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.