46. Breaking Barriers to Inclusion: A Conversation with Brenda Harrington on Adaptive Leadership and Workplace Diversity
Jun 07, 2023
Marija Duka
How can we break down barriers to inclusion in the workplace and become better leaders? Today, I'm excited to welcome Brenda Harrington, founder of Adaptive Leadership Strategies and author of Access Denied, to the Career Confidence Podcast for an insightful conversation on this important topic. Brenda shares the inspiration behind her book and explores the most significant obstacles to creating inclusive work environments.
Together, we delve into the power of meaningful cross-cultural conversations and the importance of understanding and learning from each other's traditions and rituals. Brenda discusses the primary and secondary audiences for Access Denied, and how her book helps readers view different perspectives and rethink their own choices and experiences. Plus, we dive into the lessons she's learned from writing her book and the impact of storytelling and metaphors in initiating meaningful dialogue.
Lastly, we touch on the crucial need for individuals to express themselves fully in the workplace, the value of diversity, and the importance of cultivating unique perspectives and ideas. We also discuss being nimble and curious in the face of change, and how this mindset can help us rise to the occasion.
Don't miss this enlightening episode with Brenda Harrington.
How can we break down barriers to inclusion in the workplace and become better leaders? Today, I'm excited to welcome Brenda Harrington, founder of Adaptive Leadership Strategies and author of Access Denied, to the Career Confidence Podcast for an insightful conversation on this important topic. Brenda shares the inspiration behind her book and explores the most significant obstacles to creating inclusive work environments.
Together, we delve into the power of meaningful cross-cultural conversations and the importance of understanding and learning from each other's traditions and rituals. Brenda discusses the primary and secondary audiences for Access Denied, and how her book helps readers view different perspectives and rethink their own choices and experiences. Plus, we dive into the lessons she's learned from writing her book and the impact of storytelling and metaphors in initiating meaningful dialogue.
Lastly, we touch on the crucial need for individuals to express themselves fully in the workplace, the value of diversity, and the importance of cultivating unique perspectives and ideas. We also discuss being nimble and curious in the face of change, and how this mindset can help us rise to the occasion.
Don't miss this enlightening episode with Brenda Harrington.
Welcome to the Career Confidence Podcast, the podcast for driven lawyers wanting to step out of the traditional path and build fulfilling and purposeful careers. I'm your host, maria Ducar, legal counsel and career coach, helping you navigate your career with intention and confidence. In this podcast, we don't show away from having real conversations about topics that matter to us. Driven AF go-getters From manifesting your dream career, negotiating the salary you deserve, creating your personal brand, knowing when it's time to pivot. We cover these topics and so much more. You ready, let's dive into today's episode. Hey, hey, welcome to another episode of the Career Confidence Podcast. So, in a world that is increasingly interconnected, our ability to understand, appreciate and include a diverse voice has never been more vital And, to be frank, we all deserve to be treated equally and fairly, no matter what our background is.
Speaker 1:
Today I speak to an expert in the area of diversity and inclusion. My guest is Brenda Harrington. Brenda is the founder of Adaptive Leadership Strategies and the author of Access Denied, addressing workplace disparities and discrimination. As a certified executive coach, she works with leaders globally across a variety of sectors to help them develop the professional habits necessary to become more influential and achieve their goals. In this episode, brenda talks to us about her book Access Denied and what inspired her to write this book during a very challenging time in the world. Brenda gives us her insights of the biggest barriers to inclusion in the workplace, and we also delve into the topic of leadership. And Brenda gives her insights around things leaders can do right now to be better leaders and support their teams, particularly in today's economic climate. Now, without further ado, let's lean into this conversation. Let's dive into this episode and meet Brenda Harrington. Hi, brenda, welcome to the Career Confidence podcast. I'm so excited to be chatting with you today.
Speaker 2:
Thank you for having me, Of course.
Speaker 1:
Now let's dive straight into it. Would you please tell the listeners who you are and what it is that you do?
