September 24, 2025 • 22 mins
In Part 1, we established that inclusion isn't just a buzzword—it's a workplace wellness imperative. Now, it's time to build.
Joined again by the brilliant Dr. Kesha Carter, this episode moves from understanding the problem to creating the solution. We dive into actionable, real-world strategies that both employees and leaders can use to cultivate a culture of true inclusion and psychological safety. If you've ever felt powerless to change your work environment, this conversation will empower you.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Actionable strategies for employees to protect their well-being and champion inclusion.
- How inclusive leadership can transform a team's culture, reduce anxiety, and boost resilience.
- Practical steps to move your workplace from a culture of surviving to one of thriving.
If you're ready to advocate for a healthier environment for yourself and others, this episode is your essential guide.
Connect with Dr. Carter and learn more about her transformative work via email at Lkcarter827@gmail.com or LinkedIn
What's the #1 wellness topic you think we should cover?
Thank you for listening! We'd love to hear from you!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
UNKNOWN (00:00):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (00:02):
Welcome back to the Life Podcast.
On Monday, in part one of ourconversation with the incredible
Dr.
Keisha Carter, we laid thegroundwork for understanding the
critical importance ofpsychological safety.
We define what it means to trulyfeel safe at work, and we were
inspired by the deep connectionbetween safety, inclusion, and
(00:23):
our overall well-being.
We learned how a lack of safetycan become a massive barrier to
not just our success, but ourhealth.
If you haven't had a chance tolisten to part one yet, I highly
encourage you to go back and doso.
Because today we're picking upright where we left off.
Now that we have the knowledge,how do we put it into action?
(00:45):
In this episode, we're movingfrom theory to practice as Dr.
Carter shows us how we can allcontribute to building
environments where we canflourish and how we can evolve
into the inclusive, supportiveleaders our workplaces so
desperately need and deserve Andso that moves us, right?
(01:13):
Brings us right into Flourish,our fourth pillar of the life
podcast.
So...
It's a call to action, right?
Flourishing is all about action.
So let's talk about the currentclimate.
Many organizations are pullingback on their DEI initiatives.
It's a reality that can leaveemployees abandoned and
disheartened.
(01:33):
So for someone in thatenvironment, what are the
practical strategies?
Like, what can we do?
How can they implement andprotect their own well-being and
still champion inclusivity?
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
Yeah, so finding some kinship, right?
Finding folks who are likeable,who are also holding some
similar identities is extremelyimportant.
So things like employee resourcegroups are very important and
they help to create thatenvironment where employees can
flourish.
(02:04):
They are inspired.
They have that well-being.
And it gives entree to leadersin the organization to really
know how to understand howthey're making decisions because
those decisions impact thepeople in the organization.
Absolutely.
(02:48):
employee resource groups,though, in order to flourish in
that kind of way.
It's also important tounderstand what kind of employee
resource group you want to havein your organization, because
there are employee resourcegroups who are strictly
advisory, right?
They get information fromleaders or from the decision
makers, and they, you know, theykick them around, they
(03:09):
understand, and then theyprovide some information back.
And then there are employeeresource groups who actually do
some work.
And so they are a resource tothe organization and not just an
affinity group where people cometogether to share and to gripe
and things like that, but theyare a resource to the
organization.
So they usually have a budget.
(03:29):
They usually have somedecision-making capability from
their lens as whatever identityit is that group holds.
And so they can bring somedecisions to the leadership to
say, you know, here's how wethink things would be better,
different, more enhanced in theorganization.
And here's the action that ourgroup would will take in order
(03:49):
to help make that possible.
And so there's those differentkinds of groups.
One is more advisory.
One is actually anaction-focused resource group.
And so neither are bad.
They're just different.
And so it depends on what anorganization needs or wants in
their space.
And so being very clear aboutthat.
And so that's one way to helpemployees flourish.
(04:12):
The other is creating truementorship.
And so when I say truementorship, I don't mean leaders
going through and picking theirfavorites and, or the, or the
most extroverted, the loudest,and you know, the one that does
all the work and saying, youknow what, I'm going to take you
under my wing.
No, those are usually not thepeople that need more assistance
(04:33):
because they kind of know how todo it.
Not to say that they shouldn'tget it.
They're usually not the ones,but really looking at how do I
provide some mentorship tofolks?
And what do I want to, what,what's the purpose of this?
What's the end goal of this?
Am I creating a pathway toleadership so that I can, as a
mentor, then also be an advocateand a sponsor.
(04:54):
Because I think mentees andmentors take on responsibility
within that relationship, right?
The mentee needs to do some workand continue to grow and build.
