Love in Action

In this week’s memorable and uplifting show, Marcel Schwantes chats with Kevin Hancock, who shares his inspirational story of finding purpose in the midst of adversity, and re-scripting his definition of leadership as a result. They also discuss his new book, The Seventh Power: One CEO’s Journey into the Business of Shared Leadership.Kevin is the CEO of Hancock Lumber Company, one of the oldest and best known family businesses in America, and six-time recipient of the Best Places To Work In Maine. Kevin has been awarded the Ed Muskie Access to Justice Award, the Habitat for Humanity Spirit of Humanity Award, the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Award, and the Timber Processing Magazine Person of the Year award. [2:08]Kevin’s ‘why’ is self-awareness: “... to come to know my own true voice and to follow it as best as I can.” [4:00]Marcel asks Kevin to share his personal story. Kevin relates the personal tragedy that struck him in 2010 and his struggle to lead his company in the wake of it. He soon realized, however, that what he initially saw as a loss was actually an incredible gift. How he viewed leadership was completely changed because of it. [4:32]“Everyone has a valuable, powerful, unique, never to be repeated voice and the best cultural model for an organization is to release those voices, not restrict them,” Kevin says. He sees his experience as an invitation to strengthen the voices of others. [10:49]Marcel and Kevin discuss his book. Kevin says that the seventh power is the power of the individual human spirit. His book is “an invitation to turn inward for strength and meaning and purpose, and for leaders to create cultures that make it safe for people to do that.” [15:45]The seven lessons for the age of shared leadership include:Great people are everywhere.Culture makes the difference.Real change is created first from within.In the 21st century, leadership will be about localizing power and shrinking the center.Listen for understanding not judgment.Overreaching has consequences: it collapses back upon the people that do it.An invitation for places of work to broaden their mission. [18:41]“If you were a manager or a supervisor, leadership was something to be shared and dispersed; and if you were an employee within the company, leadership was something to be accepted and embraced... The invitation was for everybody to share the responsibilities of leading,” Kevin says. [23:51]“People are more apt to support authentically that which they helped to create.” [24:49]Kevin’s philosophy is that work should take less time as productivity expands. His company has revamped its compensation system in line with this principle. [25:44]Leaders who want to create a culture of shared leadership should talk less, sit still more, have faith in their people and engage their power. The way to get people to pick up more, he says, is simply to occupy less. “...the power of them all leading is just immeasurably greater than anything I could do on my own,” he comments. [29:43]Marcel says that “fear and in control are relics of the industrial age that have been passed on from generation to generation.” [34:46]When leaders focus on becoming the change they want to see, the effects ripple throughout the organization. [36:00]Kevin wants listeners to take away these ideas:It takes everyone to lead to defeat the virus.We need a new definition of winning.We have to start thinking more about our shared collective humanity.“Your voice is unique by design. It will never be repeated, and your gift to humanity is to do the best you can to release it and share it and bring it forth into this world.”In nature, power is meant to be dispersed. [38:30]ResourcesKevinDHancock.comSend Marcel a text message!

