Why Care‪?‬ Nadia Nagamootoo

In the second special celebrity episode of Why Care? I am joined by the multi-talented, Double Olympic Champion, Dame Kelly Holmes. We dive deeper into her  journey of self-discovery, personal experiences, and traumas, which she explores in her powerful memoir Unique. Kelly shares her emotional backstory in which she concealed her true identity and sexuality from the public and lived in fear for most of her life. We discuss the discriminatory military laws and systemic mistreatment of LGBTQ+ individuals in the British army, as well as the mental health impact. As a world-class athlete, Kelly opens up about the pressure to hide her sexuality, and how she overcame her fears and revealed her authentic self publicly. Kelly then shares her experiences attending a Pride event, becoming part of a supportive community, and about her LGBTQ+ advocacy work.

At 18, Kelly pursued her dream to be an HGV driver and Physical Training Instructor in the British Army. In 1998, she was awarded a MBE for her services to the British Army and in 2018 became the first individual to be appointed Honorary Colonel to a regular unit. Meanwhile, Kelly also pursued her Olympic dream and was catapulted to fame in 2004 at the Athens Olympic Games for being the first woman ever in Great Britain to win two gold medals at the same games. She continued to raise the bar as an Olympic, Commonwealth, and European champion, achieving seven Gold, eight Silver, and four Bronze medals. She also won BBC Sports Personality of the Year and European Athlete of the Year.

During the episode, Kelly shares her experiences of concealing her true identity and the fear she faced in revealing her sexuality to the public. She highlights the importance of education, understanding, acceptance, and authenticity regarding LGBTQ+ issues and the need to normalise attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community. As Kelly recounts her extraordinary life story, she uncovers her experiences in the military, the traumatic military raids, and discriminatory laws targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. She then exposes the wider systemic discrimination in the military and the psychological traumas and mental health issues it caused, which she explored in her ITV documentary, Kelly Holmes: Being Me.

As she developed her public persona as an international Olympic champion and world-class athlete, Kelly opens up about her fear of not being accepted for her sexuality and her anxiety about how this could impact her achievements. As she juggled her dual identity, she used defensive methods and was careful about how she projected herself to avoid judgment. Kelly then went on a journey of self-discovery, and at the age of 50, she finally accepted herself and came out about her sexuality. She embraced her true identity publicly the 2022 London Pride event, which was a powerful moment for her. Kelly acknowledges the pressures, challenges, and complexities of the coming out process, and uses her platform as an opportunity to combat stereotypes and to be an advocate for change. As a motivational speaker, Kelly shares how she connects with and inspires people through her personal experiences, but realises that her sexuality is just one aspect of her life. Now she has found happiness and inner peace, she focuses on her work and achievements and recognises the freedom of living authentically in a world where she can be proud to be herself, without the need for validation.

Links:

Dame Kelly Holmes can be found on:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

For more information about Dame Kelly Holmes, visit: 

http://kellyholmes.co.uk/ 

Dame Kelly Holmes’ charity: https://www.damekellyholmestrust.org/

Purchase your copy of my book: Beyond Discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it)

In this special celebrity episode of Why Care? I am joined by the truly inspiring, Dr. Ranj, to delve deeper into what drives him, his passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and his perspective on how to break society’s confines of masculinity. Dr. Ranj shares many personal life experiences as we discuss his cultural upbringing, mindset, sexuality, identity, and journey to being authentically 100% who he is. We also explore his adventurous career, his advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, promotion of diverse and inclusive education, and one of his many books aimed at boys: How to Be a Boy and Do It Your Own Way.



Dr Ranj’s dedication to DEI is reflected throughout his personal journey, influential career, and advocacy work. There are so many things he has tried his hand at and proven he can successfully do! He is an NHS doctor, BAFTA award-winning TV presenter, best-selling author, advocate for inclusion, keynote speaker, radio host, and columnist. Dr. Ranj initially qualified as a doctor in 2007, before kick-starting his media career in 2012 as a CBeebies presenter. Since then, he elevated his public profile by gracing numerous TV shows and documentaries, including Strictly Come Dancing in 2018, and previously, ITV’s This Morning. Dr Ranj is the host of his own medical advice show called 'Dr Ranj: ON Call' and has written numerous children’s educational books. He is also an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, and inclusive education and offers expert advice on a range of physical and mental health issues.



During the episode, Dr. Ranj reveals more about his cultural background and influences, mindset, motivations, and his proactive approach to life. He emphasises the importance of seizing the moment, taking risks, and embracing challenges, which have all helped define his personal journey. He shares some compelling experiences which illustrate his resilience, and commitment to personal growth, such as learning to swim in just one week for BBC Children in Need. He hopes achievements like this can inspire others to take some initiative, overcome internal challenges, and engage in personal growth. 



