The Will to Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve

Zerlina Maxwell, political analyst, commentator, speaker, and writer, joins the program to share her own diversity story and shares her thoughts on the current moment. Discover why we need to re-think identity politics, and what it will take for our society, culture and institutions to pivot.

From a previously recorded episode **Academic, anti-racist educator, and New York Times bestselling author, Robin DiAngelo, joins the program to discuss her own diversity story of growing up in poverty and at the same time recognizing her white privilege. Robin reveals the ways in which white fragility shuts down any meaningful or productive conversations about race and functions to maintain the status quo. She also explores the roots of white defensiveness, a key question that can lead to transformation, and what companies can do to create meaningful change.

As diversity and inclusion goals expand from recruiting and mentorship in order to increase the representation of women, people of color and LGBTQ+ through employee resource groups and empowerment, organizations are more aware of men are an abundant and underused resource. As the #MeToo #TimesUp and #BlackLivesMatter movements continue to confront racism, misogyny and power dynamics, many men are hesitant to get involved for fear of reprisal. To make the changes required, someone has to go first. Discover how men can move through the fear of inevitable missteps with empathy and support for each other while embracing the reality that their differences and their advantages are vital to culture change and equity. Speakers include: Elfi Martinez, Senior Consultant, Jennifer Brown Consulting Jim Massey, former Global Vice-President, Global Sustainability, Astrazeneca Wayne Sutton, CTO, Tech Inclusion Ray Arata, Founder, Better Man Conference

Author and speaker Julie Lythcott-Haims joins the program to discuss the price of overparenting, and the consequences it has for young people when they arrive at college and in the workplace. Julie also reveals her thoughts about trigger warnings in universities, why parents need to shift out of a "rescue mentality," and gives examples of ally behaviors that can help create positive change.

Jim Massey, former VP ESG Sustainability, Ethics, Compliance at AstraZeneca, joins the program to discuss what organizations need to consider in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and why diversity and inclusion are more important than ever. Discover what ERG's need to consider in terms of intersectionality and representation, and the importance of allyship.

Dr. Tiffany Jana returns to the program to discuss recent events in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and calls for greater equity and inclusion. Discover what companies need to do in order to create lasting change and a mindset shift that needs to happen when it comes to how leaders view their employees. Dr. Jana also reveals some of the challenges that keep organizations from truly evaluating their progress when it comes to diversity and inclusion, and what they need to do instead.

Speaker, founder, and author of "The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat At The Table" reveals the experiences that led her to write her book, and the response she's received from readers as she's traveled the country on her book tour. Discover the challenges that underrepresented talent face as they climb the corporate ladder, and what organizations can do to attract, recruit and retain diverse talent. Minda also discusses why she prefers the term "success partners" instead of "mentors."

Writer, talk show host, and political commentator Danielle Moodie-Mills, joins the program to discuss how DE&I work is a journey, not a destination, and how to sustain movements beyond the initial headlines. Discover the importance of embracing intersectionality in social movements, and how allies can show up for marginalized communities.

Dr. Dave Caudel. Executive Director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University, joins the program to discuss his diversity story, and reveal the importance of integrating neurodiverse talent into the workplace. Discover how to bring out the strengths of all employees and why work and education need to be tailored to various learning and communication styles.

Terry Young, Founder and CEO of sparks & honey, joins the program to share his diversity story and the work that his organization does to combine social and data sciences to solve world changing challenges. Discover how the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to unite disparate communities, how AI can be used to augment human abilities, and why leading with social responsibility is the only way forward.

Paul Butler, Chief Operating Officer at sparks & honey, joins the program to reveal his diversity story and what leaders and organizations can learn from the current disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Paul shares how crises can often bring blind spots to the forefront, and shares his thoughts on how to make sure that emerging issues are truly "seen" and addressed.

In this minisode Jennifer Brown reveals the collective wisdom that has been emerging from the weekly community calls that she has been holding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discover what we are learning about each other during this time, the challenges and opportunities that are facing families, and the need to build new systems that are more responsive and humane.

Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer of VaynerMedia, joins the program to discuss the qualities that leaders need to embrace, and why those qualities are even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discover how working virtually is increasing transparency and empathy, and how to cope with uncertainty.

Lindsey Pollak, speaker, author and thought leader, joins the program to share her diversity story, including her struggles with anxiety and how she found her passion while mentoring others. Lindsey discusses the concerns that she has about the emerging workforce, the strengths that each generation brings to the workplace, and how different generations can support each other during this time.

Kendra Clarke, Vice President of Science and Product Development at sparks & honey, joins the program to share their diversity story, and the limitations of predictive modeling during a major disruption like the COVID-19 pandemic. Discover what entrepreneurs need to think about during this time, and the benefits of working virtually.

Author, educator and consultant Dr. Jeff Hull returns to the program to discuss the emerging changes in leadership styles, and how to tap into your own resilience. Discover how to create community when working with virtual teams, and how the virtual workplace is offering a platform for previously overlooked voices.

Author and leadership expert Mike Robbins returns to the program to discuss his new book, We're All in This Together: Creating a Team Culture of High Performance, Trust and Belonging. Mike reveals his own experiences with grief and loss, and what he's learned from them, and shares insights about how to create in the face of adversity. Discover self-care practices, and how to pivot your career or business.

Liana Fricker, Founder of The Inspiration Space, joins the program to discuss her own diversity story, and lessons that she's learned along the way about increasing resilience. Discover the need to innovate in a post COVID-19 world, and what business owners and organizations will need to consider once the pandemic is over. Liana also shares the importance of having compassion for ourselves, and how to discover our unique values and strengths.

In this minisode, Jennifer Brown reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic, and the stages of grief. Discover two important and powerful questions that can help create a positive shift, and what organizations and leaders need to think about during and after the pandemic. Jennifer reveals why inclusive leadership and creating cultures of belonging are more crucial than ever during these tumultuous times.

**Note, due to COVID-19, this event has been postponed! In this "special edition" episode of The Will to Change, you will get a virtual preview of an exciting upcoming panel, which will take place on May 11th in San Antonio, Texas, as part of the Workhuman Live 2020 conference. The panel will focus on engaging white men in inclusion and diversity efforts. Discover why positive intentions are not enough, why we need to examine our unconscious assumptions, and the importance of "embodied leadership." The featured guests on this episode are Dr. Tom Bourdon, head of Inclusion and Diversity at Staples, Inc.; Jorge Quezada, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at Granite Construction; and Tia Silas, Vice President & Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at IBM. To join Jennifer on the referenced community calls, visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/uZIrfu6oqjoiGaZV7obp4MGjZveC_wKIBQ

Author and speaker Julie Lythcott-Haims joins the program to discuss the price of overparenting, and the consequences it has for young people when they arrive at college and in the workplace. Julie also reveals her thoughts about trigger warnings in universities, why parents need to shift out of a "rescue mentality," and gives examples of ally behaviors that can help create positive change.

Dr. Tiffany Jana, founder and CEO of TMI Consulting, joins the program to discuss their diversity story, including being exposed to multiple languages at a young age, and shares insights about gender identity and expression. Tiffany also reveals the importance of exploring mental health as a dimension of diversity, and gives examples of ally actions that can help to create positive change.

Lesley Slaton Brown, Chief Diversity Officer at HP, Inc., joins the program to discuss her diversity story as well as her career path towards becoming a chief diversity officer. Lesley shares her thoughts about the importance of allyship, as well as how to encourage ally behavior. Discover how leaders can step out of their comfort zone, and how to create spaces where learning can happen.

Eileen Scully, speaker, author and CEO of The Rising Tides, joins the program to discuss her new book, In the Company of Men: How Women can Succeed in a World Built Without Them. Eileen shares her own diversity story and the formative events that led her to create her own consulting firm. Discover the importance of elevating untold stories, and the role of men as allies.