Matthew Emerzian is an author, keynote speaker, and the founder and CEO of Every Monday Matters, a non-profit organization committed to helping others understand their value and purpose. His work has been featured in Fast Company, Oprah.com, The Today Show, and the Hallmark Channel. He joins Marcel Schwantes to share a powerful and timely message about why we all matter.Marcel asks Matthew what he hopes comes as a result of current events. Matthew responds: that we continue to operate on our “human spirit” even after the coronavirus is gone. [4:30]Live a life that’s not about you. Matthew talks about the life motto given to him by his therapist that completely changed his world view. He shares how doing community service every Saturday morning helped him redefine what mattered to him. [11:48]Matthew’s book, Every Monday Matters, was used as part of a restorative justice program for convicted felons. After speaking to a group of them at a prison, one man tearfully commented that not being told he mattered was what got him into his position. [18:19]Marcel shares that Every Monday Matters the book is broken down into three sections: I Matter, You Matter, and We Matter. He asks Matthew to explain how they interconnect. Matthew describes it as a Venn Diagram with three circles, where each circle represents one section of the book and they all share an intersection. [21:38]People should be themselves authentically and unapologetically. They should not put filters on their lives like they do to social media posts in an attempt to reach perfection, because every individual is already uniquely perfect. [23:52]The silver lining in the current pandemic is that people are being forced to be their true selves; the masks are being torn off because we are all in a mutual state of suffering. [26:19]Some argue that doing selfless things is selfish because it only makes you feel good about yourself. If being selfless is actually being selfish, then we should create a selfish world, Matthew jokes. [31:22]We are wired to serve others. A life of service fulfills you in ways that material success cannot, and you find a sense of inner peace when you dedicate yourself to it. [34:39]Marcel asks Matthew how we can emerge from the global pandemic as better people. Before the coronavirus hit, we were suffering from a human virus of unkindness, Matthew says. We were not treating each other with compassion. When the virus goes away, in order to emerge as better people we must continue to embrace our humanity as we are doing currently. [36:21]Matthew believes that to create a world where everyone is aware of why and how much they matter, education must start with the youth. Every Monday Matters has a social and emotional learning program in six countries that has reached two million students worldwide. They are also providing free lessons and live classes on Zoom due to the pandemic. [38:38]Every day we wake up, we can make a choice to be someone who gives to the world, or someone who takes from it. [44:16]I matter, you matter, we matter. Marcel asks Matthew to explain how everybody matters. I Matter involves coming to terms with your own worth in all your imperfections and uniqueness. You Matter involves expanding your awareness to acknowledge and celebrate the value of those around you. We Matter explores how powerful we are together in impacting lives and communities.  [46:44]ResourcesMatthew Emerzian on LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YoutubeMatthewEmerzian.comEvery Monday Matters: 52 Ways to Make a DifferenceYou Matter: Learning to Love Who You Really AreEveryMondayMatters.comSend Marcel a text message!

This week’s guest on the Love In Action podcast is Michael Hyatt, CEO and founder of Michael Hyatt & Company, and the former Chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. Michael Hyatt & Company has been featured in the Inc 5000 list of the fastest growing companies in America for three consecutive years. Michael is also a bestselling author. He joins Marcel Schwantes to discuss his new book, The Vision Driven Leader: 10 Questions to Focus Your Efforts, Energize Your Team and Scale Your Business, and to explain how leaders can design an irresistible vision and rally their teams to achieve it. Marcel quotes from Michael’s new book: “Vision is the essential ingredient for successful leadership. There's no substitute... Unless you as a leader have a clear picture of the destination where you want your company to be in 3 to 5 years, you've got nothing that will inspire people to follow you.” [1:30]Michael says, “...in moments of crisis our character is proven.” People who survive a crisis are those who are willing to face the reality of their situation, and who have faith that they would prevail in the end. [3:58]It’s possible to win at work and succeed in life as long as you have a vision. [5:28]Michael lists how vision helps leaders become better: [6:15]Vision gives you confidence. [6:22]Vision accelerates your momentum. [6:42]A clear vision is a filter to differentiate between opportunities and distraction. [7:01]Vision drives execution and reduces overwhelm. [7:29]A clear vision aligns your organization and ensures that you're driving towards the things that bring success. [7:42]A clear vision helps you attract the right teammates and repel the wrong ones. [7:58]“Mission and vision are very different,” Michael points out. “Mission is about your purpose; it answers the question, Why? Vision is about your destination and it answers the question, What?” [8:50]Michael defines vision as “a clear, inspiring, practical and attractive picture of your organization’s future and it has to be superior to the present. It's got to be written down...and it's going to be written in the present tense as though it's actually already achieved.” His company has created a Vision Scriptor tool to walk users through the process of creating a vision. [9:13]Marcel and Michael discuss the qualities of a vision driven leader, as well as leaders who are vision deficient. Michael illustrates the difference between leaders and managers, and emphasizes that both roles are essential. [12:07]“One of the things that happens in a crisis,” Michael says, “is that people lose connection with that larger story... because it's a lot of...daily tasks that have to be done. So it's up to the leader to be refilling the vision bucket that everybody is carrying around, so that they can find meaning in their work, and so they have hope for the future.” [17:20]The long-term vision of most organizations would not change in a crisis; the thing that has to change is strategy. [17:47]Loving customers and employees means serving them well. Creating a culture where people flourish starts with the leader. [20:14]Marcel asks why some people still lead through fear. Michael believes that such people have a scarcity mindset. [23:22]Michael gives practical tips about working remotely, including two useful online tools. [25:44]Creating a winning culture begins with the leader’s vision. What would serve the people we want to serve? How can we help our employees get the “double win”? [31:08]Michael believes that “this is the moment for entrepreneurs for leaders to rise up as an army and really deliver the future that all of us need and want.” [32:58]Listeners should know that they have what it takes, according to Michael. “This moment will bring out the best in your leadership if you let it.” [33:30]ResourcesMichaelHyatt.comVisionDrivenLeader.com/coreMarcelSchwSend Marcel a text message!

