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Blended

Blended

By: Sarah Barnes-Humphrey
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 Welcome to Blended – the podcast where transformative conversations spark real change. Imagine the raw honesty of a Red Table Talk, but with a laser focus on the critical conversations around inclusion in the workplace. Each episode brings together five individuals from vastly different walks of life, creating a vibrant space where unique perspectives collide, and meaningful dialogue takes center stage. We tackle the topics others shy away from, addressing the uncomfortable, the overlooked, and the necessary with authenticity and courage. If you're ready to challenge your assumptions, embrace new perspectives, and gain actionable insights into creating truly inclusive environments, this is the podcast you can't afford to miss. Let's lean in, listen, and grow together. Economics Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 62 – Self-Worth: The Most Important Journey You'll Ever Take

    62 – Self-Worth: The Most Important Journey You'll Ever Take
    Nov 18 2025
    Episode 62 – Self-worth: the most important journey you'll ever take Welcome back to Blended! Today, we're talking about something that is incredibly close to my heart – and that's self-worth. Personally I've been on a self-worth journey for a while, but 2025 has been the year that I really committed much more to it. I've researched what self-worth really means, I've experimented with different ways of nurturing it, but – most importantly – I've started talking about it. And that is where the real change started happening for me. It's been amazing. So, now I've started talking about it, I don't want to stop! Through my LinkedIn newsletter The Monthly POP to my socials, my personal emails to my brand new book, I'm opening up on my self-worth journey so I can help as many people as I can. Because I know just how much of a gamechanger it can be. And our guests will also be sharing their own experiences with me today. They'll be discussing what self-worth means, and why it's so important. They'll be shining a light on the dangers of comparison and the impact of social media on self-worth. And they'll be sharing their advice for getting out of your own way, and learning to accept and love yourself for who you really are. IN THIS EPISODE: [01.14] Introductions to our Blended panelists. · Dave – Speaker, author and Miracle On The Hudson Survivor · Maureen – Hair stylist and makeup artist for film and TV · Katie – Senior Vice President of Industry Relations and Strategic Initiatives at Manifest · Sarah – Founder and CEO of Ask A Concierge, speaker and author [06.09] The group discuss what self-worth means to them, the different factors that build self-worth, and some of the issues that can impact it. · Background/upbringing · Authenticity · Confidence · Calm · Acceptance · Courage · Personal values/ethics · External vs internal validation · Clarity · How you show up · Evolution/journey · Boundaries · Avoiding absorbing others emotions · Tying your self-worth to others behaviors/reactions/emotions · Protecting yourself · Expectations · Judgement · Identity "It's about acceptance, acceptance of yourself and where you are on the journey. We're always evolving… When you fully own who you are, that's where self-worth lies." Sarah "Self-worth is when you have the confidence and courage to live your values, whatever they are." Dave "It's a sense of quiet confidence, that you really are enough. It's not because of what you've achieved or how others have seen you, but because of who you truly are at your core. It's been a journey for me, realizing my value doesn't rise and fall with the titles, the paychecks or the praise… Once I stopped looking for that external validation, and started trusting that inner voice, that's when everything shifted." Katie [23.01] The panel dive deeper into identity, labels and share their 'Three C's of Self-Worth.' · Pressure · Societal norms/social construction · Perspective · Curiosity · Asking questions/learning about others · Negative self-talk · Comparison · Role of money · Gratitude · Nature of humanity · Journey, not a destination "If you find yourself in a room and you feel intimidated, you need to change the script for yourself. Instead of: 'How did I get here, why am I here?' It's 'I'm here for a reason.'" Sarah "For a long time, it was difficult for me to not make myself small… But you have to think about all the things you did to get to the place you are now." Maureen "If you go into things, not with comparison, but with curiosity – that changes the playing field." Sarah [47.35] The group discuss the negative impact social media can have on self-worth, and the danger of comparing yourself with others. · Vulnerability · Connection · Truth · Likes/comments/engagement · Algorithm/trend chasing · Originality · Detachment "A lot of times, it's a façade. You're not seeing peoples authentic selves." Maureen [1.02.56] The panel explore why self-worth is important, and why there's no set timeline for success. · Investing in yourself · Empowering others · Overcoming challenges · Inspiration · Reinvention · Experience · Getting out of your own way · Understanding the big picture ·...
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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • 61 - From authenticity to accountability – what does ethical AI really mean?