Dr. Ranj elaborates more about his Indian heritage, which had a decisive influence on his work ethic and determination to succeed. He shares how he experienced a lack of emotional support growing up, and how he uses his experiences to promote inclusive education, diversity, and emotional connection. Dr. Ranj discusses other influences in his life, such as his teachers and school experience that had a transformative effect.



He also shares some candid personal experiences, such as his journey of self-discovery, and navigating his sexual identity, that allowed him to journey towards becoming his authentic self. He moves on to discuss how there has been a gradual shift towards fostering diversity and inclusion, both in society and the media, and opens up about his time on Strictly Come Dancing. Dr. Ranj then shares more about his motivations for writing his books aimed at young boys, and how he strives to challenge the confines of masculinity in society. 



Links:

Dr Ranj can be found on:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

For more information about Dr. Ranj, visit: https://www.hachette.co.uk/contributor/ranj-singh/ 

http://www.talent4media.com/talent/dr-ranj-singh/

Purchase your copy of my book: Beyond Discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it)

In Episode 40 of Why Care? I am joined by the brilliant and highly entertaining David McQueen to delve deeper into his brand-new book, The Brave Leader. David shares some life experiences, powerful insights and we touch on subjects such as the importance of followership, his BRAVE framework for good leadership, and how to take a systems approach to inclusive leadership. 

David’s dedication to DEI is apparent through his years of experience as an executive coach, international keynote speaker, and facilitator. David co-founded professional development company Q Squared Ltd. He also hosts The BRAVE Leader podcast and dubs himself the ‘compassionate provocateur’ as he offers ‘unapologetic insights’. In addition, he is also a blogger on all things leadership and cultural change. 

During our discussion, David reveals how he has always had a penchant for writing and the pandemic provided the perfect opportunity for him to finally let his creative juices flow. He was initially motivated to write a book that inspired people to think about their decision-making processes. David shares many relatable personal experiences that shaped his career journey. He has an eclectic professional background - initially studying law, and then accounting, before later realising his passion for public speaking.

Throughout the podcast, David offers BRAVE reflections, and we touch on a range of subjects. He highlights the importance of followership, challenging the traditional narrative that followers are passive. He then shines a light on his five pillars of good leadership, or the BRAVE framework: Bold, Resilience, Agility, Visionary, and Ethical. David goes on to caution us about the signs of poor leadership, and encourages leaders to go beyond their titles and be more functional.

David continues to explore how to embed DEI practices in the workplace, and focuses on the importance of aligning collective values and approaching sensitive topics rationally rather than out of fear. He then suggests how organisations should expand their board and consider the diverse majority to help to nurture an inclusive mindset, future-proof technology and integrate DEI policies. David offers some helpful decision-making models, and acknowledges his constant journey of navigating discomfort with humility.

David delves into the following key concepts in his book:


The Power of Followership - When discussing the leader-follower power-dynamic, leaders are often portrayed as heroic and their ‘followership’ are passive. David challenges this narrative, since followers play an equally powerful role as they have to also ‘buy into their vision,’ and help bring that vision to life.




BRAVE - The five main pillars of good leadership, including being Bold, Resilient, Agile, Visionary, and Ethical. He shares some pertinent examples, to illustrate the significance of each one.




Function over Title - David warns against some of the pitfalls of poor leadership, such as inflated egos, and encourages how a good leader should be brave enough to go beyond their title and be functional.




The Alignment of Collective Values - David offers powerful strategies to help embed inclusion into the workplace and ensure the collective values of the organisation are aligned.




Rationality Over Fear - David outlines how organisations should be brave enough to embrace their discomfort, and confront their fears. He offers strategies to help create a system for rational dialogue and authentic conversations. There should be a ‘conversation system’ for internal discussions with staff and stakeholders.




An Inclusive Mindset - David advises how instead of approaching DEI as a ‘tick-box’ exercise, organisations should establish an inclusive mindset, especially over sensitive topics like ethnicity or race. He challenges leaders to look beyond their small avatar on DEI, broaden their board, and think about how each decision shapes the ‘organisation

“I encourage people in my books to please lean into your privileges, they give you a chance to show up as an ally, take advantage of all of them and I do but I simultaneously also understand the implications of what not having that access looks like. And even though I can't fix all of that, I also have a bit of responsibility to be a part of the solution.”


In Episode 39 of Why Care?, I am joined by Amber Cabral to delve into her second book, Say More About That. We cover topics including how to use the best language to stand up for change, and how organisations can nurture a positive feedback culture and ensure accountability. We also discuss poignant issues, such as pushing back, calling out, taking ownership of family trauma, and standing up for our boundaries.

