Highwire reposted this
I help HR and business leaders operationalize their DEI strategies 🔹 HR Leader and DEI Practitioner 🔹 Consultant, Trainer, Coach 🔹 CEO of DEI Pro Finder and Host of the Inclusive Leader Spotlight Podcast
"There’s this misconception that DEI only benefits certain groups. But when we transform our workplaces, we heighten cultural fluency, empathy, and collective understanding. That benefits everyone." On the latest episode of the Inclusive Leader Spotlight, I had the privilege of speaking with Ayanna Anderson, MPS, MS , Senior Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Highwire Ayanna brings a wealth of insights from her 20+ years in communications and DEI leadership. Her unique blend of lived experience, strategic thinking, and cultural humility makes her a powerful advocate for transformational change. How do we create workplaces where people not only want to join but want to stay? Listen to the full episode to hear Ayanna's insights. Here are just a few highlights from our conversation: 💎 Retention is Greater Than Recruitment Organizations often pour resources into recruitment, but what happens after someone joins? Are they thriving, or are they surviving? Ayanna’s approach focuses on creating inclusive experiences that make employees proud to call their workplace a career highlight. 💎 Accountability for Everyone At Highwire, DEI isn’t just an HR initiative—it’s embedded into every employee’s performance goals. From advocating for body neutrality to fostering cultural fluency, each team member contributes to an inclusive culture. 💎 Moving from Call-Outs to Call-Ins Confronting microaggressions and biases can be uncomfortable, but Ayanna champions a restorative framework by focusing on intention AND impact. It’s not about canceling people for making mistakes; it’s about learning, growing, and changing behaviors for the long term. 💎 The Lifelong Learning Mindset Ayanna reminded us that DEI work is never truly finished. She urges leaders to continuously expand their toolkits, even in unfamiliar areas like AI or startups. Leaders must go outside their comfort zones and seek opportunities to grow. The future demands it. These are just a few of the gems Ayanna dropped during our conversation, but there’s so much more! 🎧 Ready to dive deeper? Listen to the full episode here. https://lnkd.in/g72STADt 👉 If you found this conversation valuable, share it with your network to spark meaningful dialogue on building inclusive workplaces.