THe Space

Creator BLOG

Risking the Asterisk

Let's face it: learning is hard. It asks us to push against what we think we already understand. It invites us into a world called "I didn't know that yet." That’s a hard place to be. And, sometimes the learning isn't even a straight line. Sometimes we run into an asterisk. An asterisk asks us […]

The Siren Call of Civility

The word civility is getting a lot of airtime right now. And, in a season of anonymous online trolls and in-your-face politics, it’s a pretty seductive idea. Can’t we all just get along? Frankly, I’d be on board with that. Who wouldn’t? It sounds lovely. But all the way from across-the-world global conflicts to across-the-street warring neighbors, […]

The Day After The Day After

An election is a watershed event. A continental divide that separates us not so much by geography, but by our version of what America has been and our vision of what we want it to become. It’s a long and tiresome season, ending in a day of anxiety and an evening watching the states change […]

LeaderShift 2023

(SCROLL DOWN FOR PICTURES) LeaderShift is a gathering for folks who are inclusionists - people who are working to make the spaces they influence more equitable and just for all. Some have titles. Some don't. Some have been in the work for decades. Others are preparing to begin. But all those who have a passion […]

GUTS & GRACE: unpacking and understanding unconscious bias

The “unconscious bias” train is still rolling, potentially even continuing to pick up momentum. Overall, I think this is great. It’s a push for us to understand more about the way our brains work, and how that influences how we see, understand, and, ultimately, evaluate people. Again, this is important dialogue. And, we’re seeing these […]

Dismantling the Myth of Psychological Safety

Psychological safety: what it is, what it isn't, and why it matters

Inclusion isn't being asked to dance

There's a popular phrase about diversity and inclusion making its social media rounds recently: Diversity is being invited to the party; Inclusion is being asked to dance. I get it. It's an effort to distinguish two terms that, for many, mean the same thing.

The Complexity of Common Ground

Now, it seems, perhaps more than ever, we are “missing” one another. Our interactions can feel like brutal battlegrounds of ideology rather than connective conversations. Our relational networks can feeling like they are pooling at opposite ends of the spectrum called “who’s with me and who’s against me.” Now, more than ever, the idea of […]

Industry Curious, with The J.M. Smucker Co

“Mark Smucker and his leadership team invite leaders from around the world to The J.M. Smucker Company headquarters to speak to a live employee audience on topics of innovation, emerging technologies, the transformation of the CPG industry and more. As part of a continuous learning mindset, Industry Curious was designed to seek the perspectives from […]

Flux

In the fall of 2019 I collaborated with Chris McAlister to put on a really fun and impactful event we called FLUX. The word “flux” means to be in a constant state of change, and it’s the perfect word to describe the personal and professional growth process. The professional journey is a microcosm of the […]

Emergent

One of the things I realized early after starting my diversity and inclusion consulting and speaking practice was that many young professionals weren’t feeling like they got the benefit of training and education that higher level professionals were receiving. So, I knew I wanted to start building out some opportunities specifically geared toward young professionals […]

Govern: An Inclusion and Innovation Symposium for the Public Sector

In the fall of 2020 I worked with the City of Columbus Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the office of Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther to design and create an online inclusion and equity symposium focused on those working in the public sector. We built this event around three barriers to impact-driving change and life-giving […]

Re:Work

This is a season of shifts and shake-ups. This is a season that has moved many of us from the tactical execution of our given roles to a strategic interrogation of how those roles actually serve the organization, and to what degree we’re empowered to fully execute that service. We are re-thinking the nature of […]

6 Ways To Make Your Web-based Meetings More Inclusive

Follow these six tips to ensure your meetings are enjoyable and inclusive for all attendees.

Making Space

A few of my favorite strategies for connecting across race, class, and experience.

Your corporate culture could be killing your company

Often, when I’m speaking with business leaders, I hear the phrase “culture fit” as the conversation starts to revolve around recruitment and retention. And, as recruitment and retention are increasingly difficult and expensive pursuits for the business community (with costs to replace an employee ranging from 16% of their annual salary, for relatively low-paying jobs, […]

The Eight Truths

*based on Kathy Gurchiek’s 12 Truths About Spearheading Diversity & Inclusion Contact me for more information or help with putting some of these truths into action with your organization.

Leadership Hack 101: Make Friends

Great leaders are effective relationship-builders. They function as the hubs of dynamic relational networks, in which information, ideas, and innovations are shared through and around them. Great leaders know their success is integrally correlated with the strength of their networks. They understand that their reach is furthered, their impact is deepened, and their voice is […]