326: The Engagement Paradox: Why Leaders and Gen Z Are Both Disengaged with Sean D'Arcy
Allyship in Action
Join us for an insightful conversation on the critical state of workplace culture and talent retention with Sean D'Arcy, Chief Solutions Officer at Kahoot!. Based on their latest research, we explore a startling paradox: many leaders are burned out, and nearly half would give up their title to feel engaged at work. This lack of manager engagement creates a difficult environment for the newest generation, with almost two-thirds of managers finding Gen Z to be the hardest group to engage. Sean D'Arcy dives deep into the findings on both leader burnout and Gen Z's unique needs, covering...
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325: When the Business Baby Meets the Biological Baby with Hana Milanov and Amelie Pahl
Allyship in Action
This week, I welcome researchers Hana Milanov and Amelie Pahl on their work exploring entrepreneurship through the lens of first-time parents. The researchers interviewed founders who were already deeply identified with their "venture baby" before having a "biological baby," challenging the common narrative that parenthood diminishes career success. They discovered that instead of being a hindrance, parenthood can be a catalyst for positive change in a founder's business and their professional growth. The key finding revolves around two main strategies founders adopt: Founder Firewalling:...
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324: How To Meet Someone Where They Are At When Everything Is Changing with Mark Scullard
Allyship in Action
Mark Scullard is this week's guest from Wiley. Wiley's research recently found that managing change was the biggest area of professional development investment for leaders. He shares how to meet someone where they are at in times of tremendous change. My key takeaways are: Acknowledge and Address the Emotional Toll of Change (The Change Curve): Leaders must understand that employees will naturally experience a period of disorientation and a drop in morale when facing a major change (the "change curve"). The goal is not to stop the dip, but to lessen the depth and the length of the adjustment...
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323: Unpacking the 2025 Women in the Workplace Report with Rachel Thomas
Allyship in Action
Get ready for your annual "Christmas morning" with this deep dive into the 2025 Lean In Women in the Workplace Report. In this candid conversation with Rachel Thomas, Co-founder and CEO of LeanIn.org, we discuss the key findings from the largest study on the state of women in Corporate America. The discussion highlights alarming signals in the data, including a potential rollback in the company's commitment to women's advancement and its effect on women's ambition. Rachel highlights the importance of the often underutilized role of sponsorship and issues a powerful call to action for companies...
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322: Reclaiming Our Agency in Leadership and Life with Jon Rosemberg
Allyship in Action
Jon Rosemberg is the author of the new book, A Guide to Thriving. He was a successful leader in Corporate America and made a pivot to executive coaching. This conversation with Jon was truly insightful, reminding us that workplace culture and retention aren't just HR buzzwords, but are fundamentally linked to our ability to shift from surviving to thriving. My takeaways were: Prioritize Employee Agency to Foster a Thriving Workplace Culture: The shift from "survival mode" to thriving starts when individuals courageously reclaim their agency—the capacity to make intentional choices based on...
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321: The Future of Education in an AI-Driven World with Melissa Loble
Allyship in Action
In my new interview with Melissa Loble, Chief Academic Officer at Instructure, we discussed the evolving educational landscape. She made a few key predictions for the future of education in an AI-driven world: 1. The Blended Curriculum: Academic Content Merges with Human and Career Skills The traditional focus on purely academic content will radically shift. The future curriculum will be a blend that incorporates three critical components: Academic Content: The core disciplinary knowledge. Human Skills (Soft Skills): Due to AI handling entry-level technical tasks, there will be an...
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320: Be Yourself at Work Through Agency, Emotional Health, and the Power of Compassion with Claude Silver
Allyship in Action
This week, I interviewed Claude Silver, the Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX. Her new book, Be Yourself at Work, offers key insights into the role of authenticity in the workplace culture and its impact on retention. Here are my three key takeaways: 1. Authenticity as a Business Superpower for Workplace Culture The core message is to "be yourself at work," which Silver argues is today's greatest business superpower. This speaks directly to workplace culture, suggesting that genuine self-expression, rather than hiding or "code-switching," is crucial for both individual and organizational...
