Hello, everyone. My name is Joanne Lockwood and I am your host for the Inclusion Bytes podcast. In this series, I have interviewed a number of amazing people as they've had a conversation around the subject of inclusion, belonging and generally making the world a better place for everyone to thrive. To join me in the future, then please do drop me a line to jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk, that's S-E-E Change Happen dot Co. dot UK. You can catch up with all of the previous shows on iTunes, Spotify and the usual places.
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Power Reimagined
The Inclusion Bites Podcast
Power Reimagined
JL
Speaker
Joanne Lockwood
JP
Speaker
Jason Patent
00:00 "Power is crucial but often overlooked." 04:20 Recognising emotions, especially for those in power. 07:09 Recognising biases, cultivating compassion, and reimagining power.
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“I feel like any conversation about making the world better for more people has to start and end with power. And I also feel like, and I'll speak really now, I think this does apply beyond the borders of the United States, but I don't want to overstate the case.”
“Power and Privilege in DEI Discussions Power and privilege, these are all words that DEI professionals like ourselves talk about all the time. Yet when you try and bring them into the conversation with people who maybe are not HR DEI oriented, they feel there's a threat. I think you mentioned it. People feel that you're taking something away from them. You mentioned egalitarian and this belief of meritocracy. If people believe in the meritocracy, then they believe that everybody has a fair chance. But what they don't often see is the power and privilege imbalance in the meritocracy that they swim in all the time.”
“And those feelings, we're also not really good at talking about feelings. It's considered quote unquote soft, not businessy. And that's another skill set that we have to develop collectively, is emotional intelligence, recognising what our feelings are, naming them, dealing with them, and also recognising their origins.”
“How can I begin to develop a set of tools and skills to deal with it every moment of every day so that I can deploy the power and the privilege that I have into something that is closer to inclusion and belonging and equity and equality than if I don't have that awareness?”
“This is the rule set we invented over generations, hundreds of years, thousands of years, whatever it may be, as a society, that we've decided these social constructs are the rule set that we must all live by.”
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Full transcript
So plug any headphones, grab a decaf and let's get going. Today is episode 100. Yay. 100. With the title power reimagined. And I have the absolute honour and privilege to welcome Jason Patent. Jason describes himself as a Global Leadership and DEI consultant and coach. When I asked Jason to describe his superpower, he said, persistence, finding solutions, growing in partnership with others.
Wow. Hello, Jason. Welcome to the show.
Thank you, Joanne, I'm really happy to be here with you and have the chance to talk about some topics that I know you and I both care deeply about. So thank you so much for inviting me.
Absolute pleasure. And it's really great for Suzanne to introduce us as well, and that's really good. Thank you. So, Jason, power reimagined. Tell me about power.
I feel like any conversation about making the world better for more people has to start and end with power. And I also feel like, and I'll speak really now, I think this does apply beyond the borders of the United States, but I don't want to overstate the case. And I was born and raised in the United States and while I've spent about ten years of my career also living and working in China, really, I mean, the United States and American Us american culture and language and all of that is what I'm most familiar with and what I live and breathe every day. So that's sort of a caveat to what I'm about to say, which is that I think that we don't have that many tools for meaningfully discussing power and having it be front and centre in conversations. And there's a couple of reasons for that. I think. One is generally the people who have the power set the conversation topics, and when we have power, we generally have a harder time recognising that we have it. And when we do, we don't want to talk about it because we're afraid someone's going to come and take it from us.
And then also, and this, I think, is very much not unique to the United States but a huge part of our culture here is we like to think of ourselves as really egalitarian and equality minded. I don't think that the behaviour of the nation state really bears that out. I don't think that the structures in the way that systemic oppression still happens every single day in the United States really bears that out behaviorally. But we don't like talking about power here because there are these myths that we've built up around meritocracy. To the extent that we have merit and ability, we can create the future that we want for ourselves, irrespective of our membership in identity groups, irrespective of history, et cetera, et cetera. So all of that to say, in answer to your question, we have to talk about power because it is the central reality of humanity and we're really not good at talking about power.
Yeah, power, privilege, these are all words that Dei professionals like ourselves talk about all the time. Yet when you try and bring them into the conversation with people who maybe are not HR dei orientated, they feel there's a threat. I think you mentioned it. People feel that you're taking something away from them. You mentioned egalitarian and this belief of meritocracy. If people believe in the meritocracy, then they believe that everybody has a fair chance. But what they don't often see is the power and privilege imbalance in the meritocracy that they swim in all the time.
Exactly. And those feelings, we're also not really good at talking about feelings. It's considered quote unquote soft, not businessy. And that's another skill set that we have to develop collectively, is emotional intelligence, recognising what our feelings are, naming them, dealing with them, and also recognising their origins. And what I mean by that is I'm a cisgender, heterosexual, able bodied white man. The country that I grew up in, the society that I grew up in, really, in a lot of ways, the world was kind of built by people like me, for people like me, which means that I am not immune to those same emotional reactions. There are times when I'm reading something or hearing something, and I can feel myself bristling and getting annoyed when somebody questions something I've considered to be fundamentally true. And the feelings aren't going to go away because they've been burned into our brains by the systems that we have grown up inside of and that we still continue to live inside of.
So I think that right out of the gates, one thing that can stop a conversation, really, even before it gets started is these feelings of defensiveness, protectiveness, feeling like somebody is going to take something away from me. That's one piece of it. And then another piece of it is I can feel as if my identity, who I am, is being challenged. What kind of a person I am is being challenged. Oh my gosh. If I have a racist thought, I must be a bad person. There's a very, very steep and slippery slope from if I have this kind of thought to therefore I am this kind of person, that I definitely know that I'm not. I know that I'm a good person.
And the system's context can be extremely helpful because it kind of frees us up from having to blame ourselves or feel badly about who we are. And it helps us set, I think, a much more really kind of scientific and objective. I mean, I don't believe in objectivity. That's a whole philosophical conversation we could have there, right? But we do have science. And I think if one were to take as close to an objective look as possible at the world, the world is structured by systems that power is distributed unequally. This is all true as far as I'm concerned. Why would I expect that I somehow am free from all of the biases that the unjust and unequal power systems I've grown up inside of have burned into my brain. Of course I'm not free from those.
It doesn't mean that I'm a bad person because I have a particular kind of thought. I have a particular kind of thought, say a racist thought, a thought that is disparaging of an entire group of people based on race, which, as we all know, is a fiction as well, human created fiction? Why would I expect that my brain wouldn't be polluted with all of these negative biases if the systems around me that I grew up in and continue to live inside of have burned them into my brain. It's just a fact. So if we can begin to have to look at ourselves with a certain kind of objectivity, I think we can also look at ourselves with a certain kind of compassion as well, and understand. Look, I'm stuck in this muck along with everybody else. How can I begin to develop a set of tools and skills to deal with it every moment of every day so that I can deploy the power and the privilege that I have into something that is closer to inclusion and belonging and equity and equality than if I don't have that awareness? Because if I don't have that awareness, I'm just going to roll forward and do what humans do, which is generally use the power that we have in order to keep what we have and keep others from getting it. So roundabout now, several minutes in, I think that that's when we talk about power reimagined. We're talking about something like that.
Yeah. It's interesting you brought into the conversation of social constructs. This is the rule set we invented over generations, hundreds of years, thousands of years, whatever it may be, as a society, that we've decided these social constructs are the rule set that we must all live by. And if you don't conform to those constructs, you get policed either out of your society or you get forced back into the box where you come from. And I know it's quite a well worn cliche, but it's basically the premises of the film. Matrix is all around understanding the world of social constructs, how it's been designed and being able to step out of that rule set and see the world differently. It's literally taking the two blue pills, isn't it? Because once you've stepped outside and see the world through constructs, you can't unsee them.
I've used that metaphor in conversations and specifically, actually in coaching conversations before, the blue pill, red pill metaphor from the matrix. And isn't it exactly what you just said? Once you've seen it, you can't unsee it. And it can be daunting, it can be frightening. But I also feel like if we really mean it when we say that we want to create a world that works for everyone, if we want to create a world of genuine belonging, if we want to create a world where we're not really creating needless suffering and death every day, if we really want to boil it down, we don't really have a choice.
You mentioned another word, oppression. And you mix that with power, you mix that with privilege, you put oppression in there, again, another triggering word for many people. I'm not oppressing anybody. But again, when you think of that, of the dynamics of systemic and social constructs and how we've built society, the inequities that are inherent in it, it's again, hard to see how I as an individual have oppressed anybody. But I recognise that I benefit from a system is inherently a construct. Disadvantages many, yes.
And I'm going to pan out for a moment because I think one of the things we've gotten into pretty quickly in this conversation is some of the limitations of the human brain and how we evolved and what we evolved to be successful at. There's a phrase that I doubt that I invented. I did some googling to see if I could find it out there. And I didn't see that anybody had used this before. But then I'm still kind of testing it out to see if it sticks and if it's helpful for people. But essentially, the workplace is the modern day savannah. And what I mean by that is no specific savannah, but the savannah of the imagination, where it's a struggle for survival, scarce resources, there's danger, life threatening danger around every corner. And humans evolved inside of this context.
It's kill or be killed, eat or be eaten, the law of the jungle. And our physical brains and bodies exist and are configured in the way that they are so that we can succeed in that kind of an environment. Take that and throw that into still, I guess. I guess it's still the early 21st century here and now in January 2024, and we're recording this episode. And there's all of these ways in which it is absolutely necessary for the survival of our species that we be able to collaborate well with people who are really different from us. To unleash their talents, to have them feel like they belong so that they can unleash their talents. And I don't mean this in the instrumental, extractive, capitalist sense of get stuff out of people. I mean.
I mean this in kind of the highest sense of, like, let's deploy our humanity in the most effective way possible for the betterment of our species. So you take this very understandably terrified, frightened animal brain and you throw it into this current context and this need to collaborate effectively. And it's a real mismatch. We're really not very well equipped at the most basic biological level. We're not well equipped to meet the challenges of the moment. In other words, we've got a really long way to go because of this fundamental mismatch. I'm trying to remember now that this whole sort of panning out context and savannah context. Do you remember the last question you asked me a moment ago? I want to tie it back to that.
It's around the systemic oppression and the social constructs and how we benefit from. Without realising.
Yes. So the broad context is our brains and bodies aren't equipped to think in certain ways. And one of those ways is we're not really equipped. It's very difficult to think in these macroscopic, big picture, systemic terms because we evolved in this environment that was extremely local. We form in groups and out groups. Right. It's not like every individual is struggling against every other individual. Groups are struggling against groups.
We have in groups and we have out groups, and we're really good at understanding the interests of our in groups, those who are nearest and dearest to us, the people whose interests we perceive to be aligned with our own, and then everybody else whose interests we perceive to be not aligned with our own, and sometimes often directly conflicting with our own. Hence, intergroup conflict, war. So all of this points towards a need for us as human beings to try to look at ourselves in a more objective way to understand what our limitations are. Because if we don't understand what our limitations are, we don't really have a chance. If we do understand what our limitations are, then we can start to work with those limitations, address those limitations, and build up sets of skills that we can then deploy that help to overcome those limitations.
Yeah, because our in group out group biases are so ingrained in our prehistoric brains. I live in a commune. Anybody who comes from over the hill is only coming over the hill to attack me or do something bad to me. Therefore, I trust people who are in my in group. I distrust inherently anybody else who's not like me. So it's the affinity bias out group stuff. So it's so ingrained in who we are, in our biases, our protection mechanism, our vagus nerve is straight to our adrenaline gland, kicking us into action or kicking us into hide. You see it in the animal kingdom as well.
We have an inherent distrust. So if you think about that as a fundamental survival bias, no wonder people who are not like us, people who have different values or different systems or different language or different skin colour, whatever, or sexuality, they may become outgroup. And it's really hard to let our brains encompass them and bring them in unless we find an affinity.
Yes, absolutely. And I think if it's okay with you, I'd like to give a. I love this. And it's all extremely. This is context. Would it be okay with you if we move into something a little bit more practical and applied?
Okay, go for it. Yeah, please do it.
I'm wondering if your listeners just like, okay, great. What am I supposed to do?
Solution is good.
Yeah. I have a book and I write about this in the book. I'll just give an example. And when I talk about global leadership and global Dei, there's a fairly specific way in which I mean that and the whole global piece. The reason I put that in there, first of all, it's because my career has been global, but also because differences that when we're talking when we're in a global context, we expect difference to show up. And there's a whole field called intercultural communication, intercultural leadership that has a rich set of tools to offer us for looking at difference and changing the lens through which we see difference. And so to give a specific example, what it helps us to do is focus on behaviours so that we're not jumping immediately into identity, we're not jumping immediately into power, because it can generate these shutdown reactions from people. And you can't get anywhere if you start there sometimes, right? So if we start with something behavioural, behavioural, I think we all are familiar with differences in, say, communication style.
Individuals have differences in communication style, and differences also pattern across cultures. From the standpoint of communication style. One of the big adjustments that I had to make as somebody born and raised in the United States and trying to work effectively inside the chinese cultural and linguistic environment was different communication styles. I was trained know, say what you mean, mean what you say. Direct communication was really the only way to communicate. And then I found myself in a situation where the dominant, which is not to say that every individual conforms to this, right, this is patterns. But broadly speaking, my direct communication style was not going to be successful, it wasn't going to build trust, it wasn't going to help collaboration. And so I had to do some adapting, or the term that I use is bridging.
