Topics discussed in this episode:

1- Where to hear more about the Changing the Conversation series. [0:01:56]

2- My jagged journey background: the reluctant consultant. [0:02:36]

3- Common communication roadblocks in the workplace. [0:04:45]

4- Why the workplace is a microcosm of our society. [0:06:18]

5- Things to establish before going into a conversation in the workplace. [0:08:46]

6- Defining respect and how it can become a communications roadblock. [0:11:50]

7- Confusing intent with impact and how that can influence our conversations. [0:13:06]

8- Why making mistakes is okay, but doing better is best. [0:15:00]

9-  The importance of putting time into building a sufficient level of trust. [0:16:10]

10- Hard conversations: why we need them and how to have them more confidently. [0:19:10]

11- One thing you can do to start making progress in your workplace communication. [0:31:16]

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Changing the Conversation Series [0:01:56]
• ‘Why So Many Organizations Stay White’ by Victory Ray [0:06:20]
   

Guest information:

• Sandra Neuman on LinkedIn
• Sandra Neuman on Instagram
  
  Sandra Neuman is a Human Resource professional with over 20 years of progressive human resources and leadership experience in the public and private sectors. She is skilled in generalist human resource functions with an emphasis on compensation, benefits, and payroll.
   

How to support the podcast:

• If you find value in the podcast, rate us on Apple Podcasts (we LOVE 5 stars!) I aim to help as many people as possible who are working hard to advance racial equity inside their organizations.

Topics discussed in this episode:

1- Sean introduces his role at the Building Movement Project. [0:02:37]  

2- How Sean found himself in this line of work and the influence of his parents. [0:04:45]

3- Opportunities and challenges that Sean has encountered related to race, racism, and leadership. [0:09:04]

4- Prioritizing solutions to central questions and moving past mere deconstructive analysis. [0:16:11]

6- Identifying the most notable barriers to leadership for people of color. [0:19:02]

7- Unpacking the Building Blocks for Change Racial Equity Assessment. [0:22:32]

8- Explores why is a formal assessment so irreplaceable for clarifying how to drive equity work internally [0:28:07]

9- Sean's biggest concerns surrounding DEI and its success in supporting leaders of color. [0:29:29]  

10-Further complications and new dynamics we encounter in situations with people of color in leadership roles. [0:33:20]

11-DEI opportunities for nonprofit leaders. [0:38:00]

12-Advice for nonprofit leaders for moving forward on the path to equity. [0:41:03]
 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Building Movement Project [0:00:57]
• Saul David Alinsky [0:08:10]
• Race to Lead [0:09:02]
• Building Blocks for Change - Racial Equity Assessment [0:14:33]

About Sean Thomas-Breitfeld
Sean Thomas-Breitfeld co-directs the Building Movement Project. Before joining the BMP staff, Sean spent a decade working in various roles at Community Change, where he developed training programs for grassroots leaders, worked in the communications and policy departments where he coordinated online and grassroots advocacy efforts, and lobbied on a range of issues, including immigration reform, transportation equity, and anti-poverty programs. Before joining Community Change, Sean worked as a policy analyst at UnidosUS, focusing on employment and income security issues. Sean holds a Master’s in Public Administration from NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service and a bachelor’s degree in social work and multicultural studies from St. Olaf College in Minnesota.

Click here for a transcript of this episode. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

1- The dangers of moving too slowly in equity work. [0:01:24]

2- The importance of listening to staff feedback and taking intentional action. [0:02:20]

3- Why you have to communicate clear expectations of what staff needs to know. [0:05:29]

4- What racial equity fatigue is, and how to overcome it. [0:05:42]

5- Practical, actionable tips to avoid the slow-moving equity work trap. [0:08:09]

• One: ask and act. [0:08:28]
• Two: acknowledge areas where people need support. [0:09:15]
• Three: create clear expectations. [0:12:22]

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Racial Equity Impact Analysis Tool. [0:01:59]
• Overcoming Racial Equity Fatigue. [0:05:53]

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Topics discussed in this episode:

1- Today’s topic: encouragement to those who do DEI-related work, regardless of title. [0:00:49]

2- The moment that’s happening in our field and our two options for responding. [0:01:22]

3- Unpacking the pressure that we're under right now in this historical moment. [0:02:00]

4- Retrenchment, structural challenges, and layoffs inside organizations. [0:03:42]

5- How the work of others like that of Tema Okun on white supremacy culture is misused. [0:05:05]

6- Why we need to direct our collective fire toward white supremacy. [0:08:05]

7- Recent critiques of DEI and the question of whether or not tearing down the field will move us closer to disrupting white supremacy. [0:09:57]

8- The role DEI plays inside institutions. [0:11:48]

9- A practical thing that you can do to turn the fire toward the disruption and the dismantling of white supremacy. [0:13:13]

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Turn the Fire Inward, Part 1 - For Progressives | S2, Ep 8 [0:02:33]
• White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide, Carol Alexander. [0:03:07]
• Demand for Chief Diversity Officers Is High. So Is Turn Over [0:03:52]
• White Supremacy Culture - (divorcing) White Supremacy Culture: Coming Home to Who We Really Are [0:05:12]
• Tema Okun on her Mythical Paper on White Supremacy  (podcast)  [0:06:20]

Click here for a transcript of this episode.

