If you are a Black man excelling in your role yet wondering why your influence is not translating into bigger opportunities, broader visibility, or senior level trust, this episode is for you. In this powerful conversation, Dominic George breaks down why performance alone stops working as you move toward senior leadership and what it actually takes to expand your impact across an organization. Building bridges across functions is not optional at the next level. It is the skill that separates respected contributors from trusted leaders.

In this episode of Vision Leadership for LIFE, Dominic challenges the idea that staying in your lane protects your growth. He explains how organizational silos quietly shape power, decision making, and advancement and why Black men are often encouraged to master survival within their department instead of influence across the system. This conversation goes beyond theory and speaks directly to the lived experience of being overlooked despite strong results, navigating unspoken politics, and carrying the pressure to prove yourself without losing who you are.

You will learn how influence actually works beyond the org chart and why senior leaders are evaluated on their ability to connect people, priorities, and perspectives across teams. Dominic walks through how to build trust without formal authority, how to communicate your ideas so they land with leaders who think differently than you, and how to develop relationships before you need something so collaboration does not feel transactional or forced.

This episode also names a truth many Black men feel but rarely hear acknowledged. Cross functional collaboration often comes with hidden emotional labor. Dominic addresses how to build bridges without becoming the burden, how to set boundaries while staying collaborative, and how to ensure your contributions are seen and valued as your influence grows. He reframes collaboration as a power move rather than a compromise and shows how expanding your reach does not require shrinking your voice or code switching your values.

Listeners will gain practical strategies for understanding the business beyond their job description, positioning themselves as connectors and translators inside the organization, and identifying who truly shapes decisions behind the scenes. Dominic introduces the concept of an influence map and explains how to use it to move from being great at your job to being essential to the organization’s direction.

This is not an episode about playing politics or chasing approval. It is a grounded and strategic guide for Black men transitioning from mid level leadership into senior roles who are ready to stop waiting for recognition and start expanding their impact with intention. If you want to be trusted at higher tables, invited into bigger conversations, and seen as a leader who can align the whole system, this episode will give you the mindset and moves to start now.

Building bridges across functions is not about doing more. It is about being seen differently. When you learn how to collaborate beyond your team, you do not just advance your career. You multiply your influence and reshape how leadership shows up through you.

Tune in and elevate how you see your next move.

Music: That Day

Musician: Jeff Kaale

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