Charn McAllister is an Assistant Professor of Management and Organizational Development at D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University. Earlier in his career, Charn served in the US Army as a helicopter pilot and troop commander during two deployments in Iraq. He joins Marcel Schwantes on this week’s show to talk about why being a likable leader matters and how it leads to results.“Really good leadership,” Charn argues, “involves being liked… treating [your subordinates] with respect and being a good person, which leads to being liked.” [6:00]Likability undercuts every leadership theory, Charn points out. If your subordinates like you, they rate you as a better leader. [7:00]The Leadership Affect Questionnaire (LAQ) measures how much subordinates like their leaders. Marcel and Charn discuss how the LAQ works. [8:41]If your leader scores low on the LAQ, think about what they do to merit such a low score, and endeavor not to repeat those behaviors in your own leadership style, Charn advises. Bad leaders teach us what not to do. Also, if you can find a kind way to give feedback, take the opportunity, Charn advises. Many leaders aren’t aware of what they’re doing wrong, so your feedback can help them correct their path. [11:46]Everyone can be likable, Charn believes. “It’s somewhat of a choice… Treat people as we would want to be treated…we become more likable by treating people with respect and treating them as people.” [13:33]“If all you are is a transaction between you and your subordinates, that’s all that relationship will ever become. When you actually create care for each other and understanding between the two, that’s how you become likable... We want to like the person who we know and understand and they understand us in return,” Charn says. [15:45]Marcel comments that research proves that soft skills such as empathy lead to high achievement in the workplace. He quotes author Tom Peters, “Soft skills are the new hard skills.” [16:57]Charn describes leadership as a tightrope. Treating people with respect sometimes means making concessions; however, a good relationship with your subordinates also puts them under the obligation to perform at their best. “By creating these relationships and becoming likable, I think you're increasing the performance of the entire team,” Charn says. [18:08]Marcel and Charn discuss being a likable leader in challenging times such as the current pandemic. Charn advocates having the difficult conversations about the next steps. Let your employees know that you’re thinking about them and you care for them. Marcel agrees that radical honesty about what's happening - even if it's bad news - is vital. “But,” he says, “also be there to let them know that you are backing them up, You are supporting them along the way until this thing is over.” [19:33]Leadership is about unlocking potential. People want to be part of something bigger than themselves. Leaders can help give them that sense of purpose. [24:48]Having a mutually respectful relationship with your subordinates makes them respect you more, not less. [27:50]The first step a leader should take to build a relationship with subordinates is to humbly ask for feedback, and then take action on it. This builds trust, Charn points out. Eventually both parties will feel committed to each other’s success. [30:51]Charn advises listeners to have empathy for each other. “We’re all people. We all have these battles and struggles that we're going through,” he reminds us. [35:12]Marcel’s takeaway for listeners is: “We are in a soft skills economy, especially now with the spread of the virus.You have to respond with empathy, kindness, respect, flexibility, and meet people's needs where they're at. Those are the leaders that are going to rise up in the face of crisis.” [37:10]ResourcesCharn McAllister on LinkedInProfessoSend Marcel a text message!

