The Will to Change: Where Leadership Meets the Courage to Evolve

This episode features an interview with coach, speaker and author Dr. Sharon Melnick as she discusses her new book  In Your Power: React Less, Regain Control, Raise Others.  Discover the difference between being in your power versus being in power and how to redefine power as a source for good. Learn how being in your power is an ultimate form of self-care and how to use breathing exercises to gro...

This episode features a conversation between JBC Vice-President Adrienne Lawrence and Diane Cain, Organizational Development Specialist at NASA. Diane discusses the important role that DEI plays in her work as an organizational development specialist and the evolution of NASA's DEI priorities. Discover the reasons behind NASA's interest in inclusive leadership and the culture shift that is driving...

Author, Speaker and Consultant Lily Zheng returns to The Will To Change to discuss their new book,  DEI Deconstructed,  which centers on accountable and effective practices to achieve DEI outcomes in organizations. Discover why even leaders with the best of intentions find it difficult to achieve the DEI outcomes they desire. Lily also discusses the outcomes that they typically advise leaders to a...

In this takeover episode of The Will to Change, Denise Hamilton, Founder of WatchHerWork is joined by VC and Author Kathryn Finney. Kathryn discusses her book  Build the Damn Thing: How to Start a Successful Business If You're Not a Rich White Guy  and the importance for founders to move beyond the idea phase of their business. Discover why you should seek "harsh feedback" about your business and...

This episode features an interview with author  Sarah McDonald  as she discusses her book  The Cancer Channel  and her journey as a cancer survivor. Sarah shares the unique challenges that employees with chronic health issues face in the workplace and how employers can best support their workers through health crises. Discover the stigma and shame that individuals often feel when diagnosed with ca...

This episode was originally recorded as a LinkedIn Live, and features a conversation with Dax-Devlon Ross, Principal, Dax-Dev, along with Jennifer, and Ray Arata, Founder of the Better Man Conference. Dax, Jennifer, and Ray discuss a different way to look at privilege and how it can be used as a tool for inclusionary leadership.  Discover the importance of vulnerability and how we can use our priv...

This episode features a conversation with Indiana's Chief Equity, Inclusion, and Opportunity Officer, Karrah Herring. Karrah discusses her current role, the history behind it, and why it was created. She also shares details about her transition from academia into government, how the practice of DEI differs in the government arena, and what she is most proud of accomplishing since stepping into her...

This episode was originally recorded on the KTS Success Factor Podcast and features a conversation between Jennifer and Sarah E. Brown, Ph. D. Jennifer discusses the stages of the Inclusive Leadership Continuum and how the pandemic exposed workforce inequities. She also shares details about the Inclusive Leader Assessment and how it can help leaders create cultures of belonging where everyone can...

This episode features a conversation between Jennifer and JBC Vice-President Adrienne Lawrence about redefining privilege. Discover some of the most common misconceptions about privilege and how we can use our privilege to help others. You'll also hear about the importance of excavating your own authentic story and a broader definition of diversity. Remember to sign up for the virtual book launch...

This episode was originally recorded as a panel for the NGLCC 2022 National Conference. Jennifer moderates an all-star panel of out executives as they discuss their journey of fully stepping into their identity and embracing who they are. They also reveal what is it like to step forward and be the public voice of very large and esteemed institutions. 

This episode features a conversation between Jennifer and JBC Senior Consultant Dr. Jennifer Sarrett as they discuss allyship and the important role that each of us can play as allies to underrepresented and marginalized communities. Discover some of the most common misconceptions about allyship and how to be an effective ally. You'll hear about the danger of allies centering themselves over margi...

This episode was originally recorded as a DEI Community Call and features a conversation  with Lewis Brown Griggs, Michael Welp, and Howard Ross. These three seasoned leaders discuss their personal journeys as advocates for equity, unpack the absence of white men in DEI efforts, and reveal effective strategies to encourage men to lean into DEI principles.   

