Just One Q

How can we combat mental illness stigma in the workplace? While physical health conditions are usually met with empathy and clear support systems, mental illnesses are frequently met with silence, judgment, and stigma. Unaddressed stigma (and self-stigma) can cause employees to push through symptoms rather than seeking timely medical care or utilizing Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), which dam...

What works and what doesn't in DEI practice today? Since 2020, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practice has undergone a fundamental transformation, shifting away from performative, one-and-done unconscious bias workshops toward quieter, systemic change. Early corporate responses often relied on abstract academic theory that alienated employees while failing to address root institutional ine...

Can neurodivergent adults heal our relationship with “productivity”? Healing our relationship with productivity is the key to finding satisfaction and self-efficacy at work. By understanding diverse productivity styles and the emotional factors that affect productivity, we can break free from negative cycles of guilt and shame. Reframing productivity can give us the self-knowledge and vocabulary w...

How can critical thinking shape our AI use in the workplace? Large Language Models (LLMs) function as sophisticated “auto-complete” engines that predict the next most likely word based on statistical patterns rather than reasoning, understanding truth, or possessing consciousness. While there are many good uses for LLMs in daily life, their application in high-stakes and high-judgement tasks can h...

How can we design equitable employee benefits? Employee benefits dictate far more than basic health coverage – they’re a fundamental indicator of financial security, holistic health, and overall workplace equity. Traditional plans often default to nuclear family frameworks that inadvertently disqualify equity deserving groups. By moving away from static, one-size-fits-all perks and implementing a...

What changes when we lead with trauma sensitivity? Trauma is far more common than most realize, affecting at least 70% of people, and its hidden residue frequently drives workplace conflict through survival mechanisms like freezing or fawning. Through trauma sensitivity, leaders can look past superficial personality clashes, avoid replicating past injuries, and proactively cultivate structural saf...

How does gender affect workplace conflict? Task conflict – challenging ideas to find the best possible solutions – is essential for team innovation, but it carries hidden risks for women. While men are often rewarded with a boost in perceived agency for engaging in task conflict, women are frequently penalized for violating gender stereotypes. This subtle bias can lead to workplace distancing, los...

How can we elevate disability inclusion to true belonging? Inclusion is something systems do through policies and rules, but belonging is something people feel when they are truly wanted in a space rather than just "allowed" to be there. True belonging requires a shift from reactive, procedural accommodations that place the onus on the individual, to proactive, collective access that removes envir...

How can ADHDers thrive at work? Navigating the workplace with ADHD presents unique challenges, but it also offers a distinct set of strengths and perspectives. Unlocking our best work can require a tailored approach: “gamifying” mundane tasks, offloading cognitive weight to digital tools, and finding unconventional ways to manage energy, focus, and time. When combined with foundational self-care,...

Can we “integrate” inclusion work without making it invisible? As we mark the 100th anniversary of Black History Month this February, organizations face a pivotal moment in the evolution of inclusion work. While many companies are moving toward "integrating" inclusion principles into their broader processes and talent lifecycles, there is a risk that these efforts will fade into the background wit...

If toughness built the ship, can belonging change its course? The maritime industry has traditionally valued "hard traits" like stoicism and rigid hierarchy, often creating cultures where employees must mask their true selves to survive. But Captain Kamila Calko argues that true safety and innovation come not from fear, but from psychological safety and authenticity. By shifting from a scarcity mi...

What are the core habits of highly collaborative teams? Since Google’s Project Aristotle, we’ve understood that high-performing teams are defined by how they interact, not by who is on them. For today’s diverse, multigenerational, and decentralized workforce, supporting healthy interactions requires a strong commitment to specific strategies: the selection of accessible tools and technologies, cle...

As we collectively recognize and redefine disability as a society, are employers ready for broader accommodation needs? As employers push for a return to the office, they face a rise in accommodation requests, particularly for remote work and non-apparent disabilities. This often creates tension, as supervisors may rely on personal bias rather than facts. The key to navigating this is a formal, da...

