Reconstructing Inclusion Podcast

By: Amri B. Johnson
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  • Summary

  • Welcome to the Reconstructing Inclusion podcast, hosted by Mr. Amri B. Johnson. With over 20 years of experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion, Amri is the author of the book, Reconstructing Inclusion: Making DEI Accessible, Actionable, and Sustainable, a social capitalist, epidemiologist, and entrepreneur, whose mission is to create thousands of organizations that thrive via inclusive behaviors, leadership, structures, and practices.
    Copyright 2023. Reconstructing Inclusion Podcast. All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • Reconstructing Inclusion S2E4: Drawing Larger Circles: DEI Beyond Political Division

    Reconstructing Inclusion S2E4: Drawing Larger Circles: DEI Beyond Political Division
    Nov 8 2024
    Welcome to the Reconstructing Inclusion Podcast! Today, I’m excited to dive into a timely and challenging topic: navigating the winds of political change while maintaining our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As we explore this theme, I’ll share insights on how we can view perceived setbacks as setups for meaningful comebacks. Personal Reflections on Political DynamicsLet me share a personal story that significantly shaped my understanding of political dynamics. In 2016, I had extensive conversations with friends from my hometown in Topeka, Kansas, who were now living in various states like Ohio, Florida, Arizona, and Georgia. What surprised me was their discomfort with Hillary Clinton—not due to her competence but rather a lack of trust in her intentions. These discussions occurred in private settings where people felt safe expressing their true feelings. This experience was so impactful that I predicted Trump would become the 45th president and ultimately left Facebook due to the backlash I faced for sharing my thoughts.“While my perspective on Trump's character didn't change. I still viewed him as a distraction machine who thrives on creating chaos.”Lessons from SwitzerlandMy perspective shifted further when I moved to Switzerland in 2019. Here, people often mentioned Trump with raised eyebrows during conversations, seemingly gauging my opinion about him. While I still viewed him as a chaotic distraction, I became more neutral politically. A profound lesson about governance came from my stepdaughter, who pointed out that certain behaviors simply don’t apply in Switzerland due to clear rules and societal expectations. This reinforced my belief that governance structures shape behavior—not through mandates but through unspoken community norms.“In Switzerland, there's a societal expectation, an unspoken, unwritten code to adhere to the rules, which leads to smoother operations.”The Importance of Nuance in Political DiscourseIn my exploration of political discourse, I’ve been influenced by Zaid Jilani’s writing on Substack. He offers an anti-partisan perspective that encourages nuance over preachiness. Jilani emphasizes that regardless of who wins elections, we must avoid growing angrier at one another based on differing political beliefs. He quotes civil rights activist Pauli Murray, highlighting the importance of inclusivity over exclusion. This resonates deeply with me as I believe our shared identity as Americans should take precedence over divisive politics."I shall draw a larger circle to include them where they speak out for the privileges of a puny group." - Pauli MurrayDefining Anti-Fragile OrganizationsAs we navigate these complexities, I believe we need to create what I call Antifragile organizations with a set of principles that are accessible to all, unambiguously prioritized, and purpose-aligned. Through our emergent inclusion framework, antifragile organizations are characterized by four essential elements:* Dancing with Tensions: Learning to navigate the complexities of similarities and differences.* Fostering Agency: Encouraging individuals to contribute confidently while supporting one another.* Co-active Boundary Stretching: Enhancing communication and understanding beyond identities.* Cultivating Genuine Care: Recognizing our interdependence and wanting growth for ourselves and others."Anti-fragile organizations thrive on the complexities of similarities and differences."Re(de)fining Diversity, Equity, and InclusionLet me break down how I define diversity, equity, and inclusion:* Diversity: Any mixture of similarities and differences along with their respective tensions. (from the work of Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas)* Equity: Vigilantly identifying fairness gaps and learning what’s needed to close them.* Inclusion: Creating conditions for everyone to thrive and contribute extraordinary value.In my consulting work, I've observed that many DEI initiatives fall short because they rely on a limited toolkit. When you only have a few tools at your disposal—like a hammer—everything looks like a nail, leading to ineffective applications.The definitions I use are reflective of the approach my firm takes. This leads to the outcomes of people thriving and organizations being generative and creating immense value through and beyond their P&L sheet."Diversity is any mixture of similarities and differences; equity is about identifying fairness gaps; inclusion creates conditions for everyone to thrive."Reflections on Trump's PresidencyReflecting on Trump's presidency reveals both positive and negative developments worth examining. While some appreciated economic growth and criminal justice reform during his first term, we cannot ignore the events of January 6th. Witnessing the chaos around the Capitol was jarring; it remains etched in my memory as a shocking moment for our nation. In discussing Project 2025 during this year's campaign, it’s essential ...
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    22 mins
  • Reconstructing Inclusion S2E3: Trust as a Skill: Dr. Darryl Stickel on Vulnerability, Leadership, Uncertainty, and Inclusion

    Reconstructing Inclusion S2E3: Trust as a Skill: Dr. Darryl Stickel on Vulnerability, Leadership, Uncertainty, and Inclusion
    Sep 24 2024

    In this episode of the Reconstructing Inclusion Podcast, host Amri Johnson interviews Dr. Darryl Stickel, a leading expert on trust. Dr. Stickel discusses how modern relationships have become shallow due to social media, emphasizing the importance of building deeper connections. He explores trust in organizational contexts, highlighting the role of vulnerability in leadership and team dynamics.