This special episode features an interview with Jennifer and Elfi Martinez, Senior Director at JBC, ahead of the release of the 2nd edition of Jennifer's best-selling book How to be an Inclusive Leader. Jennifer and Elfi discuss the key attributes of being an inclusive leader and how those attributes vary from the traditional model of leadership. To learn more and order the 2nd edition, visit http...

This episode features an interview with Upwork's Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Dr. Erin L. Thomas, as she discusses the ways in which bias shows up in the workplace. Dr. Thomas also discusses the concept of "unintentional inequity" and reveals strategies and practices that companies can employ to reduce unconscious bias at all stages of the employee life cycle. Discover why data and...

This special episode features an interview with Jennifer ahead of the release of the 2nd edition of her best-selling book How to be an Inclusive Leader.  Jennifer shares how the Rubik's Cube provides a rich metaphor for wrestling with identity and how identity came to be such an important part of her work. To learn more and order the 2nd edition, visit https://book.jenniferbrownspeaks.com/  

This episode was originally recorded as a DEI Community Call, and features a conversation with Carla Grant Pickens, Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at IBM. Carla reveals how the current environment is impacting IBM and its workforce. Carla discusses the dynamics of the return to office efforts at IBM locations around the world, and the potential impact on the company/employee relationsh...

This episode features a conversation with Jennifer, Ray Arata, Founder and CEO of the Better Man Conference, and Mark Greene, Founder of Remaking Manhood as they discuss the patriarchy and outdated rules about what it means to be a man. Discover how the "Man Box" perpetuates an obsolete leadership model and how patriarchy relates to the larger DEI landscape. To learn more about the Better Man Conf...

This episode, originally recorded as a LinkedIn live, features a conversation between Jennifer and Arthur Woods, Rocki Howard and Jim Massey as they discuss   this proposed session for SXSW. Jennifer, Arthur, Rocki and Jim discuss why this conversation, why now, and what's ahead for leaders. Help us make it to the conference by voting (by August 21st) for our panel here: https://panelpicker.sxsw.c...

This episode, originally recorded as a LinkedIn Live, features a conversation between Jennifer and JBC Vice-President Adrienne Lawrence, as Jennifer discusses the highly anticipated second edition of her book  How to Be an Inclusive Leader  which launches on October 4 th , 2022. Jennifer reveals why she made the decision to tackle a second edition of the book and the need for a more balanced leade...

This takeover episode features a conversation between JBC Consultant Jennifer Sarrett and    Trelise Baker, Founder of  2nd Chance Living PMI as Trelise discusses the work that her organization does to help  women transitioning out of prison or jail and into communities by providing employment and housing services in and around New Orleans, Louisiana. Trelise also shares her own journey of transit...

This episode was originally recorded as an Advocacy in Action session and features a conversation between Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network Board Member Dr. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu and JBC Vice President Adrienne Lawrence as they discuss lesser-known misconceptions about autism, and how it manifests in women. Discover what business opportunities your organization may be missing, and ways in which yo...

This episode was originally recorded as a LinkedIn Live, and features a conversation between Jennifer and Ray Arata, speaker, author and co-founder of the Better Man Movement. Discover details about the upcoming Better Man Conference and the impetus behind the conference. Ray reveals the power of vulnerability and centering others, and the need for men to show up in a different way. 

This episode features an interview with author, acrobat and entrepreneur Robin Zander as he discusses the importance of bravery and courage and the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on various marginalized communities. Robin discusses what he learned from creating a video where he returned to his middle school and how the painful experiences in his past have made him the leader that he is...

This episode was originally recorded as a DEI Community Call, and features a conversation with Lorraine Orr, Chief Operations Officer of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Lorraine shares her professional and personal stories of identity and how her lived experience led her to where she is today. Discover the powerful moments of reckoning in the Boys and Girl Club's history on the topic of DEI a...

Tune in for a conversation with Jennifer and Rhodes Perry as Jennifer discusses her upcoming presentation at the Belonging at Work Summit. Jennifer reveals the need to gain strategies on how to artfully push back and establish the boundaries we need to resist the growing backlash to the progress DEI leaders continue to make in our workplaces.