What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say

We've covered bias in previous episodes, but this week we tackle it head-on — specifically, how our language choices affect people, and the difference between bias, prejudice, and bullying.

Kim Scott is a coach to some of Silicon Valley's most influential CEOs, and known for her groundbreaking book Radical Candor, about the complexity of giving critical feedback, even when it's hard.

Trier Bryant is the CEO of Just Work, a consultancy specializing in identifying harmful bias and injustice in the workplace, and providing the tools to overcome it.

Together, they help employees and managers develop a shared vocabulary so everyone feels safe to say, "that word/phrase is not OK." It's a crucial, but often missing step on the path toward true diversity, equity, and inclusion. It's harder than it seems, but making the effort to own your language — even during this very interview — is a great first step.

Kim, Trier, and Whitney go deep on how caring for others can go hand-in-hand with challenging them directly, and why casual word choices take a heavy toll on marginalized people over time.