Future-of-work strategist, speaker, and author Heather McGowan joins the program to discuss the mindset shift that needs to happen in order to thrive in the fourth industrial revolution. Heather reveals how helping to save her brother's life informed her thinking about leadership and the future of work, and how leaders will need to change and adapt. Discover the skill sets that will be most in demand in the future, and how organizations can help or hinder learning.

Author and entrepreneurial soul coach Rha Goddess joins the program to share her diversity story, including how a near-death experience led her to leave her corporate job and pursue her calling. She discusses her new book The Calling: 3 Fundamental Shifts to Stay True, Get Paid, and Do Good and reveals the false dichotomy between passion and profits. Discover how to be patient with yourself along the journey and the importance of building support along the way.

Michelle Cirocco, Chief Social Responsibility Officer at Televerde, joins the program to discuss the work that her company does helping women in prison learn valuable business skills, while also helping businesses accelerate their sales pipeline. Michelle shares her powerful diversity story, including how she ended up in prison, and how she turned her life around. Discover the business and social justice case for fair chance hiring, and some surprising statistics about fair chance talent.

Azul Terronez, CEO of Authors Who Lead, joins the program to discuss the evolution of his diversity story, and how having dyslexia made him a better writer and book coach. He also reveals the importance of vulnerability as a writer, and the need for self-care.

Dr. Vivienne Ming discusses her personal journey of moving from despair and depression to finding peace and self-acceptance. In this episode you'll discover the "tax on being different" and what that means, as well as some of the key actions that organizations can take to attract and retain diverse talent.

From The Best of The Will To Change: Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at NYU School of Law, discusses the concept of covering in the workplace and his own experiences with having to downplay his identity. Kenji discusses the legal implications of covering, as well as the value to organizations of creating a culture where people can bring their full selves to work. He also shares how he is bringing in experts in theatre and improvisation to assist in teaching the concepts of diversity, inclusion and belonging to legal students.

Don't miss this year-end message from Jennifer Brown as she shares what you can expect from the Will To Change in the upcoming year! Jennifer also reveals some of her biggest successes in the past year, including the publication of her second book, How to Be An Inclusive Leader.

Jorge Luis Fontanez, Acting Head of Partnerships at the storytelling platform NextDayBetter, and Clinical Professor of Marketing at the Bard MBA in Sustainability Program, joins the program to discuss how and why business can be a force for good, and the changing expectations of consumers and employees. Jorge also discusses the work that NextDayBetter is doing to rebrand migration, and why it is vital for senior leadership to seek the wisdom of their diverse talent when developing corporate policies.

Speaker, founder, and author of "The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat At The Table" reveals the experiences that led her to write her book, and the response she's received from readers as she's traveled the country on her book tour. Discover the challenges that underrepresented talent face as they climb the corporate ladder, and what organizations can do to attract, recruit and retain diverse talent. Minda also discusses why she prefers the term "success partners" instead of "mentors."

Rhonda Magee, law professor, storyteller, mindfulness teacher, and social justice advocate, joins the program to discuss the healing power of mindfulness. She reveals how mindfulness has benefited her in her own diversity journey, and how we can use mindfulness to transform communities. Rhonda also reveals how paying attention to our thoughts, feelings and physical sensations can help us deconstruct preconceived "truths" and help us create cultures of belonging.

In this minisode, Jennifer shares her thoughts on several pertinent (and previously released) episodes from The Will To Change on the topics of compassion fatigue and self-care. You'll discover the importance of thinking about your thinking, the potential pitfalls of sharing our story in unhealthy ways, and the healing power of community.

Patrick O'Neill, author, consultant and mediator, joins the program to reveal his diversity story and shares insights about the need for greater wisdom and inclusive thinking in the workplace and beyond. Discover the two forces needed for bridge-building, and a hidden opportunity for transformation.

Stacia Sherman Garr, co-founder, analyst, thought leader, and speaker, joins the program to discuss some of the various technologies that can help create more inclusive workplaces. Stacia discusses how technology is being used to solve issues such as removing gender biased language from job descriptions, and cautions about the potential for bias within AI. Discover how to make employee resource groups more effective, and what organizations can do to help women advance in their careers.

