Embodying change: Transforming power, culture and well-being in aid organisations Melissa Pitotti

This conversation with Sarah Diedro Jordão provides a deep and heartfelt exploration of what it means to embody change and foster love in the quest for a more equitable society.
 
“Going through a painful process can very much be part of embodying change. If it's itchy, uncomfortable, messy, and hurts, change is probably on the other side of that. So there’s hope."
 -Sarah Diedro Jordão
 
Sarah Diedro Jordão is a multi-passionate & versatile consultant. She works as a communications strategist, DEIB consultant, facilitator and podcast host. The driving interests foundational to her work are intersectional social justice, Black feminism, as well as collective dreaming. Among other things she served as an Intersectionality expert for the North-South Center of the Council of Europe, a moderator for the World Forum for Democracy and a podcast host for the European Greens. 
 
Sarah has also been facilitating a drop-in space for BIPOC professionals in the international NGO and aid sector for the last 2 years through Healing Solidarity.  Anyone interested in joining can email her at sdiedro@gmail.com.
Learn more about Sarah Diedro Jordão on 
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarahdiedro andHer website: https://sarahdiedrojordao.com/  Check out bell hooks’ book, "all about love: new visions," for further reading on the role of love in social justice.
Thank you to Ziada Abeid for editing the show! 
If you’re a humanitarian woman working internationally and you’d like to meet other women like you, request to join the free Humanitarian Women’s Collaborative on Mighty Networks here: https://the-humanitarian-women-s-collaborative.mn.co/admin/landing-page. 

Humanitarian women are exposed to chronic stress, which can impact their experience of peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause.

In this episode of Embodying Change Scotti McLaren shares her experience and insight as it relates to this under-explored and yet powerful time of a woman’s life – before, during and after actual “M day.”

What are the symptoms and what can we do about them?
Scotti practices functional medicine and personalized nutrition, specializing in menopause and mental health. Following a career in audit and humanitarian aid (MSF), and eventual burnout, her process of recovery led to a profound shift towards the healing power of nutrition. Now, Scotti champions a gentle revolution in resilience and vitality, for herself and others. Her clinical practice is dedicated to investigating, identifying and addressing the root drivers of health – both illness and wellness - to help women reach their best health in midlife and beyond.
Check out Scotti’s website here: https://www.investigative-health.ch/
Thank you to Ziada Abeid for editing the show! 
If you’re a humanitarian woman working internationally and you’d like to meet other women like you, request to join the free Humanitarian Women’s Collaborative on Mighty Networks here: https://the-humanitarian-women-s-collaborative.mn.co/admin/landing-page. 

In this light-hearted episode of "Embodying Change," we sit down with Lucette Quarteron, a dynamic global citizen and visionary leader. Lucette shares her unique insights on self-leadership, the proper use of power, and conflict management, drawing from her rich personal and professional journey. Discover how Lucette transforms organizational cultures, fosters workplace trust, and empowers others to embrace change.
Key Takeaways:
The importance of self-leadership and healing personal wounds to lead others effectively.Strategies for managing emotions in conflict situations.The significance of standing up for your values and setting boundaries.How to build trust and acknowledge the contributions of others in a professional setting.Compelling Quotes:
"You need to heal your wounds. If you don't heal your personal wounds, you're going to create wounds in others. Self-leadership is being aware of yourself so that it impacts others positively.""When the emotion is overwhelming, the brain cannot function. You can just acknowledge that the person is furious and suggest discussing it later. It’s about managing emotions first so that you can think clearly.""Stand up for your beliefs and values, whatever the consequences. If you don't respect yourself, nobody will. It’s like not respecting yourself if you don’t put boundaries."Resources Mentioned:
Conflict Management Workshop - Join Lucette on June 25th at the beautiful Chateau D'Ouchy in Lausanne.Gary Chapman and Paul White's Book on Workplace Appreciation - Learn about the five languages of appreciation in the workplace.The Leading Well report - Learn about the 10 practices sited by aid leaders to Lead WellConnect with Lucette Quartiron:
Lucette Quarteron's website: Explore Lucette’s work and contact her for coaching sessions or workshopsLinkedIn: Lucette Quarteron's profileYouTube: Lucette Quartiron on Conflict Management (in French)Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to "Embodying Change" on your favorite podcast platform and leave a review. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and continue to bring you inspiring content.
Join Us Next Time: Stay tuned for more insightful conversations that help you embody change in your own life and work. Thank you for listening!