I didn't admit the term bridging. It comes from the intercultural field. But even when we're not talking about international borders, one of the stories that I tell in the book is about a colleague that I had who had a very different communication style from mine. And she has the pseudonym Anita in the book. And she was one of my direct reports, and she was kind of a dream colleague. She was so good at her job that I never really felt that I had to manage her. She just got her work done extremely effectively. We would meet, I always met with my director reports, one on one every single week.
And when we would sit down every week, what I wanted to hear from her was because I was busy. I was moving a million miles an hour, trying to accomplish way too much. What I really wanted to hear from her was whatever she needed me to hear so that I could help her do her work more effectively. Instead, what I got was a story. Every single time we'd sit down and she would say, we've exchanged pleasantries, and then she'd get out her list and start going through all of the things that she's been doing. And then before long, she would start telling me a story. And it really bothered me because I just wanted her to get to the point. And one day she caught me looking at my watch in the middle of our meeting and stopped talking immediately.
And I knew exactly what had happened. And I was like, oh, she got me. She caught me and she said, do you need me to stop talking? And I said, anita, I'm sorry, no, please continue with your story. And she did. But it felt a little bit different. I kind of spoiled the mood, I think, with my checking of my watch. We got through the meeting, it was fine. And it was an important moment for me because I recognised a couple of things.
One was that she really needed to tell me these stories. It wasn't a question. There was this part of me, this voice inside my head, that I felt like she was wasting my time and wasting our time. And so it got me thinking more about what else could be happening here. And I had already been trained. In fact, one of my jobs at there was actually was directing a centre for intercultural leadership. So it's not like I was new to this whole topic, right? I just wasn't applying it to myself in this particular relationship at this particular time. And it's communication style.
This colleague of mine is a high context communicator. That's a term in the field, and it's a term in the field for a reason. And I'm a low context communicator. What that means is, as a high context communicator, she needed to provide enough context to understand what she was doing inside of a larger context. As a low context communicator, I'm just like, let's boil it down to what we need to know, because efficiency and transparency, those are the values that are driving, that are most important for us to honour here, where she is more concerned with values around relationships and a sort of more holistic approach. What I was eventually able to do in that relationship was a little bit of fake it till you make it, which is to say, grit my teeth and listen to the stories until they were done. And then I found, over time, that I was actually enjoying the stories that she was telling me. I feel like it helped us to, over time, to build trust and actually kind of ironically, to get more efficient in our work.
So I feel like I'm so concerned with efficiency. Like, tell me, get to the point. But the rupturing of trust could actually lead to inefficiencies in the long run. Whereas if I could flip this viewpoint in the ways that I've been describing to you, we actually might have a more trusting relationship that could lead to longer term efficiencies. So that's one example. Now, if we get into identity and power there, I'm the supervisor, I'm a man, she's a woman. English is my first language, it's not hers. She's an immigrant, I'm not.
There's a massive power imbalance in that relationship. What normally happens in the workplace is we're not aware of the power that we have. And when I say power, I deliberately include privilege in that as a specific form of power, the norm is to keep rolling forward. I'm not aware of the power that we have and just expect other people are going to do all of the adapting, code switching, accommodating, assimilating, integrating. And when we talk about power reimagined. One of the key things, behaviorally, that we're talking about every single day in the workplace is the folks with more power need to be doing the adapting, which is what in the book I call bridging. And again, not my term, but I apply it in a particular way in my work that was pretty long. I hope the listeners are still with us.
One area that I've come to realise is when we talk about different groups, intergenerational groups particularly, it's incumbent on the older generation to bridge down because the younger generation won't bridge up. They may have an appreciation, but it's incumbent on us, Gen X's or other generations to learn about Gen Alpha, Gen Zenz and learn about how they're interacting with the world because they will not show any interest in what we're doing. So in order to create that bridge, as you called it, we have to bridge downwards. They will never bridge up. So the power imbalance, if you like, in that scenario is actually from an age perspective, the power is with the younger generation because they are setting the new communication styles. And if we, as older generation want to keep relevant, even in business, we have to bridge down and understand what's coming, not trying to force the younger generation to live in our world.
Yeah, generation is a particularly interesting example because there's a really interesting how generation interacts with age. They're closely related, but not synonymous. But the fact that people in a given generation are going to age up into a cohort where they're the ones setting the standards for everybody else. I think you make a really valid and important point there that there is a power, but they don't have that power yet, right? We're still the ones in charge. And so often we feel like we can just go ahead and dictate our way, when in fact, as you point out, I guess the power is kind of latent, it's nascent, but there's no question it's coming right.
I had to learn that as a parent. I thought the power laid with me, but I learned that I had to be a negotiator, I had to be an adapter, I had to be the one who gave to ensure the relationship was productive, because I can assure you, my children were, whilst they're fantastic children and superb young adults, or your adults now, I realised that me saying I'm old, I know better is no way to communicate. You have to learn a different set of skills to communicate with younger people. And as like, being a parent really taught me that.
Yes. And I think I appreciate the application of this power reimagined concept to generation. I think one of the important differences between generation and a lot of other identity categories is exactly what I was saying a moment ago, which is they'll age up into positions of power, but if we're looking at, say, for example, race and really just about any other identity category, that doesn't hold. So we're talking about a lifelong condition of being marginalised, of being unseen, of being forced into situations where I have to change who I am every single day and suffer indignities every single day just in order to get by.
Also to avoid standing out, being different, being accused of being troublesome or argumentative or bossy or whatever other negative words we could throw at people. You say the code switching, the masking, the covering, is a survival mechanism to survive in a world where you are not the majority, because the majority set of rules, you have to play by those rules, even though they don't necessarily work for you.
Exactly. I want to clarify one important distinction, which is, and I touched on this a little bit earlier in our conversation, but this whole, the idea of collaborating effectively together, to me, is we can and should be thinking and talking about that in human terms. And what I mean by that is, what is it like to be a person, a human being who feels seen, who feels included, who feels like they belong, and then to be able to contribute their talents and energies accordingly? We do function inside of an extractive global capitalist system. That's a fact. Right. And I don't see that changing anytime soon. It's not like we're going to snap our fingers and have a set of systems that are going to be more focused on humanity. I mean, the extractive systems that we function inside of are not focused on humanity.
At the same time, it's possible, I believe, to function inside of these systems in much more healthy and humane ways than we currently do. And that's also just fundamental to the work that I do, is this belief that we have a lot more wiggle room than we think we do, especially when we have outsized power and outsized privilege. And so much of the challenge of leading inside of these inhumane structures is finding where that wiggle room is. Where do I have, where can I bridge where? And how can I bridge such that in my spheres of influence, however big or however small they may be, can I carve out spaces where people feel more like they belong?
Isn't the pace of change, though glacially slow and frustratingly slow, so much so sometimes you can't even see change occurring because it's those micro kind of increments? World Economic Forum, their gender equity report, I think last year said that we're not going to achieve gender equity in the western world for another 7500 od years. And globally, it's more like 250 years. When you think about some of the Far east and other parts of the world. And who wants to wait 75 years for gender equity to start occurring? Who wants to wait half of that time, a quarter of that time, a third? Whatever fraction it is, it's like anything. We want it now. How do we get it now? How do we keep patient that long?
Well, that's a great question, and I don't think we have a choice, which is to say each of us has a certain amount of agency. And I think my work is predicated on a belief that, let's just say, let's snap our fingers and fast forward 10,000 years, presuming that we're all still around as a species, right, and that we haven't completely destroyed life on this planet, or maybe 1000 years, whatever, just some very long time into the future. And let's say that there's still an awful lot of nastiness going on. I still believe that inside of our spheres of influence and the relationships that we have with other human beings, it's meaningful. This work is still meaningful because of the impact that we can have within our spheres of influence now. So that's the worst fallback case, right? So in the very, very worst case, we're still having a positive impact if we're doing this work mindfully, intentionally, persistently. I also happen to believe that the more skilled we can get broadly speaking, doing this work, which has many, many aspects to it, and we've touched on a few of them in this conversation already, that over time we've got a better and better chance at transforming these larger structures and these larger systems in more meaningful and more impactful ways, so that the actual impact of the work that we do extends beyond our immediate spheres of influence. We can't know, there's no way that we're going to know what that impact is.
It's very mysterious. So there is a faith aspect to this work as well, I suppose. And the longer I'm around, the more I recognise that my time on this planet is really limited. And in my lifetime I'm only going to see so much change. And then I look at my. I have two grown daughters and I think about them, they may have kids at some point and I'll be thinking about them as well if I'm still around. And my hope is that when they leave this earth, that we will have progressed in some meaningful way towards this better future. I don't think there's a finish line, I should say that.
I mean, I think because of how we're wired, we're not going to change human wiring. That is how it is. We just have to get better and better at managing our limitations, at overcoming our limitations. But there's no shiny future where we're born. We come out into the world and it's like we're all one big happy family. No, but through education, et cetera, the future can look a heck of a lot better than it does right now. So, yes, we want it now. And not only do we want it now, to the extent that one belongs to identity groups that are historically and currently still very much marginalised.
And I boiled it down in a really stark way earlier, and I'll say it again, suffering and dying, they need it now. And I guess that's part of what motivates me and keeps me moving forward with this work, is like I can sit here on my high horse in my incredibly privileged life and say, some distant day, things will be better. Well, okay, great. But people are suffering and dying now. How okay am I with that? How much do I really care? And how much is my caring about that actually going to motivate me to take action? And then what sorts of action am I willing to take? Those are questions that I think we all need to be wrestling with every single day. We're not going to live up to our own standards every single day. We might be really lucky if we have a day where we feel like we live up to our own standards, but I feel like those are questions that we have to be asking and responding to in our action.
Yeah, it occurs to me there's this massive disconnect between society at large and the corporate world that we breathe all the time. Where in most companies, sizable companies, global organisations, there's DNI teams, there's people worrying about equity, inclusive recruitment processes, there's lots of people focusing on this as a job. But you step out of corporate America, corporate Europe, corporate UK, corporate wherever, onto the pavement, who is thinking about equity in the same way? Because you can say, well, our government are know you look at, we've got elections coming up in the US, we've got elections coming up in the UK, we've got elections coming up in five or six other countries around the world that will put potentially different governments in the next twelve to 18 months. And those governments, a lot of them, have a different view on human rights and equity. And without naming any names, so are we regaining and then getting pushback? Because woke has been weaponized as something that's used against people who are trying to create positive change where people can thrive. We talked about the pushback, the power privilege, people feel losing something. The white man is feeling marginalised now and the governments are reacting to that feeling. So say there's this disconnect between corporate motivation to be inclusive and societal and the world at large.
There's a disconnect there. How do we rationalise that? I appreciate that. That's a change of the world question, isn't it?
That's pretty big question there, but happy to indulge and explore it with you. I haven't thought about it in those terms before. Well let me focus in on one piece. I don't know if this is actually going to get at what you're trying to get at, but let me focus in on one thing that you said, which is this whole idea of the white man feeling marginalised. Tim Wise, who is a white male author, an activist, long time, decades long activist on race based in the United States. I attended a webinar of his and he said the following. He said, let me make sure I get the words right. What was the one word? When you're used to privilege, inclusion feels.
Like oppression or something like that, isn't it?
Yeah, something like when you're used to having power. That wasn't his exact words. But when you're used to having power, pluralism feels like oppression. And what I appreciate about that observation was it's an effort to get inside the mind of this quote, unquote, marginalised white man. I think there's some real truth in there. The reaction, and I'll just use white men as cisgender, heterosexual, able bodied white man, is a shorthand now for certain intersection of identities, where there's sometimes a shared sense. And I think the election, I will name names, the election of Donald Trump in 2016, and Trumpism, which has exploded in terms of its visibility and its influence, certainly in us politics and elsewhere around the world, it seems as well, is a global. What's the word I'm looking for? It's a global phenomenon that stems from, I think, a human reaction that we shouldn't be surprised about, based on the wiring of the brain that I was talking about earlier.
Having power feels good, and it grants us access to scarce resources inside of a system that has trained us to think in terms of scarcity. We tend not to notice power when we have it, we tend to notice it more when others have it. And if we get the slightest sense that somebody wants to take our power away, it's terrifying. There could hardly be anything more terrifying than that. And I think that's fundamentally, that's what's going on. It's going on at a micro level and a macro level. And of course, people are exploiting this tendency in order to gain power for themselves, but I think fundamentally that's what's happening. I don't think it ties into your question about the disconnect between corporate approaches and societal approaches.
So my apologies for not connecting it back to that. But that's where you got me thinking with your question.
Yeah, I think it was just an observation that the corporate organisation, or organism, if you like, is developing a more inclusive culture that isn't necessarily married or mirrored outside of their front door. And often we see corporate culture influenced by the wider outside. But I now see corporate culture as being a safe space from the outside world where you can get dignity and respect, a level of equity, a level of protection that you may not get outside of your company, which creates another inequity in society, where if you're working for a large organisation, you're far more likely to succeed and be respective for who you are. If you're working for a small organisation, a local organisation, in a local town, where there's going to be a massive disconnect between the experience of people from an inclusion, from an equity, from an opportunity perspective, once you get inside the door of a corporate, then you're more likely to succeed again. That's a privilege, I guess there's power and privilege to get a role or a job in a large organisation.