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319: Courage Over Fear, Leadership Lessons from Tesla and the Marines with Kristen Kavanaugh
Allyship in Action
Kristen Kavanaugh is the author of Courage Over Fear and the founder of The Agency Initiative, working to connect people's work with meaning in alignment with their values. Previously, she was the vice chair of the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity & Inclusion and the senior director of inclusion, talent & learning at Tesla. Here are my key takeaways: Values Dissonance Drives Talent Away: The conflict between personal values and the actions or culture of a company—especially at the leadership level—causes significant personal distress and ultimately leads to attrition....
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318: The Bold Move for Higher Ed: Why Onboarding is the Key to Unlocking Women's Leadership Potential with Shanna Hocking
Allyship in Action
This week, I welcome Shanna Hocking to the podcast to talk about her new research in higher education and what's holding women back in university advancement. You might be surprised that the answer is disturbingly simple. Here are my favorite takeaways: The Crisis in Higher Education Leadership: A shift is needed from a scarcity mindset focused only on fundraising to a focus on leadership and culture as the key to success. The profession is at a crossroads, needing to re-evaluate what has historically worked versus what is needed for the future, especially post-pandemic. Structural...
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317: Why Now is the Time to Uncompete with Ruchika Malhotra
Allyship in Action
I have to admit, I was nervous to do this interview. I met Ruchika Malhotra by chance years ago, and have been in awe of her work ever since. She is the visionary author behind the new book, Uncompete. Building on her viral conversation about imposter syndrome, Ruchika delves into the core thesis of her latest work: the necessity of rejecting a destructive culture of competition to unlock true, sustainable success. She challenges the ingrained notion that scarcity and cutthroat individualism are the only paths to achievement, arguing instead that collaboration, abundance, radical...
info_outlineKeivan Stassun is the Director of the Frist Center for Autism & Innovation at Vanderbilt University. He joins this week's Allyship in Action Podcast epidsode to unpack how to get the full ROI when appropriately practicing neuroinclusion.
Key Takeaways
- Neurodiversity drives innovation and strengthens teams: Keivan's experience in astrophysics, particularly the groundbreaking discovery made by his neurodiverse team, powerfully illustrates how embracing different cognitive styles leads to novel problem-solving and enhanced outcomes. Clear communication, beneficial for everyone, becomes essential in neurodiverse teams, ultimately making the entire team more effective.
- Support for autistic individuals needs to extend into adulthood: While significant progress has been made in early intervention for autism, there's a critical need for increased focus and investment in supporting autistic adults in higher education and the workforce. This includes providing appropriate accommodations, fostering inclusive environments, and recognizing the unique strengths and contributions of this community.
- Creating inclusive opportunities benefits both individuals and organizations: Models like The Precisionists Inc. (TPI) demonstrate that tailored support and understanding of neurodivergent needs can lead to high-quality work, increased employee loyalty, and reduced errors. By shifting perspectives and implementing practical accommodations, businesses can tap into a valuable talent pool and achieve tangible benefits.
Key Quotes
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"I'm absolutely convinced that new discoveries and innovations happen because the team invited and included and supported the full diversity of thought."
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"There has been so much less investment has been autistic people who are over 18 years old where people spend the majority of their lives in adulthood."
Actionable Allyship Takeaway:
Recognize and actively leverage the unique strengths and talents of neurodiverse individuals while also providing necessary support and accommodations. Keivan emphasizes that focusing on both the support needs and the strengths of autistic individuals is crucial. He provides examples of how companies can benefit from the talents of neurodiverse employees (e.g., employee loyalty, attention to detail) while also highlighting the importance of providing appropriate accommodations to ensure their success.
Find Keivan at https://my.vanderbilt.edu/kstassun/ and find Julie at https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/