Marcel Schwantes welcomes Dr. Wayne Baker to this week’s Love In Action show. Wayne is the co-founder and board member of Give and Take Inc. He also serves as the Faculty Director of the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. His work has been published in Harvard Business Review, Chief Executive Magazine, and Sloan Management Review. His teaching and research focus on social capital, social networks, generosity and positive organizations. He chats with Marcel about the art of making strategic asks as detailed in his new book, All You Have To Do Is Ask: How to Master the Most Important Skill for Success.Generalized reciprocity is when one person helps another, and that person is motivated to pay it forward. The cycle of reciprocity eventually comes back around to the person who started it. [7:11]Wayne realized that people had no problem being generous; however, many people struggle with asking for help. This is problematic because it is the request that drives the process of giving and receiving. [7:51]Marcel asks about the barriers that cause us to be reluctant to ask for help. Wayne answers: [8:40]We think we’d look incompetent. Making a thoughtful request however, makes us seem more competent. [9:00]We think no one can help. Wayne counters that you never know what or who people know until you ask. [9:25]We’re too self-reliant. In the real world, work is a team sport. [10:16]We don’t feel psychologically safe. The leader should be the chief help seeker, Wayne says. He or she should model the behavior that makes a psychologically safe workplace. [11:00]Fear is also a barrier. Wayne advocates the behavior first principle: it’s hard to change people’s beliefs and then their behavior; instead, get them to do something different, and they’ll update their beliefs as a result. [12:54]Bureaucracy, in particular organizational silos or excessive rules and regulations, is another reason. Wayne shares how cross collaboration can help break these barriers down. [13:40]Wayne describes his company’s digital platform, Givitas. He says it’s “based on the principle of enabling people to ask for what they need.” [15:40]Marcel asks Wayne to explain why asking for help can mean the difference between success and failure. Wayne replies that when an individual asks for help, he/she is more productive, performs better, has higher job satisfaction and less stress. He also describes the benefits of asking for help on the team and organizational levels. [16:15]A thoughtful request is SMART:SpecificMeaningfulAction - you should ask for something to be done.Realistic Time - set a specific deadline. [18:27]You should only think about who you should ask after you know what you want to accomplish and the resources you need, and you’ve formulated a SMART request. [20:08]Marcel asks Wayne to define and describe the Reciprocity Ring. Wayne explains that it came out of a discussion with his wife 21 years ago. He describes how using it leads to positive attitude and behavior change. [28:05]“People are more likely to do what is recognized and rewarded,” Wayne says. As such, he advocates rewarding those who make requests. [32:04]Wayne shares a miracle that happened because someone gave themselves permission to ask. [35:05]Wayne wants listeners to …”give yourself permission to ask, to think about what you need personally, what you might need professionally that will help you be more effective, more successful, and to make that request.” [39:30]Marcel’s takeaways from this episode include: “Make asking a personal and organizational habit and a cultural expectation in your workplace, and also have the tools and strategies in place to support asking.”“...asking is the key to giving at work, at home or anywhere in your life.”ResourcesAllYouHaveToDoIsAsk.comSend Marcel a text message!

Ankur Gopal is the CEO of Interapt, an award-winning mobile and wearable technology solutions innovation partner. He was named one of Business’ First 40 Business Leaders Under 40 and inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in 2014. He joins Marcel Schwantes to discuss talent acquisition and what he’s doing to make it easier.Interapt is an IT services firm that provides solutions primarily for large enterprises but meets with small businesses as well. [2:53]Ankur hadn’t intended to start an impactful movement in helping the community when he moved back to Kentucky; it happened organically. [6:05]Ankur started off acquiring talent by having a heart. [8:02]We can either take the onus of building our own talent, or go out and buy it in an already flourishing market, Ankur says. [11:43] People can’t take breaks from life when you ask them to retool themselves, and they certainly can’t do that without a paycheck. [14:12]There’s a bias against a non-traditional hire without a college degree. [18:01]Ankur’s paid apprenticeship program is intended to launch unskilled workers and those with minimal digital literacy into a future in the tech industry. [21:23]We tend to associate low income with low functioning. [24:56]Giving someone a first chance or letting them know that they’re supported can lead to a ripple effect of monumental outcomes. [30:41]Ankur quotes his late mentor’s advice to him during difficult times: “If you’re not ticking people off then you’re not pushing hard enough.” [36:38]Apprentices are given a month per year to learn something new, with fully funded training as long as they continue to do their jobs efficiently. [38:40]Everyone has value and skills that they bring to the table. [42:28]There are both business oriented and altruistic reasons for Ankur’s program. [46:35]Leaders need to create an environment where employees feel safe sharing their problems. [50:33]Give people first chances and you’ll be surprised at what they can do. [53:30]ResourcesInterapt.comInterapt on FacebookAnkur Gopal on LinkedIn | Twitter | FacebookSend Marcel a text message!

