This interview is with Tamica Sears, HR Consultant and Executive Coach at Sears Coaching.

Tamica Sears, HR Consultant and Executive Coach, Sears Coaching

Tamica, welcome to HRInterviews.com! Could you start by telling our readers a bit about yourself and your professional journey in the HR field?

I'll start off by saying that I am where I am because of nepotism! When I was in high school, my older sister got me a job as a clerk doing payroll, keeping up with employee files, and pretty much anything else that she could throw my way. I am forever grateful because, without that foundation, I wouldn't have been put on a career path that took me through benefits, HRIS, talent acquisition, employee relations, labor relations, and more—landing me where I am today.

What pivotal moments or experiences in your career led you to specialize in Leadership Development, Organizational Effectiveness, Employee Experience, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, and Executive Coaching?

I have had the privilege of working with some great leaders and the misfortune of working for some truly horrible bosses. One of my very first leaders was someone who opened my eyes to what HR could truly be—not a reactive, compliance-focused group of mean people who found a way to say no to every request, but a proactive group of empathetic people who try to make sure that every employee is having the best employee experience possible.

I thought that everyone was like that! I could not have been more wrong.

Time after time, I was faced with having bosses who did everything that we in HR discouraged leaders from doing. It was, of course, puzzling and troubling to me until I talked to my former leader who set me straight. She asked me how I expected the leaders in the organizations that I supported as an HR professional to do things that my leaders in HR weren't doing.

She challenged me to dig in and find out why HR wasn't doing what we were supposed to do and, from that, determine why the other leaders weren't doing the right things either. That set me down a path of growth and learning that eventually led me to get formal training in leadership coaching and IDEA and helped me shape my new HR philosophy.

I now knew that HR had to focus on creating the best employee experience possible for all employees in the organization rather than focusing on the "balance" of keeping the employees happy and the company out of trouble. There is no balance to maintain. If you do right by the employees, you are doing right by the company. And to do right by the employees, the HR team has to have expertise in Leadership Development, Organizational Effectiveness, Employee Experience, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, and Coaching.

Can you share an example from your experience where you successfully fostered a more inclusive and equitable workplace? What specific strategies and initiatives were most impactful?

I was working with a mid-sized tech company that was trying its best, but they struggled to move the needle on inclusivity and equity. They kept hiring diverse talent, only to watch them leave within a year, mostly stating “lack of belonging” as a reason for leaving during exit interviews.

So, I recommended that they flip their focus.

Instead of trying to create new and innovative recruiting strategies, they should shift their lens to focus on retention and environment—making inclusion the foundation of the organization before pushing diversity.

We started by revamping their employee experience, taking an honest look at policies, everyday practices, and the unspoken rules of engagement. We then rolled out “Inclusion Labs”—a series of interactive workshops and conversations designed to help employees at every level unpack biases, rethink communication norms, and, most importantly, how to get comfortable being uncomfortable. I rolled out a train-the-trainer initiative so these sessions were led by people across departments, ensuring voices from all levels had input.

It became this ongoing, safe space to talk about everything from microaggressions to larger systemic issues. Over time, we saw shifts not just in the feedback but in people’s willingness to call out issues and be advocates for one another.

One of the most impactful initiatives was creating a sponsorship program specifically for underrepresented talent, where leaders took a genuine stake in their development and made sure they were represented in decision-making. These sponsors not only advocated for their people in meetings but also helped navigate the "office politics" piece of the organization, those things that aren't written in any handbook but are often critical for success.

The company *IFKYK*s. And it worked!

Retention rates improved significantly among our historically underrepresented employees over the course of 24 months and, more importantly, they reported feeling seen and valued. It was a long and arduous journey because nothing and no one miraculously changes overnight—but by focusing on inclusion as the foundation, we created a culture where diversity could actually thrive.

How have you seen leadership development programs directly contribute to improved organizational effectiveness? Can you provide an example where you witnessed a significant positive shift?