And the mentor, I think one, Idon't take mentorship very
lightly when people ask me to betheir mentor.
I take it very, very seriouslybecause I have a responsibility
(05:14):
to then act as an advocate and asponsor for that person.
And so So creating those truementorship relationships within
organizations.
And to me, often a mentorshipshould be, it should be time
limited, right?
There should be parameter.
There should be some goalpostsset around mentorship, time
limited.
And someone needs to facilitatethe groupings of mentors and
(05:37):
mentees.
And so some check-ins, right?
Are you getting what you needfrom your mentor?
What might be missing?
How can I help you with that asthe facilitator of this cohort
of mentors and mentees?
And then the same for thementor.
What are you getting?
Because as a mentor, you learnsome things as well.
So what are you getting?
How are you supporting yourmentee?
Are there sticky points where,as a facilitator, I can step in
(06:01):
and help you get over this humpor this barrier, whatever that
may be?
So creating those truementorship capabilities and
opportunities withinorganizations.
And then lastly, I think...
I've been in organizations thatcall it high potential, those
high potential programs.
Right.
So that's why I paused becauseI'm like, I don't really want to
(06:22):
call it that.
But those mental shortcuts wetake, sometimes we take those
mental shortcuts, right?
But those leadership opportunityprograms for individuals,
creating a true opportunity anda true program so that if you're
looking and saying, how do weget the next group of leaders
(06:42):
and what are we making?
missing in our leadership.
Maybe we don't have racialdiversity in our leadership.
Maybe we don't have agediversity in our leadership.
Maybe we only have all of ourleaders have taken a traditional
educational path because as anon-traditional learner, that's
different as well.
Maybe all of our leaders havetaken a traditional education
path, right?
Graduated high school, went tocollege, got a master's degree,
(07:04):
and then they got these jobs andhere they are.
UNKNOWN (07:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (07:10):
Sometimes non-traditional learners have to
balance a lot of differentthings, right?
Family and school at the sametime, other health issues maybe.
And so there's some learningthere.
And so how are we looking atwhat might be missing from our
existing leaders?
And who do we want to put intothese leadership tracks to be
(07:32):
able to give them the skills sothat they can then be the next
group of leaders?
And we know that if they gothrough this program and, you
know, for three years orwhatever, they go through this
program.
When a leadership opportunityopens up, we know that we've
taught them the things becausewe crafted this program.
We've taught them the things andthey are ready to be a leader.
(07:52):
And so it doesn't necessarilymean they're removed from one
stage to being the executive.
Maybe they're going to move fromone stage to being the manager.
And maybe they're going to movefrom one stage to being the
director.
And so, but that's a leadershiptrack.
And so being able to do thingslike that, because then we're
not always reaching from otherplaces to bring in leaders
(08:14):
because folks are leaving oreven bringing in staff because
folks are leaving because theydon't feel like this is the
place for them.
They don't feel like they aregrowing in any kind of way.
SPEAKER_00 (08:25):
Wow.
A lot to think about.
I mean, those are fantastic,tangible steps, you know, and
what comes to mind also is howare we training our mentors,
right?
So I always think about we tendto, We tend to look at staff
that have been with theorganization for a long time and
we're like, oh, let's use themto train our new employees that
(08:47):
are coming in.
But what kind of mentor arethey?
Do they even understand theirrole?
Do they understand what thedeliverables are to be a mentor?
And there's also learning inthat process for them.
Are they reflecting and learningthose lessons as well?
So thank you for that because Ithink one of the biggest issues
in organizations across ournation is that training has gone
(09:12):
by the wayside.
So, you know, real training,it's just not happening anymore.
We're saying, hey, Dr.
Carter, you've been here for 20years.
Why don't you train Dr.
C?
And Dr.
Carter could be really pissedoff, right?
Really disgruntled, disengaged,and not feeling connected with
the organization's mission.
So imagine what kind of mentor,what kind of trainee or trainer
(09:35):
you're going to get.
SPEAKER_01 (09:36):
Right.
And one more thing.
Yeah, you're absolutely correct.
I like, I completely agree withthat because onboarding is, you
know, I think onboarding hasgone away too.
A lot of organizations tend tothink that new employee
orientation is the same asonboarding.
And I'm like, no, new employeeorientation is one thing.
Onboarding is something verydifferent.
And so in one organization, Icreated a mentorship program
(09:57):
that was very different than theway that we think about
traditional mentorship.
I created a racial diverse or aracial mentorship program where
I took non-white studentsnon-leaders in the organization
and they were the mentors to thewhite leaders in the
organization.
(10:17):
Beautiful.
And yeah, so I created thisprogram that I went through
three cohorts in theorganization that I worked in.
