Call and Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church

In collaboration with JVL Media -- A captivating exploration of why many high-performing Black business leaders attribute their transformational leadership qualities to their experiences growing up in the Black Church and how we can foster these skills in younger generations despite waning church attendance.

The Black church in the U.S. has long been a “one-stop shop” for developing Black leaders, teaching them many of the qualities required to lead effectively in today’s ultra-competitive, digital, and swiftly transforming corporate world. Many high-performing Black leaders benefited from their experiences growing up in this cultural institution steeped in rich history.

Merging cultural study with applied neuroscience and tenets of positive psychology, L. Michelle Smith dissect how these qualities are demonstrated by leaders across industries, from resiliency to their sense of undeniable purpose, their ability to build community and collaborative environments, the delivery and language of their speaking style to their unique leadership flair. She reveals how this historic institution has served as a timeless wellspring of leadership development, empowerment, and cultural preservation and ultimately, is Black leaders’ “secret sauce.”

Call & Response also explores whether the Black Church will be able to continue to ingrain these skills in future generations. Smith examines how cultural shifts have resulted in a decline in church attendance, how online attendance has risen since the Covid pandemic, and finally, how Black leaders may—or may not—be passing these traditions down to their children.

“In “Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church,” L. Michelle Smith explores how the Church has produced extraordinary leaders who thrive in business. It’s a must-read if you’re looking for a rich and insightful blueprint for leadership that is both culturally resonant and future-ready.” - Thasunda Brown Duckett, President & CEO, TIAA

“Michelle has written a timeless classic that brilliantly captures the soul, excellence, and inspiration of the Black church. With eloquence and insight, she highlights the enduring influence that has shaped generations of leaders across every field—business, education, arts, and beyond. This work not only honors a powerful legacy but also serves as a guide for growing as leaders today.” - Reverend Bryan Carter, Senior Pastor, Concord Church and Host, E.K. Bailey Preaching Conference

“L. Michelle Smith has given us a treasure in this powerfully engaging book. No one is better suited to tell the story of the resilience, perseverance, and cultural impact of the Black Church.… This book is powerful, fun to read, informative, and a call to action for everyone who dares to read it.” - Dr. Jeff Warren, Senior Pastor, Park Cities Baptist Church

“Few books manage to merge faith, culture, and science with such clarity. Call and Response is a masterclass in evidence-based leadership—showing how joy, resilience, and purpose are sparked in ways both timeless and urgently needed.” - Valorie Burton, CEO of The Coaching and Positive Psychology (CaPP) Institute, and USA Today bestselling author of Rules of Resilience and Successful Women Think Differently

“The Black Church and many of its traditions are a crucial resource in our society for preparing generation after generation of America’s top Black business leadership,” asserts business consultant Smith (Yes Please!) in this insightful exploration. Smith surveyed 155 Black business leaders and found 76% attribute their professional skills and knowledge to growing up in the Black church. Combining her survey results with psychological research, Smith identifies 10 leadership skills commonly learned in the church, such as community organizing, public speaking, and resilience. She models these lessons through real-life stories, like that of former Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall, who held ministry leadership roles as a teenager, which instilled in her a sense of duty and responsibility for her actions. When she later took the reins of a sports organization mired in workplace misconduct and dysfunction, she emphasized the importance of accountability, successfully overhauling HR policies and implementing zero-tolerance harassment standards. A chapter on collaboration is particularly illuminating; Smith draws parallels between church choirs and workplaces, explaining that the listening and blending of voices singers must do “to produce a collective, rich sound” is analogous to the emotional intelligence business leaders must tap into to create an effective team. Executives, religious or not, will find much of use here. - Publishers Weekly

The Black Church “prepared us for the boardroom,” says Smith, through purpose and faith. It offers supportive community. It teaches the value in engaging stories and in speaking well to one’s audience. Resilience is learned, including “decision-making, communications, agility, and emotional intelligence …” Perseverance is another lesson, one that helps with many kinds of goal achievement. The Black Church teaches collaboration, accountability, social justice, innovation, and “economic empowerment.” And if today’s leaders are not paying attention, many of the lessons may be lost …Fortunately, author L. Michelle Smith doesn’t just sound the siren and leave it at that. At the end of each help-filled chapter, she includes brief takeaways that you might want to remember for further reference, and “coaching questions” to get the most out of what you learn and what you need to share. . . . For the business-minded, this is an unusual book that can be read by anyone, including non-Black Church-going readers. It might also be the eye-opener that young entrepreneurs need as a boost. If you’re looking for leadership inspiration in a different kind of book, “Call and Response” shines.

- The Bookworm Sez