How can neuroinclusion transform leadership and workplace culture? Creating truly neuroinclusive workplaces requires a fundamental shift in mindset, from seeing neurodivergence as a deficit to embracing it as a form of diversity. This means moving beyond a purely extractive business case, practicing cultural humility, and rethinking communication, onboarding, workflow, and even the physical enviro...

How does lived experience inform DEI facilitation, connections, and dialogues? While requiring DEI facilitators and educators to have lived experience can correct historical wrongs and build connections, it also puts them at personal and professional risk. This work involves significant, often invisible emotional labour, which falls disproportionately on those with diverse identities and can lead...

How can we build strong intergenerational teams in the workplace? Instead of viewing generational differences through the lens of stereotypes or a “competition of pain,” we can approach them as a form of cultural diversity. By fostering cultural competence, validating each generation’s unique experiences, and leveraging friction for growth, organizations can build stronger, more innovative teams....

Can ‘civility’ bridge polarized perspectives at work? In our increasingly polarized world, many workplaces are turning to "civility" as a solution, but this approach often falls short by promoting a surface-level harmony that ignores the root of our divisions. Civility alone isn’t the answer, it’s only halfway there on the road to cultural competence. True progress requires developing skills that...

Can neurodivergent adults heal our relationship with “productivity”? Healing our relationship with productivity is the key to finding satisfaction and self-efficacy at work. By understanding diverse productivity styles and the emotional factors that affect productivity, we can break free from negative cycles of guilt and shame. Reframing productivity can give us the self-knowledge and vocabulary w...

How can you tell if you’re a bad boss? Healthy workplace cultures start from the top. Effective leaders are self-aware, and understand the power dynamics in their organizations. They constantly build trust through admitting mistakes, recognizing their own blind spots, inviting and acting on feedback, and fostering constructive dissent to create an inclusive environment where people genuinely want...

What mindsets and strategies are essential for today’s leaders? The skills that help people rise in the ranks at work aren’t always the same skills they need when they reach leadership roles. Leaders are often expected to excel at people management without formal training. They’re asked to maintain a delicate interpersonal balance, fostering trust, psychological safety and motivation. Every leader...

How can we leverage ERGs for personal and collective empowerment? Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are more than social gatherings – they are incubators for professional growth, leadership, and strategic partnerships. Hady Mendez, an expert in ERG coaching, discusses how ERGs create safe spaces, foster cultural ambassadorship, and influence company strategies. She emphasizes that ERG leaders should...

Intellectual humility is acknowledging your own knowledge and limitations, and it is generally seen as foundational for skills like critical thinking and decision-making. However, Dr. Steve Bland’s research suggests that cognitive diversity, which includes some intellectual arrogance and dissent, is actually beneficial in collective decision-making. Leaders can leverage the contributions of indivi...

 How can we lead healthier conflicts at work? Conflict doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, it can be the key to a healthy and innovative workplace – when it’s addressed with intention. With self-reflection, empathy, open communication, and tools like the Thomas Kilmann Instrument and the Conflict Dynamics Profile, you can practice navigating conflict with intention creating space for healthie...

What does it take to lead for belonging? Leading for belonging requires a deep commitment to self-reflection, an alignment between values and actions, and actively building accountable spaces. Rather than treating DEI as a separate ‘above-and-beyong’ goal, leaders should focus on their impact, redistribute the burden of equity-related initiatives, and ensure that accountability is paired with auth...

Can you articulate the ‘why’ ‘what’ and ‘how’ of your workplace DEI initiatives? In 2020, hastily conceived DEI programs with check-box expectations are either being rolled back or reinvented. Deep questioning and critical analysis of our DEI initiatives, policies, and practices can help us identify areas for improvement, bring others onboard, and design lasting strategies with deeper intention. O...