Margie Lee-Johnson, Vice President of People at Checkr, joins the program to discuss how Checkr is disrupting the background checking industry. Margie reveals the business case for fair chance hiring and explains how Checkr can help companies find untapped talent. She also discusses Checkr's own diversity and belonging initiative, and some takeaways from their company-wide engagement survey.

In this minisode, Jennifer Brown discusses her new book, How to Be an Inclusive Leader. Jennifer reveals the ally continuum, and the changing expectations about leadership, particularly among members of the emerging workforce. Discover the biggest mistakes that organizations make when it comes to inclusion and creating a culture of belonging, and how to access a free assessment on inclusive leadership.

Rob Smith, Founder of The Phluid Project, joins the program to discuss how and why he founded the world's first gender-free store and community space. Rob shares insights about the future of gender and the generational differences when it comes to gender identity. He also reveals what organizations can do to create an inclusive work environment.

Tanya Odom, global consultant, writer, and diversity, equity and inclusion thought leader, joins the program to discuss the shifts that she is seeing in the conversations about diversity and inclusion. Tanya reveals the qualities that leaders need to cultivate in order to be effective and discusses the difference in generational attitudes and expectations about diversity and inclusion in the workplace and beyond.

Ted Bunch, Chief Development Officer of A Call To Men, joins the program to discuss the work that his organization does to promote a healthy, respectful manhood. Ted reveals lessons he has learned from parenting his youngest son, and the need for men to "call in" other men. He also shares about why men need to mentor women in the workplace, and the importance of men using their platform and privilege on behalf of women and other marginalized groups.

Christy Coleman, CEO of the American Civil War Museum, joins the program to discuss her own diversity story and how it led her to her current work. Discover the history of the museum and the work that they are doing to challenge existing narratives and tell stories from multiple perspectives. Christy also shares practices and ideas for creative a diverse talent pipeline, and how to create an organizational culture that supports and values all employees.

Imara Jones, creator of TransLash, a multi-episode docuseries about what it is like to be trans at a time of social backlash, joins the program to discuss her journey of making the docuseries, and some key takeaways from the experience. Discover the connection between storytelling and social change, and why change is not inevitable. Imara also discusses her experience of attending a United Nations' gathering on gender diversity.

This episode features an interview with Dr. Jeffrey Hull, CEO of Leadershift, Inc., and author of the highly acclaimed book, FLEX: The Art and Science of Leadership in A Changing World. Dr. Hull discusses his formative experiences, and the qualities that leaders need to possess in order to be effective when working with diverse teams. He also shares his conviction that anyone can be a leader, and that effective leaders can employ a variety of leadership styles.

Torin Perez, DE&I consultant and author of the book "Who Am I To Lead?" shares his diversity story and the formative experiences that led him to decide to become an author. Torin reveals what he learned in the process of writing his book, and shares tools that leaders can use to be more impactful and effective.

In this minisode, Jennifer discusses the upcoming panels that she will be moderating with all male panels on the topic of male allyship. Jennifer shares her thoughts on the importance of allyship, what it will take for more men to step forward, and some of the questions that she is most looking forward to asking the panelists. Discover how men can be allies at any stage or level in their careers.

Mita Mallick, Head of Diversity & Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Marketing at Unilever, joins the program to discuss her diversity story and how she came to appreciate the power of allyship. She discusses why she supports The Better Man Conference and the need for men to engage as allies. Discover the need for bridging work, and how to create safe spaces where education and inquiry can occur.

Judith Williams, Head of People Sustainability and SVP, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, SAP, joins the program to discuss her career journey, and how she draws from her background in theater for the work that she does today. Discover Judith's advice for DE&I practitioners looking to advance their careers, and why passion alone is not enough to be successful.

In this minisode, Jennifer reveals how she made the decision to move from hired consultant to founder of her own company and how she has scaled her business. Discover the key considerations that you need to decide before starting a business, and the first team members to bring on board. Jennifer also shares how to raise capital and manage cash flow, and what to think about when deciding on a name for your company.