E364: The Wisdom Exchange: Rethinking Mentorship in Chaotic Times
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
Release Date: 05/15/2025
E368: Words, Work, and What Comes Next: Charting the Future of Inclusion with Elfi Martinez
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
Elfi Martinez, Vice President of Inclusive Organizations at Changeforce.ai, returns to the program for a conversation with Jennifer about the current crossroads facing the DEI field. Jennifer and Elfi's discussion ranges from a discussion about cultural backlash and the erosion of shared language to the urgent need for clear standards and behavior-based accountability. This conversation examines how we got here, what we’ve learned, and what it will take to evolve the work in ways that are sustainable, inclusive, and resilient in the face of resistance.
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E367: Rest, Resist, Rewire: The Neuroscience of Navigating Change with Dr. Britt Andreatta
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
In this episode we are joined by neuroscientist, leadership expert, and author, Dr. Britt Andreatta, to unpack the brain science behind how humans respond to change. We explore why resistance is hardwired into our biology, how burnout and change fatigue are affecting today’s workforce, and what leaders can do to foster resilience, inclusion, and transformation even in uncertain times. Whether you’re leading a team, guiding culture change, or navigating your own evolution, this conversation offers practical insights and a hopeful path forward.
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E366: Holding the Mic and the Moment: The Courage to Be Heard with Eduardo Placer
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
In this episode, originally recorded as a community call, Jennifer is joined by Eduardo Placer of Fearless Communicators and a circle of visionary voices. Together, they explore what it means to show up as a thought leader in today’s shifting landscape, offering insights on storytelling, presence, vulnerability, and reclaiming space in a world that often pushes marginalized voices to the sidelines. You’ll hear reflections on building authentic connection with audiences, navigating the pressure to conform, and why now is the time to speak your truth with clarity and courage. Whether...
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E365: In Plain Sight: Author Sarah Miller on “Hick” and Eleanor Roosevelt’s Enduring Relationship
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
In this episode, Jennifer is joined by author Sarah Miller as they explore the deeply intimate and complex relationship between journalist Lorena “Hick” Hickok and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Drawing from Sarah’s extensive research and thousands of personal letters, they discuss how love, identity, and intimacy were expressed—and often obscured—before the language of modern queer identity existed. Together, they reflect on how this relationship redefines historical narratives, challenges binary thinking, and uplifts queer voices too often overlooked. This episode offers a powerful...
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E364: The Wisdom Exchange: Rethinking Mentorship in Chaotic Times
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
In this reflective minisode of The Will to Change, Jennifer dives deep into the evolving meaning of mentorship in today’s chaotic and uncertain world. With traditional hierarchies dissolving and institutional pathways in flux, she explores how we can reframe mentoring as reciprocal “wisdom partnerships” that nourish, empower, and expand our sense of purpose. Speaking candidly to underrepresented leaders, especially those in midlife, Jennifer unpacks the emotional and cultural barriers to asking for support, including imposter syndrome, exhaustion, and the fear of burdening others. She...
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E363: Grace over Grind: Presence as a Radical Act
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
In this minisode, Jennifer reflects on her conversation with author and futurist Jamais Cascio, exploring how today’s leaders can rethink resilience, leadership, and empathy in a chaotic, unpredictable world. She unpacks the shift away from outdated models of “fail fast” and constant optimization, instead embracing the power of slowing down, practicing grace, and cultivating humility and flexibility. Jennifer examines how naming what feels incomprehensible can restore agency, why active empathy is essential across differences, and how leaders can ground themselves like deep roots —...
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E362: Reimagining Resilience: Learning to Dance with Uncertainty with Author and Futurist Jamais Cascio
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
Join Jennifer in this thoughtful and eye-opening conversation with author and futurist Jamais Cascio as they explore how to navigate a world defined by chaos, uncertainty, and nonlinearity. Together, they unpack why the old models of resilience no longer serve us, why the moral universe looks more like a squiggle than a straight arc, and how leaders can embrace flexibility, active empathy, and interconnectedness to move forward. With deep insights into the BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible) framework, Jamais offers a powerful reframing of how we make meaning, foster...
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E361: Dissolution: After the Grief, the Growth - A Fireside Reflection
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
In this reflective minisode, Jennifer Brown looks back on her recent experience speaking at the House of Beautiful Business PolyOpportunity Gathering—just days after undergoing emergency surgery. From a place of physical vulnerability and emotional clarity, she shares insights on what it meant to show up raw and real, and how that moment sparked deeper questions about the disintegration of traditional DEI frameworks, the paradox of belonging without othering, and the need to compost old methods in order to grow something new. This is an invitation to pause, reflect, and consider what must be...
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E360: From Shock to Strategy: Leading Through the Whiplash with Julie Diamond, Ph.D
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
In this episode, Jennifer is joined by leadership expert and power strategist Julie Diamond, Ph.D to explore how different kinds of power operate in our lives—from the brute force we see on the world stage to the quieter, often overlooked personal and relational powers that shape real change. Together, they unpack the emotional and psychological toll of living through what feels like a leadership crisis, examine the shifting power dynamics since 2020, and discuss what it means to lead with integrity, curiosity, and resilience in times of instability. This candid and timely...
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E359: Before the Bloom: Planting Seeds in a Season of Uncertainty with Josh Allan Dykstra
The Will To Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve
In this episode, Jennifer is joined by future of work activist and speaker Josh Allan Dykstra for a wide-ranging conversation about what it means to live and lead through the end of a cycle. They explore the concept of the fourth turning, the discomfort of the liminal space, and the challenges of holding on to systems, identities, and movements that no longer serve. Drawing from their experiences in DEI, leadership, and organizational change, they reflect on the tension between burnout and renewal, the limitations of performative change, and the opportunity to reimagine what comes next....
info_outlineIn this reflective minisode of The Will to Change, Jennifer dives deep into the evolving meaning of mentorship in today’s chaotic and uncertain world. With traditional hierarchies dissolving and institutional pathways in flux, she explores how we can reframe mentoring as reciprocal “wisdom partnerships” that nourish, empower, and expand our sense of purpose. Speaking candidly to underrepresented leaders, especially those in midlife, Jennifer unpacks the emotional and cultural barriers to asking for support, including imposter syndrome, exhaustion, and the fear of burdening others. She calls listeners to embrace the courage to connect, redefine power beyond position, and actively invest in the diverse, multi-directional relationships that will shape our next chapter. Whether you're seeking clarity, community, or the confidence to ask for more, this episode is a timely invitation to build your own network for reinvention.