Do I Qualify?
Tracy Lawrence's avatarPerson

Tracy Lawrence

Founder and CEOThe Lawrence Advisory

Los Angeles, CA

Member Since January 2023

Skills

Business Consulting
Human Resources
Recruiting

About

Tracy L. Lawrence is the Founder and CEO of The Lawrence Advisory. Lawrence recently served as the first Executive-in-Residence at USC’s Marshall School of Business, advising faculty, administration, and students on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Previously, Lawrence led the Los Angeles Entertainment and Consumer industry practice at Russell Reynolds Associates, one of the world’s largest executive recruiting and assessment firms. There she handled senior-level management and board of director searches, and was a leader in the firm’s diversity recruiting practice. Unique among her peers, Lawrence is one of a select few human capital consultants with real-world senior level management experience. She is a veteran of the cable television industry, having served as General Manager of Fox Family Channel, and was previously Vice President of Affiliate Marketing at Nickelodeon. She has also held leadership roles at MTV Networks, Kraft, and Nestle. She was awarded the National Cable Television Association’s Vanguard Award for Young Leadership, in recognition of her contribution to the industry on a national level. Throughout her career, Lawrence has been committed to diversity. She is the Founder of Digital Diversity Network, a nonprofit organization focused on increasing diversity in digital media. In addition, she currently serves as an Operating Partner with Nile Capital, a private equity firm that invests in women and minority owned businesses. Lawrence holds a BA in Economics from Stanford University, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Published content

13 reasons for leaders to ditch their superiority complex at work

expert panel

Here's why humility and active listening skills are key to effective leadership. Behind every great leader is a great team. The continued success of that team and its ability to thrive, however,  also depends on the manager's ability and willingness to hear their employees out about the challenges they may be facing in the trenches or new ideas they want to bring to the table.  Developing an ego or coming across, more often than not, as a "know-it-all" in one-on-ones or team meetings may be a tell-tale sign that you have a superiority complex, which can ultimately lead your team to failure. The good news is that once you're able to identify your own behavior patterns and recognize you're not the only voice in the room, you'll be able to nip it in the bud quickly and effectively—once and for all. Here, 13 experts from Fast Company Executive Board share how and why it's so important for leaders to avoid a superiority complex no matter where they work. 

20 ways business professionals handle loss in an uncertain marketplace

expert panel

Now is the time to: reflect and pivot boldly toward your continued career growth and success. It's natural to be anxious or overwhelmed about a recent setback that you or your company may be experiencing in today's fluctuating economy. However, once you assess where things went wrong, you must dust yourself off, and make any necessary improvements (from lessons learned) that will help you stay on track, and set you up to be ready for the brighter days ahead.   At some point in their career, everyone faces some type of hardship—whether it's overcoming a job loss or not making the deal stick with a highly regarded potential client. In times like these, it's even more important to stay connected with trusted mentors and colleagues as you reflect on ways to improve your brand (personal and professional). We asked 20 Fast Company Executive Board members to each share their tips to encourage business professionals not to panic or give up on their short- and long-term goals no matter what marketplace analysts are reporting.

13 ways to support your team during a season of business cutbacks

expert panel

There's an upside to a downsize. Here's how company leaders can make a difference and maintain their staff's trust. In the past few years, many companies are still facing economic challenges in a fluctuating market, which also makes it difficult when leaders are forced to have tough conversations with their dedicated team about potential or necessary cutbacks. Demonstrating transparency and open communication is one of the most important steps to keep your stakeholders well-informed along the way. If you work together with your team to engage in ideas for alternative solutions, you will set your organization up for success and strengthen your potential to come out on top in the long term. Below, 13 Fast Company Executive Board members share their best practices to help leaders prepare their teams for cutbacks in the business world.

Five common mistakes of first-time CEOs

article

First-time CEOs have a unique challenge in transitioning into a role that only a small number of others have ever held.

13 steps to keep companies on track to fulfill their mission

expert panel

Is your establishment still on the right path to achieve its original objectives? As the business starts to pick up its momentum in the marketplace through brand recognition and new partnerships, it's sometimes easy for founders or leadership teams to get sidetracked away from their original goals and why the company was launched in the first place. While it's important for entrepreneurs and business owners to task on certain risks and close in on the right deals, it's also crucial to maintain your core values and business integrity in the process as the company grows. Below, a panel of experts from Fast Company Executive Board shares 13 ways for business owners and executives to ensure that their current and future business practices still align with their organization's original mission and vision.

Company details

The Lawrence Advisory

Company bio

The Lawrence Advisory is redefining human capital consulting with an approach grounded in partnership, leadership expertise and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) strategy. For over a decade, we have provided executive search, DEI consulting, and strategic advisory services to clients across the spectrum of industries, including technology, entertainment and cultural institutions, financial services, and Fortune 500 corporations. Our consultative approach distinguishes us from other search firms and has produced significant advantages for our clients. Our business is characterized by deep, long-standing client relationships and longer tenure for our candidates. To date, approximately 90% of our placements remain in their roles after 5 years. The Lawrence Advisory is a Black woman-owned and managed firm, and all of our consultants have extensive experience in both acquiring and developing diverse talent.

Industry

Corporate leadership

Area of focus

Consulting
Human Resources
Recruiting