Imagine Belonging at Work Rhodes Perry

Talking through tough issues at work can help initiate change and influence others by presenting different perspectives and approaches to solving problems. When we engage in healthy debate and work through conflict, our team is much closer to realizing its next innovative idea, product, or service.
 
Yet when we engage in challenging conversations, they have the potential of straining our professional relationships. They can also erode our health and well-being. As a result, many of us are conflict-avoidant, and there are good evolutionary reasons we exercise caution when conflict arises.
 
Our brains are wired to keep us safe from harm. When conflict arises, internal alarm bells ring loud, and we cling to what feels most comfortable. Tension arises, and psychological safety deteriorates. Specifically, we may fear negative consequences should we engage in a challenging conversation where we are uncertain of the outcome.
 
So how do we build the stamina required to talk through tough issues that arise at work when our instinct is to run in the opposite direction? Meaningful dialogue in any form requires two key ingredients: 1) risk, and 2) vulnerability. Risk arises because we are uncertain of the outcome, and vulnerability is necessary to maintain our presence as the dialogue continues to unfold.
 
Fortunately, this episode’s featured thought leader, Dr. Elisa Glick, will offer suggestions based on her deep experience about how to create and maintain the conditions required to skillfully talk through tough issues at work.
 
Dr. Glick is a DEIB consultant, thought leader, and inclusive teaching expert. She is the first openly gay faculty member specializing in queer studies to be tenured at the University of Missouri, where she is Associate Professor Emerita. As the Founder and President of Elisa Glick Consulting, Elisa helps leaders and teams to have courageous conversations, overcome barriers to connection, and foster trust and collaboration.
 
This conversation is specifically designed to support executive leaders, DEIB practitioners, HR professionals, and other people leaders seeking everyday actions they can take to tame the tension that often arises when dialogue around tough issues is required. Together, we will explore:
 
---Strategies on how to override the brain’s instinct to avoid conflict at all costs.
---Actions required to frame the conversation and establish community agreements.
---Behaviors that promote a shared sense of trust among participants in the dialogue. 
---Ways to repair the environment if the trust they have created is eventually tested.
 
https://elisaglick.com/blogtest
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisa-glick-phd
 
Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Dr. Elisa Glick, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of leaders committed to advancing their DEIB goals while practicing community care. Members have the unique opportunity to engage with our featured thought leaders 1:1 after our podcast recordings where they can participate in a private laser coaching session with our guests.
 
To learn more about the Belonging Membership Community, please visit: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.

Are you concerned about the #InclusiveLeadership skills gap in today's workforce? Are you curious about how to change this reality? You're not alone. 
 
In this year’s State of the Union, President Biden mentioned a recent meeting he had with nearly all Fortune 500 CEOs. He asked them what they needed most.
 
They unequivocally said, "a better-educated workforce." Yet many of these same CEOs resist making investments in their L&D programs, with 51% saying they are:
"A waste of time." 
 
Past learning workshops my company delivered have enumerated the significant ROI gained from these programs, including higher engagement and retention rates. We’ve also discussed the C-Suite's responsibility in up-skilling their workforce.
 
Yet, to what degree of responsibility does the U.S. education system also have when it comes to equipping the next generation with inclusive leadership skills?
 
To answer this BIG question, Rhodes had a thought-provoking discussion with Rebecca Kling to explore the roles both businesses and the education system play in building a future-ready workforce.
 
Rebecca is the co-author of The Advocate Educator's Handbook, and is the co-founder of A Better World Collaborative. In this episode, you'll discover:
 
1) The surprising truth behind why CEOs might see learning programs as a "waste of time."
2) How recent legislative attacks on critical race theory (CRT), LGBTQ+ inclusive and book bans harm future leaders.
3) The alarming rise in school bullying and its impact on students' social-emotional skills (3).
4) Practical strategies for equipping younger generations with the leadership skills needed to thrive in a diverse workplace.
 
The conversation is a value-add for C-suite executives, DEIB professionals, social justice champions, and anyone passionate about building belonging at work.
 
Don't miss your chance to connect with a nationally renowned expert on this latest episode of the podcast.
 
Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Rebecca, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of inclusive leaders committed to advancing their DEIB goals while practicing community care. Members have the unique opportunity to engage with our guests 1:1 after our podcast recordings where they can participate in a private Q&A session with our guest.
 
To learn more about the Belonging Membership Community, please visit: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.
 
To connect with Rebecca Kling please visit: www.rebeccakling.com.

