DeepSummary
In this episode, Jennifer Brown interviews Jay Van Bavel, an Associate Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University. They discuss the challenges facing the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) field, particularly the backlash it has faced in recent years due to extreme stances and politicization. They explore ways to rebrand and reinvent DEI by focusing on broader organizational culture issues, psychological safety, and collective well-being.
Van Bavel suggests approaching DEI from a cultural perspective, emphasizing social norms, rewarding incremental progress, and understanding different generational perspectives. He highlights the importance of creating psychologically safe environments where diverse voices can contribute without fear of repercussions. Brown and Van Bavel also discuss the need for intergenerational conversations and mentorship to foster inclusive cultures.
Throughout the conversation, they stress the importance of moving away from individualistic solutions and embracing collective approaches to address issues like burnout and mental health challenges in the workplace. They underscore the need for leaders to role model desired behaviors and create environments that encourage growth and learning.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The DEI field is facing backlash and politicization, necessitating a rebranding and reinvention of approaches.
- Focusing on broader organizational culture issues, psychological safety, and collective well-being can help reframe DEI efforts.
- Intergenerational conversations, mentorship, and rewarding incremental progress are crucial for fostering inclusive cultures.
- Moving away from individualistic solutions and embracing collective approaches is essential for addressing challenges like burnout and mental health.
- Leaders must role model desired behaviors and create environments that encourage growth, learning, and diverse perspectives.
- Understanding different generational perspectives and social norms is vital for driving cultural change.
- Creating psychologically safe environments where diverse voices can contribute without fear is critical for success.
- Addressing the lack of well-established approaches to issues like mental health and work-life balance in the workplace is an ongoing challenge.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “So often when I go into organizations and give talks on things related to DEi, one thing I try to do is make sure that every single person in the audience feels a connection to the idea.“ by Jay Van Bavel
- “The reason many of the work life balance solutions fail is because they falsely believe burnout is an individual problem rather than a collective problem.“ by Jay Van Bavel
- “We've got it. We've got to battle all that noise. And it's hard because for me to say, hey, culture and leaders identify those that you want others to follow norm a new kind of behavior in this innovative way, and then people will, and especially with white men.“ by Jennifer Brown
- “And I think we're in our infancy in terms of having the skills to talk about them, to address them, to resource them. Mental health being one, but this being, this being another, that's kind of related.“ by Jennifer Brown
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Episode Information
The Will To Change: Uncovering True Stories of Diversity & Inclusion
Jennifer Brown
4/19/24
In this episode Jennifer welcomes Jay Van Bavel, an Associate Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at New York University. Together, they discuss the complex challenges facing the DEI field, exploring how extreme stances and political backlash have overshadowed much of the good work being done. Jennifer and Jay consider ways to rebrand and reinvent DEI by focusing on broader issues like organizational culture, psychological safety, and collective well-being. Through their candid dialogue, they highlight the importance of intergenerational conversations, social norms, and rewarding incremental progress in shaping inclusive cultures.