Listen, Learn and Engage
Anne Chow (She/Her)
Transformative Executive & Servant Leader | Board & Advisory Member | Inclusion, Culture & Connection Champion | Professor ?? | Keynote Speaker ?? | National Best-Selling Author of LEAD BIGGER ??
This week AT&T will once again engage in Days of Dialogue – a movement about listening, learning and engaging with others. It’s about joining in on the conversation and surrounding yourself with people who are different than you - talking openly in a safe, productive way about our backgrounds, experiences and challenges.
A few weeks ago, at our annual AT&T Business Summit as part of our Inclusion Lounge, I was able to do just that with two of my favorite colleagues - AT&T’s Thomas Harvey and Susan Johnson for a conversation about emotional tax. It was a conversation where we openly discussed our personal perspectives, differences, interactions with others, and how we’ve grown from them.
For those unfamiliar with the topic, emotional tax is a very real thing. It’s the burden that individuals feel anticipating and consciously preparing to deal with potential bias, discrimination, or exclusion that can result in diminishing their ability to contribute at work, depleting their sense of well-being, and often impacting their overall health.
I’d encourage everyone to take a look at these quick snippets from this session. In the first, Thomas shared powerful words about how to work through always bringing your authentic self, and his advice on how to prepare, self-reflect and have a conversation when you feel there’s been bias.
In this clip, Susan shares her biggest regret as a leader and how she learned we all have a deep responsibility to support people in being their authentic self first, and then secondly as an employee.
My takeaway…pause and take a moment to either begin new conversations or continue those already begun!
This is not only good for personal growth and reflection, but it’s good for business. When individuals feel included—when they feel valued for their uniqueness—they are more likely to be creative, to succeed, and to stay in their job. Isn’t that what bringing your whole, most authentic self forward is all about? #BeRealBeTrueBeYou indeed.
Do share – what are you talking about during these Days of Dialogue?
Author, Public Speaker and Different-ability Advocate
4 年I love this, that business is recognizing the importance of authenticity as a factor in ones work life. ?Being authentic is ?a personal imperative to me, so much so that I penned this once upon a time:?“Are you who you want to be or are you busy being the version of you that others want you to be? It matters because authenticity breeds honesty." Kudos to AT&T for valuing bringing your authentic self to work. ?Thanks Anne Chow
Digital Infrastructure Leader-Customer Advocate-Alliance Builder-Optimist
4 年Fantastic insight from Thomas and Susan.? Being reflective on past successes as well as misses is the best way to strive for a more inclusive culture.??