Why Care‪?‬ Nadia Nagamootoo

Welcome to the Season 5 premiere of the Why Care? podcast! In this episode, host Nadia Nagamootoo sits down with the incredibly talented Tegan Summer, a distinguished writer, producer, and lyricist whose work has graced Broadway and the West End. Get ready for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation about the transformative power of theatre and the importance of diversity and representation in the arts.



Highlights:


Tegan's Journey: From his roots in the East End of London to becoming a prominent figure in the theatrical world, Tegan shares his unique path and the experiences that shaped his career.


The Magic of Theatre: Discover how sneaking into West End rehearsals as a child ignited Tegan's passion for theatre and how this magic continues to drive his work today.


Representation Matters: Tegan discusses the challenges he faced as a Black writer and producer in a predominantly white industry and the importance of creating space for diverse voices.


The Impact of Music: Learn about the power of songs in theatre, especially the "I Want" song, and how they can inspire and empower audiences.


Behind the Curtain: Get a glimpse into Tegan's research process for his latest project, "Mozart: Her Story," a musical about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's overlooked sister, Nan Mozart.


Upcoming Projects: Exciting details about Tegan's future works, including shows on James Dean, Malcolm X, and Harvey Milk, and his collaboration with Tony Award-winning director Susan Stroman.



Key Takeaways

Theatre as an equaliser and its role in fostering empathy and understanding across diverse audiences.


The importance of representation in the arts and how Tegan's work is breaking barriers and setting new standards.


The intersection of creativity and social change, and how theatre can be a powerful tool for activism and inclusion.



Guest Bio

Tegan Summer is a celebrated writer, producer, and lyricist with a rich history in theatre. His work spans various genres and mediums, from Broadway to the West End, and he is known for his dedication to bringing underrepresented stories to the stage. Tegan's upcoming projects continue to push the boundaries of traditional theatre, highlighting his commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.



Key Links


Tegan Summer Theatricals: Tegan Summer Theatricals Website


Tegan Summer Instagram: @tegansummer


Buy tickets to Mozart: Her Story at the Lyric theatre, London on Monday 18th November


Nadia Nagamootoo: LinkedIn | Instagram


Avenir Consulting: https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices

This is a unique Why Care? episode - a live fireside chat where I am the one being interviewed! The interviewer is my dear friend, Darin de Klerk, as we discuss all things Beyond Discomfort at my Book Launch event, which took place on 21st March 2024. During our intimate conversation, we tackle the challenges of leadership development and the significance of valuing diverse perspectives. I share some insights into the soul of my new book, my personal journey growing up as a minority in the UK, navigating power dynamics, cross-cultural partnerships, and experiences with identity. We also cover more about leading with the heart, the concept of trauma and privilege, navigating discomfort, activism, allyship, and the power of empathy.

Darin De Klerk and I first crossed paths together in 2015, and I am genuinely honoured and privileged that one of my closest friends was able to join me live on stage at such a significant event in my career. Darin is a highly esteemed Business Psychologist and shares my passion for DEI. This is reflected in his years of experience as the Director of YSC Consulting, a leadership strategy consultancy.

At the start of the discussion, Darin offers a warm and entertaining welcome to my guests, detailing more about how our working relationship has blossomed into such a supportive, inspiring, and close friendship. He then shares more insights into my passion for DEI, my professional journey, and lists some of my achievements to date, as a Chartered occupational psychologist, certified coach, podcast host, and now a celebrated author. This year has flown by so fast, it was truly humbling to gain recognition for some of my awards, such as being listed as HR Most Influential Thinker, 2023, and HR Champion of the Year at the European Diversity Awards.

I elaborate on some of the key concepts of my book and what originally sparked my motivation to finally put pen to paper. I reflect on some of the core challenges I encountered facilitating conversations with leaders globally and creating inclusive leadership, such as leaders actively pushing back. These emotional barriers stem from differing belief systems on inclusion. I realise that more needs to be done to address these barriers, encourage leaders to adopt an inclusive mindset, and set out on a journey of understanding, to be able to initiate organisational change.

Key Points:

-Emotional Approach: As a psychologist, I advocate adopting a reflective approach to help leaders understand emotional barriers. I also encourage introspection, and exploring their own beliefs to understand who they are and gain more self-awareness. This can help enhance their receptiveness to learning about leadership, inclusion, and other people and active allyship.

