Today we’d like to introduce you to Dionne King.
Hi Dionne, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I scrapped so many drafts to answer this question. Rarely, do I reflect on my My Story enough to capture the key moments, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to share key parts of my life with your readers. My Story is made up of many journeys that have shaped me into the woman and leader that I am today. From early on, I was never taught to lock-in on gender roles or allow society’s constructs to limit me from pursuing my dreams. I was the girl that took out the trash and played the drums but also obsessed over the latest teen magazines to learn etiquette and to apply makeup “perfectly.” Looking back, I enjoyed what I wanted without being told I couldn’t do this or that because I was a girl. I adopted a “both-and” mentality early on. I can do this AND that. My mother, a strong woman herself, told me I can be anything I wanted to be…and believed her.
I come from a community that expected great things things from me. From the church mothers to strong civil rights leaders in my community, I have always seen strength demonstrated in action. Most of my teachers encouraged me to try hard things too. I say ‘most’ because there was that one male math teacher that told me that I was a girl so I wouldn’t have to worry about understanding ‘hard math’ or how to add if I wasn’t going into STEM. Although his words stunned me, I didn’t let them affect me. I’d love to show him how I can count up my paychecks now. My life has been peppered with similar instances where people have tried to stall my progress, hinder my opportunities or cancel me out because I usually was and still am ‘the only one’ in many professional settings. The only young, African-American woman in an executive role with degrees and certifications that consults Fortune 500 companies. I take my job seriously and have devoted 27 years to serving and leading in the community – another ‘both-and’ life choice.
Fast-forward to today, where I lead DMK Consults LLC, an executive leadership development firm with clients from all of the world. My firm’s strategies help shape the way companies diversify their people and business practices while implementing effective inclusion plans. What does all that mean, you ask? If a company has hiring issues, my firm assesses and identifies their blindspots and hidden biases; educates their staff on intentional inclusion efforts; restructures processes and practices; and present them with strategic ways to attract top talent for the best product or service. My firm also handles civil and corporate matters as a mediator. From day-to-day, I sit in between people that are cussing and fussing and I help them resolve their matters. Albeit corporate staffing issues, employee discrimination or landlord/tenant matters, I help people realize they can resolve issues without throwing hands!
I do a lot of public speaking and I often get asked if I ever get scared. “Heck, yea, I say!” I get fearful when I look at the faces of racists in the audience that I know have come with a set mindset. I get fearful when faced with uncertainty or a challenge that I initially perceive as defeating. But, being fearful has never been a good reason for me to quit. I don’t allow fear to paralyze me and I’ve adopted this as my internal motto. My knees may be shaking as I deliver a strategy presentation to a large corporate setting, but you’d never know unless you listen closely to my shaking knees sounding like the click-clacks I played with back in the day.
I love what I do and I remain dedicated to creating access and opportunities for others.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There’s never been a smooth road. My roads are challenging but with valuable change lessons. I’ve built a practice on change, so there are always challenges and obstacles for clients and for me. I’ve listed a few that I still see as a challenge;
– The mindset of a racist.
– A person that refuses to grow in thought.
– A chronic complainer.
– A person that wants to change but never takes the steps to do so.
– A person that knows better but doesn’t do better.
– A religious person whose convictions discriminate others.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
DMK Consults is an executive leadership development firm that specializes in three practices: building inclusive cultures, mediating cases and consulting with executive leaders. We have grown from regional to national and now we provide services globally. We work in 17 different industries that includes, professional sports teams, national and international companies, nonprofit organizations, EV charging stations and military branches. We are known for providing tailored strategies and development practices that answer inclusion, growth and development challenges. Also we provide conflict resolution skills by equipping leaders to handle conflict correctly, consistently and equitably.
Maya Angelou has an influential quote that says, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” My firm has added to that quote by saying, “We help people do.” “Do better” looks different for every professional. Our C-Suite executive clients want to “do business better.” Our nonprofit leaders want to “do community growth better.” Our national organization companies want to “do inclusion better and on a larger scale.” We pride ourselves on listening to the issue and creating a tailored plan for optimal business growth, inclusion, conflict resolution and opportunity.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Each part of my journey has provided life lessons along the way. I’m happy to share them with your readers. They are:
I’ve learned to trust my gut. If my gut tells me to not enter into a contract with a particular business, I don’t. Not all money is good money and my gut helps me discern when the business connection is right.
It’s best to give your client more than what they pay for. My firm has made a practice of this. Our clients are very important and their sustainable inclusion initiatives are even more important to us. So we go the extra mile to make sure we provide our best and more.
My Grandmommy always said, “stay ready-rolled like lunch ham.” I live by this. I do my best to stay ready for opportunities. I use this sage advice in my business and personal life.
To be an effective listener during mediations, I use the W.A.I.T. method which is constantly asking myself ‘Why Am I Talking/Thinking?’ This helps me tune-out the noise in my head and helps me to actively listen.
I’ve learned that marketing my firm consistently is what separates me from having just an expensive hobby.
I’ve learned to change my words from being brutally honest to beautifully honest. ‘Thinking before speaking’ makes words impactful but with care.
Processes are very important. In these past 9 years, I’ve learned to set and maintain processes that helps the firm run efficiently. I rest better at night now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dmkconsults.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmkconsults/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DMKconsults/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dionnemking/
- Youtube: @dmkconsults3411 •
