Navigate Challenging Conversations About Power, Privilege, and Oppression with Leah Kyaio, DEI Strategist and Author Imagine Belonging at Work

Do you struggle with finding a common language that can help bring people together, especially those who often disagree with one another, hold different beliefs, and become defensive when conflicting values arise at work?
 
Then you’ll want to tune into this episode where you’ll have the chance to learn more about Leah’s Kyaio’s newest book, Between the Bars. Her book offers a powerful foundation to help you successfully engage in meaningful, difficult, and uncomfortable conversations that when done well, can help us move forward.
 
Leah Kyaio has dedicated the past 25 years of her life supporting business and community leaders successfully engage in challenging conversations like these. She identifies as Two-Skinned, having a Blackfoot Native American mother and an Appalachian white father. These identities inform her work about privilege and oppression and are amplified in much of her work, including this book.
 
During this episode, Leah and Rhodes discuss the Cage of Oppression Framework featured in Between the Bars to explore critical concepts such as privilege, internalized oppression, and strategies to embrace acts of allyship that will help us consciously recognize and value different perspectives when we gather together at work.
 
A few key highlights from this conversation include:
 
--Exploring how Leah’s Two-Skinned identity helps informs the way she connects with audiences when discussing complex topics such as privilege and oppression.
 
--Identifying why having a shared language when discussing oppression is critical, and also recognizing some of the barriers we are up against when trying to create one at work.
 
--Naming the skills we need to develop that will help us neutralize the problematic behaviors that arise when challenging conversations arise that spark disagreement, conflict, and defensiveness.
 
--Underscoring the importance of inclusive behaviors and learning strategies to begin engaging in skill practice to embody them at work (and beyond).
 
--Recognizing what has gone wrong with most DEI learning programs, and ways to course correct by following the adult learning process.
 
--Sharing guidance on how leaders can make it safe to make mistakes and learn from them as they engage move from awkward practice to more skill practice.
 
--Offering strategies on ways DEI professionals can utilize the Cage of Oppression to engage in challenging conversations about power, privilege, and oppression.

Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for ways to connect with inspiring leaders Leah, be sure to check out the Belonging Membership Community – a community of leaders committed to advancing their DEI goals while practicing community care. Members of our community have the opportunity to participate in live podcast recordings and engage in a private Q&A session after the recording is complete. Your membership is appreciated as it helps make this podcast possible.
 
You can learn more here: www.belongingmembershipcommunity.com.