Speaker 2:
Certainly Well. I'm an executive coach. I focus on leadership development through executive coaching, individually and with teams. I love working with global leaders, particularly in areas around cross-cultural diversity and areas to help people align on values and approach and just to be the best version of themselves in all cases. I do a lot of facilitation, which is something I also really value bringing people together to just share and exchange ideas, particularly in the leadership climate that we're in right now, where so many things are new to so many of us with the changes in the world we've experienced in the last few years.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, definitely. There's a lot going on there the last few years and even now, And we'll definitely be diving into that a bit later in this episode because I want to get your take on that and how leaders can be better leaders, I guess, in this current climate. So we'll be diving into that Now. You recently wrote a book called Access Denied. What was the inspiration for you writing this book.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, inspiration is an interesting term.
Speaker 2:
I was motivated to write the book as a result of the experiences, some of the things that we experienced here in the United States, primarily in the spring of 2020.
Speaker 2:
And writing, i have to say, is not something that I ever really thought about, but with some of the events that took place, i felt that I was sensing a call to action, if you will And I'm not a marcher, i'm not a politician, i don't really have a platform But there were a number of things that occurred that I felt that I wanted to start a conversation about and address in my own way, but also to create a space and start a conversation with others in whatever way that I could.
Speaker 2:
And so, in writing the book, i decided to pull together a compilation of stories that reflected some of the circumstances that were happening, or an offshoot, i should say, of some of the things that were going on. And I didn't want to just tell the stories, but I wanted the stories to be a metaphor for people who might have been experiencing or have experienced similar circumstances, and so the stories provide a foundation to start those conversations. Number one, but there are also coaching tools and reflection exercises to help people just think about a number of things from different points of view, if you will and hopefully ideally help them think about alternatives and different choices they can make in response to some of the things they're experiencing.
Speaker 1:
That's a really big motivation to have right And that was a very difficult time, and I love the fact that you put your hat in the ring and you said you know I can do something about this, I can use my voice, i can write about you know different stories around this and give people a different perspective. I think that's really important A lot of people learn through stories and also the fact that you provide a coaching tools too, so that we can actually make the change, not just hear about it.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, thank you for saying that, because you know people say, well, what are we going to do? But there's always a choice, I would argue, And we just need the opportunity to perhaps think about things differently and consider different perspectives.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, yeah, definitely. And in America that would have been a really heated time. In Australia we felt it too, but I feel like America, there was a lot of things happening at that time, so it would have been very, very challenging time to be going through. But, yeah, it's fantastic that you said we can do something, i can do something about this. Yeah, and the more people that do that rise up, that's when change can happen.
Speaker 2:
One at a time. There's always something that we can do if we stop and think about it. I believe yes, for sure.
Speaker 1:
Now what are some of the biggest barriers to inclusion from your experience?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I think overall it's fear and lack of understanding. We're most comfortable with environment circumstances, people that we're familiar with, that we recognize that are most like us, And when we encounter differences it's uncomfortable. There are certainly people who are committed to beliefs around supremacy, that one group of people might be superior to other groups and things like that, And people still hold on very tightly to some of those beliefs. I know a lot of people would like to think that that's a thing of the past, not no longer exists, but it does, And so when those things are present socially, politically, certainly professionally it results in marginalization. It results in groups of people and individuals being excluded.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, You're exactly right. I think a lot of us can be very naive in terms of, yeah, it doesn't exist, that's a thing of the past And that's maybe because we don't think that way. But it's not a great assumption to make, because there are still people that unfortunately think that way, people that don't think that way anymore. It's our job to shift that mindset and create the change, for the other people that do.
Speaker 2:
Well, it's interesting you say that right, because I often say we cannot change hearts and minds Doesn't mean that they cannot be changed, but those are very individual choices And it really does tie back to individual values and beliefs.
