Episode 157: Embracing Your Uniqueness With Google’s Annie Jean-Baptiste

What does leadership look like? Is there a blueprint for leadership that you should be following? Our guest believes that leadership is NOT one size fits all. So, stop trying to fit into a mold that doesn’t suit you.

Meet Annie Jean-Baptiste, author, founder of the Equity Army, and the Head of Product Inclusion at Google, who shares her journey to discovering what true leadership looks like and how finding her authentic leadership style led to building trust with key stakeholders and the communities that she supports.

In this episode, Annie also shares how she helps teams make sure Google products are made for everyone. She spends her days making sure everyone matters. But the most important message she shares is how YOUR voice, your unique experiences and what makes you different from others, is the secret to success.

Annie leads Product Inclusion strategy across Google, including consultation, communications, scale and research and created the movement 3 years ago as a way to ensure underrepresented users felt seen throughout the product design process.

 

Highlights:

[01:01] Annie’s story

[04:02] Imposter syndrome

[04:30] Lean into what makes you authentic

[06:53] Gaining clarity on your strengths

[10:02] Strategies to highlight value proposition

[12:40] Framework for inclusive product design

[17:42] Setting and achieving your professional goals

[18:39] Writing Building For Everyone

[22:50] Key to developing your personal brand

[27:15] Annie’s success habit

[30:13] How can women accelerate in the digital age

 

Quotes:

“The more that you try to fit into a mold that wasn't made for you, the more energy you have to expend.” – Annie Jean-Baptiste

“If you can find something that you're passionate about, something that gives you purpose, and you can get paid for it, that is the trifecta.” – Annie Jean-Baptiste

“Periodically assess if the things you're doing are moving you towards your goals.” – Annie Jean-Baptiste

“Find mentors, advisors, sponsors and coaches that are going to push you into uncomfortable situations so you can grow.” – Annie Jean-Baptiste

About Annie Jean-Baptiste

Annie Jean-Baptiste is an author, founder of the Equity Army, and the Head of Product Inclusion at Google. She leads Product Inclusion strategy across the company, including consultation, communications, scale and research and created the movement 3 years ago as a way to ensure underrepresented users felt seen throughout the product design process.

Annie is passionate about making the web and Google’s products work for underserved communities while ensuring that Google is a place where everyone shines for their differences. She’s responsible for working with Google product teams and senior leaders on the creation and execution of their inclusive design strategy. She formerly created programs related to Diversity talent management and career development within several technical product areas within Google.

She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (go Quakers!) with degrees in International Relations & Political Science. She is an avid Boston sports fan & loves to bring her dog Hercules to work. She currently is based in Google’s San Francisco office.

Outside of Google, Annie is a former American Heart Association spokesperson and a One Young World ambassador, focused on healthy lifestyles in underserved communities. She is also a former Hack the Hood mentor. She currently serves on the board of KQED.

She's the intrapreneur in residence at the University Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education and a member of the IEEE's Ethically Aligned Design committee. She’s been inducted into the Haitian Roundtable’s 1804 society as “One to Watch” and inducted as one of the 30 Black Stars for Face to Face Africa in 2019.

She’s also been covered in Vogue, Essence Magazine, Business Insider, Teen Vogue, MSNBC, CNBC, ABC, Cheddar, Business Insider, the Huffington Post, the Root, the Council of Fashion Designers of America Annual Report, The Miami Times, Boston Globe and Fortune Magazine.

Her book, Building for Everyone, is available now. Follow her on social media: @its_me_ajb.

 

Links:

Website: https://www.anniejeanbaptiste.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Building-Everyone-Practices-Googles-Inclusion/dp/1119646227

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-jean-baptiste-43511930/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_me_ajb/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Its_Me_AJB