Digging Deeper into DE&I with Shan Foster

Shan Foster drops by The Future of Teamwork podcast to speak with host Dane Groeneveld about a career focused on helping businesses with diversity initiatives. Throughout the conversation, Shan shares how his family upbringing contributed to his success as a professional athlete, his values, and how he runs his business, Fostering Healthy Solutions. FHS helps organizations think about DEI through different lenses to create more equal employee experiences. In this conversation, Shan and Dane also discuss the importance of committing to DE&I to live your company values. 

Key Takeaways: 

• [00:16 - 00:41] Introduction to Shan Foster
• [01:01 - 04:00] Shan's life journey and some of the initiatives he is part of
• [04:02 - 06:46] How Shan's family life structured his views on driving healthier families, teams, and communities
• [06:47 - 08:17] New Orleans culture and community
• [08:21 - 09:26] The culture in Rio and experiencing it for the Olympics
• [09:29 - 12:23] How lessons in early life influenced Shan's basketball career
• [12:24 - 14:36] Finding satisfaction in the job and skill growth
• [14:41 - 18:59] Inherited biases and learned behaviors
• [18:59 - 20:53] Quality of education, work ethic
• [20:56 - 22:47] Wage inequality and company values, the ability to retire someday
• [22:50 - 25:57] The role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in doing life together
• [26:05 - 28:44] Building cultural competency and what to look for in talent
• [28:52 - 30:42] Communications in other languages
• [30:48 - 33:47] DEI is about how we show up to work every day
• [33:58 - 36:18] Racism is costing the US $17 trillion
• [36:44 - 40:12] Considerations for neurodiverse and military veterans entering the workforce
• [40:14 - 43:34] Discovery and doing our own work
• [43:50 - 45:10] COVID and hiring talent remotely
• [45:27 - 45:52] Shan's message to customers and internally