A Black & White Conversation
This week, play expert?Gary Ware?and I traveled to Florida to speak at Ipsen’s North America business conference. ?Our role?
Conduct a “Black & White Conversation” from the stage — where there would be no gray — between a black guy (Gary) and a white guy (yours truly). What was intriguing about this opportunity was that it was a non-mandated session during lunch and yet, 300+ leaders from Ipsen willingly chose to participate in this ERG conversation.
Recently anointed President?Stewart Campbell?is a good man. He was there in the room for this dialogue and has made it a priority to have these types of hard, courageous conversations across his company. More so, as he shared with Gary and I later in the day, he wants to stay proactive on driving forward diversity, equity, belonging and inclusion.?
The “what” here is solid but it’s the “why” that is more critical.?
Diversity & Inclusion has never been about checking a box. It has always been about helping you think outside YOUR box.?
The next time you enter a meeting, take a look around the room/zoom. If everyone looks the same, has come from the same business schools, where they were all hired from the same recruiting company or hiring tree, perhaps we’re not doing our companies any favors.?
Instead, surround yourself with “different from you” people who are courageous enough to express their point of view.?
After conducting 148 podcasts, I can confirm the leaders who are winning are the ones who are creating forums where employees of all genders, races and levels can speak up and share freely without judgement of repercussions. Said differently...
Telling the truth at work is now an act of courage.?
When we bite our lips, when we let corporate fear fester, we lose a lot of time.?
Then time slips and we fall behind.?
Yet, when we can keep it real with one another — having hard conversations in safe forums — where one unique perspective collides with another different-from-you perspective, what rises from the conversation takes you further, faster.?
On this day, Gary and I kept it real with each other. We always do when we jam because there’s trust.
In respect to Ipsen and the audience, I’ll keep most of what was shared between “us”. But in the spirit of giving you one tool to help you better understand what might be different to you…
Train Your Algorithm by following different perspectives than yours.?
Two brave black men I follow who are not afraid to speak their beautiful minds are?Walt Geer?and?Derek Walker.?
领英推荐
Walt Geer and his “Ocean’s 11” are currently working on putting on an event called “Blackweek”. If you truly want to know what life is like to walk in Walt’s shoes, follow him. I’m sure he’s also looking for a few committed Sponsors.?
Derek Walker has always had the courage to profoundly express his point of view in public forums. Derek once shared with me that the iPhone should win the Nobel Peace Prize. His point is that much of what has now been captured on an iPhone had been happening since the dawn of time. Sure, it’s still happening but we’re all now seeing the unfathomable with our own eyes which sets back all of humanity.??
To end, I share some Alice Paul wisdom…
“I always feel the movement is a sort of mosaic. Each of us puts in one little stone, and then you get a great?mosaic at the end.”
Create your corporate mosaic.?
THE COURAGEOUS PODCAST
As the official soft drink of the NBA and WNBA, you've likely encountered the vibrant yellow and green Starry logo gracing sidelines and videoboards nationwide. Serving as the Head of Brand Marketing for Starry at PepsiCo, Michael Smith stands as a pivotal force behind the innovative partnerships that have propelled Starry to its current rapid success. Engaging in a conversation with Ryan, Michael delves into the strategic choice of the NBA as the brand's launch partner and shares insights on the nuances of marketing for an established brand compared to a nascent one—a perspective shaped by his experience on both ends of the spectrum. Michael also sheds light on the art of curating a team with the optimal blend of in-house talent and partner agencies, articulating why saturating the digital landscape with a diverse array of content is the key strategy for brands navigating the complexities of today's social media terrain.
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Ryan Berman is the founder of Courageous; a think-feel-do change consultancy based in Southern California. With 25 years in creative business, Ryan believes your “future is safe with change”. Ryan is a speaker, practitioner, and authority on the subject who has been featured in Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Inc, and Forbes. Ryan has spoken on the topic all over the country including at Google, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, Logitech, Discover Card, and charity: water. Ryan also hosts The Courageous Podcast where he talks with leaders from around the globe to uncover what it means to be courageous in today's world. His book, Return On Courage, shares why companies need to unlock courage while providing practical tips on how organizations can operationalize courage today.?Learn more at couragebrands.com
Live stream host and producer. Entrepreneur with a curious soul.
10 个月Keep up the great work Ryan Berman Much respect re your volume of work. Stay the course. ??
?? BOLD people, ideas, culture | Interactive Keynote Speaker, MC, Author | Turning Creative Courage into Innovation, Performance, Comms Fuel for Tech & Brand Leaders & Teams thru strategy plus humor
10 个月Oooh, right up my alley. Courage is the heart of the work I do. It's really how i have always led. Gary Ware can testify. ;-)
Courageous. Brave What's Hard?.
10 个月Huge shout out to my guy Gary Ware for sharing in this conversation. Also, to Walter T Geer III for always being a champion of people and to derek walker for always saying what most people think but never have the #courage to say. Cap tip to all three of you.