Well, I will defer to your expertise on that simply because I haven't ever worked for a particularly large organisation and I don't have any large corporate clients either. So I don't have that kind of a window into that.
Okay, yeah, let's go to another attack. We talk about equity, and people often assume that equity is going back to breeze. Conversation is about giving something up so that other people have more. Because it's kind of a human nature, isn't it, to want better for yourself, betterment. I wanted my children to have something I didn't have. I'm not going to walk away from an opportunity where someone says, here, have this role, this job, this assignment. I'm not going to say, no, you give that to somebody else. And that's not.
Equity is about. It's not about taking things away from people or asking people to step back. It's trying to recognise in a society, people need to be given more tools to allow them to get to the start line.
Yes. I feel like scarcity mindset versus abundance mindset is, for me, anyway, it's been an extremely helpful frame going back to the savannah. We evolved in this environment of scarcity. One way to look at the global systems, the extractive global systems that still dominate work in the world, is just an extension of that savannah mentality. And so we tend to think of things in terms of scarcity and zero sum. If you get something, that means I lose something and everything that I'm sharing with you and everything that I'm saying, I want to be really clear with your listeners about this. This is stuff that I'm struggling with in my own mind every single day, right. My mind is polluted in the same ways that everybody's mind is polluted, right? There's all kinds of really nasty stuff kicking around in my brain all the time.
I struggle with this stuff. It's really hard for me some days. Some days it's easier than others. But generally speaking, it's really hard for me to genuinely feel a sense of abundance about the world. Like I say, some days are easier than others, some days are harder than others. But scarcity has been burned into our brains through our evolution and through the ongoing existence of these scarcity based structures that we all function inside of. So it's a natural reaction to feel like, you get something, I lose something. I once had the opportunity to listen to the president of Ireland give a talk.
And he said something that really stuck with me. And he was talking about, I guess the United States as kind of the worst offender in this category, but this also being a global phenomenon as well. But he was talking about an ethos of insatiability. There's never enough. We always want more and more and more and more and more understandable inside of a scarcity mindset. If resources are scarce and everyone's looking for the same resources, I need to hoard those resources. I have to, because otherwise someone else is going to get them and I'll have less. And then what he said was what he would like to see is a shift towards an ethos of sufficiency.
Can we all just please have enough? And we can take any resource and think about any resource. I think in those terms, you can start with the basic material stuff of life. Food, water, healthy, unpolluted food, clean water, decent shelter, clothing, like the basics of human existence that are lacking for an embarrassingly, horrifically large percentage of humanity. Start with that. Can we just please have enough? And from there we can get in. We work our way up to the amount of power we have inside of our organisations, the amount of influence that we have over others to change policies and build. If we get back to equity, creating laws and policies that distribute resources in ways that are more based on human needs, then I guess all of that. To say that I have found this notion of trying to think in terms of abundance and trying to think in terms of sufficiency as a baseline as opposed to the scarcity insatiability approach that we are still functioning very much inside of today.
I appreciate this next thought I have is probably outside of your kind of everyday comfort zone. But I'm thinking as you're talking is there is no profit insufficiency. Our capitalist society is about propagating the scarcity model. We look at environmental issues. People don't want limitless renewable energy. They want fossil fuels, because fossil fuels is power. Fossil fuels gives control over things. We don't want to cut our pollution because China won't cut theirs.
It's all about protecting ourselves and hoarding what we have. And that seems to be the capitalist model at the moment. I was listening to you. I'm thinking I can see where we're going wrong as a society because we're not geared up, as you point out, for sufficiency.
Yeah, I agree. And that's also a reminder to me that there's a caveat that I want to throw into this conversation as well, which is I think it can be very easy for us if we're lambasting the excesses of capitalism. It can be helpful to remember that there's nothing wrong with commerce, right? And there's nothing inherently wrong with markets. To me anyway, there's a real beauty in you and I coming together. You need or want something that I have, and I need or want something that you have and we're able to make as free individuals choose to engage with each other in commerce. I think that's actually potentially a beautiful way for humans to interact. Now, if that's the basis of everything, no, right? But to me, there's nothing inherently evil or wrong about that. It's when capitalism is that just run amok, where it becomes all about hoarding resources and power.
And to me, that's what fundamentally we need to work on changing over. You know, folks can get very defensive, know, and say, what are you, a communist or something? Capitalism, everyone knows that free markets generate wealth, and Adam Smith and a rising tide lifts all boats. And I think it can be absolutely true that markets in certain ways allocate resources more efficiently, as the economists like to say. And it can at the same time also be true that we've gone to ridiculous excess as a species as far as how this is playing out around the world and the dire human consequences every single day of that. Which also reminds me, since I said we can think this and we can also think this, this is another skill set that we have to build as human beings, which is the ability to hold multiple truths. We have to get better. And I say this with such emphasis because I'm really yelling at myself because this is something I'm really not very good at and I'm trying to get better at because my brain always wants to go to the, listen there, I just said it right there. Always wants to go to the binary.
That's actually not true that my brain always wants to go to the binary. But I just gave you a binary lot there, right? So frequently my brain just wants to just separate into yes or no, good or bad, right or wrong. That's because, that's because I'm a human being. That's my inheritance as a human. My brain is limited in that way. Okay? That means I just need to direct more of my focus towards holding multiple different truths at once. It's another one of the skills, another one of the tools in the toolbox that we need to get better at. Recognising and using as human beings is much as my brain might want to simplify into right and wrong? Yes.
No. We have to get better at holding multiple truths and seeing things from multiple perspectives at once, or at least switching more fluidly between realities.
And I think it's not necessarily multiple truths, it's recognising that one truth is not the only truth and it's perspectives are key. Being able to step back or step one pace to the left or one pace to the right, you see something different. And I think that's the hard thing. And I'm a great believer in perspectives and multiple views, but I'm also quick to jump to the binary. You have to slow your thinking down, step back and say okay, that's my view. It's just my view. Okay. There are other views, those views are different.
And I think it's just a habit. You have to learn to override your default thought and be able to press pause for a second and just ask. Hear a different story?
Yes.
It doesn't mean they say they're right or you're wrong, it just means it's a different view. Yes.
And I think you hit on two really key skills and these are real skills and that's another thing. These are actual skills. We're trained and hired in a set of technical skills, but there are these human skills and you just pointed to two of them. Pause, ask if everyone could get a little bit better every day at pausing and asking. That would take us pretty far.
Some of the basis of emotional intelligence as well though, isn't it? It's recognising your own sense of self, your own interaction style, the needs of others, and starting to connect with a bit of compassion and empathy there. Yes.
And I think that if I'm sort of reframing that in terms of the work that I try to do with folks and what I'm trying to do in my book, it's essentially, yes, emotional intelligence is the foundation of it all. And then what I try to do is provide frameworks and contexts and related skills to apply every single day. So like the communication style thing that, the example I shared with you about my colleague who told the stories, right. It was really helpful to me that I could recognise that the function of my discomfort was a difference in communication style. And communication style is just one among many, many different kinds. Behavioural differences in the workplace. There's a whole world of what we call cultural dimensions. So risk orientation versus certainty orientation status orientation versus egalitarian orientation, there's a whole big list of those.
There's different conflict styles, there's different leadership styles, there are different ways of giving and receiving feedback. And so we've got these sort of big picture, fundamental background skill sets around emotional intelligence and managing our feelings. And then there's the very specific applied skill set of self awareness. So this is how I think the world should be run. These are my preferences, other awareness. My colleagues have a different set of behavioural preferences based on values, maybe a quite similar value set, but ordered or ranked a little bit differently. And then a set of skills for bridging the whole intercultural field is based around this self other bridge model. And I get into that a lot in the book.
And all the work that I do with clients fundamentally is around this self other bridge model and framing it in terms of this shared meta language around cultural dimensions, conflict styles, leadership styles, et cetera. And then the rubber meeting the road in all of this is bridging strategies. What can I do differently every single day as somebody with more power to move towards somebody with less power and the way that they go about their business? So what I'm really trying to do in my work is take these really, we've talked in this, we've gone pretty deep and pretty broad in this conversation around these big picture questions, around human institutions and human challenges. I really try to boil that down into specific actions that we can take every single day. And so ultimately we could talk all day and then some about these big picture questions. But if we're not able to, in a really practical way, advise people on what they can do and what they can try, then I don't personally see, like, I wouldn't be interested. To me, that's fundamentally the impact that I want to have in the work that I do, is equipping people with a very concrete set of skills around bridging to people with less power. And if we get back to this whole notion of power transformed, that really is what I'm talking about.
Anyway, you're right, and you're right exactly in what you said. We could keep talking about this all day, and I've absolutely loved chatting to you for the last hour with the record button on and 20 minutes or so in the green room beforehand. And no doubt we'll have five or ten minutes before we hang up after this recording. So, Jason, it's been absolutely an honour and privilege to have you here today. How can our listeners get hold of you? What's the best way to keep in touch? Tell us about your book.
Well, for keeping in touch, I guess I'm a Gen xer. I'm an emailer. Jason@jasonpatten.com. That's the easiest way to drop me an email. Jason@jasonpatten.com. You can find me on LinkedIn. I'm there. That's really my only social media is LinkedIn.
I haven't found the bandwidth to do Instagram, Twitter, so you can find me on LinkedIn. Jason patent. So if you want to get in touch, please do. There's lots of different ways that we can engage, and I'd love to have a conversation with you. If any of this piques your interest, drop me a note and or search up my book. Humanly possible, a new model of leadership for a more inclusive world. It's almost a year old now. It's going to have a birthday here at the end of the month.
It's a short read. You could read it in an afternoon, and I would encourage you to do that. If this conversation has piqued your interest, go pick up the ebook or the paperback and just give it a read. I think you'll find it interesting. The feedback that I've received from readers is they really like the stories. Everything is grounded in stories. So I don't talk about any concepts outside of the context of a specific story. Some of them are my stories.
They're mostly stories about mistakes that I've made and tried to learn from. But there's also a lot of stories that don't involve me at all. But they all tie back to these questions around power and how we can use power as a force for inclusion.
Fabulous. Is that on Amazon? Can I jump on there in a minute and get a copy?
Yes.
Brilliant. I'll do that. I'll go and cheque it out on Amazon, and I'll put the link to the book in the show notes so that anyone else who's interested in following up can hunt it down.
Thank you, Jamie. Thank you. You're welcome. And there's just one more piece I want to add to this, which is, I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't fundamentally optimistic. I get into this in the introductory chapter of the book. I feel like right now we're at the very, very leading edge. We're just starting to scratch the surface of what we can do as a species in this realm of creating a better world for everyone. And I think a lot of it has to do with the things that we've learned.
And we're talking, you're talking about the vagus nerve, and we're talking about the brain and the body and the amygdala. This is relatively new that humans have had the knowledge that we have the understanding that we have about ourselves as organisms and how we function, that we can contextualise ourselves, put ourselves into this larger context, understand our limitations, but also our potential. And the two are just two sides of the same coin, our limitations and our potential, and we can really start to realise more of our potential to the extent that we're able to recognise and manage the limitations that we have. So I have no idea what kind of a listener experience this episode is going to create. I think there's moments where we got kind of heavy with stuff, but I wouldn't be doing this work if I didn't have a really foundational optimism about what human beings can accomplish and also just a real excitement about where we could potentially be headed as a species.
I concur, and I think you said something very early on, that we can't change the entire world, but we can change ourselves, we can change how we show up, we can influence others. And that's why I do it as well, knowing that the power of one, it's exponential when all the people who do care get together and we share that care and we start making a difference together. So you have to have faith. It's exhausting, but it's rewarding when you see small gains. And thank you, and I've enjoyed listening to you, I've enjoyed recording this with you. I've learned an immense amount and contextualised a few other things as well. So it's been really good. So thank you very much, Jason, and a huge thank you to you, the listener.
I appreciate you getting to the end. Tuning in. If you're not already subscribed, please track us down on Spotify or iTunes and hit the follow or subscribe button. Leave us a comment, give us a rating. Give us five stars, Gordon. Give us five stars. I dare you. And please keep a lookout for next week we'll have another episode of the Inclusion Bytes podcast.
That's B-I-T-E-S. And of course you can share it with your friends and colleagues if you've enjoyed this episode or others. I've got a number of other exciting guests. This is episode 100. Yay. Woo. We've got another hundred to go, I'm sure. At least there's another hundred to go, so I'm sure you'd be equally inspired by those guests.
Of course, if you'd like to be a guest yourself, you'd like to have a conversation. You don't have to have a book out, you don't have to have a deep study of anything. You just have to have an interest in making the world a better place. Come and join us. Send me an email jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk and finally, my name is Joanne Lockwood. It's been an absolute pleasure to host this podcast with you today.
Catch you next time. Bye.