So there were three cohorts ofabout, each one had seven
mentors and seven mentees.
And so the, and I had to do, Idid some training right
beforehand.
I did training for the mentorsand I did training for the
(10:38):
mentees because also now I'mtaking Again, like I mentioned
before, who have particularidentities as, and it was
particularly focused on, it wasan anti-racist mentorship
program.
And it was particularly focusedon non-white folks.
So folks of color in theorganization who, again, usually
(10:58):
have the burden to educate andtake care of white leaders in
organizations.
And so I had to do some trainingto help them get ready for,
because that's a lot, right?
I was asking a lot of them and Icompensated every single mentor.
(11:39):
And so, and then we went into 12months of an actual
mentor-mentee relationship whereI did monthly check-ins with
each pairing and was availableas a resource to help them get
(12:00):
through.
I shared out different articlesand podcasts and things like
that to help facilitate.
And I also created a mentorworkbook and a mentee workbook
that I used to help them getthrough.
to help them facilitate theirconversations monthly as well.
SPEAKER_00 (12:13):
That's amazing.
That sounds like something youshould definitely be doing
across the nation.
I'm open to doing that.
All right.
Well, we'll make sure that it'sin the notes how to get in touch
with you so that we can continueto do that across the nation.
Finally, let's look forward toour last pillar, evolve.
When an individual fullyembraces the principles of
(12:34):
allyship and inclusion, how doesthis journey of understanding
others lead to our own personalevolution oh
SPEAKER_01 (12:42):
yeah so allyship so I love talking about allyship
and being an accomplice becauseallyship I think when you're
talking about evolving right andallyship and being an accomplice
are two of the most importantthings I think people can do to
really evolve because when youare truly an ally so
(13:03):
understanding that an ally isone who is like you know what
I'm right next to you like rightDr.
Carter I'm next to you where,you know, I understand how
you've been marginalized.
I understand how, you know, fromyour identity, you've been
underrepresented and I'm rightnext to you.
And there are times I'm going tospeak up.
I'm going to step forward sothat you don't have to.
And so I'm being that ally.
(13:23):
And sometimes you may look to meto be the one to step up, or I
may ask you, is it okay if Istep up, right?
So being an ally is absolutelyamazing.
And then being an accomplice isthat person that is like, you
know what, I'm not going to lookto, I'm not going to be next to
you.
I'm in front of you.
I am standing in Yeah, yeah.
(14:09):
worry about your ownpsychological safety, I'm good
because I have the privilege inthis space and I'm going to use
my privilege to speak up insteadand let other folks who know,
who have privilege, understandthat's not the way we treat
people.
That's not the way we do things.
And so I think that evolutionfrom being an ally to being an
accomplice is also one thing inthat I think that helps for many
(14:33):
people's well-being because tome, I think people will sleep
better at night, right?
You Because it also, it merges alot, for a lot of people, it
merges the integrity for them.
It merges who they say they arewith who they truly are.
Because a lot of people say thatthey are anti-racist, they are
(14:54):
anti-xenophobic, they areanti-homophobic, they are
anti-whatever-ism and phobia.
A lot of people say that theyare, but when it really comes
down to it and they're in aspace where they can do
something or speak up forsomeone even if that person who
holds that identity is not inthe space, when it comes down to
(15:14):
it, oftentimes they take a scanand think, if I say something, I
might damage thoserelationships.
I might not have the same socialcapital as I had before if I say
something.
So I'm going to sit back.
(15:35):
And so they say they're onething, but they're not actually
doing it.
And to me, that in internalstruggle also leads to
diminished well-being becausethey're constantly struggling.
When folks are saying they arethis and they are acting in that
way, there's no internalstruggle because then I don't
need you to tell me you are X,Y, and Z because it shows up.
(15:58):
I don't need you to tell me thatyou believe in this because it
just shows up.
And so those kinds of things, Ithink, help for the well-being
of that individual as well asthe individuals who may be
marginal underrepresented,traditionally minoritized in a
space, it helps with theirwell-being as well because then
that trust level starts toincrease with that person who
(16:21):
acts in that way.
That trust level starts toincrease.
The need to wear their armor allthe time starts to decrease.
And those cortisol levels startto decrease.
They start to feel like, youknow what, I can truly be my
authentic self in this space.
So we brought it full circlefrom the very beginning of all
of those things not being afactor to all of those things
(16:43):
being a factor when we do havethose supports and folks truly
merge who they say they are withwho they truly are.
SPEAKER_00 (16:52):
Thank you for that.
Because one of the things thatis coming to my, like a visual
that's coming to my mind of anaccomplice is someone using
their power and privilege toliterally kick the door in and
hold the doorframe steady foreveryone else to walk through.
