are Before the World: Lessons on Doing Good Without Being Undone, including why she chose to self-publish, how the aftermath of the 2024 election reshaped her work, and what it means to redefine helping in ways that no longer wound the helpers. This conversation unpacks the emotional and spiritual labor carried by Black women, the reality behind the 92 percent, and why boundaries, integrity, and trust matter more than performance. Together, they reflect on surrender, mission-driven work, and remembering who you were before the world placed its demands on you. This episode is for leaders, helpers, creatives, and change agents who are asking how to continue doing good without losing themselves in the process.

January 29, 2026Episode 19849 min

Ep. 198 A Little Me Time with Tara Jaye Frank

November 21, 2025Episode 19718 min

EP. 197 Full Circle: The Leadership Theory Episode

In this third installment of the Leadership Revival Series, L. Michelle Smith brings the journey full circle. After exploring history & culture in Part 1 and applied science in Part 2, today’s episode takes us into the final pillar of the Call & Response Leadership Revival Framework: leadership theory. This episode weaves together research, lived experience, and a deeply personal full-circle story that became a turning point in the creation of Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church (Amistad Books/HarperCollins, Feb 2026). You’ll hear: Why leadership theory is finally naming what many leaders have lived for generations How self-work, relationship work, and world work become the backbone of leadership with heart A powerful reading of L. Michelle’s essay, “When You Receive the Language for What You’ve Lived” A moving sidebar featuring her early connection with Abby West, now VP & Editorial Director at Amistad Books A special clip from Episode 161, “The Sound of Progress,” exploring storytelling, sound, community, and cultural leadership How one unexpected conversation led directly to the acquisition of Call & Response This is the episode where everything clicks — the moment theory, story, science, and culture meet in a single, resonant truth: Leadership isn’t changing. It’s returning. To community. To connection. To courage. To heart. And this episode marks that return. IN THIS EPISODE Part 3 of the Leadership Revival Series Leadership theory explained through a cultural, scientific, and human lens What it means to “receive the language for what you’ve lived” Why narrative and sound have always been leadership technologies How L. Michelle’s relationship with Abby West helped bring Call & Response to life The moment everything came full circle ABOUT THE BOOK Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church By L. Michelle Smith Amistad Books / HarperCollins | JVL Media Releases February 10, 2026 Pre-order & learn more: lmichellesmith.com/callandresponse FOLLOW & CONNECT Website: lmichellesmith.com Instagram: @lmichellespeaks LinkedIn: L. Michelle Smith Join SOAR Academy for leadership tools & resources