Speaker 2:
And earlier I alluded to the cross-cultural work that I have been involved in for a number of years, and it's the same kind of thing. Basically, if you and I are different, how do I conduct a meaningful conversation with you? How do I exercise influence if I'm a leader with people who are different from me or don't look like me? And so that tends to be, unfortunately, our starting point. And I would argue that if we take the time to peel back and learn and understand what we find in many cases that we are more alike than we are different. So you know, for example, we might observe different religions and have different faiths, but when we start to learn a little bit about the respective traditions or rituals, we'll see alignment, we'll see likeness there. But we just have to take the time and, in some cases, just demonstrate the courage to have those conversations.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that's really well put. 100%. And you're right, no one can change someone else's mind in heart, but it's having those meaningful conversations and being willing to listen to the other person and without projecting your beliefs and your assumptions straight away onto them. Like, just take a step back and listen, Right?
Speaker 2:
and it's the removal of that filter that you refer to and I'll label it a filter, if I may but your own story and beliefs and assumptions. It's hard for people to set that aside and listen more deeply, but that's where it starts. That's where it starts.
Speaker 1:
Definitely Now what audiences benefit the most from your book, would you say?
Speaker 2:
I speak in terms of there being a primary and a secondary audience.
Speaker 2:
The primary audience, I think, of people who may be impacted by circumstances involving race and disparities and discrimination, of course, And as I said, there are tools to help people navigate different circumstances and help them to make different choices and see alternatives.
Speaker 2:
It's very difficult, I think, when you're in the middle of a situation like that, to understand what your options might be. But the secondary audience and some would say perhaps the most important or more important is the larger group of people that don't understand what is like to be impacted by these circumstances and to really hear firsthand actual stories of people that have encountered circumstances involving discrimination and impacted by race over time. And so it creates awareness for people who don't find themselves in those circumstances and also gives them an opportunity to rethink some of the choices that they've made or reflect on some of the experiences that they've had. I've had several people say to me you know, I thought about something that happened five years ago, you know, in a former position or with a former colleague, and now I'm able to see it differently, or now I have more of an understanding what might have been happening, You know. So hopefully it's helping to cut through or move some blind spots.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it seems that way for sure, You know people are reaching out and they're saying well, now I'm reflecting back on that situation, I see it differently. It's true, sometimes you don't know what you don't know because you haven't had that lived experience and you can't see it in that way And you don't know how it's impacting that individual.
Speaker 1:
But through the work that you do, you can really open up people's minds and perspectives onto a few things differently, so they can then tailor their action accordingly and actually firstly, be aware that something is happening and not quite right. Right, that's my hope. Yeah well, you're doing a great job at that, for sure, thank you. Thank you Now. Writing a book is no easy feat at all, like it would be a very challenging thing to do. I've heard like it from I've not written a book myself, but I've heard from many people that have written books. It's a very big process that you go through, so I was just gonna ask what your three top lessons are from writing the book and if you can give us an insight on what it was like to write the book.
Speaker 2:
Well, someone said it took the easy way out because I didn't list storytellers, if you will, and so much of the content was contributed by some very generous people who were willing to share their stories and provide me a foundation to kind of write around the stories and tell a bigger story. And it is no easy feat and there's no one way. It's interesting. I've had the privilege of engaging with other authors and being active in author communities where I never saw myself and just listening to processes is interesting, but some of the takeaways I and certainly as a coach, i rely a lot on and I ask my clients to journal quite frequently, right, and this just emphasized for me a reinforced, the degree to which writing is so cathartic.
