EP339: Dr. Ella F. Washington - How To Build A Workplace Utopia

“This also means diversity of thought, because even if
you have a demographically diverse team, but everyone went to the
same college and thinks the same way, that’s still not going to
be able to leverage and maximize the benefits of
diversity.”


-Dr. Ella F. Washington


Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is more than just taking a
course or hiring from particular demographics. It’s about how we
want to feel at work and in society, and how we make others feel.
Intention is everything and yet many people find themselves
afraid of saying the wrong thing, this paralysis then also
prevents us from saying the right things.


When you are open to the possibilities in other people’s lived
experiences, you are far more likely to be able to have the
conversations you perhaps didn’t even know you needed to
have. 


Dr. Ella F. Washington, founder and CEO of Ellavate Solutions,
organizational psychologist, author, and DEI culture expert is
this episode’s featured guest. Ella speaks about the need for
workplaces and workplace cultures to let everyone be their
authentic self at work. If everyone isn’t thriving at work,
feeling valued, respected, and happy, there is something
wrong. 


Whether you are an individual, a small bookkeeping business, or a
big one, it is inspiring to listen to Ella’s vision for what
workplace culture could be. If you want to have these complex
conversations but aren’t sure where to start, this is the episode
to get you comfortable with what you don’t know.


During this interview, you'll learn...



The value of building a utopia of inclusion, diversity
& equity at work


How to understand & challenge biases


The importance of intention in building a healthy
workplace culture



Click here to find out more about Ella.


Connect with Ella on LinkedIn and
Twitter. 


Click here to get your copy of Ella’s new book,
The Necessary Journey.


Time Stamps
 
01:36 - Ella talks about her career journey 
03:38 - The core of diversity, equity & inclusion 
08:39 - Thinking about & challenging our biases 
10:52 - Creating great working environments 
14:33 - Building a workplace utopia
17:30 - The power of intention in workplace culture 
19:14 - The Necessary Journey, stories of client success
23:08 - Considering your whole sphere of influence
26:42 - Ella talks about her book