And that's powerful because weneed to continue to make sure
that we're being accomplices inspaces where it's not popular,
(17:16):
right?
And also you mentioned, and Iwant to highlight, we need to
always be an ally and anaccomplice when they're not in
the room, right?
Because if you're not in theroom, you need someone to be
speaking about how maybe somepolicies or procedures that are
being implemented can be harmfulto certain groups.
(17:37):
So thank you for that, because Ithink that that is something
that happens often.
And when we think aboutorganizations that are staying
the course, talk to us about howa sustained, authentic DEI
effort can create a workforcethat's not only innovative, but
productive.
and healthier and moreresilient.
SPEAKER_01 (17:55):
Absolutely.
When organizations are stayingthe course and really true to
this work and not just talkingabout it, they're actually
walking the walk.
they have higher engagementscores.
So folks are happier to do thework.
They see how they fit into thework.
They want to help theorganization grow and thrive and
live into the mission and meetall of the goals.
(18:17):
And there's less turnover.
You can't be innovative when,and I'm talking, you know, of
course an organization can beinnovative.
They're like, oh, I got the nextbig thing, right?
I got the next big idea.
I'm talking about reallythinking about creative ways to
do the work that you're doing.
You can't be innovative.
when you're constantlyonboarding new people, right?
When there's new people comingin, you lose all of that
(18:40):
innovation, all of that talent,all of that legacy knowledge as
well.
And so you're constantly tryingto get people up to speed.
And so you can't be trulyinnovative and moving forward.
You start to take two stepsforward and then you take two
steps back because now we gotturnover, right?
So turnover starts to decrease.
Folks start to bring more ideasforward and be much more
(19:04):
creative in the way that they'rethinking about the role that
they have.
Simple things like, hey, theprinter is really, really slow
and we do a lot of communityengagement.
We're going out a lot and wehave to print a lot of things.
And so I have to come in a halfhour earlier to print all of the
documents so that I can go outinto the community.
(19:24):
If we had a faster printer, Idon't have to come in a half
hour earlier.
You don't have to pay me forthat extra half an hour.
So can we just get anotherprinter?
Right?
So So that's even, so instead ofthinking, this is the way we've
always done things, thinking,all right, we've always done it,
but why?
Why have we done it that way?
Why, how can we create moreefficiencies?
(19:46):
How can we be more effective inthe things that we're doing?
And so when folks are, whenfolks are happier, when they
really understand how they are,I think, especially in
nonprofits, you already havepeople that are passionate about
the work that, the mission ofthe organization.
That's why they're there.
But they're going to go and putthat passion somewhere else.
(20:06):
And so we want them to bepassionate.
We want them to be here.
And one of the things that Ishare with a lot of leaders is
you do great work, especiallyfolks in HR, right?
Folks in HR and the leaders ofthe organization because HR
takes their cue from otherleaders in the organization.
You do great work searching outthe most talented individuals.
(20:27):
You hire extremely talented,extremely bright individuals.
And then you strip that all awayfrom Because what you teach them
verbally and non-verbally is bewho we want you to be in this
organization.
Instead of you are supertalented and you are super
(20:48):
experienced and you bring a lotof amazing things with you.
And we want you to come here andbring all of that amazingness
with you.
SPEAKER_00 (20:56):
Yes.
Yes.
Oh, wow.
Dr.
Carter, this has been such anenlightening and deeply
important conversation.
The biggest takeaway for me, DEIis in a separate initiative,
right?
It's woven into every fabric ofour well-being, and it's about
creating spaces where we can allbe seen, heard, and valued.
Thank you so much for yourwisdom and for giving our
(21:19):
listeners such actionableadvice, especially for those
navigating difficult workplacecultures.
To our listeners, I hope thisconversation has inspired you to
see your role in fostering ahealthier, more inclusive world,
starting with your ownworkplace.
And that's a wrap for today'sepisode.
Thank you so much for hangingout with me on the live podcast.
(21:40):
And a huge thank you once againto the incredible Dr.
Keisha Carter for sharing herwisdom and actionable advice
with us.
I really hope you're leavingwith a fresh new perspective on
what psychological safety trulyis and how essential it is for
creating a workplace where youdon't just survive, but you
genuinely thrive.
If you want to keep theconversation going, you can find
(22:03):
us on social media at And I'dlove to hear your thoughts on
what it means to feel truly safeat work.
And if you got some value out oftoday's episode, please do me a
huge favor and hit the follow orsubscribe button and maybe even
leave a quick rating or reviewon your favorite podcast app.
It really helps us reach morepeople that are on the same
(22:23):
journey as us.
