Roxanne jones espn magazine

My time in corporate America taught me this: Your real power is not tied to your title or your paycheck.

Whether I was the “grill girl” at McDonald’s, an ESPN executive or a business owner, I learned that my real power derived from an ability to innovate, defy cultural assumptions and confront systemic racism — not where I fell on anybody’s org chart.

Plenty of people know this already.

But in corporate America, and places like the NFL, people get it twisted.

They are often dazzled by bright lights and fancy titles. They get beat down and brainwashed into believing their power can only be measured by the size of their paycheck.

They learn to go-along to get-along and stay silent.

But disruptive power — this power to shift an unjust system and create opportunities for those other than yourself — is more impactful. Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores is a disruptor.

He is a man who understands his power and feels a responsibility to lift up