Marcel Schwantes welcomes Todd Palmer to this week’s Love In Action show. Todd is the CEO of Extraordinary Advisors, a renowned executive coach and author of The Job Search Process: Find and Land a Great Job in Six Weeks or Less. He shares how he went from being $600,000 in debt to making the Inc 5000 list six times! He and Marcel chat about his amazing story and his proven framework for helping business owners achieve success through authenticity, transparency, and vulnerability.The impostor syndrome is real, Todd says. It shows up in every part of our lives and it goes wherever we go. [2:45]Todd would not have made the Inc 5000 list had he not dealt with his impostor syndrome. He describes the feeling of empowerment when he made the transformative decision to “...take the wheel of my life again.” [3:52]Marcel quotes Todd’s book, “Growth happens only when we lean into the uncomfortable.” [6:07]“In order for me to lean into the uncomfortable ...the first person I would have had the conversation with was myself, and to look deep within, to do an inventory of how I got there. It was so incredibly painful but the flip side of it is, it was transformative,” says Todd. [7:00]Fixing your business is an inside out process, according to Todd. You have to work on yourself first. [9:13]Marcel comments that working on yourself requires self-awareness, as well as a level of authenticity, transparency and vulnerability not everyone is naturally wired to do. [11:40]You can’t take care of your business if you don’t take care of you. [12:59]Todd describes how he helps his clients lean into the uncomfortable. [13:15]Storytelling is the new business currency, according to Todd. He and Marcel discuss the impact of stories on businesses and lives. While telling your own story is good, it’s much more powerful to tell other people’s stories, especially how your work has impacted their lives. People resonate with the stories they hear, Todd adds. They see themselves in the arc of the story. [14:56]Marcel asks Todd to define psychological safety. [18:35]Todd comments, “If you have the best talent going in the right direction because they feel cared for, they feel heard, they feel validated and they feel rewarded to grow that organization as a collective team, it gives you the power of many.” [20:20]Todd shares an interesting story about what he learned from prisoners. He applauds the Hustle 2.0 program. [22:28]Ditching your comfort zone is a disciplined, methodical process that requires commitment. [25:00]Marcel asks Todd, “Is it fair to say that the impostor syndrome is basically wearing false masks?” Todd agrees and adds that it has been programmed in us to not show up authentically. However, if we have enough courage to put away the masks, we’d be amazed how much people want to help us. When we collaborate with others, we get the best ideas. [26:39]Leaders who accept themselves, who acknowledge that they are a work in progress, allow that acceptance to come out in their teams, Todd says. “Sometimes the hardest part though is to authentically see ourselves.” [28:24]Todd wants listeners to know that the real differentiator in life is people. “The better the people are in your life, the better you show up for other people.” [33:55]“Look within before blaming the rest of the world for your challenges,” Todd urges listeners. [35:27]ResourcesExtraordinaryAdvisors.comTodd Palmer on Facebook | InstagramHustle 2.0 programSend Marcel a text message!

