Julia Taylor Kennedy: Coqual

Julia Taylor Kennedy is an Executive Vice President at Coqual, driving cutting-edge research into the issues impacting today's professional workforce. She led The Sponsor Dividend research and co-authored Disabilities and Inclusion, Mission Critical: Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce, and The Power of the Purse: Engaging Women for Healthy Outcomes.

She has spoken at the United Nations, the Carnegie Council for Ethics and International Affairs, the Conference Board — and many other places — and she’s been featured in The Washington Post, CBS News, Forbes, Time, and Harvard Business Review. Coqual recently released a new report, titled, The Power of Belonging: What It Is and Why It Matters in Today’s Workplace.

Key Points

A slight uptick in belonging leads to a sizable increase in engagement/loyalty.

White men and women have the highest belonging scores. Black and Asian women have the lowest.

Organizations can move beyond espousing support by setting clear metrics and also inviting in external stakeholders for accountability.

Senior leaders set the tone for what the organization does (or does not do) to support belonging.

While there is not yet enough action from white, straight leaders, there is movement in espoused support and concern for belonging.

Resources Mentioned

The Power of Belonging by Coqual

How to Be an Antiracist* by Ibram X. Kendi

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism* by Robin DiAngelo

Related Episodes

What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy (episode 398)

Journey Towards Diversity and Inclusion, with Willie Jackson (episode 441)

Changed My Mind (Dave’s Journal)

Making the Most of Mentoring (audio course)

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