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🔖 Titles
Rethinking Power: Unpacking Privilege with Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood
DEI and Power Dynamics: Insights from Jason Patent and Host Joanne Lockwood
Power Reimagined: Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood on Inclusion and Equity
Navigating Privilege: A Conversation with Jason Patent and Host Joanne Lockwood
Embracing Diversity in Power: Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood Delve into DEI
Redefining Power: A DEI Discussion with Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood
Understanding Privilege: Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood Explore DEI and Power
Inclusive Power: Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
DEI Perspectives: Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood Discussing Power and Privilege
Unpacking Power and Equity: Jason Patent and Host Joanne Lockwood Talk DEI
ℹ️ Introduction
Welcome to The Inclusion Bites Podcast with your host, Joanne Lockwood. In this episode, we delve into the fascinating world of power, privilege, and diversity, joined by our special guest, Jason Patent, a global leadership and DEI consultant. Together, Jo and Jason explore the complexities of communication styles, intergenerational dynamics, and the shifting power landscape. They navigate the challenging terrain of societal constructs, systemic inequities, and the elusive pursuit of equity. The conversation takes an intriguing turn as they discuss the influence of human evolution on our perceptions of others and the daunting reality of societal issues. Join us as we reimagine power and its role in creating a more inclusive and equitable society, offering valuable insights and practical solutions for bridging cultural differences and challenging the current economic system. So sit back, relax, and let's embark on a thought-provoking journey towards a more empathetic and inclusive world.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Discussing power is essential for making the world better; it's often overlooked due to those in power being reluctant to acknowledge it.
04:20 Acknowledge and develop emotional intelligence in a business context as it affects everyone, including those in positions of privilege.
07:09 Understanding and addressing bias for positive change.
13:34 Understanding in and out groups, intergroup conflict, and the need for self-awareness and skill-building.
15:57 Book discusses global leadership and DEI with focus on behavioural differences.
20:26 Colleague: high context vs low context communication, initially struggled, eventually built trust and improved efficiency.
22:45 Older gen must bridge down to connect with younger gen's world for relevance.
26:15 Emphasising effective collaboration in human terms within an extractive capitalist system.
28:54 Belief in meaningful impact, building agency for long-term transformation.
32:40 Disconnect between corporate diversity efforts and societal attitudes.
37:10 Corporate culture offers more inclusion, equity, and protection compared to outside world, creating inequality based on company size.
39:19 The speaker discusses scarcity mindset, abundance mindset, and the impact of global systems. They admit to personal struggles with negativity.
41:24 Advocate for resource equity, policies and abundance.
44:39 We need to change defensive attitudes, consider multiple truths and address excessive global capitalism.
49:39 The work focuses on bridging self-other model, cultural and conflict dimensions, and leadership styles to empower people with practical bridging strategies for daily use, aiming to transform power dynamics.
53:33 Discussing human potential and limitations in understanding ourselves and the brain. Optimistic about human achievement.
54:23 Change in self can influence others, small gains are rewarding. Appreciation to listener.
55:38 Join podcast to discuss making world better, email Jo Lockwood.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 "Power is crucial but often overlooked."
04:20 Recognising emotions, especially for those in power.
07:09 Recognising biases, cultivating compassion, and reimagining power.
13:34 Understanding in groups, out groups and limitations.
15:57 Book discusses global leadership and intercultural communication.
20:26 High context vs low context communication dynamics.
22:45 Older generation must bridge down to understand.
26:15 Importance of human-centric collaboration in capitalist system.
28:54 Our actions have meaningful impact in future.
32:40 Disconnect between corporate inclusivity and societal attitudes.
37:10 Corporate culture creates privilege and inequities.
39:19 Scarcity mindset vs abundance mindset in evolution.
41:24 Advocate for sufficiency and abundance in resources.
44:39 Reconsider changing views, embrace multiple truths.
49:39 Helping clients bridge cultural and power gaps.
53:33 Understanding vagus nerve, brain, body, potential. Excitement for human potential and optimism.
54:23 Together we change ourselves and the world.
55:38 Guests wanted for podcast, no expertise required.
Episode Tags
Power, Privilege, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Communication Styles, Social Constructs, Emotional Intelligence, Workplace Dynamics, Intercultural Collaboration
A Subtitle - A Single Sentence describing this episode
Join Joanne Lockwood and Jason Patent as they delve into the complex dynamics of power, privilege, and diversity, offering thought-provoking insights for creating a more inclusive world.
Episode Summary with Intro, Key Points and a Takeaway
In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood and guest Jason Patent delve into the complexities of power, privilege, and diversity, offering valuable insights on creating a more inclusive world for all. Jason Patent, a Global Leadership and DEI consultant and coach, brings his expertise to the table as they explore the nuances of power dynamics and systemic inequities in relation to communication and understanding. His book, "Humanly Possible: A New Model of Leadership for a More Inclusive World," reflects his dedication to shaping a more equitable society through empathetic leadership and inclusive practices.
Throughout the episode, Joanne and Jason engage in thought-provoking discussions, addressing the challenges of navigating power dynamics in the workplace and wider society. They explore the impact of different communication styles, intergenerational interactions, and the influence of societal constructs on our perspectives. Drawing parallels to the film "The Matrix," they advocate for reimagining power and privilege to foster a more inclusive and equitable world. The conversation offers practical guidance on bridging cultural differences, recognising intersectional identities, and fostering empathy in leadership, compelling listeners to reconsider their approach to power and inclusion.
A key takeaway from this episode is the emphasis on recognising the diverse perspectives of power, privilege, and inclusivity to create a more equitable society. Listeners will gain valuable insights into understanding and bridging communication gaps, acknowledging systemic inequities, and fostering empathetic leadership. Whether in professional environments or everyday interactions, this episode provides actionable insights for promoting inclusion and understanding diverse perspectives in the pursuit of a more equitable world. Join Joanne and Jason in this compelling conversation on shaping a more inclusive future for everyone.
💬 Keywords
Communication styles, High-context communicator, Low-context communicator, Intergenerational communication, Power dynamics, Systemic inequities, In-group biases, Cultural differences, Extractive global capitalist system, Gender equity, Corporate culture, Equity, Scarcity mindset, Capitalist model, Emotional intelligence, Self-awareness, Inclusion, Belonging, Defensiveness, Identity, Social constructs, The Matrix, Reimagining power, Inclusive society, DEI, Global leadership, Privilege, Intersectional identities, Human-centric approach, Collaboration, Systemic issues
💡 Speaker bios
Jason Patent is a passionate advocate for making the world a better place for all. Born and raised in the United States, Jason has also spent a significant portion of his career living and working in China. He is deeply familiar with American culture and language, and believes that meaningful conversations about power are lacking in today's society. Jason believes that those who hold power often control the conversation, and that the fear of losing power prevents meaningful discussions from taking place. With his experiences and insights, Jason is committed to advocating for a more open and honest dialogue about power and its impact on society.
❇️ Key topics and bullets
Primary Topic: Communication Styles and Power Dynamics
Jason's experience with communication difficulties with Anita
Differences in communication styles (high-context vs low-context)
Misunderstandings and lack of efficiency in communication
Learning to appreciate Anita's storytelling approach
Intergenerational communication and power dynamics
Bridging downwards to understand and adapt to younger generations' communication styles
Changing power dynamics across generations
Adapting to understand others in positions of power
Primary Topic: Navigating Power Dynamics
Challenges of navigating power dynamics in relation to identity categories
Navigating power dynamics related to race and fitting into societal norms
The "blue pill, red pill" metaphor for realising societal issues and the need for change
Concepts of oppression, power, privilege, and systemic inequities
Limitations of the human brain in understanding systemic issues
Collaborating effectively to address systemic issues
Influence of prehistoric brain in in-group and out-group biases
Embracing those perceived as different and bridging cultural differences
Primary Topic: Reimagining Power
Creating a human-centric approach to collaboration within the global capitalist system
Making meaningful impacts within spheres of influence
Disparity between corporate efforts towards equity and societal attitudes
Addressing disparity between corporate culture and wider society
The impact of the capitalist model on hoarding resources and power
The significance of equity to provide tools for individuals without taking away from others
Acknowledging the prevalence of a scarcity mindset in society
Primary Topic: Challenging the Economic System
Recognising multiple perspectives and truths as a necessary skill
Consequences of extreme application of the current economic system globally
Empowerment of those with less power in the workplace
Emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and bridging cultural differences
Jason's book "Humanly Possible: A New Model of Leadership for a More Inclusive World"
Promotion of the book available on Amazon
Contact information for further engagement
Primary Topic: Discussion of Power
Challenges of discussing power
Emotional intelligence and recognising the origins of feelings in relation to power and privilege
The concept of social constructs shaping our understanding of the world
Reimagining the role of power in creating a more inclusive and equitable society
Use of "The Matrix" film to illustrate stepping outside societal constructs
Exploring the need to reconsider the role of power in creating a more inclusive society
The Hook
Curious about unlocking the secrets to navigating power dynamics and fostering inclusivity? Grab a cuppa, because this podcast episode is about to shake up your perspective on the societal structure! Embrace a mind-bending journey with us.
Want to uncover the hidden threads of power, privilege, and societal transformation? Brace yourself for a captivating exploration that might just reaffirm your commitment to positive change! It's all about challenging the status quo.
Ever pondered the intricacies of power and its impact on creating a fairer world for everyone? Buckle up for an eye-opening adventure that could ignite the fire in your belly to drive meaningful change. The power play begins here.
Seeking a fresh insight into dynamics of power and creating a more inclusive world? Dive into this thought-provoking journey that could fuel your passion for fostering an environment where everyone thrives. Get ready to challenge conventions!
Craving a dynamic perspective on how power can shape a more inclusive future for all? Join us for a riveting exploration that's bound to resonate with your pursuit of making a meaningful impact. Step into the world of transformative possibilities!
🎬 Reel script
"Welcome to the Inclusion Bites Podcast, where we dive into thought-provoking discussions on creating a more inclusive world. In our latest episode, I had a captivating conversation with Jason Patent, a renowned Global Leadership and DEI consultant. We delved into the complex dynamics of power, privilege, and embracing diversity in the modern workplace. From navigating cultural differences to challenging societal norms, we explored it all. Join us as we reimagine the role of power in shaping a more inclusive and equitable society. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions and join the movement towards positive change. This is Joanne Lockwood, your host on the Inclusion Bites Podcast. Together, let's make a difference."
🗞️ Newsletter
Subject: Reimagining Power: A Deep Dive into Inclusion
Dear Inclusion Champions,
We have an energising new episode on The Inclusion Bites Podcast where we delve into the intricate web of power, privilege, and DEI with the insightful Jason Patent.
In Episode 100, Joanne Lockwood sits down with Jason Patent, a Global Leadership and DEI consultant, to unpack the dynamics of power and privilege in today's world. They explore the complexities of discussing power, why it can trigger defensive reactions, and the importance of emotional intelligence in navigating these discussions. The conversation also delves into the concept of social constructs and how they shape our understanding of the world, using the film "The Matrix" as an illustrative analogy.
With a rigorous examination of intergenerational communication, diverse cultural styles, and the impacts of societal structures, they propose practical solutions for bridging cultural differences and creating a human-centric approach to collaboration. The episode also addresses the complexities of power dynamics across various identity categories, such as race, and the need for individuals to adapt and understand others.
Jason Patent shares his essential insights on the potential for humans to create a more inclusive world and the significance of embracing multiple truths and perspectives. He also offers tangible actions for individuals to bridge the gap and empower those with less power.
Join us in reimagining power, privilege, and inclusion as we navigate towards a more equitable and inclusive society.
Listen to the full episode on The Inclusion Bites Podcast and be inspired by the transformative power of understanding, self-awareness, and empathy. And don't forget to engage with us on social media and share your thoughts on this compelling conversation.
Stay tuned for more thought-provoking episodes that challenge the status quo and inspire positive change.
Warm regards,
[Your Name]
The Inclusion Bites Podcast Crew
🧵 Tweet thread
🎙️ Exciting news! Just wrapped up an enlightening episode of my podcast #InclusionBytes with the incredible Jason Patent, a global leadership and DEI consultant. We delved deep into the complex and crucial topics of Power, Privilege, and DEI. Here's a breakdown of our fascinating conversation! 👇 #PowerPrivilegeDEI
🌍 We started by acknowledging the changing power dynamics across generations. Jason highlighted the importance for those in positions of power to adapt and understand others. This is crucial for creating a more inclusive world. #Inclusion #PowerDynamics
🧠 The limitations of our prehistoric brain in understanding systemic issues were also highlighted. We discussed the difficulties in embracing those perceived as different and the need for effective collaboration to overcome this challenge. #SystemicBarriers #Collaboration
💬 Jason shared practical insights from his experience in bridging cultural differences between Chinese and American communication styles. Understanding and adapting to different communication styles is vital for fostering understanding and trust. #CulturalDiversity #CommunicationStyles
🌐 One key focus of our discussion was creating a human-centric approach to collaboration within the extractive global capitalist system. We reflected on the complexities of navigating power dynamics and intersecting identities in the workplace. #Intersectionality #CorporateCulture
📚 We also touched on the importance of emotional intelligence and self-awareness in bridging cultural differences and empowering those with less power. Jason even shared his book "Humanly Possible: A New Model of Leadership for a More Inclusive World" available on Amazon! #EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership
💥 We wrapped up by reimagining the role of power in creating a more inclusive and equitable society. Jason emphasized the significance of recognizing multiple truths and perspectives. A powerful and thought-provoking way to conclude our conversation! #InclusiveSociety #Equity
🎧 A huge thank you to Jason Patent for his invaluable insights and our listeners for tuning in! Don't miss this impactful episode of #InclusionBytes - available on all major podcast platforms. Let's continue the conversation and work towards a more inclusive world! #DEI #Podcast👂
Guest's content for their marketing
As The Inclusion Bites Podcast's guest for a special episode on "Power Reimagined," I had the remarkable opportunity to delve into critical conversations about power, privilege, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) with Joanne Lockwood.