Love In Action now has listeners in 100 countries! That means that people around the world tune in every week to learn how to become the best version of themselves as a leader and as a person of extreme positive influence. This week’s honored guest is Chester Elton, one of the world’s top leadership and organizational culture experts, and co-author of multiple bestselling books. Chester is also the co-founder of The Culture Works, a global training firm that counsels Fortune 500 companies on employee engagement issues. He chats with Marcel Schwantes about his new book, Leading with Gratitude: Eight Leadership Practices for Extraordinary Business Results. They also talk about several gratitude practices that boost team performance, engagement and morale, while reducing turnover.Chester believes that when you're happy and feel valued at work, you're happy and engaged in your personal life. [6:10]Over 70% of workers are disengaged at work. [7:20]A highly engaged culture, or a culture of gratitude is “...a work group or an organization or group of people that … feel valued and rewarded when they make a difference,” Chester explains. Recognition means celebrating with someone in a way that’s meaningful to them. [7:33]Marcel asks why gratitude - something that is so necessary for human interaction - is missing in the workplace. Chester shares two reasons. [8:12]Chester shares an important lesson his father taught him: “Excuses, even when valid, are never impressive.” [11:17]The more you make time to praise and recognize the little things that are going well every day, the less time you have to spend replacing employees who disengage and ultimately leave. [12:10]Chester shares several stories of extraordinary leaders who incorporate gratitude into their leadership styles. [13:00]Leading with gratitude doesn’t mean letting people get away with things, Chester points out. “It's about having great conversations, putting people in a position to succeed. And when they succeed, reinforcing that great behavior with a simple thank you.” [18:25]Marcel and Chester discuss five of the eight gratitude practices in Chester’s book. Marcel urges listeners to practice them every day and how they lead people will improve. Two of these principles are:Walk in their shoes.Make gratitude peer to peer - allow your employees to recognize each other. [19:47]Gratitude is contagious. When people feel valued they want to be around the people that value them, and they also want to value others. [32:10]One very important leadership principle Chester emphasizes is, “The way you act as a leader gives everybody on your team permission to act the same way.” [32:28]Marcel and Chester talk about why leading through fear is still so prevalent. Chester shares a common misconception about leading with love and gratitude. 83% of employees would work harder for a leader that values and appreciates them, in contrast to just 30% who would work harder if they feared for their job. [33:25]“Don’t leave your best self at work,” Chester tells listeners. “Don’t leave your best self at home. Just be your best self.” [37:45]You can change your workplace culture from fear to love in the work by just starting, Chester says. He gives some simple and practical tips that leaders can implement at once. [38:15]Marcel quotes Chester’s book about taking gratitude home with us. Chester shares a few favorite gratitude practices such as journaling, and random acts of kindness. [41:57]Chester talks about two causes that are dear to his heart. [46:26]“Gratitude has nothing to do with your circumstances and everything to do with your heart,” Chester says. [48:15]Just be kind. [50:07]ResourcesTheCultureWorks.com LeadingWithGratitudeBook.com Camp CorralMentor InternationalSend Marcel a text message!

Laura Morgan Roberts is a Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and a visiting scholar at Harvard Business School's Gender Initiative. As an expert in diversity, inclusion, authenticity and identity development, Laura's extensive research formed the basis for her study of the influence of African American business leaders. She chats with Marcel Schwantes about her recent article, Toward a Racially Just Workplace, and tackles what is seemingly the most uncomfortable conversation in the work environment.Laura loves the genuine affirmation of affection from her children that reminds her why life is sacred. [3:36]After President Obama was elected, a popular consensus was that American society had moved beyond racism in the workplace. “I think what we saw was more of a hope than a conclusion… that Barack Obama’s election sort of symbolized that this was a harbinger of things to come,” Laura comments. [4:37]Research shows that only 8% of managers and 3.8% of CEO’s are of African American descent, which is concerning as it does not reflect the global population. [7:29]Marcel asks Laura why she thinks there is such a small percentage of black leaders. “What has been persistent over time is a practice of sort of betting on familiarity… giving those new opportunities… to people who remind us of our younger selves. And so when the people who are in the leadership positions are the ones we're doling out those opportunities to… they're also more likely to be alarmed… when someone who doesn’t share aspects of their experience messes up… You’re not given the same freedom to fail when you’re a person who exists on the margins,” she explains. [10:08]Two key dynamics that pose challenges for black leaders in the workplace are authenticity and authority. [12:38]Many black leaders have stories in which people in mentorship roles have tried to steer them in completely different paths, “with very little knowledge or data of what they were truly capable of,” Laura adds. [16:51]Laura admonishes leaders to “get real” about recognizing that external occurrences affect organizations internally. “There's no… concrete wall that sort of segments the organization and protects it from whatever is happening in society around inequality and exclusion and oppression.” [20:30]Our egos are tied up especially when workplace issues are concerned. [23:51]Oftentimes conversations about diversity and inclusion initiatives turn into ego defensive arguments, which inhibits exploration of avenues for productive coexistence. [26:19]“If you want to understand how to be more inclusive, you can’t just sit around and talk to the people who already feel included,” Laura says. Leaders should take themselves back to experiences where they felt excluded and ask themselves what others could have done to make them feel included. [37:27]The “secret sauce” in truly promoting greater racial diversity, inclusion and equity is the heart. [41:15]Laura offers advice for the African American professional wanting to grow as a leader. [43:27]Marcel asks Laura why she thinks fear is so prevalent in the workplace. “We structure our organizations and in ways that trigger people's feelings of scarcity… and when people are operating in that dimension of scarcity they’re triggered… they're really afraid because they're feeling incredibly vulnerable.” Marcel comments that Laura’s answer is the most scholarly one he’s received yet. [46:40]Laura wants race to no longer be associated with fear, problems and challenges, and would much rather it be embraced. [50:26]ResourcesToward a Racially Just WorkplaceAdvancing Black LeadersLaura Morgan Roberts on LinkedIn | TwitterLauraMorganRoberts.comSend Marcel a text message!