One of the most powerful examples I’ve seen of leadership development fueling organizational effectiveness was within a regional team in a large insurance company that struggled with turnover and declining engagement. The difference-maker here was in grounding the entire leadership-coaching program in specific, actionable metrics.

We didn’t just train and hope for the best; we used leadership metrics to define clear targets from the start, especially around trust, communication, and adaptability.

We began with a baseline assessment, which captured exactly where each leader stood on these metrics. This data was critical because it allowed us to design highly individualized coaching sessions and development plans that focused on the most impactful areas for each individual leader.

By using metrics, leaders knew exactly what they needed to improve and had a clear way to measure their progress throughout the coaching program. This was truly about hitting specific benchmarks that tied directly to organizational needs.

As we went along, we continually measured shifts in these leadership metrics, and it was seamless to connect those improvements to real business outcomes. Leaders became more effective communicators and problem-solvers, and that showed up as increased employee engagement and a meaningful reduction in turnover.

The leadership metrics created an accountability loop, where leaders could see their progress and how it positively impacted their teams and the organization. This approach showed that metrics drive development, and they bridge the gap between training and on-the-job results. We were able to create an organization with better leaders and a stronger, more resilient culture built on measurable growth and trust.

In today's rapidly changing work environment, how can organizations ensure their employee experience programs remain relevant and engaging for diverse employees?

Keeping employee-experience programs relevant and engaging for diverse teams today means getting rid of the one-size-fits-all mindset. Employee experience has to change and evolve as the world we’re all working in changes and evolves.

To know what those changes are, you have to stay close to the pulse of what people actually need. A great way to do this is by creating constant, real-time feedback loops where employees can see how their feedback is used to shape the employee experience for themselves and their colleagues.

There are tools that pick up on immediate patterns, for example, if parents need more flexibility around hybrid schedules or if remote employees feel isolated. Being able to act on those issues right away is a game-changer. Waiting a year for an employee engagement survey or for someone to complain during their annual review to fix these things doesn’t work anymore. Things move far too fast for that now.

Another powerful shift is giving employees the freedom to personalize their own experience. We’re all different, so cookie-cutter solutions don't cut it. Let employees pick from a range of benefits, development programs, and wellness options that align with their lives and goals. When people have choices that match their reality, they stay engaged because they’re getting exactly what matters to them, not what someone else thinks they should have.

Last but certainly not least, let’s get real about who’s in the room when these programs are being built. You have to have diverse voices in those conversations; otherwise, you’re going to end up with massive blind spots. When underrepresented voices help create these programs, they're relevant, real, and powerful enough to make a real difference.

What advice would you give to leaders who are struggling to create a sense of belonging and inclusion for remote team members?

If you're struggling to create belonging and inclusion for your remote team, my first piece of advice is to stop trying to force it into the same box you’d use for an in-person team. Remote work requires its own playbook, and trying to put the square peg of what worked in 2019 into the round hole of 2024 is never going to work. Start by making a remote team charter. As a team, figure out how you are going to communicate. This isn’t just small talk; it’s how you build trust and show that you genuinely care about each person’s experience.

Another game-changer? Don’t leave team dynamics to chance.

Intentionality is everything in a remote setup. Create structured, regular opportunities for people to connect in ways that don’t involve work. Virtual coffee chats, team-building exercises, and even dedicated Slack channels for interests can make a big difference. When people have those spaces to connect and bring their full selves, they’re more likely to feel like they belong. And remember, inclusion has to be visible to be real.

Leaders need to proactively recognize and celebrate contributions, not just results.

You can’t just wait until the big wins to celebrate; small wins matter, too, especially when your team is spread out. When you make an effort to recognize everyone’s contributions, people feel valued and part of something bigger—even from miles away.