During this thought-provoking episode, we explored the complexities of navigating power dynamics and the importance of acknowledging and understanding different communication styles. Through an engaging discussion, we discussed the need for emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and the ability to bridge cultural differences in the workplace, emphasising the significance of creating a more inclusive and equitable society.
Our conversation also touched upon the concept of social constructs, highlighting the importance of recognising the origins of feelings in relation to power and privilege. Drawing inspiration from the film "The Matrix," we discussed the notion of stepping outside of societal constructs to see the world differently and reimagine the role of power in creating a more inclusive and equitable society.
With a focus on creating meaningful impacts within our spheres of influence, we explored actionable strategies to bridge the gap and empower those with less power, shedding light on tangible steps towards a more inclusive world.
Listeners of The Inclusion Bites Podcast will gain valuable insights and perspectives from our engaging discussion, leaving them with a renewed understanding of power, privilege, and the potential for making a positive impact.
I invite you to join me in this stimulating conversation as we reconsider the role of power in creating a better world for everyone. Make sure you listen to the episode and engage with the podcast to be part of this impactful dialogue.
For further engagement and to explore more insights, you can also connect with me through the contact information provided or check out my book, "Humanly Possible: A New Model of Leadership for a More Inclusive World," available on Amazon.
I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this insightful episode and look forward to sharing this enlightening conversation with a wider audience.
Warm regards,
[Guest's Name]
Questions Asked that were insightful
During the interview, Joanne Lockwood and Jason Patent delved into thought-provoking discussions about power, privilege, and diversity, offering valuable insights that could be transformed into informative and engaging FAQs for our audience. Some of these questions included:
How can different communication styles impact relationships in the workplace?
Jason Patent shared a personal experience of communication difficulties with a colleague due to their different communication styles, shedding light on the potential challenges and misunderstandings that arise from varying communication approaches.
What are some practical solutions for bridging cultural differences in communication?
Jason Patent drew from his experience in Chinese and American communication styles to provide actionable strategies for adapting behaviors and fostering effective intercultural communication.
How can individuals empower those with less power in the workplace?
Jason Patent suggested concrete actions for individuals to bridge power differentials and empower others, offering practical steps for creating a more inclusive environment.
These insightful discussions can be reimagined as a series of FAQs, inviting the audience to engage with the podcast content and gain valuable insights on navigating power dynamics, fostering inclusivity, and driving positive change in the workplace and society.
Pain Points and Challenges
During the episode "Power Reimagined" on The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood and guest Jason Patent delved into several pain points and challenges related to power dynamics, privilege, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Here are some specific pain points and challenges discussed during the podcast and how they can be addressed:
Communication Styles: Jason Patent shared his experience of communication difficulties with a colleague due to their different communication styles. This pain point can be addressed by promoting training and awareness around intercultural communication and understanding different communication styles within organisations. Creating space for open dialogue and learning can help bridge the gap and lead to more effective communication.
Generational Communication: Joanne and Jason discussed the importance of older generations bridging downwards to understand and adapt to the communication styles of younger generations. Addressing this challenge involves implementing intergenerational workshops and initiatives within workplaces to foster understanding and collaboration across different age groups.
Intersectional Identities: The podcast touched upon the challenges of navigating power dynamics in relation to other identity categories, such as race, and the need for individuals to adapt and mask their true selves to fit into societal norms. To address this, organisations need to prioritize creating inclusive environments that embrace and celebrate diverse intersectional identities, while also providing support systems and resources for those who may feel the need to hide aspects of their identity.
Equity and Corporate Culture: Joanne highlighted the disparity between corporate efforts towards equity and wider societal attitudes, along with the pushback and the perception of the white man feeling marginalised. Addressing this challenge requires a commitment from leadership to actively address equity issues, foster transparency, and engage in difficult conversations to ensure that equity efforts are inclusive and impactful for all members of the organisation.
Systemic Inequities: The podcast delved into the concepts of oppression, power, privilege, and systemic inequities. To address this challenge, organisations need to undertake a critical examination of their systems, policies, and practices, and engage in anti-oppression and equity training for all employees, to challenge and dismantle systemic inequities.
The Inclusion Bites Podcast serves as a platform for meaningful conversations around power, privilege, and DEI, and it's these discussions and their impacts that are helping shape the narrative on creating inclusive and equitable environments. The content of the podcast is aimed at providing insights, actionable strategies, and thought-provoking ideas to address the pain points and challenges related to power dynamics, privilege, and DEI within workplaces and society as a whole.
By openly addressing and discussing these challenging topics, the podcast aims to move the needle towards systemic change and empower individuals to take concrete actions to create more inclusive and equitable environments for everyone.
The podcast also provides resources and recommendations for further learning, such as the suggestion to check out a book on Amazon and sharing the link in the show notes for listeners, promoting actionable steps and ongoing engagement. Jason Patent's book, "Humanly Possible: A New Model of Leadership for a More Inclusive World," offers a further resource for those seeking to deepen their understanding and take tangible steps towards positive change.
Listeners are invited to engage with the content, reflect on their own experiences, and consider how they can contribute to making a positive difference in their spheres of influence. As the discussion highlights, genuine change can come from understanding ourselves, recognising multiple perspectives, and actively challenging the status quo in pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable world for all.
Blog article based on the episode
Title: Power Reimagined: Navigating Privilege and Inclusion in Today's World
Opening Hook:
Power – a concept that influences our daily interactions, societal structures, and the dynamics of inclusion and equity. In a thought-provoking episode titled "Power Reimagined" on The Inclusion Bites Podcast, hosted by Joanne Lockwood, the conversation with global leadership and DEI consultant, Jason Patent, delves deep into the complexities of power, privilege, and the transformative impact of reimagining power dynamics. This blog is a reflection on the profound insights shared in the episode and an exploration of actionable steps towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society.
The Problem:
The episode opens with a relatable narrative as Jason Patent discusses encountering communication challenges with a colleague due to their different communication styles. This initial struggle sets the stage for a deeper exploration of power and privilege in the context of intergenerational communication, cultural differences, and systemic inequities.
As the conversation progresses, Jason and Joanne shed light on the impact of power dynamics across generations, the influence of social constructs, and the daunting realisation of societal issues. They stress the need for individuals in positions of power to adapt and understand others as well as the limitations of the human brain in comprehending systemic issues. The disparity between corporate efforts towards equity and societal attitudes, along with the pushback and the perception of marginalisation among certain intersectional identities, is also addressed.
Highlighting Actionable Items:
Amidst the complex discussion on power and privilege, Jason Patent offers tangible solutions. He emphasises the significance of understanding and adapting behaviours to bridge cultural differences, drawing from personal experiences with Chinese and American communication styles.
Furthermore, Jason encourages a human-centric approach to collaboration within the extractive global capitalist system and underscores the importance of creating meaningful impacts within our spheres of influence. The concept of holding multiple truths and perspectives as a necessary skill for human beings, as suggested by Jason, provides a compelling framework for fostering empathy and understanding in diverse environments.
The Call to Action:
Inspired by the enlightening conversation on The Inclusion Bites Podcast, it is time for individuals to embrace the power of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and the ability to bridge cultural differences in the workplace. The call to action resonates with Jason's emphasis on challenging the current economic system and the importance of recognising multiple perspectives.
As we navigate the complexities of power and privilege, let us harness the transformative insights shared in the podcast episode "Power Reimagined" and strive to create a more inclusive and equitable world. We must engage in courageous conversations, challenge existing norms, and advocate for systemic change. Let us embrace the human-centric approach to collaboration and make meaningful impacts within our spheres of influence, much like Jason Patent advocates.
In closing, I urge you to listen to the thought-provoking episode "Power Reimagined" on The Inclusion Bites Podcast, and to draw inspiration from the powerful discourse on reimagining power and privilege. Let us heed the call to action, bridge the gap, and champion inclusivity in every aspect of our lives. Together, we can foster a world where power is reimagined, and equity and belonging are the foundational pillars of our society.
In conclusion, "Power Reimagined" serves as a beacon of inspiration, prompting us to challenge existing power dynamics and build a world that embraces inclusion and equity for all. Let us stand together, armed with the transformative insights shared by Jason Patent and the powerful messages conveyed in The Inclusion Bites Podcast, as we navigate the complexities of power, privilege, and DEI, paving the way for a brighter, more inclusive future.
Join the movement to reimagine power and privilege today – the change starts with each one of us.
[Guest Name], as showcased in this episode, is a remarkable source of inspiration, provoking critical reflection and fostering transformative change.
As Joanne Lockwood frequently reminds us on The Inclusion Bites Podcast, "Change starts with us." Let's embrace that change, together.
Remember – your voice matters, your actions count, and together, we can make the world a better and more inclusive place for everyone.
Tune in to The Inclusion Bites Podcast and be part of the change you wish to see in the world.
The standout line from this episode
"Recognising and understanding power dynamics is the key to creating a more inclusive and equitable society."
❓ Questions
How can understanding different communication styles, such as high-context and low-context, aid in building more inclusive and effective workplace relationships?
What practical strategies can be employed to bridge cultural communication differences in the workplace, as discussed by Jason Patent in relation to Chinese and American communication styles?
How can individuals in positions of power, particularly older generations, adapt their communication styles to bridge intergenerational gaps in the workplace?
What are the challenges and potential solutions for navigating power dynamics in relation to other identity categories, such as race and gender, within corporate environments?
In what ways can individuals challenge and re-evaluate the current economic system to create a more equitable and inclusive global society, as suggested by Jason Patent?
How can emotional intelligence and self-awareness be leveraged to bridge cultural differences and empower those with less power in the workplace?
What are the potential consequences of the extreme application of the capitalist model globally, and how might this impact the pursuit of equity and inclusion?
How can individuals use their spheres of influence to make meaningful impacts while waiting for large-scale societal change towards equity and inclusion, as discussed by Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood?
What are the implications of recognising multiple truths and perspectives as a necessary skill for individuals, particularly in the context of creating a more inclusive and equitable society?
How does the understanding of power, privilege, and social constructs contribute to the reimagining and reconsideration of their roles in making the world a better place for everyone, as discussed in the episode?
These questions are designed to prompt further discussion and exploration of the concepts and ideas presented in the podcast episode, "Power Reimagined."
FAQs from the Episode
FAQ: Power Reimagined - Inclusion Bites Podcast
Q: What is the significance of understanding different communication styles in the workplace?
A: Understanding different communication styles in the workplace is crucial for fostering efficient and trusting relationships. It can help bridge the gap between high-context and low-context communicators and lead to better collaboration and productivity.
Q: How can individuals bridge cultural differences in their communication styles?
A: Individuals can bridge cultural differences in communication by practising active listening, being open to understanding diverse storytelling approaches, and adapting their behaviours to accommodate different communication styles.
Q: Why is it important for those in positions of power to adapt and understand others?
A: It is essential for those in positions of power to adapt and understand others to create a more inclusive environment, build trust, and ensure that a diverse range of perspectives are considered in decision-making processes.
Q: How can individuals make a meaningful impact within their spheres of influence?
A: Individuals can make a meaningful impact within their spheres of influence by practising emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and embracing multiple perspectives, as well as empowering those with less power.
Q: Why is it important to challenge the current economic system?
A: Challenging the current economic system is vital to address the consequences of its extreme application globally and to create a more equitable and inclusive world for everyone.
Q: Where can I find Jason Patent’s book, "Humanly Possible: A New Model of Leadership for a More Inclusive World"?
A: Jason Patent’s book, "Humanly Possible: A New Model of Leadership for a More Inclusive World," is available on Amazon. You can find the link to the book in the show notes of the podcast.
Q: What can individuals do to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society?
A: Individuals can contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society by practising empathy, recognising diverse perspectives, and taking concrete actions to bridge cultural differences and empower those with less power within their spheres of influence.
Q: How does understanding power and privilege contribute to creating a more inclusive workplace and society?
A: Understanding power and privilege is essential for creating a more inclusive workplace and society, as it enables individuals to recognise systemic inequities, foster empathy, and advocate for meaningful change towards a more equitable environment.
Tell me more about the guest and their views
Certainly! Jason Patent is a Global Leadership and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) consultant and coach. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise in navigating complex issues surrounding power, privilege, and creating more inclusive environments within organisations. Jason emphasises the importance of emotional intelligence, recognising the origins of feelings in relation to power and privilege, and reimagining the role of power in creating a more inclusive and equitable society. Throughout the episode, he shares practical insights and actionable strategies for bridging cultural differences and empowering individuals with less power. His perspectives on challenging the current economic system, recognising multiple truths and perspectives, and promoting a human-centric approach to collaboration offer valuable pathways towards creating a better world for everyone.
Ideas for Future Training and Workshops based on this Episode
Certainly! Based on the insightful discussion about power, privilege, and diversity, here are a few potential training and workshop ideas for future episodes of The Inclusion Bites Podcast:
Communication Across Cultures Workshop:
Explore the impact of different communication styles, such as high-context and low-context communication, on workplace interactions.
Provide practical tips for bridging cultural communication differences to enhance understanding and collaboration.
Emotional Intelligence and Power Dynamics Training:
Dive into the role of emotional intelligence in recognising and navigating power dynamics.
Offer strategies for developing emotional intelligence to build more inclusive and empathetic workplaces.
Unconscious Bias and Intersectionality Workshop:
Delve into the concept of intersectionality and how it intersects with power dynamics and privilege.
