Karima Mariama-Arthur is in-demand internationally as a conference speaker and consultant in the area of leadership development. She is a regular contributor to various major media outlets, including Forbes, Success, Entrepreneur, Human Capital Institute and Black Enterprise. She will be discussing and signing copies of her new book at Barnes & Noble at Vanderbilt on Thursday, October 18 from 7:00 pm – 09:00 pm.
Poised for Excellence: Fundamental Principles of Effective Leadership in the Boardroom and Beyond is the latest book by Mariama-Arthur, and this book is an exceptional resource for leaders at every level across industries. Poised for Excellence was written to nurture the leadership potential in business leaders who desire to operate in excellence and believe that learning and practice are non-negotiable aspects of leadership success. Unlike other leadership books that focus on a specific aspect of leadership, this book presents 40 different principles in one text, which sets up perfectly for executive education courses.
Different from traditional books that provide a one-dimensional view of what leadership is and do little more than categorize existing traits, Poised for Excellence breaks the mold. It creates the context for understanding leadership development as a holistic process. By focusing on the mastery of fundamental principles structured to develop the whole person through service to self and others, it ignites an evolutionary process that cultivates 360 degrees of effective leadership. It directs readers to stake a bold claim to their success and transform the way they show up in the boardroom and beyond.
As Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WordSmith Rapport™, Karima brings more than two decades of comprehensive, blue chip experience in law, business, and academia to the field of human capital asset growth and professional development. Karima is distinguished by her commitment to excellence and extraordinary talent for elevating executive brands around the globe.
Masterful at her craft, she advises individuals and organizations on the dynamics of leadership development, complex communication and performance management. Karima speaks regularly, nationally and internationally in her areas of expertise, and is a TEDx Speaker.
Prior to founding WordSmithRapport™, Karima spent more than a decade working exclusively with corporate litigation based firms where she focused on corporate compliance, commercial transactions, and complex foreign litigation. Introduced to the world of complex litigation while clerking for the late Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., she learned to manage voluminous caseloads and developed an affinity for resolving high-stakes disputes.
Additionally, Karima previously served as the Grand Assistant Legal Advisor for the Georgiana Thomas Grand Chapter OES, PHA.
As an Associate Professor of Political Science and Pre-law Studies at the Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia, she developed core curriculum and lectured on constitutional and criminal law, legal research and writing, global issues, and American government.
Outside of the SSU academic community, she developed executive seminars for a variety of high-profile organizations.
A native of California, Karima launched her academic career at the University of California Davis, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
She earned her Juris Doctor in New England at the Roger Williams University School of Law in Bristol, RI. When not coaching executives, she enjoys helping young adults to increase self-confidence through communication and leadership excellence.