The Advocate Educator website, Better World Collaborative

Many listen to this podcast to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to build a workplace where we feel seen, connected, supported, and have a sense of pride on the job – these elements are what it takes to build belonging. To achieve this emotional outcome of belonging, we must be willing to explore and appreciate other people’s worldviews. This exploration includes getting curious about the worldviews of others who may be opposed to our own – especially the values we hold closest to our hearts.
 
Learning about another person’s worldview encourages us to practice sonder, the realization that each random person you pass is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. Sonder reminds us that each person’s world is filled with their ambitions, friends, fears, routines, joys, beliefs, and behaviors, and until we engage in a respectful dialogue…this rich inner world is 100% invisible to us.
 
Now in our Belonging Membership Community, we have the opportunity to practice the art of sonder. When we practice sonder, it aligns with our community’s shared value of seeing the humanity in another person, even when we don’t agree with their worldviews. Practicing sonder helps us hone one of the peacebuilding skills many DEIB leaders have, which is the ability to understand human behavior…as unpredictable as it may be…
 
And today, we have the pleasure of learning from Diana Cutaia, Founder of Coaching Peace Consulting, who will share what it takes to build peace at work and beyond. She will share why these skills are so critical considering the current cultural and political environment we are living through. Diana founded her practice in 2012, with the goal of creating positive and safe cultures that empower its members to lead with empathy and understanding.
 
Together, our conversation supports DEIB professionals, along with other executives, and those on their way to joining us, by sharing her coaching philosophy and why peacebuilding skills are necessary for current and future workplace leaders. Topics explored during this episode include:
 
--Diana’s calling to explore the meaning of peace earlier in her life.
--The power of play and connection to cultivate cultures of peace.
--Tactical strategies build cultures that feel like they were designed for you.
 
Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Dr. Carter, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of leaders committed to advancing their DEIB goals while practicing community care. Members have the unique opportunity to engage with our guests 1:1 after our podcast recordings where they can participate in a private Q&A session with our guest.
 
Website: https://coachingpeace.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/coachingpeacelive/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianacutaia/
 
To learn more about the Belonging Membership Community, please visit: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.

Dorothy Enriquez, Founder of the Ellevate Collective, shares her wisdom about what's required to change the face of leadership to fully reflect today's workforce.
 
Workplace demographics are rapidly changing. Researchers predict that somewhere between 2045 to 2050 the US will become a majority-minority nation. This reality impacts all aspects of our lives, including the face of leadership in our workplaces.
 
Many executive teams I work with recognize this shift. They want to build inclusive workplaces that fully reflect these shifting demographics. Yet, many feel overwhelmed because they are uncertain where to begin. They juggle competing priorities. First, they must transform their current workplace culture to prepare for this future workforce. Second, they also must develop the next and most diverse generation of U.S. leaders.
 
In the Belonging Membership Community, we recognize that the next generation of leaders expect so much more from their workplaces and their career velocity. They hold high expectations for their employees, and status-quo companies refusing to transform their cultures consistently fail to meet them. They also recognize to fully prepare for the future, the face of leadership – and the way we lead - must also change.
 
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to chat with, Dorothy Enriquez, Founder of the Elevate Collective on the latest episode of the Imagine Belonging podcast. Dorthy generously offered tangible solutions for leaders who recognize the opportunity this moment presents. As a 15-year corporate veteran and author of Be Accountable, Be Fabulous, Dorothy helps leaders maximize their influence across all levels.
Listen Here
Watch Here
 
Together, our conversation supports inclusive leaders, visionaries, change makers, DEIB professionals, and social justice champions of all backgrounds and identities as we imagine and build the future of leadership. Some topics we explored include:
 
--Naming specific trends reshaping the face of leadership.
--Overcoming anti-Blackness hindering career velocity for Black professionals.
--Holding ourselves and other executives accountable to lead with our stated values.
--Distinguishing the roles your sponsors, mentors, allies, and cheerleaders play.
 
Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Dorothy, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of inclusive leaders - and those on their way to joining us - committed to advancing their DEIB goals, practicing community care, and activating their belonging vision.
 
Members have the unique opportunity to engage with our guests, established thought leaders like Dorothy Enriquez, 1:1 after our live podcast recordings. There they can participate in a private Q&A session with our guests.
 
To learn more about the Belonging Membership Community, please visit: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.
 
Check out our next live podcast recording by joining our complimentary Belonging at Work Facebook or LinkedIn communities.
 
