SitchRoom

As you may know, the Situation Room is the White House command center where the sitting President of the United States receives intelligence and advisement on a crisis at hand. SitchRoom LLC is not quite as formal – hence, “sitch” – but aims to serve the same purpose: Providing timely, tactical or strategic counsel to valued leaders experiencing challenging circumstances. SitchRoom is an affirming, edifying space where leaders can relax, reflect, release, resolve and regenerate.

SitchRoom is for any professional seeking to continually grow and develop in their leadership practice.

However, SitchRoom was born of the reality that leaders of color, particularly Black leaders, have unique experiences and challenges in their roles and workplaces.

For a variety of reasons that have common roots in a history of marginalization, many Black professionals experience disparities in access to mentorship (and sponsorship). Of those who have mentors, they may have only one, or their mentor might not be able to relate to their lived experiences. These access issues are intensified if the Black professional is specifically seeking a Black mentor.

In many organizations, there are strikingly low numbers of Black leaders at the Director level and above, with racial diversity being scarce to non-existent in many C-Suites and boardrooms. This relative paucity of resources and racial representation has two significant effects for Black leaders seeking Black mentors: the further these leaders advance, the less likely there will be Black mentors in higher roles, and Black professionals at the pinnacle of their careers are often already overwhelmed with mentees and mentorship requests.

To Black leaders, specifically: SitchRoom aims to bring more racial diversity to the mentoring space, so Black leaders have increased breadth and depth of support along their career journey. SitchRoom also supports the advocacy efforts of non-Black leaders who are committed to advocating for and advancing Black professionals.

To all leaders: Through an approach that couples the principles of two leadership styles — Authentic (starting with the person in the mirror) and Situational (meeting people where they are), I help you navigate the crossroads of challenging situations. In a synergistic atmosphere – your leadership experience and desired outcome for the situation combined with my mentorship experience and recommended tools – you will arrive at an approach that will effectively address your needs.

In SitchRoom, your “tackle bag” is your expanding and evolving collection of motivational resources. These resources are identified and leveraged through the process of coaching and consulting for personal (i.e., self-leadership) and professional (i.e., leadership career) growth and development.

A personal story from founder, CEO, and coach, Dr. Ophelia Byers:

When I was about five years old, growing up in South Jersey, my maternal granddad would often take me fishing. He was born and raised in Georgia and enjoyed fishing as a way of feeding the family. While we waited for fish, like perch and smelts, to take the bait, he’d tell me stories and impart wisdom. One insight went something like this: “Ophelia, do you see this tackle box?  It has everything you need to get what you want. There’s nothing fancy in here – just hooks, flies, wire, and so forth — but these gadgets do the job! We’ll get plenty fish to feed us; and that’s how you’ll grow and get strong.” We’d go on to catch a bunch of fish, take them home, and help my grandmom prepare them for cooking or freezing.

Over the years, the tackle box became a metaphor for me: my supply of simple yet meaningful and effective resources for personal and professional growth. Also, in this metaphor, ‘box’ became ‘bag’ as a bag tends to be expandable, symbolizing one’s growing capacity to be resourceful, and pliable, symbolizing one’s ability to adjust and evolve in determining and fulfilling one’s needs.

In SitchRoom, as we collaborate to address your coaching and consulting needs, we’ll also partner to upgrade your/your team’s “tackle bag.” You and/or your team will become better equipped to sustain your progress in your leadership and self-leadership journeys!

Check out the resources below from the International Coaching Federation, the guiding and certifying body for professional coaches around the world:

– “Unlock Your Potential”, an overview of what coaching is and is not, and what you can expect from ICF-certified coaches

– Code of Ethics, a list of the professional coach’s accountabilities 

– “Experience Coaching”, a rich resource for potential clients

Dr. Byers is an ICF-certified professional coach.