-Personal story: I share more about my backstory, which shaped my journey with DEI. As a first-generation UK-born Mauritian, I encountered prejudices and faced struggles with identity, belonging, and feeling like an outsider. These experiences fueled my commitment to ensuring everyone feels like they belong.

-Leading with the Heart: I challenge the traditional norms surrounding a strong, archetypal leader. Instead, I urge leaders to shift away from traditional leadership models and lead with the heart versus the head. This means valuing individuals for their uniqueness, strengths, and weaknesses and embracing their differences.

-White Privilege and Invisible Traumas: As I share an extract from my book, about the challenges of cross-cultural partnerships, I reflect on the concept of white privilege, its cultural associations, and how the world treats people differently due to their diversity.

-Willingness to Act: I stress the importance of self-awareness and willingness to act as allies. This can help leaders integrate diversity and inclusion initiatives.



Links:

Purchase your copy of my book: Beyond Discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it)

In the second special celebrity episode of Why Care? I am joined by the multi-talented, Double Olympic Champion, Dame Kelly Holmes. We dive deeper into her  journey of self-discovery, personal experiences, and traumas, which she explores in her powerful memoir Unique. Kelly shares her emotional backstory in which she concealed her true identity and sexuality from the public and lived in fear for most of her life. We discuss the discriminatory military laws and systemic mistreatment of LGBTQ+ individuals in the British army, as well as the mental health impact. As a world-class athlete, Kelly opens up about the pressure to hide her sexuality, and how she overcame her fears and revealed her authentic self publicly. Kelly then shares her experiences attending a Pride event, becoming part of a supportive community, and about her LGBTQ+ advocacy work.

At 18, Kelly pursued her dream to be an HGV driver and Physical Training Instructor in the British Army. In 1998, she was awarded a MBE for her services to the British Army and in 2018 became the first individual to be appointed Honorary Colonel to a regular unit. Meanwhile, Kelly also pursued her Olympic dream and was catapulted to fame in 2004 at the Athens Olympic Games for being the first woman ever in Great Britain to win two gold medals at the same games. She continued to raise the bar as an Olympic, Commonwealth, and European champion, achieving seven Gold, eight Silver, and four Bronze medals. She also won BBC Sports Personality of the Year and European Athlete of the Year.

During the episode, Kelly shares her experiences of concealing her true identity and the fear she faced in revealing her sexuality to the public. She highlights the importance of education, understanding, acceptance, and authenticity regarding LGBTQ+ issues and the need to normalise attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community. As Kelly recounts her extraordinary life story, she uncovers her experiences in the military, the traumatic military raids, and discriminatory laws targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. She then exposes the wider systemic discrimination in the military and the psychological traumas and mental health issues it caused, which she explored in her ITV documentary, Kelly Holmes: Being Me.

As she developed her public persona as an international Olympic champion and world-class athlete, Kelly opens up about her fear of not being accepted for her sexuality and her anxiety about how this could impact her achievements. As she juggled her dual identity, she used defensive methods and was careful about how she projected herself to avoid judgment. Kelly then went on a journey of self-discovery, and at the age of 50, she finally accepted herself and came out about her sexuality. She embraced her true identity publicly the 2022 London Pride event, which was a powerful moment for her. Kelly acknowledges the pressures, challenges, and complexities of the coming out process, and uses her platform as an opportunity to combat stereotypes and to be an advocate for change. As a motivational speaker, Kelly shares how she connects with and inspires people through her personal experiences, but realises that her sexuality is just one aspect of her life. Now she has found happiness and inner peace, she focuses on her work and achievements and recognises the freedom of living authentically in a world where she can be proud to be herself, without the need for validation.

Links:

Dame Kelly Holmes can be found on:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

For more information about Dame Kelly Holmes, visit: 

http://kellyholmes.co.uk/ 

Dame Kelly Holmes’ charity: https://www.damekellyholmestrust.org/

Purchase your copy of my book: Beyond Discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it)

In this special celebrity episode of Why Care? I am joined by the truly inspiring, Dr. Ranj, to delve deeper into what drives him, his passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and his perspective on how to break society’s confines of masculinity. Dr. Ranj shares many personal life experiences as we discuss his cultural upbringing, mindset, sexuality, identity, and journey to being authentically 100% who he is. We also explore his adventurous career, his advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, promotion of diverse and inclusive education, and one of his many books aimed at boys: How to Be a Boy and Do It Your Own Way.



