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Sit with Lexi B episodes
- Work Life Balance is BullSh&t With Sally Thornton
About Our Guest:
Sally Thornton is the founder and CEO of Forshay, a talent strategy and executive search firm. She is also the founder of ForShe, an organization that focuses on helping women and parents find work-life blend. Sally is passionate about creating workplaces that support individuals in achieving their personal and professional goals.
Summary:
Sally Thornton discusses the concept of work-life blend and how it differs from work-life balance. She shares her personal experience of realizing the importance of finding a balance between work, family, and personal life after the death of her brother. Sally emphasizes the need for data and storytelling to change cultural narratives around work and to encourage individuals to prioritize their well-being. She provides tips and tricks for achieving work-life blend, including prioritizing sleep, investing in friendships, and making time for exercise. Sally also discusses the importance of communication and setting boundaries with employers and offers strategies for creating a work culture that supports work-life blend.
Key Takeaways:
Work-life blend is about finding a balance between work, family, and personal life that allows individuals to pursue their passions and goals.
Data and storytelling are powerful tools for changing cultural narratives around work and encouraging individuals to prioritize their well-being.
Prioritizing sleep, investing in friendships, and making time for exercise are essential for achieving work-life blend.
Communication and setting boundaries with employers are crucial for creating a work culture that supports work-liblend.
Quotes:
"Work-life blend is a dance that can be either fun or exhausting, and you're the dancer."
"Finding the right work-life blend requires individual reflection and open communication with employers."
"Creating a work culture that supports work-life blend is a competitive advantage for companies."
Further Learnings and Readings:
- Why We Sleep
- Stanford Clayman Institute
- Sally’s TedX Talk
- Forshay.com
Leslie Perlow
Transcriptions
41 min - Redefining Company Psychology and Culture with Darren Albert
About Our Guest:
Darren Albert is a VP at LinkedIn with extensive experience in human resources and organizational psychology. He has a passion for creating positive company cultures and helping organizations thrive.
Summary:
Darren Albert shares his insights on creating and improving company culture. He emphasizes the importance of candid and open communication, as well as the need for leadership to be willing to change. He discusses the role of the middle management layer in shaping culture and offers strategies for getting buy-in from leaders. Darren also highlights the impact of culture on diversity and inclusion efforts and provides tips for individuals to contribute to a positive culture within their organizations.
Key Takeaways:
The best company cultures are those that align with the organization's purpose and values.
Changing culture is often more challenging than changing business strategy.
Leadership commitment and buy-in are crucial for driving cultural change.
The middle management layer plays a significant role in shaping culture and should be supported and developed.
Individuals can contribute to a positive culture by providing feedback, participating in volunteer activities, and speaking up when they see a misalignment between stated values and actions.
Quotes:
"Culture is how we do things around here." - Darren Albert
"It's easier to change the business strategy than it is to change the culture." - Darren Albert
"Leadership commitment is key for driving cultural change." - Darren Albert
"Individuals can contribute to a positive culture by providing feedback and participating in volunteer activities." - Darren Albert
Important Links and Further Learnings:
5 Star Model for organizational thinking
Transcription
49 min - The Danger In Assuming Good Intent with Grace Ziegler
About Our Guest
Grace Zeigler is an HR expert, executive, and leader with extensive experience in corporate spaces. She has a deep understanding of company culture, psychological safety, and the importance of trust in the workplace.
Summary
In this episode, Grace Zeigler discusses the concept of assuming good intent in the workplace. She explores the positive and negative aspects of this phrase and how it is often used as a deflection mechanism. She also delves into the impact of assuming good intent on psychological safety and company culture. Grace provides insights and strategies for managers to create a psychologically safe environment and build trust with their team members. She emphasizes the importance of transparency, accountability, and consistency in fostering psychological safety.
Key Takeaways
Assuming good intent is an idea that is good, but the execution in corporate spaces often diminishes the harm caused and allows people to avoid accountability.
Psychological safety is unique to each individual, and managers should create the conditions for trust and psychological safety to thrive.
Consistency, transparency, and accountability are key factors in building trust and psychological safety in the workplace.
