The first time I stood before an audience. I opened my mouth, and nothing came out. Absolutely no sound. The program director came on stage clapping and shouting: “Encore, Encore.” She looked at me, smiled, and said: “Do it again.” I did. Audibly. I was 6 years old. In Dr. Zaharna’s Communication Theory seminar at American…

With change comes opportunity and growth on one hand; uncertainty, discomfort, and anxiety on the other. Why is it important for us to examine our emotional response to change? According to the authors of EQ Edge Drs. Steven Stein and Howard Book, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) accounted for approximately 27 to 45 percent of job success, depending on which…

When social justice movements succeed, the only diversity that will matter in organizations around the globe will be the diversity of types. It may take 40 years or more, but you can leverage the beauty of that diversity today. While current views of diversity often focus on the external ways in which we differ –…

For some it’s the journey, for others it’s the destination. Both are perfectly acceptable ways of living. When I saw Ketanji Brown’s yearbook photo and her prophetic statement about desiring a judicial appointment, for a moment I thought: “I wish I had it all figured out.” I don’t. My life has been a bit more unplanned.…

Describing the complex workspaces that we encounter as toxic leaves us powerless. It suggests that external forces beyond our control are imprisoning us in a sea of toxicity. There is something or someone out there responsible. Our only option is to go into survival mode until we can exit. The behaviors often recommended for survival –…

Laughter is as important to our mental health as diet and exercise. We chose NOT to laugh when we go into survival mode to protect ourselves in toxic work environments. Or we laugh to reinforce our sense of superiority and shame others for the different perspectives they bring to the organization. How individuals use laughter…

The subtle ways in which we gain advantage often go unnoticed. We prefer to attribute our success to academic preparation, natural talent, and hard work. The use of the word “privilege” results in defensiveness.  Yet, privilege exists. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion advocates often receive resistance to efforts to illustrate how privilege works among the top…