To connect with Dorothy Enriquez and enjoy 15% of The Ellevate Collective products, please visit: www.theellevatecollective.com, and use the promo code: belong15
 
Thanks for growing our #BelongingMovement!

In 2020, current US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy authored a powerful treatise on the impact of loneliness and the benefits of human connection. Drawing on rich science, compelling personal stories, and beautiful prose, it explores the high costs of loneliness and considers how individuals, societies, and governments can tackle the problem by promoting human connection by building a belonging society. 
 
The book discovered one of the most common underlying themes of ill health was loneliness, without exemption by wealth, education, or accomplishments. The Surgeon General labeled this as an epidemic and said, “Loneliness and isolation have been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health.” He went on to say that human relationships – connection and belonging – are the medicine that can allow us to heal and live healthier, more fulfilled, and productive lives.
 
Now in our Belonging Membership Community, we recognize that one important ingredient to building this belonging society is the role of the workplace. Sadly, building belonging cultures at work has yet to take root – it’s a stretch for some of us to even permit ourselves to imagine what a belonging workplace can look and feel like on a full sensory level. As George Washington Carver once said, without vision, there can be no hope.
 
Fortunately, today we are joined by Cordell Carter, the Aspen Institute’s Founding Director, who will us imagine what a belonging society can be, and we’ll explore how the workplace can play a key role in activating this vision. Cordell is a transformative leader in championing democracy, DEIB, and promoting the greater good. His career journey is as diverse as it is impressive, spanning roles at the White House, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and IBM.  
 
Together, our conversation supports DEIB professionals, along with other executives, and those on their way to joining us, by sharing his belonging society vision. He will also share practical strategies on how our workplaces can play a role into making this vision a reality. Topics explored during this episode include:
 
--Cordell’s calling to serve as the Founding Director of the Aspen Institute’s Project on Belonging.
--The importance of having a vision, even if that vision feels elusive, and how it can make what feels impossible become a reality.
--The threat of not addressing the global epidemic on exclusion and loneliness, and how building a belonging society and upend it.
 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordellcarterii/
https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/cordell-carter-ii/
https://expectantadvisory.com/#about
https://www.festivalofthediaspora.org/

Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Cordell, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of leaders committed to advancing their DEIB goals while practicing community care. Members have the unique opportunity to engage with our guests 1:1 after our podcast recordings where they can participate in a private Q&A session with our guest.
 
To learn more about the Belonging Membership Community, please visit: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.
 
And now…let’s jump into today’s conversation…
 

The different people, cultures, and ideas stitched throughout the fabric of your organization are at the end of the day your most powerful assets. Your workplace has the capacity to embrace all parts of these powerful differences, and the CEOs who recognize this truth will have a competitive advantage moving into the future of work. 
 
CEOs who sponsor their organization’s DEIB commitments say the need for these programs is stronger than ever given the stubbornly persistent inequities that create challenges to recruit top talent – including younger generations that demand working at organizations committed to building belonging at work.
 
Over the past 3 years, many workplaces have made significant investments to establish and advance their DEIB commitments. Sadly, some of these efforts have lost momentum, primarily due to politicians, courts, and sometimes customers challenging this work with false claims. These claims overlook over four decades of research and case studies underscoring the significant return on investment DEIB programs deliver to improve a company's profits, employee engagement, and customer loyalty.
 
The increasing polarization of DEIB interventions spawns new and unexpected challenges, which is why we are hosting this very important conversation with Paolo Gaudiano. Paolo is the Founder and Chief Scientist of Aleria, an impact startup that measures inclusion to help organizations have happier employees and superior financial performance – without guesswork or backlash.  
 
Together, our conversation supports DEIB professionals, along with other executives, and those on their way to joining us, by offering practical strategies to diffuse today’s backlash. Topics explored during this episode include:
--Paolo’s calling to write his forthcoming book, “Measuring Inclusion: Higher Profits & Happier People, Without Guesswork or Backlash.”
--The power of metrics capable of measuring the impact of DEIB interventions to help diffuse backlash and inform a strategic and beneficial approach that centers the workforce.
--The harms anti-DEIB legislation inflicts upon good business practices and employee morale, and how DEIB professionals can proactively respond to the backlash that left unchecked harms progress.

Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like Paolo, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of leaders committed to advancing their DEIB goals while practicing community care. Members have the unique opportunity to engage with our guests 1:1 after our podcast recordings where they can participate in a private Q&A session with our guest.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgaudiano
https://www.aleria.tech/
 
To learn more about the Belonging Membership Community, please visit: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.
And now…let’s jump into today’s conversation…