Revisiting Accent Bias in a World Pushing Against DEI Initiatives

Want to learn more about neurodivergence and navigating career success? Check out Morra’s recent appearance on the We Too Are One podcast, where host Martin Gale aims to celebrate the power of individuals with ADHD and autism - and what it looks like in their work and lives.  Check out more about the show here: https://www.wetooareonepodcast.com/about

Author and former Fortune 500 CHRO Susan Schmitt Winchester returns to the show, this time to talk about past toxic bosses, perfectionism, and coming to terms with why we do what we do at work. She talks about uncovering the reasons we are drawn to perfectionism, what it looks like, and actionable ways we can change our behavior to improve our mental health and our careers.

Leadership comes in many forms, and good leadership can be found at all kinds of organizations, from startups to faith communities. In this episode, Morra searches to learn more about how leaders perform and manage their own anxieties, as well as the anxieties of others. We also explore how leaders can most effectively communicate during anxious times. She speaks with Steve Cuss, an author and pastor, as well as Present Voices founder Lee Bonvissuto.  Learn more about Steve: https://www.stevecusswords.com/about Learn more about Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahbonvissuto/

Vlad Gheorghiu is on a mission to make workers happier, healthier, and at the same time, more productive. The ex-McKinsey consultant took his own experience of panic attacks to change his work to something more meaningful. After leading the global mental health and well-being program at the storied consulting firm, he went on to found Kyan Heath, which focuses on a preventive approach to mental health in organizations. He explains why he thinks it can help not just workers, but also the bottom line.  Learn more about Kyan Health here: https://www.kyanhealth.com/

Disclosing your mental health struggles to colleagues or a boss (or even friends and family) can be really hard. In this conversation, host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with leadership development expert Elle Clark about the upside of creating a culture of transparency. Clark shares her experience being open about anxiety in the corporate world, how it has changed her leadership, and about her relationship with body image.

Many of us carry shame around every day without even realizing it. It can stop us from developing great relationships, chasing our dreams, or even making the most of the day. David Bedrick is an author, psychological activist, and founder of the Santa Fe Institute for Shame-Based Studies, and he’s spent his life helping people recognize shame and detach from those feelings both physically and mentally. He explains practical ways we can all deal with past trauma and the feelings it creates within us.

We all bring our trauma with us to work every day. But if we build the right culture and relationships, we can also bring vulnerability and healing. If you’ve felt like you have to hide a huge part of yourself at work, this episode is for you.  First, Morra speaks with Schroeder Stribling, President and CEO of Mental Health America, about how her trauma from her youth impact the way she works and leads today; and her expertise around addiction and the workplace. Then, we hear from Bobby Hoffman, chief deputy at the Hampden Massachusetts County Sheriff’s Office, who is part of a program bringing therapy dogs to the often macho and not-so-mental health friendly work of policing.

The bias against accents and the perception of how well someone speaks English has huge impacts for individual contributors, leaders, and the business world at large - but it is often ignored. In the wake of a number of DEI related initiatives being cancelled in the federal government, we revisit this conversation with Heather Hansen on what accent bias is, why it matters, and what we can do about it. We also discuss effective business communication in English, a key skill in this global world. Learn more about Heather’s work: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hansenheather_trumps-war-on-dei-freezes-diversity-work-activity-7288020003105226753-Ymir?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Have you ever had a boss who just infuriated you? Bosses and leaders often have the ability to make or break our experience at work. In this episode, host Morra Aarons-Mele speaks with Columbia Business School professor Adam Galinsky about the attributes that differentiate great leaders from terrible ones, and how leaders can have a outsized effect on others. His research also looks at attention and shows that anxiety and anger have the ability to narrow our viewpoints and hold us back; plus how talking ourselves up when we are insecure can actually backfire. Galinsky’s new book is Inspire: The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others. Check out Galinksy’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/Inspire-Universal-Leading-Yourself-Others-ebook/dp/B0D3CCHW45?ref_=ast_author_mpb

From afar, Luvvie Ajayi Jones seems to have it all together; to be thriving as an entrepreneur and author, complete with New York Times best-selling books and a viral Ted Talk. But all careers face downturns, and Jones has shared how one of the hardest years of her life affected her company, her finances, and her mental health. In this conversation with Morra Aarons-Mele, she talks about entrepreneurship, transparency, and making hard choices.  Listen to Luvvie’s podcast here: https://luvvie.org/podcast/