Author and renowned speaker Jess Pettitt flips diversity training on its head to help us check our biases and stereotypes to not only reduce friction, but to leverage them for better experiences and greater business outcomes.

Turning diversity training upside-down with Jess Pettitt

When the idea of “diversity training” comes up, we often think it’s about making people feel more comfortable at work, and ultimately, avoiding situations that cause trouble. But today’s guest is here to explain that we have it all wrong.

“People have been to so many bad diversity trainings they're also burned out.” -Jess Pettitt

Training to operate in a diverse environment shouldn’t just be about “getting along” and avoiding friction. In fact, when diversity is approached properly, we create situations that are conducive to creativity, innovation, and meaningful relationships.

“If you can’t try, you can’t be creative, you can’t innovate…” -Jess Pettitt

In this interview, Jess outlines the pitfalls in diversity training and how we can all approach diversity in a healthier, more holistic manner. More importantly, we discuss many ways this approach creates amazing opportunities to learn, grow, and better understand the connections that lead to success.

A few things you can expect from this episode:

• Grasping a modern but healthier understanding of diversity
• Taking control of your biases and dealing with the biases others may act on
• How stereotypes can be understood more respectfully then leveraged to deliver better customer experiences
• Lots of laughs!

“Professional devastation will lead to great innovation.” -Jess Pettitt

Are you ready to own your biases and stereotypes for a more productive workplace culture? Then it's time embrace diversity as a tool for success instead of treating it like another set of challenges to overcome. 

Interview Highlights

• Jess has worked to flip the way diversity is approached, so what does that mean, and how can we better define it? [3:00]
• Jess shares her views on the impact unconscious biases and more importantly, the antidote! [6:24]
• What can you do to strengthen your awareness of your own positive and negative biases to deliver better experiences? [11:13]
• Jess has been playfully referred to as “the white guy whisperer,” but all joking aside, what does that mean, and how can stereotyping be a good thing? [13:23]
• Jess tells the amazing and humorous story about connections botched by biases and how they inspired her to write her book. [18:45]
• What does Jess want YOU take away from this episode, and moreover, her book title, “Good Enough NOW?” (Spoiler: It can change the world!) [20:43]

About our guest

Jessica Pettitt, M.Ed., CSP, pulls together her stand up comedy years with 15+ years of diversity trainings in a wide range of organizations to serve groups to move from abstract fears to actionable habits that lead teams to want to work together. With a sense of belonging and understanding, colleagues take more risks with their ideation, converse precious resources through collaboration, and maintain real connections with clients over time. She is the author of Good Enough Now, How Doing the Best We Can With What We Have is Better Than Nothing.

Connect with Jess

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Website
• Jess has freebies for you, because you’re AWESOME!

Related Content

• 360Connext® post, 5 Leadership Biases that Hinder Success in Business
• Customers That Stick® post, How to Treat Customers: With Respect
• Episode 309: Common Leadership Biases in Your Way of Success
• Episode 204: (Tip) Customer Service Leadership
• We’re on C-Suite Radio! Check it out for more great podcasts

 

Take care of yourself and take care of your customers.

 

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