Examine unconscious biases that influence decision-making and explore ways to mitigate their impact.
Building Inclusive Leadership Skills Seminar:
Focus on developing inclusive leadership skills to empower individuals with less power and create a more equitable culture.
Provide practical tools for leaders to recognise and address power imbalances within their teams and organisations.
Reimagining Power in the Workplace Masterclass:
Encourage participants to challenge existing power structures and reimagine more equitable models of collaboration and leadership.
Explore the influence of power dynamics on organisational culture and provide actionable steps for creating positive change.
These workshop and training concepts aim to further the important conversations sparked by the "Power Reimagined" episode, offering participants the opportunity to deepen their understanding of power, privilege, and inclusion in the workplace.
🪡 Threads by Instagram
Power isn't just a concept; it shapes our worldviews and interactions. Join the conversation on "Inclusion Bites" as we dissect the dimensions of power and privilege with Jason Patent and host Jo Lockwood.
Are you ready to challenge the status quo? Dive into the nuances of power and privilege with Jason Patent and Jo Lockwood on The Inclusion Bites Podcast. Let's reimagine a world where everyone has a seat at the table.
Step outside the societal constructs and see the world through a new lens. The Inclusion Bites Podcast delves into the complexities of power and privilege. Join Jo Lockwood and Jason Patent as they explore the path to a more inclusive society.
Understanding power dynamics isn't just about awareness; it's about action. Learn from the insightful conversation between Jason Patent and Jo Lockwood on The Inclusion Bites Podcast as they navigate the realm of power, privilege and inclusion.
It's time to reshape our perspectives on power, privilege, and inclusion. Join the thought-provoking dialogue with Jason Patent and Jo Lockwood on The Inclusion Bites Podcast to step towards a world that values and empowers all voices.
Leadership Insights - YouTube Short Video Script on Common Problems for Leaders to Address
Title: Power Reimagined - Bridging the Communication Gap
[Opening shot of logo for Leadership Insights Channel]
Voiceover: Welcome to the Leadership Insights Channel, where we explore practical solutions to common leadership challenges.
[Cut to presenter speaking directly to the camera]
Presenter: Today, we're diving into a common problem faced by leaders: communication differences leading to misunderstandings and inefficiencies.
[Cut to animation showing two characters with speech bubbles]
Pause for effect.
Voiceover: In the workplace, different communication styles can lead to friction and misunderstandings. It's important for leaders to bridge the gap and foster understanding.
[Cut to presenter listing clear actions and behaviours]
Presenter: Here are some actions and behaviours you can adopt to bridge the communication gap:
Listen to Understand: Take the time to actively listen and understand the perspectives of others, even if they communicate differently from you.
Adapt Your Style: Recognise and adapt to the communication styles of your colleagues, creating an inclusive environment that values diverse ways of expression.
Build Trust: By appreciating and adjusting to different communication styles, you can build trust and improve efficiency in your relationships with colleagues.
[Cut to presenter providing final words]
Presenter: By implementing these actions and behaviours, you can create a more inclusive and collaborative work environment. Embracing diverse communication styles leads to greater understanding and stronger relationships within your team.
[Closing shot of logo for Leadership Insights Channel]
Voiceover: Thanks for joining us on the Leadership Insights Channel. Stay tuned for more practical leadership insights to help you and your team thrive.
[End of video]
SEO Optimised Titles
Power Dynamics and Interpersonal Communication: Bridging Generational Gaps | Intercultural Solutions | Capitalism's Influence on Inclusion | Jason @Humanly Possible
Email Newsletter about this Podcast Episode
Subject: Reimagine Power, Privilege and Inclusion - A Podcast Episode You Don't Want to Miss!
Hey Inclusion Champions,
I hope you're smashing the week like an absolute boss! 🚀
I've just wrapped up a powerful episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast and let me tell you – it's an absolute game-changer. Here's a sneak peek into the thought-provoking conversation with our incredible guest, Jason Patent:
5 Keys You'll Learn:
Unveiling The Power of Emotional Intelligence: Discover the impact of emotional intelligence and self-awareness in bridging cultural differences and fostering inclusive workplaces.
Challenging the Limitations of Privilege: Explore the human reaction rooted in the wiring of the brain to seek power and resources – a real eye-opener.
Embracing Multiple Truths and Perspectives: Recognise the significance of acknowledging different viewpoints and the power of emotional intelligence in the workplace.
Stepping Out of Societal Constructs: Get ready to shift your perspective and see the world differently – a captivating journey outside of the norm.
Concrete Actions for Empowerment: Jason shares tangible steps for bridging the gap and empowering those with less power – inspiring change in action.
Unique Fact Shared:
Did you know that Jason Patent uses the "blue pill, red pill" metaphor, inspired by The Matrix, to illustrate the idea of stepping outside of societal constructs and seeing the world differently?
Call to Action:
Let's step out of our comfort zones and take a deep dive into reimagining power, privilege, and inclusion. Connect with me and our vibrant community on social media to continue the conversation and share your thoughts. Remember, change starts with the power of your voice and actions.
Finish Strong:
This episode is an absolute must-listen for anyone passionate about creating a more inclusive and equitable society. I can't wait for you to join us in this transformative dialogue.
Stay fabulous and keep championing inclusion!
Warm regards,
Joanne Lockwood
Potted Summary
🎙️ In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood and guest Jason Patent delve into the complexities of power, privilege, and diversity, exploring the need to reimagine and reconsider the role of power in creating a more inclusive society. They discuss the challenges of communication, societal constructs, and the impact of power dynamics on creating a better world for everyone.
👉 Communication challenges
👉 The influence of societal constructs
👉 The role of power in creating an inclusive society
💬 "The key is, can you maintain the change? Can you be the change?"
💬 "Part of negotiation is you get a piece and I get a piece."
💬 "If we care about the positive, we have to also consider the negative."
🎧 Dive into the thought-provoking discussion on power, privilege, and diversity with Joanne Lockwood and Jason Patent. Join us in reimagining a more inclusive world. Listen now!
LinkedIn Poll
Opening Summary:
🎙️ In a recent episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood discussed the reimagining of power, privilege, and diversity, sharing valuable insights. Now, we'd like to hear your thoughts through this poll! #DEI #Inclusion #PowerReimagined
LinkedIn Poll Question:
How do you approach power and privilege? 🔍
Acknowledge biases #SelfAwareness #Equality
Foster empathy in leadership #EmotionalIntelligence #EmpowerOthers
Challenge societal constructs #ReimaginePower #BreakTheNorms
Embrace multiple perspectives #BroadenYourView #OpenMindedness
Closing Why Vote:
Cast your vote and share your viewpoint to contribute to the ongoing discussion around reimagining power and privilege. Your opinion matters! #JoinTheConversation #DiversityMatters
Highlight the Importance of this topic on LinkedIn
🌟 Excited to share a powerful conversation on Power and Privilege in the workplace from The Inclusion Bites Podcast with Joanne Lockwood and expert guest Jason Patent! 🎙️
💼 Senior Leaders, HR, and DEI Professionals - this discussion is a game-changer for our industry! It delves into the complexities of power dynamics, communication challenges, and the need for emotional intelligence and cultural understanding in the workplace.
🌍 This is an essential resource for reshaping our approach to leadership, inclusion, and building a more equitable, empathetic workplace. Let's dive into this transformative dialogue and continue our journey towards a more inclusive and progressive future! #DEI #InclusionMatters #LeadershipDevelopment
L&D Insights
In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood and Jason Patent give Senior Leaders, HR, and EDI professionals valuable insights into power, privilege, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
🌟 "Aha moments" include recognising the impact of differing communication styles on workplace relationships and the need for emotional intelligence in understanding power dynamics.
💡 Senior Leaders, HR, and EDI professionals should embrace a human-centric approach to collaboration and bridge cultural differences in the workplace.
🔑 Key takeaways for professionals include prioritising emotional intelligence, recognising systemic inequities, and challenging the current economic system for a more inclusive world.
#InclusionBites #PowerReimagined #DEIInsights #EmotionalIntelligence #HumanCentricLeadership
Shorts Video Script
Title: "Empowerment Through Understanding: Reimagining Power"
Hashtags:
#PowerReimagined
#InclusiveConversations
#DEIInsights
#EmpowermentThroughUnderstanding
#SocialChangeStartsWithYou
Script:
Hey everyone, in today's discussion, we explored the powerful impacts of understanding and adapting to different communication styles. Understanding that everyone has a unique way of expressing themselves is key to fostering effective and inclusive communication. 🗣️
Text on screen: "Communication Styles Matter"
We also delved into the concept of power and privilege, and the need to challenge societal norms for a more inclusive and equitable world. By recognising the origin of feelings related to power and privilege, we can work towards a fairer society. 💪
Text on screen: "Embracing Multiple Perspectives"
The conversation also highlighted the importance of emotional intelligence and self-awareness in bridging cultural differences in the workplace. By fostering emotional intelligence, we can create a more cohesive and inclusive working environment. 🌍
Text on screen: "Emotional Intelligence Matters"
The discussion offered concrete actions for individuals to bridge the gap and empower those with less power, emphasising the real potential for humans to create positive change. 🌟
Text on screen: "Empowerment for All"
Thanks for watching! Remember, together we can make a difference. Stay connected, stay inclusive! See you next time. ✨
Glossary of Terms and Phrases
High-context communicator: Someone who relies heavily on implicit communication, such as body language, tone, and context, to convey messages, often assuming shared knowledge and understanding within a specific group or culture.
Low-context communicator: One who primarily relies on explicit verbal communication to convey messages, often providing detailed information and avoiding assumptions about shared knowledge or context.
Red pill, blue pill metaphor: A reference to the film "The Matrix," where taking the red pill symbolises embracing the harsh reality of societal issues and the need for change, while taking the blue pill represents choosing to remain oblivious to these issues.
Intercultural communication: The exchange of information between individuals or groups from different cultures, focusing on understanding and adapting to diverse communication styles, behaviours, and norms.
Global capitalist system: The economic and social structure that promotes free markets, private ownership of the means of production, and global trade, often criticised for fostering inequality, exploitation, and environmental degradation.
Power dynamics: The varying levels of power and influence within interpersonal, organisational, and societal relationships, often impacting decision-making, resource allocation, and opportunity.
Equity: The pursuit of fairness, justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities for individuals and groups, without disadvantage to others, often in contrast to equality, which treats everyone the same regardless of differing needs and circumstances.
Scarcity mindset: A belief that resources and opportunities are limited, leading to competition, hoarding, and fear of loss, often contrasted with an abundance mindset that embraces the possibility of creating more resources and opportunities.
emotional intelligence: The capacity to recognise, understand, and manage one's own emotions and those of others, encompassing self-awareness, empathy, communication, and relationship management.
Social constructs: Conceptual frameworks and norms that shape understanding, perceptions, and behaviours within a society, including gender roles, racial categories, and power dynamics.
SEO Optimised YouTube Content
Focus Keyword/Phrase: Positive People Experiences, Culture Change
Title: Power Reimagined: Navigating Culture Change | #InclusionBitesPodcast
Tags: Positive People Experiences, Culture Change, Power Reimagined, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Belonging, Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Interpersonal Communication, Human-Centric Collaboration, Gender Equity, Corporate Culture, Systemic Inequities, Intersectionality, Privilege, Inclusion Workshop, Empowerment, Social Change, Global Leadership, Intercultural Communication, Cultural Differences, Emotional Awareness, Collaboration, Equity and Opportunity, Human-centric Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion Training, Workplace Inclusion
Killer Quote: "The need for emotional intelligence and recognising the origins of feelings in relation to power and privilege is crucial in driving positive people experiences." - Jason Patent
Hashtags: #PowerReimagined #CultureChange #DiversityandInclusion #LeadershipDevelopment #BelongingAtWork #EmotionalIntelligence #GenderEquity #SystemicInequities #InclusiveLeadership #DEIConsultant #HumanCentricCollaboration #CorporateCulture #SocialChange #Intersectionality #EmbraceDiversity #InclusiveWorkplace #GlobalLeadership #InterculturalCommunication #CulturalIntelligence #Empowerment #EquityOpportunity #InclusiveLeadershipSkills #InclusionMatters #HumanlyPossible #InclusionBitesPodcast
Why Listen:
In this compelling episode of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, the insightful conversation between Joanne and Jason delves deep into the intricacies of power, privilege, and DEI, unearthing the transformative potential of Positive People Experiences and the imperative need for Culture Change. Jason Patent, a seasoned Global Leadership and DEI consultant and coach, brings a wealth of knowledge to the table as he navigates through the complexities of power dynamics across generations, identity categories, and societal constructs.
We explore the profound impact of embracing multiple truths and perspectives, challenging the current economic system, and the consequences of its extreme application globally. Jason's expertise shines through as he shares practical solutions for effectively bridging cultural differences and empowering those with less power, fostering a human-centric approach within the extractive global capitalist system.
Joanne and Jason's engaging dialogue unveils the significance of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and the ability to bridge cultural differences in the workplace, paving the way for a powerful narrative on the transformative potential of Positive People Experiences. From exploring the limitations of the human brain in understanding systemic issues to the slow pace of change towards gender equity and the frustrations associated with waiting, this episode ignites profound reflections and invites listeners to rethink their roles in driving positive Culture Change.
Tune in to this episode as we reimagine the role of power in creating a more inclusive and equitable society, uncovering actionable insights and transformative narratives that will inspire cultural transformation and empower individuals to lead with empathy and understanding.
