Operationalizing Diversity and Inclusion with Brittany Harris
b'Brittany Harris is the VP of Learning and Innovation at The Winters Group, a global diversity inclusion and equity consulting firm. She will be speaking on Authenticity at WorkHuman Live 2020. She joins Mike Wood on WorkHuman Radio to discuss how she supports leaders and organizations in operationalizing diversity and inclusion.\\n\\nA Skill Set\\nThe Winters Group approaches Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) education as developmental. It\\u2019s a skill set that requires ongoing work around understanding yourself and others, and creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be authentic. The company supports organizations through cultural audits and identifying metrics, as well as DEI strategy development. Brittany sees her work as a passion: she and her company are change agents, she says. In addition, motherhood has reshaped how she sees her work. It\\u2019s even more important and urgent now, she says. Mike agrees that you need passion for your work, otherwise you will leave.\\n\\nFraming Cultural Competence\\nCultural competence is the ability to effectively engage across differences. It doesn\\u2019t come easy, Brittany points out, because it\\u2019s human nature to be most comfortable around people who are just like us. It takes intentional effort in the four E\\u2019s to build cultural competence:\\n\\nExposure - increased contact with diverse people;\\n\\nExperience - engaging in transformative experiences that shift our perspectives and build connections;\\n\\nEducation - to give greater context about different people and cultures;\\n\\nEmpathy - being able to take the perspective of others and understand an experience that is not my own.\\n\\nBrittany reiterates that these skills take time to develop, and it\\u2019s a model to keep top of mind in your daily interactions. Mike encourages listeners to get out of their comfort zones and talk to people who are different. When you do, you\\u2019ll realize there isn\\u2019t much difference. He believes that much of discimination comes from fear of others. Brittany adds that one way to minimize the fear is to assume positive intent.\\xa0\\n\\nResources\\nWintersGroup.com\\nThe Inclusion Solution blog\\nBrittany Harris on Twitter |\\xa0 WorkHuman Live\\xa0\\n\\nGet your ticket for Workhuman Live 2020'