    61 - From authenticity to accountability – what does ethical AI really mean?
    Oct 16 2025
    Episode 61 – From authenticity to accountability – what does ethical AI really mean? Hello everyone! Welcome to Blended and, today, we're talking about AI – who isn't?! But we're not talking about efficiency or data-driven decision-making today – we're talking about ethics. Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO, has said that "In no other field is the ethical compass more relevant than in artificial intelligence. AI technology brings major benefits in many areas, but without the ethical guardrails, it risks reproducing real world biases and discrimination, fueling divisions and threatening fundamental human rights and freedoms." And that's something we all have to take seriously. Whilst many organizations have even excitedly talking about the potential to be found in AI, some have been overlooking the big challenges that come along with it. As AI becomes more intelligent, with some models even taking autonomous action, questions have been raised about what it's actually saying. Job loss and displacement has been a big concern for workers. And AI's huge carbon footprint is a real issue, in a climate where most organizations are attempting to reduce emissions. As we think about all of these different elements and more, it's clear that ethics are key to the conversations we should be having around AI, and that robust standards are crucial to ensuring healthy, scalable adoption. So we're going to be diving into that today. Welcome to Corey, Lauren, Noelle and Giselle. Let's get started with some introductions; can you each tell me who you are, what you do and how you identify? Starting with you, Corey. As always, let's start by laying a bit of groundwork for the discussion. · What is ethical AI? · Is ethical AI something that's being talked about as much as it should be/as much as we're talking about the potential applications for AI? · What are the risks if organizations don't consider ethics in AI? UNESCO produced the first-ever global standard on AI ethics at the end of 2021 and central to their recommendations were four core values: Ø Human rights and human dignity Ø Living in peaceful, just and interconnected societies Ø Ensuring diversity and inclusiveness Ø Environment and ecosystem flourishing Ten principles then sit beneath these values, in a human-rights centred approach. Ø Proportionality and Do No Harm Ø Safety and Security Ø Right to Privacy and Data Protection Ø Multi-stakeholder and Adaptive Governance & Collaboration Ø Responsibility and Accountability Ø Transparency and Explainability Ø Human Oversight and Determination Ø Sustainability Ø Awareness & Literacy Ø Fairness and Non-Discrimination Obviously we don't have time to do a deep dive into every single principle, but I think it's important to touch on the ideal framework that's being recommended. • What are your thoughts on these values and principles? • What do you think they say about collaboration between people and technology? • Do you see them being applied to the AI you encounter (professional or personal)? It might be helpful to use a real-life example as a jumping off point to discuss some of these principles. Last year, Air Canada was in the news after its chatbot gave a customer inaccurate information. The airline attempted to distance itself from the technology, there was a lawsuit and, ultimately, Air Canada was ordered to pay compensation. And I think this is a really interesting example to dig into, because it does raise multiple questions about ethics. · If the chatbot is 'responsible for its own actions' as the airline claims: o Are we expecting AI to be innately ethical/meet human standards? o Are we training AI models to do that? · Where do the ethical standards lie for the businesses utilizing AI models in this way? Pretty much all businesses are thinking about how to leverage AI, how to incorporate it more and more into systems and workflows. • How should organizations be thinking about ethical AI? • How can they ensure they're applying the right values and principles to new AI projects? • How can they analyze what they might already have in place to ensure it meets those standards? • How can they utilize guidelines like UNESCO's and create a tailored framework for their own organization? • How can they educate teams on the importance of ethical AI? • How can leaders step up and show accountability and responsibility and ensure AI governance is robust, transparent and managed? Let's wrap up: can you each give me one take-away, or sum up, from today's discussion? Thank you so much to Corey, Lauren, Noelle and Giselle for joining me today. AI is here to stay,...
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    1 hr and 28 mins
  • 60 - One billion women: Why we're finally talking about menopause