Closing Summary and Call to Action:
Embrace Emotional Intelligence: Recognise and embrace the transformative power of emotional intelligence and self-awareness in navigating power dynamics, fostering empathetic leadership, and driving positive people experiences within the workplace.
Bridge Cultural Differences: Equip yourself with the tools and strategies to effectively bridge cultural differences, adapt behaviours, and empower those with less power, creating an inclusive and collaborative work environment that celebrates diversity.
Foster Human-Centric Collaboration: Embrace a human-centric approach within the extractive global capitalist system, prioritising collaboration, empathy, and understanding to drive positive Culture Change and create a more inclusive and equitable society.
Challenge the Current Economic System: Take a critical look at the consequences of extreme applications of the current economic system and explore strategies to challenge and redefine power dynamics, fostering a more equitable world for all.
By embracing these actionable insights, you can be an influential force for creating a workplace and society where everyone feels a sense of belonging and can thrive.
Outro:
Thank you, the listener, for tuning in. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like and subscribe to our channel for more thought-provoking content. For additional information and resources, visit the SEE Change Happen website: https://seechangehappen.co.uk and access The Inclusion Bites Podcast here: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
Stay curious, stay kind, and stay inclusive.
Joanne Lockwood
Root Cause Analyst - Why!
The key problems related to this episode include the challenges of communicating and understanding different perspectives, navigating power dynamics across generations and identity categories, and the slow pace of change towards equity and inclusion.
Why do we have challenges understanding different communication styles and perspectives?
The initial misunderstanding is due to different communication styles, leading to inefficient and unproductive interactions.Why do different communication styles lead to misunderstandings?
Different communication styles result in misinterpretations and inefficiencies, creating barriers to effective collaboration and understanding of diverse perspectives.Why do people have different communication styles?
People have different communication styles due to cultural, societal, and personal influences, impacting their approach to storytelling, directness, and empathy in communication.Why do cultural and societal influences shape communication styles?
Cultural and societal norms influence individuals' communication styles, shaping their values, perceptions, and modes of expression.Why do cultural norms impact communication styles?
Cultural norms create diverse communication styles, affecting how individuals convey messages and interpret others' expressions in workplace and societal contexts.
Summarising the findings, it is evident that diverse cultural influences and societal norms shape communication styles, leading to misunderstandings and inefficiencies in collaboration and understanding diverse perspectives.
Potential solutions include:
Intercultural communication training and awareness to bridge cultural differences and enhance understanding.
Promoting emotional intelligence and self-awareness to navigate power dynamics, fostering inclusive and effective communication.
Encouraging empathy and active listening to appreciate diverse communication styles and perspectives, creating more equitable and inclusive interactions.
These solutions aim to address the root cause of diverse communication styles shaped by cultural and societal influences, promoting understanding, empathy, and inclusivity in interactions.
TikTok/Reels/Shorts Video Summary
Focus keyword: Positive People Experiences
Title: "Power Reimagined | #InclusionBitesPodcast"
Tags: #Inclusion, #Diversity, #Equity, #Belonging, #Power, #Privilege, #DEI, #CultureChange, #Empowerment, #HumanPotential, #Leadership, #EmotionalIntelligence, #SocialChange, #MindsetShift, #InclusiveLeadership, #Equality, #Intersectionality, #PersonalGrowth, #GlobalLeadership, #ChangeMakers, #InclusiveWorkplace, #Collaboration, #CommunicationSkills, #SocialJustice
Killer Quote: "The power of individuals to influence and make a difference is immense." - Jason Patent
Hashtags: #InclusionMatters #PositivePeopleExperiences #CultureChange #DEI #InclusiveLeadership #Empowerment #Belonging #DiversityandInclusion #SocialChange #MindsetShift #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #Equity #GlobalLeadership
Description: Discover how to create lasting positive change in your workplace and beyond with Jo and Jason on the latest Inclusion Bites Podcast. We delve into the power dynamics, privilege, and the impact of oppressive constructs on our society, providing actionable insights to foster Positive People Experiences and drive Culture Change. Don't miss this enlightening episode to embark on your journey towards genuine inclusion and empowerment. Tune in now and start making a difference! #InclusionBitesPodcast
Outro:
Thank you for tuning in today. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like and subscribe to the channel for more thought-provoking content. For additional information, visit the SEE Change Happen website at https://seechangehappen.co.uk and listen to the full episode of "The Inclusion Bites Podcast" at https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen. Stay curious, stay kind, and stay inclusive - Joanne Lockwood
Canva Slider Checklist
Closing slide: "Joanne Lockwood from SEE Change Happen - https://seechangehappen.co.uk - Join us in our mission to create a more inclusive workplace. Contact us today!"
Episode Carousel
Slide 1:
[Background image: An open book with the title "Power Reimagined" and a pair of glasses resting on top]
Caption: Are you ready to challenge the status quo and reimagine the role of power in our society? Join the conversation on The Inclusion Bites Podcast as we delve into the complexities of power, privilege, and creating a more equitable world.
Slide 2:
[Background image: Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood engaging in a meaningful discussion]
Caption: In this episode, Jason Patent, a Global Leadership and DEI consultant, teams up with Joanne Lockwood to explore the impact of power dynamics in creating a more inclusive society. Discover the insights and perspectives that will reshape your understanding of power.
Slide 3:
[Background image: A quote from the episode - "Recognising multiple perspectives is a necessary skill for human beings."]
Caption: Delve into thought-provoking conversations about challenging societal constructs, recognising diverse perspectives, and the significance of emotional intelligence in bridging cultural differences.
Slide 4:
[Background image: The Inclusion Bites Podcast logo and a link to the episode]
Caption: Tune in to the latest episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast to gain a deeper understanding of power, privilege, and the potential for positive change. Listen here [Link to the episode]
Slide 5:
[Background image: A vibrant and inclusive community gathering]
Caption: Ready to make a real difference? Listen to the episode, and let's work together to create a more inclusive world for everyone. Your journey to understanding and empowerment begins here. #InclusionMatters #ListenNow #PowerReimagined
6 major topics
Title: Rethinking Power Dynamics in DEI Conversations
In a thought-provoking conversation with Jason Patent, we delved into key topics shaping the discourse on power, privilege, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The discussion was enlightening and reimagined traditional narratives, challenging preconceived notions and prompting introspection. Let's explore some of the major themes that emerged during our conversation.
Bridging Intergenerational Communication Gaps
Navigating intergenerational communication gaps can be a complex task, and Jason's experience with Anita shed light on the challenges that arise from differing communication styles. It's fascinating how individuals from different generations bring diverse perspectives and approaches to the table. Understanding and appreciating these differences can foster an inclusive and innovative work environment. The ability to bridge the gap between low-context and high-context communicators can enhance efficiency, trust, and collaboration within teams. How can individuals utilise this knowledge to build stronger, more cohesive teams in the workplace with a diverse mix of generations?
Embracing the Changing Power Dynamics
The evolving power dynamics across generations sparked a compelling discussion. The concept of power is multifaceted, and its impact varies across different social identities, including race, gender, and intersectional categories. Conversations around understanding and adapting to power dynamics are crucial for creating more equitable and inclusive spaces. How can individuals in positions of power work towards adapting and understanding others, particularly those from different socio-cultural backgrounds?
Tackling Systemic Inequities
Jason and I delved into the challenging task of addressing systemic inequities, recognising the limitations of the human brain in understanding these complex issues. The conversation emphasised the need for effective collaboration and practical solutions to bridge cultural differences. Intercultural communication and adapting behaviours were highlighted as key steps in dismantling systemic barriers. Can individuals truly bridge the gap between cultural differences in a way that fosters a more inclusive and empathetic environment?
Rethinking the Extractive Global Capitalist System
The conversation pivoted towards the need to create a human-centric approach to collaboration within the extractive global capitalist system. This notion challenges the traditional power structures deeply ingrained in modern society. We explored the implications of embracing a more inclusive and equitable model of collaboration, and how it can create meaningful change within corporations and broader social systems. What practical steps can individuals take to challenge and reform the current economic system in pursuit of a more equitable society?
Recognising Multiple Perspectives and Emotional Intelligence
The significance of emotional intelligence and self-awareness in bridging cultural differences within the workplace was a crucial point of discussion. We highlighted the importance of recognising multiple perspectives and acknowledging different viewpoints to foster an inclusive environment. Encouraging individual growth in emotional intelligence can be instrumental in creating a workplace where diverse voices are heard and valued. How can individuals actively nurture and promote emotional intelligence in their personal and professional interactions?
Challenging the Status Quo and Building an Inclusive World
Our conversation culminated in an exploration of the power of individuals to influence and make a difference, even in the face of entrenched societal norms. We discussed the need to challenge the status quo, particularly in relation to the consequences of extreme applications of the capitalist model. Embracing multiple truths and perspectives as vital skills for humanity was a powerful takeaway. How can individuals aim to challenge the status quo and actively contribute to the creation of a more inclusive and equitable world?
In our exploration of these diverse topics, Jason and I delved deep into the complexities of power dynamics, systemic inequities, and the transformative potential for change within our society.
TikTok Summary
🎙️ Ready to bite into juicy discussions about power, privilege, and making the world a better place? Join Jo Lockwood and global leadership consultant, Jason Patent, on The Inclusion Bites Podcast! We delve into reimagining power dynamics, bridging communication gaps, and championing diversity. Don't miss out on our thought-provoking conversations! For the full experience, head over to seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen. Let's spark change together! #InclusionBites #PowerReimagined 🎧
Slogans and Image Prompts
Slogan/Merchandise Idea:
"Reimagine Power, Redefine Inclusion"
Image Generation Prompt:
Create an image of a dynamic and diverse group of individuals standing together, each with a speech bubble containing empowering words and symbols representing inclusivity.
Soundbite/Merchandise Idea:
"Bridge the Gap, Empower the World"
Image Generation Prompt:
Generate an image of two hands reaching out to each other, one representing power and the other representing empowerment, with a bridge connecting them, symbolising the bridging of barriers and the empowerment of marginalized voices.
Quote/Merchandise Idea:
"Challenging Power, Creating Change"
Image Generation Prompt:
Produce an image of two intertwined gears, one representing power and the other representing change, with the gears turning in unison, signifying the challenging of power structures to bring about tangible change.
Hashtag/Merchandise Idea:
#InclusionRevolution
Image Generation Prompt:
Provide an image of a globe with diverse individuals linked arm in arm around it, symbolising the global movement towards revolutionizing inclusion and diversity.
Slogan/Merchandise Idea:
"Empower Through Understanding"
Image Generation Prompt:
Create an image of an open book with diverse hands reaching out to turn the pages, illustrating the idea of empowerment through shared knowledge, understanding, and inclusivity.
Soundbite/Merchandise Idea:
"Embrace Multiple Perspectives, Embody Change"
Image Generation Prompt:
Generate an image of a kaleidoscope with various cultural symbols and colours, representing the beauty and strength of embracing diverse perspectives to drive positive change.
Quote/Merchandise Idea:
"Unlocking Power, Embracing Humanity"
Image Generation Prompt:
Produce an image of a key opening a door, with diverse figures walking through the doorway towards a brighter, inclusive future, symbolizing the unlocking of power and the embracing of human diversity.
Hashtag/Merchandise Idea:
#PowerReimagined
Image Generation Prompt:
Provide an image of a majestic phoenix rising from flames, symbolising the transformation and reimagining of power structures towards a more inclusive and equitable society.
Inclusion Bites Spotlight
Jason Patent, our guest on episode 100 of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, provides a compelling perspective on power, privilege, and diversity, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities for creating a more inclusive world. As a Global Leadership and DEI consultant and coach, Jason brings extensive experience working at the intersection of power dynamics, communication styles, and cultural differences.
During our conversation, Jason delves into his experiences with communication difficulties and the impact of different communication styles. He shares valuable insights on how understanding and adapting to diverse communication styles can foster trust and efficiency in professional relationships, especially across generational and cultural divides. Jason's practical solutions, inspired by his experiences in intercultural communication and leadership, offer actionable strategies for bridging cultural differences and empowering individuals with less power.
In exploring the themes of power, privilege, and societal constructs, Jason and Joanne Lockwood engage in a thought-provoking dialogue that challenges conventional perspectives. Together, they unpack the complexities of power dynamics, systemic inequities, and the impact of emotional intelligence in creating more inclusive workplaces and communities.
Jason's thought-provoking insights pave the way for a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of power and its implications for inclusion and equity. Join us as we embark on an enlightening exploration of power reimagined, as Jason Patent invites us to challenge the status quo and embrace a more human-centric approach to leadership and collaboration.
YouTube Description
Title: Reimagining Power, Privilege & DEI: Insightful Discussion with Jason Patent | Inclusion Bites Podcast
Keywords: Power reimagination, Privilege challenge, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Emotional Intelligence, Organisational Change, Systemic Inequities, Social Constructs, Intercultural Communication
Description:
🔥 Ready to challenge your understanding of power and privilege? Join Jo Lockwood and Jason Patent on The Inclusion Bites Podcast as they delve into the complexities of creating a more inclusive world.
In this thought-provoking episode, Jason Patent, a Global Leadership and DEI consultant, engages in a dynamic discussion with Jo Lockwood to uncover the untouched facets of power, privilege, and diversity. From recognising the impact of social constructs to the nuances of intergenerational communication, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on creating equitable spaces.