Dr Ranj’s dedication to DEI is reflected throughout his personal journey, influential career, and advocacy work. There are so many things he has tried his hand at and proven he can successfully do! He is an NHS doctor, BAFTA award-winning TV presenter, best-selling author, advocate for inclusion, keynote speaker, radio host, and columnist. Dr. Ranj initially qualified as a doctor in 2007, before kick-starting his media career in 2012 as a CBeebies presenter. Since then, he elevated his public profile by gracing numerous TV shows and documentaries, including Strictly Come Dancing in 2018, and previously, ITV’s This Morning. Dr Ranj is the host of his own medical advice show called 'Dr Ranj: ON Call' and has written numerous children’s educational books. He is also an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, and inclusive education and offers expert advice on a range of physical and mental health issues.



During the episode, Dr. Ranj reveals more about his cultural background and influences, mindset, motivations, and his proactive approach to life. He emphasises the importance of seizing the moment, taking risks, and embracing challenges, which have all helped define his personal journey. He shares some compelling experiences which illustrate his resilience, and commitment to personal growth, such as learning to swim in just one week for BBC Children in Need. He hopes achievements like this can inspire others to take some initiative, overcome internal challenges, and engage in personal growth. 



Dr. Ranj elaborates more about his Indian heritage, which had a decisive influence on his work ethic and determination to succeed. He shares how he experienced a lack of emotional support growing up, and how he uses his experiences to promote inclusive education, diversity, and emotional connection. Dr. Ranj discusses other influences in his life, such as his teachers and school experience that had a transformative effect.



He also shares some candid personal experiences, such as his journey of self-discovery, and navigating his sexual identity, that allowed him to journey towards becoming his authentic self. He moves on to discuss how there has been a gradual shift towards fostering diversity and inclusion, both in society and the media, and opens up about his time on Strictly Come Dancing. Dr. Ranj then shares more about his motivations for writing his books aimed at young boys, and how he strives to challenge the confines of masculinity in society. 



Links:

Dr Ranj can be found on:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

For more information about Dr. Ranj, visit: https://www.hachette.co.uk/contributor/ranj-singh/ 

http://www.talent4media.com/talent/dr-ranj-singh/

Purchase your copy of my book: Beyond Discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it)

In Episode 40 of Why Care? I am joined by the brilliant and highly entertaining David McQueen to delve deeper into his brand-new book, The Brave Leader. David shares some life experiences, powerful insights and we touch on subjects such as the importance of followership, his BRAVE framework for good leadership, and how to take a systems approach to inclusive leadership. 

David’s dedication to DEI is apparent through his years of experience as an executive coach, international keynote speaker, and facilitator. David co-founded professional development company Q Squared Ltd. He also hosts The BRAVE Leader podcast and dubs himself the ‘compassionate provocateur’ as he offers ‘unapologetic insights’. In addition, he is also a blogger on all things leadership and cultural change. 

During our discussion, David reveals how he has always had a penchant for writing and the pandemic provided the perfect opportunity for him to finally let his creative juices flow. He was initially motivated to write a book that inspired people to think about their decision-making processes. David shares many relatable personal experiences that shaped his career journey. He has an eclectic professional background - initially studying law, and then accounting, before later realising his passion for public speaking.

Throughout the podcast, David offers BRAVE reflections, and we touch on a range of subjects. He highlights the importance of followership, challenging the traditional narrative that followers are passive. He then shines a light on his five pillars of good leadership, or the BRAVE framework: Bold, Resilience, Agility, Visionary, and Ethical. David goes on to caution us about the signs of poor leadership, and encourages leaders to go beyond their titles and be more functional.

David continues to explore how to embed DEI practices in the workplace, and focuses on the importance of aligning collective values and approaching sensitive topics rationally rather than out of fear. He then suggests how organisations should expand their board and consider the diverse majority to help to nurture an inclusive mindset, future-proof technology and integrate DEI policies. David offers some helpful decision-making models, and acknowledges his constant journey of navigating discomfort with humility.

