The Empathy Edge

Renée Freeman: Coaching Leaders to Embrace Inclusion

Apr 4, 2023

32:46

You're an executive who believes strongly in creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. Now what? Many executives fear taking action in this space because they are afraid to fail in public. My guest today is Renée Freeman, Principal and founder of Freeman Consulting, a DEIB expert who coaches executives on fostering a nuanced understanding of the importance and value of inclusivity and belonging in the workplace. Renée conducts workshops, focus groups, and listening sessions for local and global organizations. Today we talk about effective frameworks for DEIB, visible and invisible diversity, what are microaggressions, and the difference between leadership and management when it comes to people.

Key Takeaways:

Race is a social construct. You do not know what race somebody identifies as until you have a conversation and they choose to tell you their identity. The same goes for neurodiversity.
The brain has both judgments and curiosities, but it cannot do both at the same time. We need to be mindful and aware of the questions we are asking, the biases we have, and the assumptions we are making.
When you are in communication, there are more nuances than just the words being said. What is being verbalized is important, but how those words are landing with the other person is equally as important.

"Shame and blame is not an access point to belonging. If what we're trying to create inside an organization is belonging and innovation, and all those yummy things that come from inclusivity, being able to create a space where folks can process is important." — Renée Freeman

About Renée A. Freeman, Principal & Chief Diversity Officer

Freeman Consulting & Associates provides cultural competency coaching for executives. It also conducts workshops, focus groups, and listening sessions for local and global organizations. The company’s purpose is to help its clients foster a nuanced understanding of the importance and value of inclusivity and belonging in the workplace.

Renée A. Freeman is the Principal and Owner of Freeman Consulting. Before forming the company, she spent more than a decade working for IKEA and other global and multinational organizations. She is a Pepperdine University Master of Science in Organization Development alum and serves as Executive Co-Chair of the MSOD Alumni Council. She is an expert in various group dynamic methodologies, including Future Search, and is MBTI and Human Subjects Training certified.

Connect with Renée A. Freeman

Website: https://www.freemanca.com

Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneeafreeman/

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/freemanca/

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