#HAVING COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS PROFESSIONAL#
#HAVING COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS SERIES#

Be a mentor and find a mentor – Mentorship can have such an incredible impact, and as Michelle shared, “it just takes one person to see you and see the potential in you.” To me, mentorship is a two-way street – it’s crucial to not only have a mentor, but to be a mentor.

Creating a space for others to share what they think ensures that those around you feel comfortable, supported, and empowered to have important conversations. And a lot of us, particularly women, have been taught by society to be more passive, to have less of a voice.

Create a space for open, honest conversation – Always be aware of others and the fact that we all have different experiences.

We need to actively learn, listen, and drive change together!

Be an active ally – Show your support and allyship by being conscious and intentional and take active steps to show you care on an ongoing basis.

What really stood out to me is Michelle’s passion for empowering others to be their best selves and to break the glass ceiling…whatever that ceiling may be for each of us! Here are a few takeaways from our conversation I want to share: It was incredibly inspiring to hear Michelle’s perspective on the intersectionality of being a person of color, a woman, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community and how all her experiences have shaped who she is today.

#HAVING COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS PROFESSIONAL#

Currently, Michelle is the executive producer for Canada’s Drag Race and is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community.ĭuring our event, Michelle shared her experiences throughout her personal and professional life as she navigated a career in the entertainment industry.

#HAVING COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS SERIES#

and beyond, with more to come.A bit of background on Michelle – she is an internationally renowned television and film director and producer! She is well-known for her critically acclaimed television series Shine True – a docu-series celebrating the Trans and gender non-conforming community by helping them overcome dysphoria and getting them to a place where they can freely and finally present the way they feel. Events of this kind have been held in major cities in the U.S. Within the toolkit, we also encourage our leaders to consider inviting community leaders, civil rights leaders, local politicians, and members of local police officers to engage in open and honest dialogue on key issues. In 2017, we designed and implemented a courageous conversation toolkit that was rolled outacross our company to help managers host and facilitate courageous conversations within their lines of business, network or local market. We have built upon the strong foundation of our relationships with clients and partnerships with outside organizations by incorporating in courageous conversations to our ongoing work, including one on diversity in sports as part of our sponsorship of the PGA Championship and ongoing conversations on the lasting legacy and impact of the Vietnam War and the dialogue that surrounded it as part of our sponsorship of the ten-part documentary film “The Vietnam War,” by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.

In conjunction with these conversations and others, our expert Life Event Services team - who provide support for employees during significant life events and moments that matter most – offered resources, services and advocacy to teammates and their family members who were directly affected. We hosted courageous conversations with panels of diverse leaders in the wake of violence in Dallas, Baton Rouge, Minneapolis and Charlotte. Topics have included race, gender dynamics, the role of the majority in diversity, social justice, LGBT equality, inclusion in the workplace, and local and national current events. Since beginning courageous conversations in 2015, we have hosted dialogues ranging from small conversations within teams or employee networks, to enterprise conversations with community partners.

Having courageous conversations