In this episode, host Amri Johnson welcomes Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey, founder of The Element of Inclusion, to discuss evidence-based inclusion and its importance in creating more effective diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies.

Timestamps

06:46 Influences and Inspirations: Personal and Professional 16:12 The Importance of Evidence-Based Decision Making 19:33 The Rhetorical Problem in Diversity and Inclusion 22:12 Evidence-Based Inclusion and Emotional Appeals 22:36 Unconscious Bias Training: Effectiveness and Critiques 23:41 The Role of Credibility in DEI 24:50 Understanding Data vs. Evidence 25:34 Current State of DEI and Pushback 27:37 Challenges in DEI Implementation 40:56 Choosing the Right DEI Practitioner

Highlights

- Dr. Jonathan explains the concept of evidence-based inclusion and its four key areas: research, stakeholder input, organizational data, and professional expertise.

- Discussion on the limitations of unconscious bias training and the need for more rigorous approaches in DEI.

- Exploration of the "rhetorical problem" in DEI, emphasizing the need for logos (logic) and ethos (credibility) alongside pathos (emotion).

- Insights on how evidence-based inclusion can help mitigate negative perceptions of DEI practitioners.

- Advice for organizations on selecting qualified DEI consultants and implementing effective strategies.

About the Guest

Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey, the world-renowned authority on Evidence-Based Inclusion in the workplace, has helped global brands like Conde Nast, Sony and Meta. With a PhD from the London School of Economics, he combines academic rigour with practical insights to deliver impactful solutions. He is also the host of The Element of Inclusion, a popular podcast that informs and educates using applied research and thought leadership.

Dr. Jonathan's expertise has been featured in prestigious media outlets like the FT, Bloomberg and the BBC. He is on a mission to help a million people make their workplaces inclusive.

Connect with Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey:

Website: https://elementofinclusion.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjonathan/

Thank you for listening to the Reconstructing Inclusion Podcast. Make it a great day!

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/

Amri B. Johnson acknowledges the growing criticism of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, but argues that DEI remains crucial for organizational success in creating truly inclusive cultures. He believes many current strategies treat inclusion as an add-on rather than fundamentally rethinking systems and cultures, often failing to drive deep systemic change.

Season two of the Reconstructing Inclusion podcast aims to move beyond surface-level discussions by featuring contrarian voices to challenge assumptions and re-imagine what authentic inclusion could look like. Key topics will include embracing complexity, exploring cultural intelligence, leveraging data and social capital analysis, examining nuanced identity narratives beyond race and gender, and fostering genuine community across differences.

Amri invites listeners to join this journey of deconstructing DEI shortcomings, co-creating transformative human-centered approaches, and continually examining biases for lifelong learning - all in the pursuit of making DEI efforts more accessible, actionable, and sustainable within organizations.

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.

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/

Connect with Amri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrijohnson/

Let's discuss where your inclusion policies are effective and how to overcome challenges by creating an Inclusion System. > https://inclusionwins.com/contact

In this episode of the Reconstructing Inclusion Podcast, host Amri Johnson interviews Raquel Ark, an expert on the art and science of listening. They discuss the importance of listening for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and how it can be practiced and improved upon both personally and professionally. Raquel shares insights into her background, growing up between cultures, and how it shaped her understanding of different perspectives and listening. She highlights the experiences that led her to focus on listening, including her work in corporate communications and facilitation. The conversation delves into practical aspects of listening, such as creating 'listening playgrounds,' understanding listening as episodic, and the interdependence of speakers and listeners. Raquel emphasizes the role of listening in high-stakes situations, the need for humility, and the impact of listening on building trust and effective communication. The episode concludes with recommendations for structuring meetings to facilitate better listening and the transformative potential of listening for DEI initiatives.

Timestamps

00:22 Raquel Ark: A Listening Expert

03:15 Raquel's Personal and Professional Journey

07:13 The Art and Science of Listening

18:34 Listening Beyond Words: Email as a Listening Space

23:17 Exploring Listening Playgrounds

26:39 The Power of Experiential Learning in Listening

27:42 The Science Behind Effective Listening

28:25 Interdependence in Communication

29:07 Practical Tips for Enhancing Listening Skills

29:53 Understanding Listening as an Episodic Process

37:17 The Role of Listening in High-Stakes Situations

45:23 Practicing Listening for Better Communication

45:45 Structuring Meetings for Effective Listening

48:02 Conclusion: The Importance of Listening in DEI

About the Guest

Raquel Ark, MA, CPC, is a podcast host, speaker, mentor, coach and trainer. She has over 25 years of experience in multinational corporations, start-ups, and academia. She is the Founder of listening ALCHEMY, a communication training and coaching organisation including evidence-based listening programs. She is the podcast host of the "listening SUPERPOWER" podcast focused on listening in teams and organisations beyond what we typically consider. She co-authored a best-selling book, "Redefining The Rules” and spoke on the TedX stage. She is the President of the International Listening Association and a university instructor at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Germany.

You can connect with Raquel at:

Email: raquel@raquelark.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquel-ark-b2067613/

Website: https://listeningalchemy.com/

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.

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/

Connect with Amri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrijohnson/

Let's discuss where your inclusion policies are effective and how to overcome challenges by creating an Inclusion System. > https://inclusionwins.com/contact