Quotes
"Assuming good intent is an idea that is good, but an execution that is bad." - Grace Zeigler
"You can't force psychological safety on anybody, but you can create the conditions for trust to be built." - Grace Zeigler
"Consistency, transparency, and accountability are critical in building trust and psychological safety." - Grace Zeigler
Important Links and Further Learnings
Building Trust On Your Team
Get Out
Transcription
45 min - The Real Definition of Inclusion at work and in the Senate with Lexi Reese
About Our Guest
Lexi Reese is a leader with extensive experience in various sectors and industries, including corporate America and the tech industry. She is currently running for the California US Senate, aiming to bring about positive change and address economic insecurity for all people.
Summary
Lexi Reese, a candidate for the California US Senate, joins the podcast to discuss her leadership journey and her campaign for government. She shares her experiences and insights on diversity, equity, and inclusion, emphasizing the importance of creating a culture of inclusivity in organizations. Lexi also highlights the need for leaders to be accountable and to prioritize the well-being and success of their diverse teams. She provides practical strategies for building trust and fostering an inclusive environment, such as setting clear expectations, practicing deep devotion to team members' success, and creating structures for accountability. Lexi's campaign focuses on addressing economic insecurity and promoting social justice, and she encourages listeners to support her campaign by following her on social media, spreading the word, and donating.
Key Takeaways
Diversity without inclusion is ineffective; leaders must create a culture of inclusivity where everyone feels welcome, safe, and valued.
Leaders should treat people as they want to be treated, using the platinum rule, and focus on making others better first.
Building trust and fostering inclusivity requires leaders to engage with team members, listen to their experiences, and address their needs and concerns.
Accountability is crucial in creating an inclusive environment; leaders must set clear expectations, measure progress, and take action to support team members' success.
Quotes
"Potential is everywhere, but opportunity is not." - Lexi Reese
"It's not about perfection, it's about progress." - Lexi Reese
"Leadership is about making other people better first as a result of your presence and then as a result of your absence." - Lexi Reese
Further Learnings and Links:
PBS Special on John Lewis
Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader’s VGuide to Empowering Everyone Around You
Lexi Reese for Senate Website
Lexi Reese for Senate Instagram
Transcription
45 min - Anti-Racism in The Workplace: How To Require It with Dana Brownlee
About Our Guest
Dana Brownlee is a speaker, author, and trainer who specializes in project management, meeting facilitation, and leadership skills. She is also a vocal advocate for anti-racism and works to address racial disparities in the workplace. Dana has a background in corporate jobs and has been an entrepreneur for 20 years. She has written articles for Forbes and is passionate about educating others on anti-racism and promoting equity.
Dana will be launching a new class, “Pitching Yourself Without a Publicist” soon. Make sure to follow her on Linkedin to learn more.
Summary
Dana Brownlee discusses her journey towards becoming an advocate for anti-racism in the workplace. She emphasizes the importance of everyone taking accountability for addressing racial disparities and highlights the need for anti-racism to be a priority in all areas of an organization, not just in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) departments. Dana also shares her insights on the role of managers in protecting and supporting black and brown employees, and she provides practical steps for encouraging workplace anti-racism.
Key Takeaways:
Anti-racism is everyone's responsibility, and it requires active participation from all individuals in an organization.
DEI efforts should be separate from anti-racism initiatives to ensure a focused and strategic approach to addressing racial disparities.
Managers play a crucial role in protecting and supporting black and brown employees by creating an inclusive and equitable work environment.
Organizations should prioritize anti-racism by conducting gap analyses, setting goals, and holding leaders accountable for progress.
Reparations and acknowledging the impact of historical racial injustices are necessary steps towards achieving racial equity.
Quotes:
"Anti-racism is everybody's business." - Dana Brownlee
"We pay for what we want to pay for." - Dana Brownlee
"We suffer from a lack of will, not a lack of ability." - Dana Brownlee
"We have to continue to keep these conversations front and center." - Dana Brownlee
Important Links and Further Learning:
Reading
They Were Her Property - Stephanie E. Jones Rogers
How To Be An Anti-Racist - Dr. Ibram Kendi
Letter From Birmingham - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Harvard Implicit Association Test
Transcription
51 min - Divesting In Order To Invest with John Graham
About Our Guest:
John Graham is an author, and speaker who specializes in topics related to race, identity, and corporate culture. He has a deep understanding of the historical and social constructs that shape our society and has dedicated his work to helping individuals and organizations navigate these complex issues. John is the author of the book "Plantation Theory" and is known for his thought-provoking insights and engaging speaking style.