David delves into the following key concepts in his book:


The Power of Followership - When discussing the leader-follower power-dynamic, leaders are often portrayed as heroic and their ‘followership’ are passive. David challenges this narrative, since followers play an equally powerful role as they have to also ‘buy into their vision,’ and help bring that vision to life.




BRAVE - The five main pillars of good leadership, including being Bold, Resilient, Agile, Visionary, and Ethical. He shares some pertinent examples, to illustrate the significance of each one.




Function over Title - David warns against some of the pitfalls of poor leadership, such as inflated egos, and encourages how a good leader should be brave enough to go beyond their title and be functional.




The Alignment of Collective Values - David offers powerful strategies to help embed inclusion into the workplace and ensure the collective values of the organisation are aligned.




Rationality Over Fear - David outlines how organisations should be brave enough to embrace their discomfort, and confront their fears. He offers strategies to help create a system for rational dialogue and authentic conversations. There should be a ‘conversation system’ for internal discussions with staff and stakeholders.




An Inclusive Mindset - David advises how instead of approaching DEI as a ‘tick-box’ exercise, organisations should establish an inclusive mindset, especially over sensitive topics like ethnicity or race. He challenges leaders to look beyond their small avatar on DEI, broaden their board, and think about how each decision shapes the ‘organisation

“I encourage people in my books to please lean into your privileges, they give you a chance to show up as an ally, take advantage of all of them and I do but I simultaneously also understand the implications of what not having that access looks like. And even though I can't fix all of that, I also have a bit of responsibility to be a part of the solution.”


In Episode 39 of Why Care?, I am joined by Amber Cabral to delve into her second book, Say More About That. We cover topics including how to use the best language to stand up for change, and how organisations can nurture a positive feedback culture and ensure accountability. We also discuss poignant issues, such as pushing back, calling out, taking ownership of family trauma, and standing up for our boundaries.

Amber’s passion for DEI is evident through her experience as a global inclusion leader, executive coach, best-selling author, and TEDx and keynote speaker. She has managed her own boutique company, Cabal Co for almost two decades, coaching large global brands to achieve sustainable and inclusive behavioral shifts. Her first book, Allies and Advocates, was released in 2020. Amber initially stumbled into the world of diversity during her time as a Diversity Council Leader at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, later becoming the Senior Diversity Strategist for Walmart. Amber hosts a podcast ‘Guilty Privilege’ and is committed to organisations empowering the next generation of diverse decision-makers, including Brown Girls Do. 

During our discussion, Amber explains that she was initially inspired to put pen to paper after her colleague, Amanda Miller Littlejohn, pinpointed how she “always had the right words to say.” She therefore framed her book as a toolkit to help empower people to navigate their path to inclusion and equity. She hoped to guide people to choose the best language to speak up, especially those who experience microaggressions or exclusion.

Amber shares her own relatable experiences, and how she was determined to bring about change from a young age. However, she later realized that when it comes to nurturing inclusive spaces and challenging inequities, we have to have a broader mindset and look beyond ourselves. Amber encourages us to be mindful of every side, consider what each person needs to feel equally included, and if each battle to bring about disruption or change will have the right impact on the wider community.

Amber highlights the importance of providing feedback and speaking out when we are offended, so we can grow on the path to inclusion. She then offers tools for organisations and leaders to foster an environment of feedback, and explains the power of accountability. Amber then discusses how to respond to negative feedback and to approach pushing back on people in a non-confrontational, but influential way.

Next, we move on to the emotive topic of family trauma, and how this influences and shapes our ability to speak up about inclusion. She reveals how we should own and embrace our narratives, cultural stereotypes, and differences. This can help us navigate how we respond, create meaningful dialogue, and cause behavioural shifts. Amber then elaborates more about creating boundaries, and the value of recognizing our needs, delegating, and not becoming too accountable.

Amber focuses on the following key concepts of her book:


Feedback - we need to create mechanisms for organisations and leaders to help nurture a culture of feedback.




Taking ownership – it is not our responsibility to change our narrative, but it is our responsibility to be conscious of our family traumas or cultural stereotypes.


Standing up for boundaries - if we navigate standing up for boundaries, providing feedback, and creating accountability, we can all journey to an inclusive and equitable world.



Links:

Amber can be found on:

- LinkedIn. 

- Instagram

- Youtube

For more information about Amber, visit her website: ht