Join us in this conversation with Helen Dunnett, Melissa’s accountability buddy. In today's episode, Helen shares her personal journey of transformation and discusses the powerful tools of nonviolent communication and assertiveness that have shaped her approach to coaching. She also shares the story of how she approached Melissa years ago to become her accountability buddy, and the five questions she designed to guide their weekly conversations. 
What You'll Learn:
The story of Helen's career transition from communications and marketing to coaching.Insights into nonviolent communication and how it can transform workplace and personal relationships.Practical tips for becoming more assertive without infringing on others' rights.The impact of coaching on personal empowerment and stress reduction.Featured in This Episode:
Helen Dunnett, an ICF accredited coach, works with organizations to develop their teams. She brings together her experience of teamwork and team leadership with her coaching tools to create highly practical training modules that enable participants to walk out of each session armed with insights and skills that should create a step-change in performance. She has worked for over 25 years in the UK and Belgium with a diverse range of team structures such as freelance teams, volunteers, start-ups and small organizations, federations, multinationals and consulting agencies.
For Our Listeners:Check out Helen's website for a copy of the Accountability Buddy Starter Kit here:https://www.helendunnett.com/home/accountability-buddy
Many thanks to Ziada Abeid for editing the podcast and Michelle Sandler for help designing the Kit!

Join host Melissa Pitotti as she welcomes change advocate Cindy Rocha for a morning conversation filled with insights on embracing vulnerability and stepping out of comfort zones for transformative personal and professional growth.
Highlights:
1.     Defining Embodying Change: Cindy explains how real change involves putting oneself in the 'growth zone' — a space beyond comfort that necessitates learning, unlearning, and relearning.
2.     Navigating Change and Discomfort: Discussing the discomfort that accompanies change, Cindy illustrates how adapting to new situations is crucial for development and progress.
3.     Impact of Technological Evolution: They delve into the accelerated pace of technological advancements and its effects on society and individual adaptability.
4.     Transformation through AIESEC: Cindy shares her transformative journey with AIESEC, highlighting the organization's role in fostering international understanding and leadership skills.
5.     Applying Lean and Six Sigma in Humanitarian Efforts: The conversation turns to how Lean and Six Sigma methodologies can streamline operations and improve efficiency in humanitarian contexts.
6.     The Critical Role of Mental Health: Cindy and Melissa discuss the importance of acknowledging and supporting mental health in the workplace to ensure a healthy, productive workforce.
Listeners are encouraged to reflect on how they can push beyond their comfort zones and embrace change both personally and professionally.
Follow Cindy on LinkedIn to continue the conversation and gain more insights into making impactful changes. linkedin.com/in/cindyrocha
Cindy Rocha has spent the last 15 years creating bridges between different sectors and managing programs to create positive change. This all started while she was a college student in Sinaloa, her home state in northern Mexico, and joined AIESEC, an international student association present in 100 countries. Founded after the 2nd World War with the mission of "peace and fulfillment of humankind's potential," AIESEC is a youth-led organization that facilitates international understanding through exchanges and leadership development programs. While those opportunities are readily available for students in the Global North, that was not the case in Cindy's local context. She worked for AIESEC at the national, regional and global level, joining AIESEC International, a multicultural team leading a network of more than 60,000 volunteers worldwide. In her final AIESEC position, Cindy was appointed Director for the Africa region, and became the first woman in that role in 60 years of organizational history. After AIESEC, Cindy has held a variety of jobs in the social impact field: She worked in corporate responsibility and process improvement for a multinational company, then as a UNDP consultant to engage the private sector in projects around the Sustainable Development Goals in Mexico, transitioned to the nonprofit sector in a disaster response organization, and currently focuses on mobilizing philanthropy to strengthen the ability of communities to withstand disasters and recover equitably when they occur. 

Tune in next time for more inspiring stories and practical advice on the Embodying Change Podcast!

Annemarie Shrouder shares her personal journey with identity and discusses her work building inclusive cultures and communities. She and Melissa explore the difference between learning and BEING something (embodying change), the challenges of mixed race identity, creating safe and/or brave spaces, and the importance of representation, belonging and community support.
Topics Discussed: 
 Identity and embodying change Inclusion and belonging in organizations Leadership, empathy and localization  Diversity in leadership and overcoming barriers Creating inclusive cultures and speaking up against injusticeKey Insights:
 Embodying change means living what you learn, not just talking about it Inclusion alone is not enough without addressing oppressive systems  Self-care and vulnerability are acts of resistance for historically disadvantaged  groups Both safe spaces and brave spaces are needed to have meaningful conversations (and this article by Elise Ahenkorah takes it a step further talking about accountable spaces)Annemarie Shrouder – international best-selling author of Being Brown in a Black and White World: Conversations for Leaders on Race, Racism and Belonging - has spent more than 20 years in the field of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) as a facilitator, consultant, and international speaker. An expert in EDI with a Masters in Bias Awareness, Annemarie assists in the creation of healthy workplace communities through her Signature Methodology and Inclusive Leadership Program. Organizations turn to Annemarie when they are looking to build environments where people can learn and are supported, and where they are acknowledged and valued.  She also delivers presentations and keynotes, and can be booked for speaking engagements that inspire people to notice more, and raise awareness about the importance of inclusion. Annemarie works with diversity broadly and is passionate about healing the racial divide and supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion. 
 
To learn more, check out:
Her website: https://annemarieshrouder.com/Her community for leaders committed to building belonging: https://ediwithheart.wordpress.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemarieshrouder/Her book: https://annemarieshrouder.com/book/“Embodying change is the difference between learning something and BEING something.”
-       Annemarie Shrouder