    60 - One billion women: Why we're finally talking about menopause
    Sep 22 2025
    Welcome back to Blended! Today, we're talking about menopause. Women's health issues, from menstruation to menopause, have long been overlooked in workplaces, schools, even families. But, increasingly, those issues are coming to the fore. Women are finding their voices and speaking up about the things that impact them every single day. And finally people are paying attention. Menopause has been hitting the headlines. Many organizations are starting to look more closely at the impact of menopause in the workplace, and what it really looks like to be a more supportive, inclusive employer. But where do they start? Awareness, policies and procedures, workplace accommodations, health and wellbeing – there's a lot to consider. Our guests will be shining a light on it today. They'll be exploring what menopause is and what it can look like for women, the stigma and negative connotations attached to menopause, and how organizations can better support women in the workplace. IN THIS EPISODE: [01.15] Introductions to our Blended panelists. · Karin – CEO at NIRAKIO · Nadine – Creative Director and Founder of Mayana · Claudia – Retired Global Supply Chain Executive, DEI Champion and Community Activist [07.08] The group discuss what menopause is, the common symptoms, and what it's really like for women as they navigate this transition. "One billion women will be in menopause at this time. So it's a very lucrative opportunity, and it's also a very predatory environment." Nadine "It's a natural stage of life that most women experience between the ages of 44 and 55. And, given that women represent 40% of the workforce today – and growing! – its impact on the workplace is a really critical topic." Claudia · Stages of menopause (peri-menopause, post-menopause) · Psychological symptoms o Mood changes o Anxiety o Lowered confidence o Second-guessing o Feeling a loss of control o Rage o Loss of patience · Physical symptoms o Hot flashes o Night sweats o Joint pain o Weight gain o Sexual impact o Lack of sleep · Cognitive symptoms o Brian fog o Inability to concentrate · Claudia's positive experience of training, awareness and education at IBM · Understanding the impact on women in the workplace · Identifying symptoms · Encouraging women to ask for help/speak up · Link to aging · Cultural differences in symptoms · How menopause impacts women's tolerance level for things they've been socially conditioned to quietly accept · Empathy · Vulnerability · Public display of private health · Uncomfortable · Weaponization/reclaim of language "It's a stage of life that's typically experienced in the latter stages, so it identifies as aging. I identified as getting older. So did that diminish my value to the organization, did they think I could still lead innovation when, suddenly, I'm an older member of the team?" Karin "Black women are the last to get diagnosed, they're the last to get help. And that's where we're seeing these big disparities. The menopause space was predominantly white-facing, and there was not a lot of information for racialized people, so the goal for us is to have that conversation. Because when we're serving everyone, everyone benefits." Nadine "I started making jokes that I wasn't having hot flashes – I was having power surges! But, in making those jokes, it opened the floor to discussion." Karin "To have something so personal and health related happen, it amplified that I was female in a room full of males. Not that I tried to dress like men, or act like men – but I never really tried to call out that I was female." Karin [36.06] The panel explore the negative connotations around menopause, the stigma of aging, and how we talk about menopause, to ourselves and to each other. · Tackling stigma · Creating awareness · Open conversations · Education · Women leaving the workplace · Feeling of diminished value and vibrancy in the workplace · Shame · Women often internalize struggle/'suffer in silence' · Interplay with personal life · Who's responsibility is it to change the conversation/challenge the stereotypes/tackle the stigma? · ERGs/women's groups · Systemic issue · Creating community · Safe spaces · HR "I was a diversity and women's network leader for many years, and it wears you out… I would like to see more engagement with HR to help fuel some of these things to create awareness ...
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    1 hr and 11 mins
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