    Timestamps


    01:58 Personal Inspirations and Overcoming Challenges


    03:28 The Importance of Trust in Relationships


    10:59 Building Trust in Teams and Organizations


    18:35 Navigating Trust in an Uncertain World


    19:29 The Impact of Low Trust in Society


    22:49 Building and Maintaining Trust in Modern Times


    25:28 The Importance of Benevolence in Trust


    28:01 Parenting and Integrity: Lessons from Fatherhood


    30:30 Living with Visual Impairment: A Journey of Trust


    31:59 The Strength in Vulnerability



    Highlights


    - Discussion of how social media has led to "mile wide, inch deep" relationships


    - The importance of leaders showing vulnerability to build trust


    - Trust as a combination of uncertainty and vulnerability


    - The three key levers for building trust: benevolence, integrity, and ability


    - How asking for help can actually strengthen relationships and trust



    Resources


    Book: "Building Trust: Exceptional Leadership in an Uncertain World" by Dr. Darryl Stickel


    Website: trustunlimited.com | email: darryl@trustunlimited.com



    About the Guest


    Darryl is one of the world’s leading experts on trust. He helps high-level and executive leaders cultivate true growth and productivity in their businesses through an action-based practice of modeling vulnerability in order to improve communication and employee investment in their business. Darryl teaches leaders how to find and use their most powerful tool that is always in their control: how to effectively build trust in their relationships.



    About the Host


    As CEO/Founder of Inclusion Wins, Amri B. Johnson and a virtual collective of partners converge organizational purpose to create global impact with a lens of inclusion.


    His theory of change is focused on building ‘Inclusion Systems.’ Inclusion systems provide direction and momentum in the complexity of organizations that allow them to be antifragile—leaning into and engaging with resistance, stressors, disruptions, and disequilibrium and being stronger as a result of such engagement.


    His book, Reconstructing Inclusion: Making DEI Accessible, Actionable, and Sustainable outlines how organizations can create inclusion-normative cultures and build approaches to DEI that are designed for and with everyone, unambiguously prioritized, and purpose aligned.


    Born in Topeka, Kansas (USA), Amri has worked and lived in the U.S., Brazil, and currently lives in Basel, Switzerland, with his wife Martina and their three kids.


    Reconstructing Inclusion is also on Substack. Subscribe and be part of the conversation!



    Your support means a lot!


    Like this episode? We'd greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to write a review, even if it's just one sentence!


    Grab a copy of Reconstructing Inclusion: Making DEI Accessible, Actionable, and Sustainable: https://amzn.to/45AYFFP


    Sign up for the Reconstructing Inclusion newsletter on Substack: https://reconstructinginclusion.substack.com/



    This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit reconstructinginclusion.substack.com/subscribe
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    37 mins
  • Rivers not puddles

    Rivers not puddles
    Aug 30 2024

    Imagine a workplace where every employee, regardless of their differences, is set up to thrive. A place where managers are charged not just with hitting targets, but with creating an environment where even those they clash with can excel. Sound like a fantasy? It's not.

    This is the reality of what I call an "inclusion system," and it's the key to transforming your organization from a fragile puddle into a mighty, enduring river. Let me share a story that illustrates this powerful approach...

    In a world where businesses often prioritize profit over people, Arie de Geus's book "The Living Company" offers a refreshing perspective on organizational success.

    As a DEI strategist, I find his concept of "puddle companies" versus "river companies" particularly illuminating. Puddle companies, focused on short-term gains, are shallow and stagnant, eventually drying up under pressure. River companies, on the other hand, are dynamic, life-giving entities that endure through constant flow and adaptation.

    The book's anecdote about creating conditions for success, even with challenging team dynamics, resonates deeply with the practice of inclusion.

    As DEI practitioners, our role is to help organizations evolve into "river companies" by implementing inclusion systems. This means moving beyond short-term fixes and creating normative practices that allow for connection through tension, leveraging differences and similarities to achieve organizational purpose. It's about building a culture where managers at all levels understand their responsibility to create conditions for success across the entire human community within the organization.

    Are you ready to transform your organization from a puddle into a river?

    Reconstructing Inclusion is a reader-supported publication. If you find this post helpful, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Appreciate it!

    I hope this was helpful. . . Make it a great day! ✌🏿

    In this episode of the ‘Reconstructing Inclusion’ podcast, let’s revisit ten insightful questions from past podcast appearances. Let’s talk about shifting away from identity-centered approaches to foster an inclusive environment for all, and the importance of evidence-based and principle-centered approaches that are accessible to everyone and aligned with organizational goals.



    This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit reconstructinginclusion.substack.com/subscribe
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    6 mins

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