Thank you for being part of ourcircle.
We'll be back with a brand newepisode next week called The
Trillion Dollar Leadership BlindSpot, where we'll be exploring
the factors of workplace burnoutand how leaders can mitigate
them to increase employeeengagement, satisfaction, and
retention.
Until then, remember thatcreating a healthier, more
(22:45):
inclusive world starts with you.
Keep on learning, stay inspired,continue to flourish, and never
stop evolving.
I'm your host, Dr.
C, and this is The Life Podcast.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (00:02):
Welcome back to the Life Podcast.
On Monday, in part one of ourconversation with the incredible
Dr.
Keisha Carter, we laid thegroundwork for understanding the
critical importance ofpsychological safety.
We define what it means to trulyfeel safe at work, and we were
inspired by the deep connectionbetween safety, inclusion, and
(00:23):
our overall well-being.
We learned how a lack of safetycan become a massive barrier to
not just our success, but ourhealth.
If you haven't had a chance tolisten to part one yet, I highly
encourage you to go back and doso.
Because today we're picking upright where we left off.
Now that we have the knowledge,how do we put it into action?
(00:45):
In this episode, we're movingfrom theory to practice as Dr.
Carter shows us how we can allcontribute to building
environments where we canflourish and how we can evolve
into the inclusive, supportiveleaders our workplaces so
desperately need and deserve Andso that moves us, right?
(01:13):
Brings us right into Flourish,our fourth pillar of the life
podcast.
So...
It's a call to action, right?
Flourishing is all about action.
So let's talk about the currentclimate.
Many organizations are pullingback on their DEI initiatives.
It's a reality that can leaveemployees abandoned and
disheartened.
(01:33):
So for someone in thatenvironment, what are the
practical strategies?
Like, what can we do?
How can they implement andprotect their own well-being and
still champion inclusivity?
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
Yeah, so finding some kinship, right?
Finding folks who are likeable,who are also holding some
similar identities is extremelyimportant.
So things like employee resourcegroups are very important and
they help to create thatenvironment where employees can
flourish.
(02:04):
They are inspired.
They have that well-being.
And it gives entree to leadersin the organization to really
know how to understand howthey're making decisions because
those decisions impact thepeople in the organization.
Absolutely.
(02:48):
employee resource groups,though, in order to flourish in
that kind of way.
It's also important tounderstand what kind of employee
resource group you want to havein your organization, because
there are employee resourcegroups who are strictly
advisory, right?
They get information fromleaders or from the decision
makers, and they, you know, theykick them around, they
(03:09):
understand, and then theyprovide some information back.
And then there are employeeresource groups who actually do
some work.
And so they are a resource tothe organization and not just an
affinity group where people cometogether to share and to gripe
and things like that, but theyare a resource to the
organization.
So they usually have a budget.
(03:29):
They usually have somedecision-making capability from
their lens as whatever identityit is that group holds.
And so they can bring somedecisions to the leadership to
say, you know, here's how wethink things would be better,
different, more enhanced in theorganization.
And here's the action that ourgroup would will take in order
(03:49):
to help make that possible.
And so there's those differentkinds of groups.
One is more advisory.
One is actually anaction-focused resource group.
And so neither are bad.
They're just different.
And so it depends on what anorganization needs or wants in
their space.
And so being very clear aboutthat.
And so that's one way to helpemployees flourish.
(04:12):
The other is creating truementorship.
And so when I say truementorship, I don't mean leaders
going through and picking theirfavorites and, or the, or the
most extroverted, the loudest,and you know, the one that does
all the work and saying, youknow what, I'm going to take you
under my wing.
No, those are usually not thepeople that need more assistance
(04:33):
because they kind of know how todo it.
Not to say that they shouldn'tget it.
They're usually not the ones,but really looking at how do I
provide some mentorship tofolks?
And what do I want to, what,what's the purpose of this?
What's the end goal of this?
Am I creating a pathway toleadership so that I can, as a
mentor, then also be an advocateand a sponsor.
(04:54):
Because I think mentees andmentors take on responsibility
within that relationship, right?
The mentee needs to do some workand continue to grow and build.
And the mentor, I think one, Idon't take mentorship very
lightly when people ask me to betheir mentor.
I take it very, very seriouslybecause I have a responsibility
(05:14):
to then act as an advocate and asponsor for that person.
And so So creating those truementorship relationships within
organizations.
And to me, often a mentorshipshould be, it should be time
limited, right?
There should be parameter.
There should be some goalpostsset around mentorship, time
limited.
And someone needs to facilitatethe groupings of mentors and
(05:37):
mentees.
And so some check-ins, right?
Are you getting what you needfrom your mentor?
