Parity Podcast
Kicking off the fourth season, Cathy and Deborah welcome Vivia Chen to discuss the challenges of getting the care you need for your mental health. Vivia, an award winning columnist and prolific opinion writer, was denied short term disability because she was not deemed "sad enough." Vivia discusses mental health stereotypes and solutions for change. You can find and on LinkedIn.
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In this episode, Cathy and Deborah discuss the revolt against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts - and women - in the workplace. How did the seemingly noncontentious goal of inclusivity become controversial? More importantly, what can we learn from this back lash to transform our own approach? As always, we offer solutions.
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In this episode, we talk to Angela B. Freeman, mom, wife, law firm partner, and podcaster about where she's been and what she hopes for in teaming up with others. We discuss the moments White women have failed to be allies and partners to Women of Color, and what we all need to do to step up, including recognizing the advantages some people have based on skin color. Along with firmly believing in herself but knowing she had to be twice as good, Angela carried - and continues to carry - a deep curiousity for others.
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The year 2023 brought incremental gains at the top for women overall but not for women of color. Women in middle management also lost ground, leaving open the question of whether gains at the top were a passing fancy. Join us to discuss 2023 challenges as well as solutions.
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Join us for a discussion with Blessing Adesiyan who entered corporate American with a baby in her arms, literally. She shares her nuggets about creating a care infrastructure for workers at all levels and how businesses can best adapt in this new post-COVID landscape. As Blessing says, we're not going back to how it was before. In this new reality, caring about workers is as imperative for their well-being as it is for the bottom line.
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts surged in 2020, but are now experiencing headwinds. Carrie Fletcher, leadership and strategy consultant, joins us to discuss how and why DEI initiatives falter, the critical role of men, and the need to address the elephant in the room which asks "what's in it for me"?
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Good Guys authors David Smith and Brad Johnson say that men are the key to gender parity. We agree but we need many more men as allies. In this episode, Cathy and Deborah ask the tough questions. What is standing in the way of full engagement by men? And for those men who are engaged, what can they do right now? You can learn more about the important work that Dave and Brad are doing on . You can also read their books and Where You Can Find Us Website: Follow us on Co-Hosts: and
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We are joined by Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI) to discuss bringing women and men together to listen to each other and bridge the gender divide. Its view? Parity isn't possible unless we engage with each other more deeply. GERI colleagues Cynthia Brix and Jon Levitt share a glimpse into what this process entails.
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People hear a lot of different things when they hear the word "privilege," both good and bad. In this episode, Cathy and Deborah discuss their own privileges and how to have a more constructive, nuanced discussion, including by ditching the word. They also discuss "aha" moments and best practices for using whatever privileges -- or advantages -- you have to create a more inclusive workplace.
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We focus a lot in this day and age on unconscious bias, but women continue to experience head-scratching moments of in-your-face, outright explicit bias. From public shaming to cornering and bullying, listen in on these modern-day examples of good old-fashioned blatant sexism - and know you are not alone. Then, learn what you can do as the target of bias, and even more importantly as an ally, including by "calling out" and "calling in." For more information, we recommend these resources:
info_outlineWomen receive mixed messages to be authentic but also to conform, fall in line, fit in. It’s a challenging tightrope to walk but we have solutions. In this episode, learn how to discover your own authenticity, and then how to FLEX so that you can contribute at work in a way that reflects who you are.
Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below.
Intro
2:10 Women are told to be authentic but also to conform
2:29 We need to stop trying to change women
3:00 Mixed signals start at birth
5:05 Girls are trained to smile, be pleasant, play well with others
6:00 Sometimes we don’t know who we are
Episode Breakdown
6:19 In today’s episode we will discuss:
- What is authenticity and what are tips for you to best discover who you are
- Why is authenticity at work critical
- How can you navigate between being authentic and the pressure to conform or fit in
6:40 Tracy J. Edmonds author of Wild Hair
Tips to Discover Your Authenticity
9:20 Definitions of authentic
10:35 Uncover authenticity by asking
- who or what you trust
- what you cherish
- what brings meaning and purpose to your life
- what gives you peace
12:45 (Cathy), 16:12 (Deborah) Who or what you trust answers
18:22 (Deborah), 19:50 (Cathy) What do you cherish answers
22:20 (Cathy), 24:40 (Deborah) What brings meaning and purpose to your life answers
28:25 (Deborah), 29:28 (Cathy) What gives you peace answers
30:46 (Cathy), 32:05 (Deborah) 3 characteristics or values
35:05 Strengths Finder by Tom Rath
35:30 Women have to prove themselves over and over again
How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women
Why Authenticity Matters at Work
36:36 Inauthenticity akes you feel uncomfortable
36:58 Story of friend rated poorly because she was being authentic
38:15 ⅓ employees feel pressure to conform
How to Be More Authentic at Work by Dr. Patricia Hewlin
38:30 Examples are:
-parents downplay importance of parenting
-employees won’t wear clothing reflecting their religion
-people stay silent on social justice issues
-people don’t speak up about inequity or workplace microaggressions
38:58 We learn when to smile, frown, nod
How to Be More Authentic at Work by Dr. Patricia Hewlin
39:27 Being authentic improves marketing skills
How to Express Authenticity - Flexing
40:20 What is flexing
40:38 Tips for those early in career
40:52 Tips for interviews
41:40 Using authenticity to nudge culture in the right direction
42:01 Examples:
-Don’t like sports
-Social justice issue matters to you
-Challenges with parenting
42:28 Tip for allies
42:45 Flex through vulnerability
42:50 What is vulnerability
43:30 Dr. Brene Brown 2010 Ted Talk: The Power of Vulnerability
43:44 Vulnerability births innovation, creativity, change
Vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity, innovation, and change by Dr. Brene Brown
44:35 Importance of:
Sharing new ideas at work
Disagreeing with someone at work
Admitting that you made a mistake
46:36 Risks of flexing authenticity
47:40 Leaders should model authenticity
48:20 Parity in Play
48:34 Afghan women and girls
48:54 Girls barred from secondary school
49:10 Unconscious bias in the US
How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women
Unconscious Bias: Hidden Forces Undermining Women at Work
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Contributor: Dr. Nithila Peter of eiLeads
Email [email protected] with questions or comments