Laura Morgan Roberts is a Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and a visiting scholar at Harvard Business School's Gender Initiative. As an expert in diversity, inclusion, authenticity and identity development, Laura's extensive research formed the basis for her study of the influence of African American business leaders. She chats with Marcel Schwantes about her recent article, Toward a Racially Just Workplace, and tackles what is seemingly the most uncomfortable conversation in the work environment.Laura loves the genuine affirmation of affection from her children that reminds her why life is sacred. [3:36]After President Obama was elected, a popular consensus was that American society had moved beyond racism in the workplace. “I think what we saw was more of a hope than a conclusion… that Barack Obama’s election sort of symbolized that this was a harbinger of things to come,” Laura comments. [4:37]Research shows that only 8% of managers and 3.8% of CEO’s are of African American descent, which is concerning as it does not reflect the global population. [7:29]Marcel asks Laura why she thinks there is such a small percentage of black leaders. “What has been persistent over time is a practice of sort of betting on familiarity… giving those new opportunities… to people who remind us of our younger selves. And so when the people who are in the leadership positions are the ones we're doling out those opportunities to… they're also more likely to be alarmed… when someone who doesn’t share aspects of their experience messes up… You’re not given the same freedom to fail when you’re a person who exists on the margins,” she explains. [10:08]Two key dynamics that pose challenges for black leaders in the workplace are authenticity and authority. [12:38]Many black leaders have stories in which people in mentorship roles have tried to steer them in completely different paths, “with very little knowledge or data of what they were truly capable of,” Laura adds. [16:51]Laura admonishes leaders to “get real” about recognizing that external occurrences affect organizations internally. “There's no… concrete wall that sort of segments the organization and protects it from whatever is happening in society around inequality and exclusion and oppression.” [20:30]Our egos are tied up especially when workplace issues are concerned. [23:51]Oftentimes conversations about diversity and inclusion initiatives turn into ego defensive arguments, which inhibits exploration of avenues for productive coexistence. [26:19]“If you want to understand how to be more inclusive, you can’t just sit around and talk to the people who already feel included,” Laura says. Leaders should take themselves back to experiences where they felt excluded and ask themselves what others could have done to make them feel included. [37:27]The “secret sauce” in truly promoting greater racial diversity, inclusion and equity is the heart. [41:15]Laura offers advice for the African American professional wanting to grow as a leader. [43:27]Marcel asks Laura why she thinks fear is so prevalent in the workplace. “We structure our organizations and in ways that trigger people's feelings of scarcity… and when people are operating in that dimension of scarcity they’re triggered… they're really afraid because they're feeling incredibly vulnerable.” Marcel comments that Laura’s answer is the most scholarly one he’s received yet. [46:40]Laura wants race to no longer be associated with fear, problems and challenges, and would much rather it be embraced. [50:26]ResourcesToward a Racially Just WorkplaceAdvancing Black LeadersLaura Morgan Roberts on LinkedIn | TwitterLauraMorganRoberts.comSend Marcel a text message!