What might be missing?
How can I help you with that asthe facilitator of this cohort
of mentors and mentees?
And then the same for thementor.
What are you getting?
Because as a mentor, you learnsome things as well.
So what are you getting?
How are you supporting yourmentee?
Are there sticky points where,as a facilitator, I can step in
(06:01):
and help you get over this humpor this barrier, whatever that
may be?
So creating those truementorship capabilities and
opportunities withinorganizations.
And then lastly, I think...
I've been in organizations thatcall it high potential, those
high potential programs.
Right.
So that's why I paused becauseI'm like, I don't really want to
(06:22):
call it that.
But those mental shortcuts wetake, sometimes we take those
mental shortcuts, right?
But those leadership opportunityprograms for individuals,
creating a true opportunity anda true program so that if you're
looking and saying, how do weget the next group of leaders
(06:42):
and what are we making?
missing in our leadership.
Maybe we don't have racialdiversity in our leadership.
Maybe we don't have agediversity in our leadership.
Maybe we only have all of ourleaders have taken a traditional
educational path because as anon-traditional learner, that's
different as well.
Maybe all of our leaders havetaken a traditional education
path, right?
Graduated high school, went tocollege, got a master's degree,
(07:04):
and then they got these jobs andhere they are.
UNKNOWN (07:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (07:10):
Sometimes non-traditional learners have to
balance a lot of differentthings, right?
Family and school at the sametime, other health issues maybe.
And so there's some learningthere.
And so how are we looking atwhat might be missing from our
existing leaders?
And who do we want to put intothese leadership tracks to be
(07:32):
able to give them the skills sothat they can then be the next
group of leaders?
And we know that if they gothrough this program and, you
know, for three years orwhatever, they go through this
program.
When a leadership opportunityopens up, we know that we've
taught them the things becausewe crafted this program.
We've taught them the things andthey are ready to be a leader.
(07:52):
And so it doesn't necessarilymean they're removed from one
stage to being the executive.
Maybe they're going to move fromone stage to being the manager.
And maybe they're going to movefrom one stage to being the
director.
And so, but that's a leadershiptrack.
And so being able to do thingslike that, because then we're
not always reaching from otherplaces to bring in leaders
(08:14):
because folks are leaving oreven bringing in staff because
folks are leaving because theydon't feel like this is the
place for them.
They don't feel like they aregrowing in any kind of way.
SPEAKER_00 (08:25):
Wow.
A lot to think about.
I mean, those are fantastic,tangible steps, you know, and
what comes to mind also is howare we training our mentors,
right?
So I always think about we tendto, We tend to look at staff
that have been with theorganization for a long time and
we're like, oh, let's use themto train our new employees that
(08:47):
are coming in.
But what kind of mentor arethey?
Do they even understand theirrole?
Do they understand what thedeliverables are to be a mentor?
And there's also learning inthat process for them.
Are they reflecting and learningthose lessons as well?
So thank you for that because Ithink one of the biggest issues
in organizations across ournation is that training has gone
(09:12):
by the wayside.
So, you know, real training,it's just not happening anymore.
We're saying, hey, Dr.
Carter, you've been here for 20years.
Why don't you train Dr.
C?
And Dr.
Carter could be really pissedoff, right?
Really disgruntled, disengaged,and not feeling connected with
the organization's mission.
So imagine what kind of mentor,what kind of trainee or trainer
(09:35):
you're going to get.
SPEAKER_01 (09:36):
Right.
And one more thing.
Yeah, you're absolutely correct.
I like, I completely agree withthat because onboarding is, you
know, I think onboarding hasgone away too.
A lot of organizations tend tothink that new employee
orientation is the same asonboarding.
And I'm like, no, new employeeorientation is one thing.
Onboarding is something verydifferent.
And so in one organization, Icreated a mentorship program
(09:57):
that was very different than theway that we think about
traditional mentorship.
I created a racial diverse or aracial mentorship program where
I took non-white studentsnon-leaders in the organization
and they were the mentors to thewhite leaders in the
organization.
(10:17):
Beautiful.
And yeah, so I created thisprogram that I went through
three cohorts in theorganization that I worked in.
So there were three cohorts ofabout, each one had seven
mentors and seven mentees.
And so the, and I had to do, Idid some training right
beforehand.
I did training for the mentorsand I did training for the
(10:38):
mentees because also now I'mtaking Again, like I mentioned
before, who have particularidentities as, and it was
particularly focused on, it wasan anti-racist mentorship
program.
And it was particularly focusedon non-white folks.
So folks of color in theorganization who, again, usually
(10:58):
have the burden to educate andtake care of white leaders in
organizations.
