Closing the Gap

How do we set boundaries so that we can all feel safe to push back in the workplace? Whether you're working in a virtual, hybrid, or face-to-face environment there are times when you may find yourself needing to set boundaries with someone who simply doesn't get it. This person could be a colleague you're collaborating with, someone from a siloed department you've never met, it could even be your boss. It is key to learn how to set boundaries in a work environment. This ensures that you walk away from doing the work still feeling whole.

When we feel overwhelmed or panicked - our brains simply shut down. It doesn't matter how smart you are. No one is immune. By learning new strategies to interact with our colleagues, we can make better decisions that are grounded in mutual understanding. This helps us to bring our authentic selves to work while leading inclusive and high-performing teams.

In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews Human Performance Specialist Pamela Brooks-Richards, for her take on how we can more effectively communicate with others in the workplace.

Keep up with Pamela Brooks-Richards:

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

How can we better support people with disabilities in the workplace? What role does language play in the way our world frames disability? Business conversations are often rife with ableist language - saying business results are "paralyzed" or that a conversation was "tone-deaf" can reinforce negative stereotypes about people with disabilities in the workplace. Once we know better, how do we do better?

HR often thinks that the goal of disability awareness is to create a work environment where as many people as possible feel comfortable disclosing their disability. When instead, the goal should be creating an environment that's inclusive for everyone - whether they have a disability or not. How can we as leaders be proactive about accessibility, to take the burden off of disabled people to constantly advocate for their needs?

In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews public speaker, DEI consultant, and content creator (@BlindishLatina), Catarina Rivera, for her take on how managers can become an advocate for disability justice in their workforce.

Keep up with Catarina Rivera:

www.catarinarivera.com

2022 has brought a slew of changes - some workplaces are switching to hotelling instead of requiring employees in their offices, while other organizations have chosen to stay fully remote. However, as the workplace continues to evolve, it has become clear that hybrid work is here to stay. Working remote during a pandemic calls for more than flexibility from managers - it requires compassion to truly close the gap.

For some employees, working remotely has given them a boost in productivity. They’ve learned how to complete their work duties in less time. What does this mean when being called back into the office? Do we work more slowly to “look productive”? Or is there another way?

In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews award-winning international speaker, Amazon #1 best-selling author, and renowned culture change and project management expert, Colin D. Ellis for his take on how managers can address the compassion gap in hybrid teams.

Keep up with Colin D. Ellis:

www.linkedin.com/in/colindellis

www.twitter.com/colindellis

Read The Hybrid Handbook: How to set yourself up for the future of work - https://amzn.to/3tjbd3N

How do we create psychological safety for historically marginalized communities in the workplace? Inclusivity matters at every level in an organization - from the board room to the front lines. How do you ensure that all employees feel a sense of belonging and respect? This requires long-term about your company's approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Inclusivity has to become part of your company's DNA and corporate strategy. In the same way that your quarterly earnings, turnover, and financial reports are discussed at each meeting, we can do the same for DEI.

In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews Chief Change Agent and Founder of Flying Elephant, Deanna Singh for her take on how companies can begin prioritizing inclusivity in their organization to help their teams reach new heights.

Keep up with Deanna Singh:

Website: https://www.deannasingh.com/flying-elephant

Podcast: https://bit.ly/3sZ7tEo

Keep an eye out for her book, Actions Speak Louder, releasing May 31, 2022.

How does your project management style evolve to different work cultures? Project management is more than knowing how to organize spreadsheets, GAANT charts, and building goal charts. If you're a project manager who hopes to influence your organization's strategic outcomes you have your work cut out for you. This means building your skills in EQ and learning to lead others regardless of their personality traits, leadership preferences, and reservations.

In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews Global President & Chief Project Officer, Jana Axline for her take on how project managers can up their contribution by driving inclusive, high-performing teams.

Keep up with Jana Axline:

projectgenetics.com

Podcast: Corporate CPR

Ladies, what if we told you that you could thrive in IT? This impactful and high growth industry can offer you the opportunity to expand on lucrative skills while closing the gap in a space historically dominated by men. Careers in IT expand far beyond coding, and many people make a career in this industry without ever learning to code themselves.

In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews leading-edge female entrepreneur, Prema Chuttoo for her take on how women can transition into the IT world. Prema is passionate about advocacy for women in the IT sector globally. As we know, it is not sustainable to be "the first, the one, the only" when it comes to representation in the workplace. Hear Prema's take on how women and other individuals from historically marginalized groups can seek the support they need to get started on their career in STEM.

Keep up with Prema:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/premachuttoo-globalsapexpert/

Part of being a good leader is knowing that things are bigger than you. But what does that mean for how we choose to handle these challenges? On the flipside, it's also important to assess your own self-worth. This applies whether you are a new leader or someone who has been leading teams for years. After all, how we see ourselves is the most quintessential part of leadership.

In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews author, business advisor and speaker, Joe Caruso. Listen in to hear his take on how leaders can close the gap between who we want to be and who we are. Joe brings his lifetime of expertise to help organizations and leaders change the way they see themselves -- and in turn, the way they think about markets, products and services. Joe has learned this change in thinking drives new behavior and allows organizations to sharpen focus and reach greater levels of success. 

Keep up with Joe Caruso:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/carusoleadership/

https://twitter.com/JosephACaruso

https://www.facebook.com/CarusoLeadershipPage

Hybrid work means we can’t assume we can watch people work — now what? How do we go from working at our most efficient pace from home back to a 9 to 5 office environment? On the flipside, remote work really isn't quite as new as we seem to think. For those of us working in international organizations, remote work has been one factor of getting the job done for over 10 years.

In this week's episode, Denise Cooper interviews the Director of EMEA ALLEO, Glenn Wastyn. Listen in to hear his expert take on what working in global organizations can teach us about hybrid work and why forcing people to go back to their office will be a recipe for disaster. If you've been asking yourself "what is the work to be done with the transition hybrid work?" - this is the episode for you.

Keep up with Glenn Wastyn:

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

How would your life look different if you were part of a community that made you feel included and valued? In conversations about resilience in the face of disruptive change, community is often an undervalued resource. On the flip side, as community leaders, we often ask ourselves "how do I build a community that is welcoming, inclusive, and engaging?". It is easier said than done.

In this week's episode, multi-award-winning leader, keynote speaker, podcast host, author and university professor Linda Fisk will be talking about how she has bridged the gap. She is the Founder and CEO of LeadHERship Global, a community of unstoppable women enhancing their leadership blueprint and embracing their power to be the best version of themselves- in work and life. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to shepherd a values-oriented community, this is the episode for you.

Keep up with Linda Fisk & LeadHERship Global:

● Facebook.com/leadhershipglobal

● Twitter.com/leadhershipglob

● Instagram.com/leadhershipglobal

● Linkedin.com/company/leadhershipglobal

We've all heard the phase, "the only constant in life is change". For people of color, and people from historically marginalized groups - we often have to adapt to the workplace in more ways than one. For us, the question becomes how do we level up our adaptability so that we are better able to thrive in our careers, rather than just cope with them? How do we remain adaptable when faced with institutional barriers in our careers?

In this week's episode, guest William A. Adams pulls on his background as an award-winning D&I innovator, engineering trailblazer, and philanthropist to answer these challenging questions and more. Adams' mission is to help Blacks & people of color own a stake in technology development, and with his advice, you can be part of the movement too.

Keep up with William A. Adams:

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

https://twitter.com/leaptotech

https://www.theev3nt.com