Speaker 2:
I had underestimated the feelings that I would experience in going through this process, even when I was working with stories from others, not just my own story, the stories that other people shared. I also realized and again reaffirmed, i should say just, the power of story, as you touched on earlier, just for learning and for reflection, and not only for ourselves. But there's so much that can be learned universally through story And so, as a means of communication all its own, just thinking about how you can utilize story and metaphor more to communicate a concept. This was something that I really thought about, and just the power of really being willing to offer stories as an opening, almost as an olive branch in some cases, to start meaningful conversations. Some of these conversations, particularly around sensitive subject matter, can be very difficult to begin And I find that in some cases there's reticence to really touching on sensitive subject matter, but I think it's the perfect way to really begin difficult conversations.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, i think it definitely is, as you said, that olive branch, and it's a way that can open up someone without putting up the barrier straight away and saying, oh, they're just going to tell me what to do and make me feel wrong and all of that kind of stuff, and that's not what you're doing at all. And through storytelling, it is the best way to just open someone's heart, to listen and learn. Yes, i agree. I agree. Now, at the start of this episode, you touched on the current climate in terms of the economy, leadership, everything You know. It's been a whirlwind of the last three years. We've gone through a lot globally And you can really start to see that happening now, like with talks of the recession. A lot of layoffs, especially in the US, is something that I've been witnessing a lot of at the moment, so it's a very unstable time, you would call it. So it's very hard to be a leader. It's always hard to be a leader at any given moment but particularly right now.
Speaker 1:
So what are some things leaders can do right now to better support their teams?
Speaker 2:
I think that for all of us, regardless of how many years experience we have in the workforce or in a discipline or at a company or even in a role, we've got to be willing to approach it at some level as if it's day one, and be curious and ask questions and just allow ourselves to be open.
Speaker 2:
And that's really a challenge for some people And I use the term fear early. For some it's frightening because they feel that you know they've got a certain degree of experience and things they should know. But there's so many things that are new and different now And I think we've got to be willing not to approach modern and contemporary problems with old and conventional solutions. It just doesn't work all the time. Okay, and I think that that's the biggest challenge, is to really be willing to treat certain experiences and situations that may appear to be familiar, to treat them almost as experiments And I'm borrowing a little bit from the formal adaptive leadership concepts and model, but it's true, i think that we've got to approach most things as if we're seeing them and encountering them for the first time.
Speaker 1:
That's a really great way to see it, to look at things right, because it's so easy to say, yeah, we've always done and you always hear in the corporate world it's always been done this way And so therefore, why should we change it? if it's not broke, don't fix it, and all of that kind of stuff. But what if it could be better? What if it could be better?
Speaker 2:
What if it could be better? I become very nervous and somewhat concerned. I don't want to sound too dramatic about this, but when I hear people say, well, best practices, yeah, that's great, 2019 and before. But everything on the other side of the pandemic is just a little bit different. So we've got to be willing to take a step back and reevaluate and reassess.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, for sure. And I think institutions like Big Law, the corporate world, they really do need to read book at the way They have been always doing things and approaching their employees, approaching how they do business. And right now is that time, And if you don't shift then you'll fall away. Like you see, institutions that have been around for a long time not moving with the times and it's not in their benefit to not change.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely. Why isn't this working anymore, not just for our employees, but for our clients? And I can't believe the conversations that are continuing to take place over whether we should come back to the office or not, and should there be designated days and times, and do we need this? I mean, it's just, it's a different world, it's a different world?
Speaker 1:
It definitely is.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Now, something that I ask all of my guests and I'd love to get your perspective on this as well is what does career confidence mean to you and what's one practical tip you can offer the audience to build their confidence in their career?
Speaker 2:
I think that confidence has got to begin with authenticity and a willingness to just be all of who we are, to walk in our values and really be resolute in what's most important to us. We spend a lot of time trying to adjust and adapt in a way that allows us to fit into certain boxes or certain archetypes and all kinds of things, And I think that now more than ever, in order to do the things that we just talked about, to reserve our resources to exercise this curiosity and really do the meaningful work, which is the work at the core of what we do, we've got to be able to bring our whole selves to work and not waste time and spend time trying to fit into a particular model or frame.
Speaker 1:
That is so powerful. That is very, very powerful And I think a lot of people that's all they want. They want to be able to be themselves.
Speaker 2:
Of course Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Work. It's that simple, but it is also the hardest thing to achieve because of the way the environment has been structured and the leaders at the top creating these barriers. It's ridiculous.