And so I had to do some trainingto help them get ready for,
because that's a lot, right?
I was asking a lot of them and Icompensated every single mentor.
(11:39):
And so, and then we went into 12months of an actual
mentor-mentee relationship whereI did monthly check-ins with
each pairing and was availableas a resource to help them get
(12:00):
through.
I shared out different articlesand podcasts and things like
that to help facilitate.
And I also created a mentorworkbook and a mentee workbook
that I used to help them getthrough.
to help them facilitate theirconversations monthly as well.
SPEAKER_00 (12:13):
That's amazing.
That sounds like something youshould definitely be doing
across the nation.
I'm open to doing that.
All right.
Well, we'll make sure that it'sin the notes how to get in touch
with you so that we can continueto do that across the nation.
Finally, let's look forward toour last pillar, evolve.
When an individual fullyembraces the principles of
(12:34):
allyship and inclusion, how doesthis journey of understanding
others lead to our own personalevolution oh
SPEAKER_01 (12:42):
yeah so allyship so I love talking about allyship
and being an accomplice becauseallyship I think when you're
talking about evolving right andallyship and being an accomplice
are two of the most importantthings I think people can do to
really evolve because when youare truly an ally so
(13:03):
understanding that an ally isone who is like you know what
I'm right next to you like rightDr.
Carter I'm next to you where,you know, I understand how
you've been marginalized.
I understand how, you know, fromyour identity, you've been
underrepresented and I'm rightnext to you.
And there are times I'm going tospeak up.
I'm going to step forward sothat you don't have to.
And so I'm being that ally.
(13:23):
And sometimes you may look to meto be the one to step up, or I
may ask you, is it okay if Istep up, right?
So being an ally is absolutelyamazing.
And then being an accomplice isthat person that is like, you
know what, I'm not going to lookto, I'm not going to be next to
you.
I'm in front of you.
I am standing in Yeah, yeah.
(14:09):
worry about your ownpsychological safety, I'm good
because I have the privilege inthis space and I'm going to use
my privilege to speak up insteadand let other folks who know,
who have privilege, understandthat's not the way we treat
people.
That's not the way we do things.
And so I think that evolutionfrom being an ally to being an
accomplice is also one thing inthat I think that helps for many
(14:33):
people's well-being because tome, I think people will sleep
better at night, right?
You Because it also, it merges alot, for a lot of people, it
merges the integrity for them.
It merges who they say they arewith who they truly are.
Because a lot of people say thatthey are anti-racist, they are
(14:54):
anti-xenophobic, they areanti-homophobic, they are
anti-whatever-ism and phobia.
A lot of people say that theyare, but when it really comes
down to it and they're in aspace where they can do
something or speak up forsomeone even if that person who
holds that identity is not inthe space, when it comes down to
(15:14):
it, oftentimes they take a scanand think, if I say something, I
might damage thoserelationships.
I might not have the same socialcapital as I had before if I say
something.
So I'm going to sit back.
(15:35):
And so they say they're onething, but they're not actually
doing it.
And to me, that in internalstruggle also leads to
diminished well-being becausethey're constantly struggling.
When folks are saying they arethis and they are acting in that
way, there's no internalstruggle because then I don't
need you to tell me you are X,Y, and Z because it shows up.
(15:58):
I don't need you to tell me thatyou believe in this because it
just shows up.
And so those kinds of things, Ithink, help for the well-being
of that individual as well asthe individuals who may be
marginal underrepresented,traditionally minoritized in a
space, it helps with theirwell-being as well because then
that trust level starts toincrease with that person who
(16:21):
acts in that way.
That trust level starts toincrease.
The need to wear their armor allthe time starts to decrease.
And those cortisol levels startto decrease.
They start to feel like, youknow what, I can truly be my
authentic self in this space.
So we brought it full circlefrom the very beginning of all
of those things not being afactor to all of those things
(16:43):
being a factor when we do havethose supports and folks truly
merge who they say they are withwho they truly are.
SPEAKER_00 (16:52):
Thank you for that.
Because one of the things thatis coming to my, like a visual
that's coming to my mind of anaccomplice is someone using
their power and privilege toliterally kick the door in and
hold the doorframe steady foreveryone else to walk through.
And that's powerful because weneed to continue to make sure
that we're being accomplices inspaces where it's not popular,
(17:16):
right?
And also you mentioned, and Iwant to highlight, we need to
always be an ally and anaccomplice when they're not in
the room, right?
Because if you're not in theroom, you need someone to be
speaking about how maybe somepolicies or procedures that are
being implemented can be harmfulto certain groups.
(17:37):
So thank you for that, because Ithink that that is something
that happens often.
