Nov 21, 2018
When it comes to diversity and
inclusion, Jennifer Brown believes organizations have their work cut out
for them. Jennifer brings her passion for social equality and
diversity into her role as an award winning entrepreneur, dynamic
speaker, and diversity and inclusion expert. In today’s episode,
she speaks with Jim and Jan about next generation diversity,
mentoring in the new age of work, and some simple things an
organization can do to create an environment of inclusion and
diversity.
Key Takeaways
[3:22] Jennifer is a trained
opera singer, and yes, that is really her singing in her own
TedTalk. Her love of high performance training and
cultivating group dynamics on stage led her to feel natural when
exploring the path of leadership development.
[5:36] The stated purpose on
Jennifer’s website reads: “We believe in unleashing the power of
human potential embracing and helping people and organizations to
thrive.”
[6:53] As a member of the LGBTQ
community, Jennifer knows first hand the ways we cover or downplay
ourselves to try to feel safe and others. However, we deprive
others the opportunity for true connection when we conform our
authentic selves.
[8:23] In technical roles at
companies such as Facebook or Google, women and certain ethnicities
are still very under represented, and the numbers are very
stark.
[11:23] Jennifer explains that
we must transcend and broaden the conversation of diversity to be
inclusive of everyone.
[18:10] Jennifer creates
intensive programs to support both millennials and the key decision
makers in the workplace. She gets down to the core of what makes
the new generation thrive (and stay) in a workplace: visibility,
challenge, adding value, and the feeling of making a
difference.
[19:26] Companies must ask
themselves if they are structured for inclusion and diversity
at all
levels.
[24:35] Just as the millenials
have work to do in welcoming inclusion, Jennifer says that the
older generations must revisit and learn from how much they have
failed to authentically show up at work as their true self, and
what those sacrifices have cost them.
[26:36] Jennifer lists a few
skills and qualities great inclusive leaders possess: exquisite
listening skills, servant leadership, and situational awareness to
recognize, attract, and advance the voices of diversity.
[27:17] Great leaders
demonstrate ally behavior. They help others lend their voice when
they have otherwise not be heard.
[30:50] Leaders must be
proactive to bring a diverse team on board, rather than waiting for
them to appear.
[34:08] Often times, diversity
programs can end up segmenting us even more, and we must find a way
to bridge ourselves together using commonalities that show us how
alike we really are.
[39:43] Belonging is the ability
to be seen and treasured for your uniqueness.
[42:47] Jennifer feels that
leaders need to be the first to exemplify vulnerability. This helps
the team establish connection and make others feel
comfortable.
[49:41] Jennifer challenges the
audience to look in the mirror and ask, “Am I Doing
Enough?”
Quotes
- “The
pressure to conform is so intense.”
- “We
tend to sanitize a version of ourselves.”
- “You
have to feel safe in order to build trust in the
workplace.”
- “There are visible and invisible aspects of
diversity to all of us. We all have stories of
exclusion.”
- “The
hierarchical structure is not helpful for innovation. Let’s flip it
sideways.”
- “Inclusive leadership is good
leadership.”
- “What
are you doing to create space for voices that aren’t
heard?”
- “Leadership should be uncomfortable. That’s
part of our growth.”
Thank you to our sponsor:
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Inclusion, Diversity, The New Workplace & The
Will to Change by
Jennifer Brown
Finding Your Voice in the Workplace: Jennifer
Brown at TEDxPresidio
The Five Dysfunctions of a
Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will
to Lead by Sheryl
Sandberg
REVERSING THE GENERATION EQUATION:
MENTORING IN THE NEW AGE OF WORK
Team of Teams: New Rules of
Engagement for a Complex World by General Stanley McChrystal
Sapiens: A Brief History of
Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
Jennifer Brown LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website | The Will to Change Podcast