Workday Playdate 362: ADA at Work: What to Say in the Moment with Rachel Shaw
“The real failure of inclusion happens in the moments when someone hesitates.” – Rachel Shaw
In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin sits down with Rachel Shaw to explore what it really takes to build inclusive workplaces that work in real time. In a world full of well-intentioned initiatives, Rachel makes the case that true inclusion is ultimately a human skill.
If you've ever wondered how leaders can create cultures where people feel genuinely seen, supported, and empowered, this conversation is for you. Rachel shares how organizations can move beyond compliance and build cultures rooted in empathy, accountability, and belonging.
Inside This Episode:
- Inclusion Is a Live Skill, Not Just a Policy: Rachel explains why real inclusion happens in the everyday moments when people are under pressure, uncertain, or vulnerable. Policies matter, but the way leaders respond in real time matters even more.
- Thinking Quickly on Your Feet Is a Leadership Advantage: Difficult conversations rarely come with a script. Rachel shares why curiosity, presence, and adaptability help leaders respond with confidence instead of defensiveness when challenges arise.
- Empathy Changes the Outcome of Hard Conversations: Pausing, getting curious, and leading with empathy can transform tense situations into opportunities for trust and connection. Rachel discusses how a leader's response can either strengthen relationships or unintentionally damage them.
- HR Has More Influence Than It Thinks: HR professionals are far more than administrators. Rachel explores how HR leaders can shape culture, drive accountability, and ensure organizational values show up in everyday decisions and behaviors.
- Inclusive Culture Is Built Through Daily Choices: Belonging isn't created through one initiative or annual training. Rachel explains how mentorship, communication, benefits, and consistent leadership behaviors create cultures where people truly feel they matter.
What to Do Now:
- Pause Before Responding: When faced with uncertainty or discomfort, give yourself a moment before reacting. Thoughtful responses build trust; rushed reactions often erode it.
- Audit Your Daily Leadership Habits: Consider how your everyday behaviors—from meetings to feedback conversations—either reinforce or undermine belonging on your team.
- Use Your Influence: Whether you're in HR, leadership, or an individual contributor role, identify one way you can advocate for a more inclusive and human-centered workplace this week.
About the Guest
Rachel Shaw is a speaker, consultant, and workplace inclusion strategist who helps organizations build cultures that are both legally sound and deeply human. With decades of experience advising leaders and HR professionals, Rachel specializes in disability inclusion, workplace culture, employee relations, and leadership effectiveness. She is the author of The Disabled Workforce: What the ADA Never Anticipated, where she explores the evolving realities of today's workforce and challenges organizations to rethink how they support employees. Through her work, Rachel empowers leaders to create workplaces grounded in empathy, accountability, and belonging.
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Connect with Rachel Shaw
- Rachel’s LinkedIn
- Rachel’s media kit
- Rachel’s HR website
- Rachel’s personal website
- Rachel’s book: The Disabled Workforce: What the ADA Never Anticipated
Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it!
- Leadership Playground online membership community
- Erin’s website
- Erin’s Instagram
- Erin’s TikTok
- Erin’s LinkedIn
- improve it!’s website
- improve it!’s Instagram
Connect with Erin Diehl
🌟 Learn more about Workday Playdate: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/podcast-page
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