This is a unique Why Care? episode - a live fireside chat where I am the one being interviewed! The interviewer is my dear friend, Darin de Klerk, as we discuss all things Beyond Discomfort at my Book Launch event, which took place on 21st March 2024. During our intimate conversation, we tackle the challenges of leadership development and the significance of valuing diverse perspectives. I share some insights into the soul of my new book, my personal journey growing up as a minority in the UK, navigating power dynamics, cross-cultural partnerships, and experiences with identity. We also cover more about leading with the heart, the concept of trauma and privilege, navigating discomfort, activism, allyship, and the power of empathy.

In the second special celebrity episode of Why Care? I am joined by the multi-talented, Double Olympic Champion, Dame Kelly Holmes. We dive deeper into her journey of self-discovery, personal experiences, and traumas, which she explores in her powerful memoir Unique. Kelly shares her emotional backstory in which she concealed her true identity and sexuality from the public and lived in fear for most of her life. We discuss the discriminatory military laws and systemic mistreatment of LGBTQ+ individuals in the British army, as well as the mental health impact. As a world-class athlete, Kelly opens up about the pressure to hide her sexuality, and how she overcame her fears and revealed her authentic self publicly.

In this special celebrity edition episode of Why Care? I am joined by the truly inspiring Dr Ranj to delve deeper into what drives him, his passion for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and his perspective on how to break society’s confines of masculinity. Dr. Ranj shares some personal life experiences and insightful observations, as we probe more into his upbringing, mindset, sexuality, and journey to being authentically 100% who he is. We also explore his adventurous career, his advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, and promotion of diverse and inclusive education, and one of his many books aimed at boys, How to Grow Up Amazing! The No Worries Guide for Boys.

In Episode 40 of Why Care? I am joined by the brilliant and highly entertaining David McQueen to delve deeper into his brand-new book, The Brave Leader. David shares some life experiences, powerful insights and we touch on subjects such as the importance of followership, his BRAVE framework for good leadership, and how to take a systems approach to inclusive leadership.

In Episode 39 of Why Care?, I am joined by Amber Cabral to delve into her second book, Say More About That. We cover topics including how to use the best language to stand up for change, and how organisations can nurture a positive feedback culture and ensure accountability.

In Episode 38 of Why Care?, I am joined by Jenny Garrett, Founder of Jenny Garrett Global to discuss her book, Equality Vs Equity. We discuss colourism, racial discrimination and power, and how we can assimilate our differences and create a society where we are all benefitting.

In Episode 37 of Why Care?, I speak to Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, Founder and CEO of Untapped Leadership. We discuss her book, Untapped Leadership, and we explore the concepts of contextual agility, stealth-clean up and the zone of untapped leadership. We also touch on topics such as the race penalty, imposter syndrome, and how we can redefine and redesign leadership so it is representative and inclusive of all.

In Episode 36, Sheree Atcheson, Global DEI Senior Executive at Valtech, joins me to speak about her book, Demanding More. We explore the concept of white saviourism and white feminism, and how we can all benefit from DEI. We touch on topics such as privilege, intersectional allyship, strategy and processes, inclusive technology, and growth opportunities.

In Episode 35, I speak to Catherine Garrod, Founder of Compelling Culture, to discuss the underlying concepts in her book, Conscious Inclusion, the difference between positive action and positive discrimination, why organisations struggle to take a stand against exclusionary behaviour, and the data-led, systematic approach she takes to developing a DEI strategy.

In Episode 34, I am joined by two guests: Chris Altizer, a leader and partner of Altizer Performance Partners, and, Gloria Johnson-Cusack, founder and owner of Gloria Johnson-Cusack Consulting. We discuss their book, Growing the Elephant, and how they shift the linguistic focus from ‘privilege’ to ‘earned and unearned advantage’. They offer a really helpful way to break down dimensions of power and provide tips on how we can create an advantage for all.

In Episode 33, I am joined by Amri Johnson, CEO and Founder of Inclusion Wins, to discuss the dangers of being led only by emotion and not reason, the dangers of being led by passion and not skill, and what DEI practitioners and organisations need to do to sustain DEI efforts.

In Episode 32, I am joined by Sue Unerman, Chief Transformation Officer and Global head of Relevance at EssenceMediacomX (EMX), to discuss the consequences of diversity fatigue, the significance in cultivating belonging, and the value of cognitive and demographic diversity.

In Episode 31, I am joined by Jennifer Brown, Founder and CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting (JBC), to discuss the challenges of being an inclusive leader, how to overcome these challenges, and what inclusive leadership means.

This special takeover episode of the Will to Change features a conversation with Nadia Nagamootoo, Dr. Pippa Grange, and Errol Amerasekera. We speak about the idea of winning shallow vs. winning deep and why checking the box when it comes to DEI doesn't lead to transformational change.

In Episode 30, I am joined by Bonnie St. John, CEO of Blue Circle Leadership Institute, to discuss the specific barriers and challenges that multicultural women face in climbing up the corporate ladder, building trust across multicultural differences, and engaging leaders to support them.

In Episode 29, I am joined by Paolo Gaudiano, Co-Founder and President at Aleria Research Corporation, and Chief Scientist at Aleria, to debunk the myths commonly associated with DEI. Paolo shares insights on the sophisticated simulation he has designed to capture the complex scenarios of organisational life and how bias leads to some inevitable outcomes.