On this month's Leading Above Difference's podcast, Founder Jennifer Izekor meets with Dr Tom Verghese, international consultant, executive cultural coach, author, and founder of Cultural Synergies, a global intercultural and diversity consultancy.

Their conversation will inform, delight and inspire you as Tom delves deeply into his personal journey as a man at the intersection of many cultures growing into his now very successful career. They also explore why the UK's National Health Service continues to face blocks to increasing inclusion at the upper levels and what both leaders and aspiring professionals from diverse backgrounds can do, with intention, to make a difference.

'Head, Heart, Hands' is a model for leaders to practice to turn their belief that diversity is beneficial into actual differences in the workplace. Knowing you want to make a difference, practical things to make that difference and the compassion to persevere in the face of difficulties - and why in corporations it remains that people that are most skilled at the 'head' aspect of managing are promoted to leadership roles and why that isn't robust enough.

The DEI backlash, impact of changing workplace gender representation, polarisation of the population and generational differences are all discussed frankly and without fear.

Tom is an expert on Cultural Intelligence and author of four books including 'Cultural Agility' and 'The Cultural Mirror', which can be downloaded from his website.

Cultural Synergies

https://culturalsynergies.com

Publications

https://culturalsynergies.com/publications/

Dr Tom Verghese Linked In

https://www.linkedin.com/in/culturalsynergies/

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@cltrlsynergist

Please let us know what you think of our podcast in the comments on the episode page. https://youtu.be/_ndWVgr6d5U

www.abovedifference.com

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Loren Rosario-Maldonado is a Leadership Development Consultant and Culture Transformation Specialist. She has travelled the world as a People Strategist, combining HR, leadership coaching and Change Management expertise. She’s a certified coach, is currently pursuing a PHD on cross cultural psychology and one of the first - original - CQ Fellows which is where she met Jennifer!

Loren has recently published her book ‘Becoming the Change - The Power of Cultural Intelligence’ which shares how encountering cultural intelligence led to a journey of self discovery – and shares how leaders can harness this powerful part of human behaviour to support them to understand both themselves and the world around them.

Jennifer and Loren talk about how it feels publishing a book which delves into personal change. They reflect on how to relate and use our biases, the multidimensionality of identity and how everyone weighs the different aspects of their identity uniquely - and the consequences of this for leadership.

A recurring theme is the CQ dimension of 'power distance'. Power distance relates to cultures where power is shared in a flat structure versus cultures where there is a more top down approach. Jennifer and Loren discuss several (personal) examples of their experiences leading and managing teams with members from cultures where power distance varies and offer many practical suggestions.

Finally we go through the six elements of the Loren's C.H.O.I.C.E toolkit. Grounded in Behavioural theory, change management, cultural intelligence and cultural humility this is a practical approach to going on your own journey of exploring your identity and learning to discover the rich tapestry of life that is everyone else's in this diverse world - becoming a better, more effective leader in the process.

Jennifer Izekor and Above Difference. www.abovedifference.com

Loren Rosario-Maldonado. www.lorenrosario.com/

'Becoming the Change' https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Change-Power-Cultural-Intelligence/dp/B0CPDBJV66#:~:text=Book%20overview&text=In%20its%20pages%2C%20you'll,comprehensive%20understanding%20of%20cultural%20nuances.

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Join Above Difference CEO Jennifer Izekor as she talks with leaders and experts in the fields of inclusive leadership, cultural intelligence, value based leadership, change management and much more but who all share a passion for Leading Above Differences.

If you are interested in what good inclusive leadership means;

If you want to lead all your people well;

If you need applicable solutions to persistent problems in creating inclusive workplace cultures;

If you want to develop your cultural intelligence;

Subscribe to Leading Above Differences, a new monthly podcast from Above Difference.

www.abovedifference.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.