Podcast

In this episode, Ashanti Bentil-Dhue, CEO of the Competence Center for Workplace Equity, discusses the importance of a compliance-led and competency-based approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. She introduces the certification program developed by CCWE to train and upskill DEI professionals. Ashanti also discusses the role of data and the potential future of the DEI industry.

Guest Bio

In this episode, Erica Birtles interviews Disha Solanki, co-founder of TrailBlazeHers, an exclusive network for female CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs. They discuss the challenges women face in business and the importance of having female role models. Disha introduces TrailBlazeHers as a safe space and community for women to connect, learn, and support each other in their business journeys.

Guest Bio

Erica and Shane Michael Hatton discuss the purpose of work, managing culture in flexible or remote teams, engaging teams through effective conversations, taking action on feedback, getting the best out of multi-generational teams, defining organisational and team culture, and creating culture by design.

Guest bio

Shane Michael Hatton is a 2x Author and global expert on Leadership, Communication and Team Culture. Shane has spent the last decade developing remarkable leaders and teams, blending his experience in business and psychology to help them communicate, connect and collaborate more effectively. His perspectives and expertise have been shared in notable publications like the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, The Australian, HRD, CEO World, Smart Company, Kochies Business Builders, The Herald Sun, Foundr, Company Director, and more. Currently, Shane is elevating the conversation about culture across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA, upholding his reputation as a global thought leader in leadership and culture.

Erica interviews Kylie van Luyn, Founder of Elevated Coaching and Consulting Global, about psychological safety in the workplace. Kylie defines psychological safety as the right to feel safe at work and the ability to speak up without fear of punishment.

The conversation explores the importance of psychological safety in the workplace and the impact of ignoring it, emphasising the responsibility of leaders to initiate and drive the creation of a psychologically safe environment.

Guest bio

Kylie van Luyn is the Founder of Elevated Coaching & Consulting Global, where they adopt a psychological lens to their work in both coaching and consulting organisations. She is an international speaker, Psychotherapist, Emotional Intelligence Coach, NLP Master Practitioner, Human Rights consultant and DEIAB specialist.

Sara Kedge, a neurodiversity coach, discusses the importance of understanding and embracing neurodiversity in the workplace. She highlights the need for organizations to remove barriers and create inclusive recruitment processes. Sara also emphasizes the role of line managers in supporting neurodivergent employees and the business case for neurodiversity.

Guest bio

Sara Kedge (she/her) works with corporate leaders to create inclusive, healthy and more productive workplaces that work for everyone. A renowned DEI Design Thinking Strategist, Coach and Trainer, Sara blends curiosity and playfulness with deep cross-functional knowledge. She prides herself on helping teams move out of stressful dysfunction to create human-focused workplace cultures where critical thinking – and people – are encouraged and valued.

Em Stroud, co-founder of Laugh Think Play, discusses the importance of play in the workplace and the impact it can have on individuals and organizations. Em shares her background as a performer and entrepreneur, highlighting the role of play in her own life and work. She explains the Laugh Think Play movement and its offerings, including the Laugh Think Play Club, business circles, and play partnerships.

Takeaways

• Play can have a profound impact on the workplace, boosting productivity, creativity and collaboration, and reducing stress.

• Laugh Think Play helps individuals and organisations incorporate play into their work culture through various programs and partnerships.

• Considering team dynamics and individual strengths is crucial in creating a successful and playful work environment.

• Emphasizing play and embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion can lead to deeper connections, better understanding, and improved work culture.

• Giving oneself permission to play and engage in activities that bring joy can have a positive impact on overall well-being and work performance.

What do neurodiverse workers really need to thrive? Erica and Eliana discuss the value of mentorship and peer support, and how ND Connect formed a community helping people to achieve their full potential through building connections that work for them.

Guest bio

Eliana Bravos is a social impact entrepreneur passionate about neuroinclusion, accessibility, and creating a world where many worlds fit. She’s a co-founder of ND Connect, a intersectional mentorship and peer connections platform for neurodivergent people. Eliana also co-founded a non-profit, Viability, where she led organisational development, community programming, and neurodiversity education initiatives.

In today’s diverse and interconnected world, empathy is no longer optional. It’s a critical component of thriving workplaces and successful DEI initiatives. But true empathy goes beyond surface-level understanding; it demands cultural consciousness.Ignore it and ‘you will become a dinosaur and die out’, due to the growing awareness of the importance of identity on personal and collective well-being. This episode dives deep into the intricate relationship between cultural identity, mental health, and workplace wellbeing. Join Erica and Jarell Bempong in their discussion about how companies can bridge the gap between mental health and wellbeing in the workplace by incorporating cultural consciousness and an intersectional lens.

Guest bio

Jarell Bempong is a Neurodivergent Advocate, Pioneer in Cultural Conscious Therapy and the author of “White Talking Therapy Can’t Think in Black! – A Journey Through Systemic Biases to Mental Health Empowerment”.

He is the Founder and Lead Therapist at Bempong Talking Therapy, using a framework that integrates cultural consciousness into therapeutic practice. As a Corporate Trainer and Consultant, his focus is on integrating mental health, DEEI, and AI into corporate wellness, reshaping organisational behaviours towards total inclusion and fostering more inclusive, culturally conscious, and mentally healthy workplaces that embrace neurodiversity and diverse communities.

We talk to Sandra Ballij about how her company, Ctalents, helps people with visual and/or auditory impairment to reach their career ambitions, why it’s important for organisations to foster disability inclusivity, and why it might be the key to closing the prevailing talent gap.

Guest bio

Sandra describes herself as social entrepreneur pur sang and queen of inclusion. In 2007, she made a career shift from banking to social entrepreneurship by starting Ctaste, a dining in the dark restaurant, where “only the true experts of the dark” (blind waiters) provide an unforgettable service. This marked the beginning of her inclusion adventure and learning. She has also established sign language coffee bars, where deaf baristas teach customers how to order in sign language. This experience opened her eyes to the talents and possibilities which she believes other companies can also benefit from, leading to the creation of Ctalents – a talent agency and secondment business that addresses the need for talent in an innovative way. She ensures compliance with regulations such as social return and Dutch participation law/quantum law. Collaborating with corporate and governmental partners, she takes a genuine step forward into inclusion. Her passion lies in changing the world into true inclusion through innovative and entrepreneurial means.

In this episode, we talk to Estela Lugo about how employers can foster inclusivity for disabled workers and employee well-being as key to organisational success. We navigate the nuances of discussing disability as a organisational leader, the significance of listening over speaking, and the key elements that contribute to building a workplace that supports the well-being and career growth of every employee.

Are companies underestimating the neurodiversity of their teams? Join Erica and Ed the founder and CEO of Uptimize, the leading neuroinclusion training company, whose mission is to help organizations embrace and leverage every type of thinker. As they discuss the challenges of measuring neurodiversity when many people don’t disclose it or even fully understand the concept.