Summary:
In this episode, Lexi B. interviews John Graham about the concept of divesting for the purpose of investment. They discuss the need for Black communities to build their own institutions and create self-sufficiency, rather than relying on systems that were not designed with their best interests in mind. John shares his perspective on the historical context of racism in America, the challenges faced by Black professionals in corporate America, and the importance of understanding the language of power. He also emphasizes the need for healing and therapy within the Black community and offers practical advice for individuals looking to navigate the corporate world while staying true to their values.
Key Takeaways:
Building self-sufficient communities is essential for divesting from systems that do not serve the Black community.
The North and the South both have a history of racism, and it is important to understand the nuances and complexities of racism in different regions.
The construct of power dominant individuals and institutions is resistant to change and will not willingly give up their privilege.
Divesting from the corporate world requires a shift in mindset and a focus on building one's own venture while using corporate employment as a source of funding.
Understanding the language of power is crucial for success in corporate environments and requires a deep understanding of conversational pragmatics.
Quotes:
"We continue to fight to change a construct that wasn't built nor designed with us in mind." - John Graham
"Divestiture is only possible when you have an infrastructure to rely on as an alternative." - John Graham
"Your corporate employer should be your venture capital backer." - John Graham
"We still inherently believe that our value is connected to our work output and that is not true.." - John Graham
Important Links and Continued Learnings:
Plantation Theory: The Black Professional’s Struggle Between Freedom and Security - John Graham
Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome - Dr. Joy DeGruy
PowerNomics- Dr. Claud Anderson
Accounting for Slavery: Masters and Management - Caitlin Rosenthal
The History of the GANTT Chart
Transcriptions
59 min - AI, Inclusivity and More with Charlotte Lewis Jones
About Our Guest
Charlotte Lewis Jones is an AI expert and lawyer with over 15 years of experience in the field. Charlotte is also the author of the children's book "Brainy Billy Building a Bot." Follow Charlotte on Linkedin and Instagram
Summary
Charlotte Lewis Jones, an AI expert and lawyer, discusses the impact of AI in our daily lives and the importance of inclusive AI. She shares her experience working on AI projects at many companies and emphasizes the need for companies to address bias in AI systems. Charlotte also talks about her children's book, "Brainy Billy Building a Bot," which teaches children about the benefits and challenges of using technology.
Key Takeaways:
AI is being used in various aspects of our lives, from voice recognition to facial recognition and even resume screening.
Inclusive AI is crucial to ensure that AI systems recognize and understand diverse voices, faces, and experiences.
Companies should prioritize training AI systems on diverse data sets to avoid bias and ensure fairness.
AI can enhance productivity and efficiency by automating repetitive tasks, allowing individuals to focus on more strategic and creative work.
Quotes:
"AI is a way to train a machine to mimic human intelligence by making predictions based on training data." - Charlotte Lewis Jones
"To not use AI is irresponsible. It can make us more productive and strategic." - Charlotte Lewis Jones
"Outsourcing routine tasks to AI frees up our mind space to focus on more important work." - Charlotte Lewis Jones
“ AI is not going anywhere. We all need to understand it.” - Charlotte Lewis Jones
“It is important for children to understand AI and to see representation of themselves using it.” - Charlotte Lewis Jones
Important Links:
BrainyBilly.com
Transcription
44 min - Quality Communication Will Make You More Coins with Bronwyn Saglimbeni
About Our Guest
Bronwyn is a communication coach and public speaking expert. She helps individuals and teams improve their communication skills and become more effective speakers. With a background and passion for storytelling, Bronwyn brings a unique approach to her coaching, focusing on authenticity and connection.
Summary
Bronwyn shares her expertise in communication and public speaking. She emphasizes the importance of understanding that audiences are not inherently interested in what we have to say and teaches how to create compelling content that captures their attention. Bronwyn also discusses the significance of authenticity in communication and how it can be a powerful tool for connecting with others. She encourages individuals to be intentional in their communication and to meet people where they are in order to be more effective communicators.