And when we think aboutorganizations that are staying
the course, talk to us about howa sustained, authentic DEI
effort can create a workforcethat's not only innovative, but
productive.
and healthier and moreresilient.
SPEAKER_01 (17:55):
Absolutely.
When organizations are stayingthe course and really true to
this work and not just talkingabout it, they're actually
walking the walk.
they have higher engagementscores.
So folks are happier to do thework.
They see how they fit into thework.
They want to help theorganization grow and thrive and
live into the mission and meetall of the goals.
(18:17):
And there's less turnover.
You can't be innovative when,and I'm talking, you know, of
course an organization can beinnovative.
They're like, oh, I got the nextbig thing, right?
I got the next big idea.
I'm talking about reallythinking about creative ways to
do the work that you're doing.
You can't be innovative.
when you're constantlyonboarding new people, right?
When there's new people comingin, you lose all of that
(18:40):
innovation, all of that talent,all of that legacy knowledge as
well.
And so you're constantly tryingto get people up to speed.
And so you can't be trulyinnovative and moving forward.
You start to take two stepsforward and then you take two
steps back because now we gotturnover, right?
So turnover starts to decrease.
Folks start to bring more ideasforward and be much more
(19:04):
creative in the way that they'rethinking about the role that
they have.
Simple things like, hey, theprinter is really, really slow
and we do a lot of communityengagement.
We're going out a lot and wehave to print a lot of things.
And so I have to come in a halfhour earlier to print all of the
documents so that I can go outinto the community.
(19:24):
If we had a faster printer, Idon't have to come in a half
hour earlier.
You don't have to pay me forthat extra half an hour.
So can we just get anotherprinter?
Right?
So So that's even, so instead ofthinking, this is the way we've
always done things, thinking,all right, we've always done it,
but why?
Why have we done it that way?
Why, how can we create moreefficiencies?
(19:46):
How can we be more effective inthe things that we're doing?
And so when folks are, whenfolks are happier, when they
really understand how they are,I think, especially in
nonprofits, you already havepeople that are passionate about
the work that, the mission ofthe organization.
That's why they're there.
But they're going to go and putthat passion somewhere else.
(20:06):
And so we want them to bepassionate.
We want them to be here.
And one of the things that Ishare with a lot of leaders is
you do great work, especiallyfolks in HR, right?
Folks in HR and the leaders ofthe organization because HR
takes their cue from otherleaders in the organization.
You do great work searching outthe most talented individuals.
(20:27):
You hire extremely talented,extremely bright individuals.
And then you strip that all awayfrom Because what you teach them
verbally and non-verbally is bewho we want you to be in this
organization.
Instead of you are supertalented and you are super
(20:48):
experienced and you bring a lotof amazing things with you.
And we want you to come here andbring all of that amazingness
with you.
SPEAKER_00 (20:56):
Yes.
Yes.
Oh, wow.
Dr.
Carter, this has been such anenlightening and deeply
important conversation.
The biggest takeaway for me, DEIis in a separate initiative,
right?
It's woven into every fabric ofour well-being, and it's about
creating spaces where we can allbe seen, heard, and valued.
Thank you so much for yourwisdom and for giving our
(21:19):
listeners such actionableadvice, especially for those
navigating difficult workplacecultures.
To our listeners, I hope thisconversation has inspired you to
see your role in fostering ahealthier, more inclusive world,
starting with your ownworkplace.
And that's a wrap for today'sepisode.
Thank you so much for hangingout with me on the live podcast.
(21:40):
And a huge thank you once againto the incredible Dr.
Keisha Carter for sharing herwisdom and actionable advice
with us.
I really hope you're leavingwith a fresh new perspective on
what psychological safety trulyis and how essential it is for
creating a workplace where youdon't just survive, but you
genuinely thrive.
If you want to keep theconversation going, you can find
(22:03):
us on social media at And I'dlove to hear your thoughts on
what it means to feel truly safeat work.
And if you got some value out oftoday's episode, please do me a
huge favor and hit the follow orsubscribe button and maybe even
leave a quick rating or reviewon your favorite podcast app.
It really helps us reach morepeople that are on the same
(22:23):
journey as us.
Thank you for being part of ourcircle.
We'll be back with a brand newepisode next week called The
Trillion Dollar Leadership BlindSpot, where we'll be exploring
the factors of workplace burnoutand how leaders can mitigate
them to increase employeeengagement, satisfaction, and
retention.
Until then, remember thatcreating a healthier, more
(22:45):
inclusive world starts with you.
Keep on learning, stay inspired,continue to flourish, and never
stop evolving.
I'm your host, Dr.
C, and this is The Life Podcast.
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