Speaker 2:
Yes, yes, judgment, judgment, right To be subjected to different types of judgment. Certainly we need standards and there needs to be protocol And, going back to what we talked about earlier with regard to fear and differences and things like that, the value of that diversity that we benefit from as people, as organizations, as institutions, we have those different perspectives and points of view, and I would argue that a lot of that is suppressed and even silenced when a person is holding back and they're not really able to be all of who they are in the workplace 100%, and it's so ironic that the opposite, as in like them being able to express themselves, so the institution not suppressing people's points of view, will actually help the business grow even more, because people will have amazing ideas and everyone does.
Speaker 1:
Everyone's got their own ideas, own viewpoints. That will benefit, will only benefit a business to grow, become better. That's how the best ideas in the world happen, and that's where they start by people being able to communicate that, even if they sound ridiculous to begin with.
Speaker 2:
Yeah And I don't for the most part. I shouldn't say there's no, but there is no ridiculous idea. There's certainly ideas that probably need work and refinement, but at the core there's typically something, and we've got to be willing to work together to cultivate those ideas and not be so quick to judge them and to be so dismissive that we discredit them.
Speaker 1:
Definitely It's a very interesting time, for sure, and the shifts are starting to happen. I'm really excited to say what does happen from here on out And I do feel like this is a very, very potent time where change is actually happening, and it's happening quicker than ever before. We're in the midst of it. We haven't reached the other side quite just yet.
Speaker 2:
No, i agree. Change is happening on so many levels and there are things that we have attempted to postpone or delay or table, and we don't always have that option. We've got to be willing to rise to the occasion, whatever that is, whether we're talking about climate change and the impacts of what's happening in the economy on groups of people and on particular business sectors and things like that And that's why it's so important to be nimble and to be using the term curious again, to be curious and just be willing to pivot, and I look forward to hearing fast forward 10 years reflecting on all the things that have happened and all the things that are different. I think it's a very exciting time A little scary, but exciting nonetheless, yeah.
Speaker 1:
Well, change is scary right. It doesn't matter how open your mindset is and if you have growth mindset. It's still scary because it's something different, but it's a matter of just being open to the change and taking the steps forward, and it will be better on the other side, for sure.
Speaker 2:
Well, it'll be more suitable on the other side, and that's why I said we can't rely on conventional solutions, old solutions, to address contemporary and modern problems, and so just being willing to make those adjustments is really important right now. And when I think about the arc of my career going back to the past, i think it's a very More years than I want to admit, but 30 to 40 years. You know words like creativity and innovation. We didn't talk a lot about that. You know right, we had pretty much one and a half ways of doing everything Right, and that was the standard, and that's certainly not where we are now, and I think that's great.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely Now, brenda. Where can my audience find you, to connect with you, get your book and to work with you as well?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, that would be great, thank you. So my Direct email is be Harrington at adaptive leadership strategies calm. The book has its own website and that is access hyphen Denied net, and on that website there are all of the retail links to Amazon, barnes and Noble and other retailers where the book can be purchased. I'm also on Instagram as author, be Harrington, and I'm active on LinkedIn as well.
Speaker 1:
Amazing. I'll put all of those details in the show notes so that my audience can connect with you. I really want to thank you so much for this open conversation that we've had today. I really appreciate your insight and perspective and I think the work that you're doing is fantastic, that you are sharing your perspective, your gifts, your skill set with the world so that it sounds pretty sure, but so the world can be a better place, essentially.
Speaker 2:
Well, thank you, that means a lot to me. I appreciate that, and you know. I just want to say that we all have something to share, to contribute to that effort, and sometimes we're reticent, we don't really think there's anything there, but there is, if you just take the time to look for it. It might not be a Podcast. I admire what you're doing. Certainly It might not be a movie or a television show or even a book, but there's something that we can all do to move the needle.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely. Thank you so much for your time, brenda. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2:
My pleasure.
Speaker 1:
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