Key Takeaways
Audiences are not naturally interested in what we have to say, so it's important to create compelling content that captures their attention.
Authenticity is a powerful tool in communication and can help build connections with others.
Being intentional in our communication and meeting people where they are can make us more effective communicators.
Being intentional and present in meetings and conversations can significantly improve communication effectiveness.
Quotes:
"The more authentic and confident I become in my own authentic self, the easier it is for me to meet people where they are." - Bronwyn Saglimbeni
"Audiences don't want polished spokespeople. They want flesh and blood, three-dimensional human beings that are truly authentic." - Bronwyn Saglimbeni
"Effective communication is an advantage in the workplace." Bronwyn Saglimbeni
"Feedback is the breakfast of champions." - Joel Peterson
Important Links
Bronwyn’s Website
Sign up for Bronwyn’s weekly newsletter that brings communication tips to your inbox!
Transcription
46 min - Is It Bragging, If It is True? with Tiffany ThomasAbout Our Guest:Tiffany Thomas is an experienced employment law attorney and in-house counsel at a major company. She has a background in law and has worked at top law firms and corporations throughout her career.Summary:Tiffany Thomas shares her insights on the importance of self-promotion and advocating for oneself in the workplace. She discusses the power of being your own billboard and how to effectively communicate your accomplishments and skills. Tiffany also emphasizes the importance of giving and receiving feedback and building trust in professional relationships.Key Takeaways:Be confident in promoting yourself and your achievements in the workplace.Keep a record of your accomplishments and feedback to support your self-promotion.Be open to receiving feedback and use it as an opportunity for growth and improvement.Build trust in professional relationships by being honest and authentic.Meet people where they are and adapt your communication style to different audiences.Quotes:"It ain't bragging if it's the truth." - Tiffany Thomas"If you are intimidated by my greatness, I can't work for you." - Tiffany Thomas"Be accurate and honest when giving feedback to others." - Tiffany Thomas"Feedback is a gift, but it's up to you whether you accept it or not." - Tiffany ThomasFurther Learnings and Links:The Black Panther PartyTranscription53 min
- Welcome To The Table
In this entertaining new podcast, Lexi B invites listeners to pull up a chair and join the conversation as she brings together influential thought leaders, industry experts, and individuals with inspiring stories. Each episode aims to provide empowering insights, career advice, and practical tips that propel listeners towards success in their professional journeys.
Social Media Links
Linkedin
Instagram
Transcription:
Hey fam, my name is Lexi B and I'm so excited to welcome you to the newly launched You Can Sit With Us podcast, hosted and produced by me. You Can Sit With Us is a space dedicated to the lessons that each of us need to learn in order to build a unique, healthy and thriving career. So how did we get here? Let's roll the tape back just a few steps, okay? November, 2022. I began to interview leaders and renowned subject matter experts on LinkedIn Live Audio. And I wanted to learn more about a specific lesson that transformed their growth. Since this time, I have interviewed over 30 people from around the world, and we have discussed topics such as negotiations, career branding, acquisitions, defining your passions, and the power of rest, just to name a few. you can sit with us is the extension of that live show. It is a rare occasion that everyone is invited to the truth telling table. Think about it. How many times have you not received the full candid truth about what's really going on in that conference room down the hall? Yet that truth is a powerful piece to your next career move. Well, at my table, you are invited to all of it. I want to give you the gems that people are not publicly addressing with a large audience. This is the true cheat sheet for adulting. Come, sit, bring a drink, ask questions, be opinionated, agree, disagree, and just know that my table was made for you and all of your layers of authenticity. Make sure to sign up for our newsletter. on my website at www.lexibe.com. Let's break some bread, drink some drinks, and be together on this journey. Welcome to You Can Sit With Us. I'm so honored to have you here.
4 min
About Sit with Lexi B
From the publisher's feed
In this entertaining new podcast, Lexi B invites listeners to pull up a chair and join the conversation as she brings together influential thought leaders, industry experts, and individuals with…
inspiring stories. Each episode aims to provide empowering insights, career advice, and practical tips that propel listeners towards success in their professional journeys.