By "stepping up", I’m thinking about leadership in its many forms. Not just the type with the official title – but also the kind of leadership (little l) that inspires us to volunteer, get involved, share a perspective, take on a project, be “out front”. I’ve been thinking about it because of …
[Continue reading] Stepping Up – Who is, who isn’t, and why…
This week I'm reflecting on aspects of US President Biden's message last week after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvale on May 24, 2022, Texas where 19 school children and 2 teachers were killed. Makenna Lee Elrod Layla Salazar Maranda Mathis Nevaeh Bravo Jose …
Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) are not new – these are words we have heard in business for at least 20 years now. What is new is the leaning in around issues of race. More than Representation Companies that are committed to D&I are being asked to take a look at the representation of …
[Continue reading] Conversations for Leaders on Race, Racism and Belonging
This week, in the aftermath of the murders of Asian Americans in Georgia, USA last week, and the mounting (and more visible) anti-Asian sentiment and violence in Canada as well as other countries, the theme is acknowledgment. Specifically regarding identity and experiences. It may often feel …
BlackNorth Initiative was formed last month. As many of these, it was in response to the killing of George Floyd. But anti-Black racism is (sadly) not a new issue. Their goal? To increase the representation of people who are Black around Canada’s Boardroom tables and among executive suites. They …
[Continue reading] BlackNorth Initiative – is your company up for the challenge?
Spring is in the air in Toronto. Today at least. But there are other signs – last week my daughter and I saw snowdrops – small white flowers – on our way home. And for the past week we have spotted a few Canada Geese Vs. So today I’m taking a bit of a departure from the ordinary, and I’m going to …
Last year, we heard a lot in the news about the Starbucks incident with the two Black men who were arrested for being in the café, while waiting for a friend. The issue? Being Black – and what this meant for the Starbucks employee who called the police. We then heard a lot about unconscious bias, …
We have seen some big decisions in the last week related to anti-bias and Diversity & Inclusion. Last week I wrote (a spoke on CBC Radio) about Starbucks’ anti-bias training held across the USA on Tuesday. On that same day, ABC (the TV network) made a bold statement of its own by cancelling …
What happens when people in positions of power don’t speak out against things that are wrong? If you were listening to the news last week, we’ve had a recent example with President Trump condemning both sides for the recent violence in Charlottesville. If you missed it, you can check it out …
I recently attended the Regional Diversity Roundtable’s event “It’s 2015: Which Women have Arrived?” It was an interesting and thought-provoking evening. One of the speakers was Sandeep Tatla – Chief Diversity Officer from the Ontario College of Trades. Here were a few statistics Sandeep …