Discover how our societal constructs shape our perceptions and influence our interactions, and explore the reimagined role of power in fostering a more inclusive and equitable society. Jason's insights into emotional intelligence and the need to bridge cultural differences provide actionable strategies for driving real change within organisations and communities.
Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges surrounding systemic inequities and the significance of self-awareness in breaking down barriers. Don't miss out on this eye-opening conversation that will push you to rethink your role in shaping a better, more inclusive world for all.
Takeaways:
Challenge your understanding of power and privilege
Embrace emotional intelligence to bridge cultural differences
Cultivate self-awareness to drive real change
Reimagine the role of power in creating equitable spaces
Get ready to transform your perspective and make a lasting impact. #PowerReimagination #EquityForAll #InclusiveLeadership #BridgeCulturalDifferences #DiversityandInclusion #SocialJustice #EmotionalIntelligence #SystemicChange #GlobalLeadership #InclusionBitesPodcast
10 Question Quiz
Quiz:
What communication styles did Jason Patent and his colleague Anita struggle with?
a) High-context and low-context
b) Verbal and non-verbal
c) Formal and informal
d) Direct and indirectHow did Jason initially perceive Anita's storytelling communication approach?
a) Engaging and informative
b) Confusing and unprofessional
c) Boring and irrelevant
d) Frustrating and time-consumingIn intergenerational communication, what approach did Joanne Lockwood suggest the older generations should take?
a) Bridge downwards to understand and adapt
b) Insist on their traditional communication style
c) Ignore the younger generation's communication preferences
d) Demand adherence to their communication methodsWhat did Jason and Joanne emphasise as the key to navigating changing power dynamics across generations?
a) Being resistant to change
b) Adapting and understanding others
c) Asserting authority from a position of power
d) Ignoring generational differencesAccording to Jason, what is the "blue pill, red pill" metaphor used for in the discussion?
a) To illustrate a decision-making dilemma
b) To denote political allegiances
c) To depict an existential crisis
d) To symbolise societal realisation and the need for changeWhat did Jason emphasise as the practical solution for bridging cultural differences in communication?
a) Assuming one’s own communication style is superior
b) Expecting others to adapt to your communication style
c) Intercultural communication and adapting behaviours
d) Ignoring cultural differences altogetherHow did Jason highlight the need to approach collaboration within the extractive global capitalist system?
a) With a profit-focused approach
b) By creating a human-centric approach
c) By focusing on competitive advantage
d) By striving for individual success over collaborationWhat did Jason emphasise as the significance of making meaningful impacts within our spheres of influence?
a) To ignore larger societal change
b) To wait for large-scale change to occur
c) To focus on making a difference in our immediate environment
d) To leave societal change to others to tackleWhat did Jason refer to when talking about the perception of power and pluralism in relation to certain intersectional identities?
a) White privilege in society
b) Gender inequity in the workplace
c) The influence of Donald Trump's election
d) The reaction of certain intersectional identities, with a focus on white menAccording to Jason and Joanne, what skills are essential for bridging cultural differences in the workplace?
a) Emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and adaptability
b) Technical skills and expertise
c) Assertiveness and command of authority
d) Hierarchical and traditional communication styles
Answer Key:
a) High-context and low-context - Jason and his colleague Anita struggled with different communication styles.
d) Frustrating and time-consuming - Jason initially found Anita's storytelling approach frustrating and time-consuming.
a) Bridge downwards to understand and adapt - Joanne suggested older generations should bridge downwards to understand and adapt to the younger generation's communication styles.
b) Adapting and understanding others - Adapting and understanding others was emphasised as the key to navigating changing power dynamics across generations.
d) To symbolise societal realisation and the need for change - The "blue pill, red pill" metaphor is used to symbolise societal realisation and the need for change.
c) Intercultural communication and adapting behaviours - Jason emphasised intercultural communication and adapting behaviours as the practical solution for bridging cultural differences in communication.
b) By creating a human-centric approach - Jason highlighted the need to approach collaboration within the extractive global capitalist system by creating a human-centric approach.
c) To focus on making a difference in our immediate environment - Jason emphasised the significance of making meaningful impacts within our spheres of influence.
d) The reaction of certain intersectional identities, with a focus on white men - Jason referred to the perception of power and pluralism in relation to certain intersectional identities.
a) Emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and adaptability - Emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and adaptability are essential for bridging cultural differences in the workplace.
Summary:
The discussion with Jason Patent and Joanne Lockwood on the Inclusion Bites Podcast emphasises the importance of understanding and adapting to different communication styles, particularly in intergenerational and intercultural contexts. It highlights the need for a human-centric approach to collaboration within the global capitalist system and the significance of making meaningful impacts within our immediate spheres of influence. The conversation also delves into the perception of power and pluralism in relation to certain intersectional identities and the essential skills for bridging cultural differences in the workplace, such as emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and adaptability.
About this Episode
About The Episode:
In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Jason Patent to deeply explore the nuances of power and communication within the context of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Jason, a seasoned Global Leadership and DEI consultant, brings his rich experience and insights to dissect the complex dynamics that shape our interpersonal and professional relationships. We delve into the necessity of reimagining power structures and how understanding and adapting our communication styles can create a more efficient, trusting, and inclusive environment.
Today, we'll cover:
Experiencing and overcoming communication challenges due to differing styles and the path towards efficient and trusting working relationships.
Bridging generational divides in communication, with a focus on older generations adapting to the styles of younger ones within the workplace.
The role of systemic inequities, oppression, power, and privilege in shaping societal interactions and professional engagements.
Understanding the human brain's prehistoric biases and their influences on current in-group and out-group perceptions and behaviours.
Addressing cultural differences through enhancing intercultural communication skills and adopting behaviour changes for effective collaboration.
The slow progression towards gender equity, the reality of continued societal pushbacks, and methods for making meaningful impacts within individual spheres of influence.
Recognising multiple perspectives and the importance of emotional intelligence and self-awareness for bridging cultural gaps and empowering those with less power.
Rhyme Scheme and Rhythm Podcast Poetry
Title: Dialogue of Depth and Power
In a world where thoughts are yearning to unfurl,
Communication's dance is often in a twirl.
One speaks in stories, winding like a creek,
The other, to the point, their clarity they seek.
From high-context mazes to the low and straight,
It's in the melding minds, we find the way to relate.
The elder's wisdom downward should extend,
To grasp the youthful tongues and comprehend.
As generation turns, the tide of power must follow,
Embrace the rising change, and let the old ways wallow.
Too often we conceal, in fear of outer norms,
Adjusting who we are to fit the swarming swarms.
The red pill and the blue, a choice that shakes the core,
Of systems deep and wide that we can't ignore.
Yet, within our ancient codes lie biases of old,
Resisting the unknown, the different, the bold.
Intercultural ties, a bridge we aim to be,
Adapting to each world we touch, we hear, we see.
For in the grip of global toil and capitalist hands,
The human-centric path is lost in countless strands.
Yet patience wears in strides towards equity's slow dawn,
As voices shout for speed, their waiting hearts are drawn.
Within each sphere of life, we act, affect, endear,
In hopes that through our touch, the change may draw near.
Despite the corporate guise of equity's bright lure,
Society lashes back, its sentiments impure.
White men may feel the wrung, as if they're set apart,
While privilege to some feels like a shrinking heart.
Power and pluralism meet in minds' expanse,
Cultural identities in a complex dance.
A leadership astray had set the stage,
For fear to grip the heart and turn a darker page.
Yet amidst this talk, a brighter note is found,
For equity gifts tools without a vanquished ground.
We hold not to scarcity, but hope in vast amenity,
Challenging the resource hoard, embracing our identity.
With open minds we dare to dream a world anew,
Understanding self and others, through and through.
A step back to perceive the myriad of views,
Emotional intelligence, in this we must infuse.
So listen close, dear hearts, to stories cast afar,
From the power of one, we all become a star.
Your input sought, to stir the discourse spring,
With engagement pure, let your insights sing.
For life's but a discussion in the grandest scale,
And through shared humanity, we shall prevail.
Subscribe, and share the warmth of wisdom's quest,
Each episode a gem in our collective chest.
With thanks to Jason Patent for a fascinating podcast episode.
Key Learnings
Key Learning and Takeaway:
The central takeaway from the "Power Reimagined" episode is the critical importance of understanding and adapting communication styles across different cultures and contexts to foster more inclusive and efficient working relationships. The episode emphasises the need for individuals, especially those in positions of power, to develop emotional intelligence and self-awareness to navigate and bridge cultural differences effectively. Through the lens of power dynamics and privilege, the discussion highlights that realising and addressing systemic inequities can lead to a more equitable and human-centric approach in both corporate environments and wider society.
Point #1:
Recognising High-Context and Low-Context Communication: Understanding that miscommunications occur due to differing styles of communication — high-context, which relies heavily on implied meanings, and low-context, which is more explicit. Adjusting our communication to consider these differences can lead to improved trust and efficiency.
Point #2:
The Responsibility of Generational Adaptation: Joanne Lockwood stresses the necessity for the older generations to 'bridge downwards' by adapting to the communication styles of younger generations, acknowledging that this is essential for changing power dynamics across generational divides.
Point #3:
Understanding Inclusive Leadership: Jason Patent introduces the idea of a new model of leadership, detailed in his book "Humanly Possible," which encourages a more inclusive world by understanding and managing human limitations and the need to empower others, particularly those with less systemic power.
Point #4:
Navigating Systemic Inequities: The episode explores the substantial challenges posed by societal constructs and systemic inequities, with discussions focusing on acknowledging multiple perspectives and emotional intelligence as tools for individuals to contribute to a more equitable society.
Book Outline
Book Title: The New Power Paradigm: An Intercultural Journey to Inclusivity
Introduction
A brief overview of the necessity of understanding power dynamics in the quest for an inclusive world.
The author's personal journey towards realizing the need for emotional intelligence and intercultural communication.
Setting the stage for rethinking traditional notions of power and influence.
Chapter 1: Recognizing Communication Styles
High-context vs. low-context communication and the implications for interpersonal relationships.
The transformative experience of understanding and adapting to the storytelling approach in professional settings.
Subheading: Bridging Cultural Divides: Harnessing the Power of Listening
Chapter 2: Intergenerational Dialogue and Power
The necessity of bridging the communication gap between generations, especially in the context of power dynamics.
Subheading: Understanding the Younger Generation: How Adaptation Builds Trust
Chapter 3: Exploring Identity and Power
Addressing the challenging intersection of power with race and other identities.
The dilemma of 'masking' to fit societal norms and the costs to individual authenticity.
Quotes and examples on the effects of navigating identity within different power structures.
Chapter 4: The Awakening to Systemic Realities
The 'blue pill, red pill' metaphor and its relevance to understanding societal constructs.
Real-life implications of systemic inequities and privilege.
Subheading: Beyond the Brain: The Struggle to Recognize Oppression and Privilege
Chapter 5: Our Prehistoric Minds and Today's Biases
Insights into how our ancient brain wiring affects modern in-group and out-group dynamics.
Struggles with embracing difference in an increasingly globalized world.
Practical steps towards greater inclusion through effective intercultural communication.
Chapter 6: A Human-Centric Approach to Global Capitalism
The impact of the extractive capitalist system on collaboration and inclusivity.
Strategies for fostering a more human-centric approach within commercial settings.
Chapter 7: The Path to Gender Equity and Inclusion
The current landscape of gender equity and the frustrations of advocating for change.
Insights into meaningful impacts within local spheres of influence and the broader society.
Chapter 8: Corporate Efforts vs. Societal Attitudes
Analysis of the disparity between corporate inclusion efforts and persistent societal attitudes.
Subheading: Marginalisation and Pushback: Navigating the Perception of Threat to Power
Chapter 9: Understanding Power and Pluralism
The influence of political figures like Donald Trump on perceptions of power and identity.
How pluralism can inform a more balanced view of power distribution.
Quotes on the emotional impact of reexamining privilege.
Chapter 10: Equity, Resource Scarcity, and Social Constructs
Confronting the scarcity mindset and its conflict with the concept of equity.
Suggested visual aids to illustrate how equity differs from other social justice concepts.
The role of commerce and capitalism in power dynamics.
Interactive elements: exercises on identifying and combating scarcity mindset.
Chapter 11: Empowering Action and Change
Concrete actions for empowering those with less power and bridging gaps in the workplace.
Emphasizing the significance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Real-life examples of making a human-centric impact in various environments.
A detailed examination of the notions of holding multiple truths and perspectives.
Chapter 12: Future Outlook and Calls to Action
The potential for humans to create a better world through understanding and overcoming limitations.
Subheading: Personal Influences: How Each Individual Can Make a Difference
A call to action for readers to engage with the topics discussed and seek further personal and systemic change.
Conclusion: Reimagining Power for an Inclusive Tomorrow
Summary of the essential themes of the book.
Reflective concluding remarks about the importance of adapting power dynamics for an inclusive future.
Appendix: Resources and Further Reading
Author's suggested reading materials and contact information for further engagement.
Reference to "Humanly Possible: A New Model of Leadership for a More Inclusive World" for readers to delve deeper into the author's work.
Final Touches:
Edit for coherence, ensuring that each chapter builds upon the last for a comprehensive understanding.
Incorporate feedback loops with subject matter experts or test readers to refine the content.
Chapter summaries to be provided to capture the essence of each section for reader reference.
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