From your experience in executive coaching, what are some common challenges leaders face when it comes to embracing DEI&A principles, and how can they overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges I see leaders facing with DEI&A is fear. A lot of times, people fear saying the wrong thing, making mistakes, or dealing with resistance from people who are vehemently opposed to DEI&A. Another challenge is getting beyond performative actions and into real, structural change. Leaders will sometimes focus on things like celebrating diversity days or putting out statements when something major happens in the news. I'm not saying that those things don't matter, but they're not enough on their own.

To create a real impact, leaders need to dig into policies, practices, and the culture itself. Are people's voices actually being heard, or are decisions still being made by a select few? Are career-advancement opportunities equitable, or are the same people getting promoted? Leaders have to start asking hard questions and then face up to the answers, even when it requires shaking up the status quo.

Finally, leaders get impatient. I like to tell leaders to think long term. DEI&A is a journey, not a project. It isn't a sprint or a marathon, there's no finish line here. It's about creating an environment that constantly evolves to support diverse perspectives and genuinely values every individual.

Can you share an example of a time you helped a leader develop their coaching skills to empower and support their team more effectively?

One of the most impactful experiences I’ve had was working with a leader in a high-growth tech company who was having trouble moving from micromanaging to empowering her team. She was great at problem-solving and driving results, but her directive, hands-on style was getting in the way of her being a supportive leader with a coaching culture.

We started by redefining what support looked like from her for her team. Through our coaching, she began to see that empowering her team meant asking questions instead of telling them what to do. We worked on developing her coaching skills so she could guide her team to think through challenges instead of jumping in immediately with solutions.

This was hard because she was very results driven and coaching isn't a fast process. What helped her gain patience with the process was coming to an understanding that her career growth and development were being hindered because she spent so much time directing her team.

Once she understood that, she stopped telling and her team quickly became more confident. They started stepping up with ideas and taking ownership which was new for them. She went from being the bottleneck to becoming the backbone of a more empowered, self-sufficient team.

She got results!

Not only did her team’s performance and engagement increase, but she also had time and energy to focus on strategic work and started learning what she needed to do to move up the ladder. She told me later that learning to coach her team was one of the most freeing experiences of her career.

What emerging trends in HR, particularly in leadership development and DEI&A, are you most excited about, and why do you think they hold promise for the future of work?

I'm excited about the move toward personalized, data-driven development. The traditional one-size-fits-all way of doing things just doesn’t work anymore, and now we have tools that allow us to create leadership programs as diverse and unique as the leaders themselves. Being able to create development programs shaped by real-time feedback, behavioral insights, and clear, actionable metrics is something I didn't even think of doing until recently because I didn't realize it was possible.

Now leaders don't have to guess what they need to improve on or rely solely on possibly biased opinions. They have precise data that show them how to grow in ways that are meaningful and aligned with their team and organizational goals. It’s a huge shift, and it’s turning development into something far more strategic and personalized.

Another trend I’m excited about is the rise of equity-centered design in DEI&A. Regardless of what SHRM thinks, we’re moving beyond just talking about diversity to really designing systems, policies, and processes that actively dismantle inequities in hiring, career progression, and even day-to-day interactions. Companies are starting to recognize that inclusion has to be woven into the fabric of the organization, not just added as an afterthought on top of other leadership competencies. And with equity-centered design, we can make changes that are sustainable and aimed at leveling the playing field in measurable ways.

There is also an emphasis being placed on mental wellness and resilience becoming a core part of leadership and DEI&A strategies. The future of work is demanding and fast-paced, and leaders need the tools to not only handle pressure themselves but also to create environments where their teams can thrive without burning out. Companies are starting to realize that mental wellness doesn't just magically happen; it’s a fundamental part of creating a strong, inclusive workplace. That means we have to be intentional about creating better leaders because when we do that, we’re creating healthier, more sustainable workplaces where everyone has the chance to succeed.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks for the opportunity to share my knowledge and expertise! These topics are so important, and I’m always glad to contribute to the conversation. If there’s anything else you’d like to explore or any specific areas where I can offer more insights, don’t hesitate to let me know. Supporting leaders in creating positive, lasting change is what I’m here for.