Topics discussed in this episode:

1- The article this episode is based on: Nonprofit Execs: Are You Constantly Losing Staff of Color? [0:00:45]

2- An outline of the problem and what it might look like for your company. [0:01:40]

3- The problem of naming without action. [0:02:36]

4- A metric for your organizational identity: how your Black staff are faring. [0:04:01]

5- Acknowledging that your workplace environment may be toxic for Black people. [0:05:01]

6- Accept that your staff might have different experiences by position and racial identity. [0:06:01]

7- Why you should accept that some managers will never be okay with equity-centered processes. [0:06:59]

8- Shifting towards equity and holding yourself accountable. [0:07:36]

9- A reminder that with time and intentionality, you can change who you are as an organization. [0:07:52]

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Nonprofit Execs, Are You Constantly Losing Staff of Color? Here are 4 Ways to Stop the Churn.[0:00:00]
• Atomic Habits [Book] [0:03:20]

There is no transcript for this episode.

Topics discussed in this episode:

1- Today’s topic: Turning the fire inward [0:01:12]

2- Framing the current context: DEI as a target [0:02:07]

3- The dominant narrative that DEI is responsible for inequity and the efforts to “return to colorblind equality” [0:05:38]

4- An explanation of what is meant by the phrase “Turning the Fire Inward.” [0:07:53]

5- The root of much of what is happening in progressive spaces: the disingenuous disconnect between being willing to name racism but not disrupt it. [0:08:56]

6- The need to get real about equity urgently and what this looks like in organizations. [0:10:44]

7- Thoughts on how DEI doesn't create inequity, it names it, and how this naming dynamic plays out in organizations. [0:14:40]

8- Practical things that you can do to get your organization unstuck, starting with moving beyond the naming. [17:38]

9- Why it’s important to focus on equity-centered practice first before doing external work. [0:18:20]

10- Acknowledging the generational divide in most workplaces. [0:19:03]

11- How the failure in progressive spaces to address racism gives fodder to those who despise equity. [0:19:43]

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• What if Diversity Training Is Doing More Harm Than Good?[0:02:58]
• ‘DEI is dead’: At VMI, Youngkin’s diversity chief slams diversity, equity, inclusion [0:03:02]
• Massive Tech Layoffs Are Undercutting DEI Progress Made With Recent Hires [0:03:16]
• How Do Equity and Equality Differ?[0:06:23]
• “Elephant in the Zoom: Meltdowns Have Brought Progressive Advocacy Groups to a Standstill at a Critical Moment in World History” [0:08:15]
• The Backlash to Workplace DEI [0:11:36]
• When Fatigue Sets in [0:20:09]

Click here for an episode transcript. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

1- What an equity assessment or equity audit is, and what it includes. [0:01:24]

2- The standard process my firm uses to do these assessments. [0:02:49]

3- Why you should only agree to an assessment if there is a commitment to act on the results. [0:06:02]

4- When it’s important to add a policy practice review to the assessment. [0:07:20]

5- When not to do a racial equity assessment or racial equity audit [0:10:54]

6- Why the executive leadership should know in advance what they will do with the findings. [0:14:54]

7- How to manage staff expectations about the pace of change. [0:18:44]

8- A reminder about the importance of honoring staff voices in audits. [0:20:00]

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Equity Audits Address Racism in the Workplace [0:02:02]
• Organizational Assessments by Stamey Street Consulting Group

Click here for an episode transcript. 

Topics discussed in this episode:

1- Annie’s focus: the conditions needed for transformation and the head and heart work involved [0:03:08]

2- Annie has identified trends and patterns as leaders transition out of organizations. [0:04:46]

3- What it’s like for newly hired leaders to enter environments with lots of pent-up demands and frustrations [0:06:11]

4- How the leadership context has become a racialized process. [0:07:20]

5- Why the same levels of grace aren’t given to new Black executives hired to lead organizations as White leaders depart [0:10:17]

6- The role of the Board of Directors in planning for a transition and supporting a new leader. [0:14:25]

7- Why the Board of Directors is responsible for engaging throughout the hiring process. [0:17:02]

8- What support for the team should look like. [0:19:10]

9- The importance of managing the team’s expectations. [0:20:34]

10- How we can prepare an organization for a leadership transition. [0:24:45]

11- Find out how to book an executive leadership transition support coaching service. [0:26:25]

12- How organizations can manage feelings and the importance of transparency and involvement. [0:29:08]

13- The need for a bridge between the previous and new organizational leaders. [0:32:44]

14- Annie’s most valuable piece of advice for anyone facing an upcoming leadership transition [0:36:56]

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Let’s Talk Team Dynamics and Racial Equity Readiness with Annie McKay, Race in the Workplace, Episode 10 [0:01:07]
• Race to Lead Revisited: Obstacles and Opportunities in Addressing the Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap (pdf) [0:08:44]
• 10 Ways to Make Executive Leadership Searches and Transitions Better and More Equitable, Vu Le [0:29:39]

Guest information:

Previously president and CEO of Kansas Action for Children, Annie McKay, now supports organizations and networks seeking to center equity and inclusion in their internal operations as they pursue strengthening their commitments to racial justice. Before stepping down as KAC’s leader to pursue their purpose and passion for anti-racism, Annie was the Kansas Center for Economic Growth executive director and a former Rockwood Leadership Fellow, Sunflower Foundation Advocacy Fellow, University of Kansas Women of Distinction honoree, and KHSA Kansas Children’s Champion. Annie’s leadership roles also included serving as an appointed Kansas Children’s Cabinet member and the Governor’s Education Council member. They earned a BSW from the University of Kansas and an AM from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. 

To connect with Annie, you can find them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-mckay-ks/

Click here for an episode transcript.