Amber’s passion for DEI is evident through her experience as a global inclusion leader, executive coach, best-selling author, and TEDx and keynote speaker. She has managed her own boutique company, Cabal Co for almost two decades, coaching large global brands to achieve sustainable and inclusive behavioral shifts. Her first book, Allies and Advocates, was released in 2020. Amber initially stumbled into the world of diversity during her time as a Diversity Council Leader at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, later becoming the Senior Diversity Strategist for Walmart. Amber hosts a podcast ‘Guilty Privilege’ and is committed to organisations empowering the next generation of diverse decision-makers, including Brown Girls Do. 

During our discussion, Amber explains that she was initially inspired to put pen to paper after her colleague, Amanda Miller Littlejohn, pinpointed how she “always had the right words to say.” She therefore framed her book as a toolkit to help empower people to navigate their path to inclusion and equity. She hoped to guide people to choose the best language to speak up, especially those who experience microaggressions or exclusion.

Amber shares her own relatable experiences, and how she was determined to bring about change from a young age. However, she later realized that when it comes to nurturing inclusive spaces and challenging inequities, we have to have a broader mindset and look beyond ourselves. Amber encourages us to be mindful of every side, consider what each person needs to feel equally included, and if each battle to bring about disruption or change will have the right impact on the wider community.

Amber highlights the importance of providing feedback and speaking out when we are offended, so we can grow on the path to inclusion. She then offers tools for organisations and leaders to foster an environment of feedback, and explains the power of accountability. Amber then discusses how to respond to negative feedback and to approach pushing back on people in a non-confrontational, but influential way.

Next, we move on to the emotive topic of family trauma, and how this influences and shapes our ability to speak up about inclusion. She reveals how we should own and embrace our narratives, cultural stereotypes, and differences. This can help us navigate how we respond, create meaningful dialogue, and cause behavioural shifts. Amber then elaborates more about creating boundaries, and the value of recognizing our needs, delegating, and not becoming too accountable.

Amber focuses on the following key concepts of her book:


Feedback - we need to create mechanisms for organisations and leaders to help nurture a culture of feedback.




Taking ownership – it is not our responsibility to change our narrative, but it is our responsibility to be conscious of our family traumas or cultural stereotypes.


Standing up for boundaries - if we navigate standing up for boundaries, providing feedback, and creating accountability, we can all journey to an inclusive and equitable world.



Links:

Amber can be found on:

- LinkedIn. 

- Instagram

- Youtube

For more information about Amber, visit her website: ht

“The reframing that I do around that is that meritocracy
is a myth, the fact that everyone wants to get a job on their merit. Sadly, we know that lots of people get jobs because of who they know not necessarily what they know. They get opportunities and extra opportunities because of who they are...”

In Episode 38 of Why Care?, I am joined by Jenny Garrett, Founder of Jenny Garrett Global to discuss her book, Equality Vs Equity. We discuss colourism, racial discrimination and power, and how we can assimilate our differences and create a society where we are all benefitting.

Jenny’s interest in DEI is evident through her experiences as a career coach, leadership developer, TEDx Speaker and author. She has nearly two decades of experience in running a global business, she founded the first Diverse Executive Coach Directory in the UK and is a Co-Founder of the social enterprise, Rocking Ur Teens. She is passionate about helping people to make the transformation that they are seeking to happen and in doing so, she received an OBE award in 2021 for her services to Entrepreneurship and Women in Business.

 Jenny talks about her internal conflict before writing Equity vs Equality.  She didn’t want to be put in a box, but what motivated her was her desire to empower people and help the world have conversations and take action on race and ethnicity. She speaks about the clear distinction between equity and equality. As she explains, equity is more about changing the systems, for instance, there is an unwritten rule that oftentimes makes it difficult for those with certain accents to progress at work. So, with this, it is more about ensuring that the senior leaders are aware of systemic inequities and are actively creating change. She explains that, at times, people struggle with racial inequity because they have no direct contact with those from an ethnic background, so it becomes difficult for them to understand their lived experiences. It becomes easy to ‘other’ them as a result. As she identifies, there is a huge stigma around being called ‘racist’ and that breeds fear and reluctance around the topic. Some people have grown up being told not to mention anything about ethnicity, so it is challenging for them to have to unlearn that.

 Later on, she speaks about colourism - how the closer people are to whiteness, the more advantages they have. She identifies that as someone with ‘medium brown skin and green eyes’, she has benefitted from this, as it has made her more appealing and accessible to others. Despite this, she recounts her experience of racial discrimination at an evening gala, and, what felt most painful was the lack of allyship...

Jenny then explains the key concepts in her book:

-       Shape-shifting – With the speed of
change in the world, bias and discrimination can be heightened because of the way AI is being built and developed. So, it is about this shift from ‘people are not recognising me’ to ‘AI is not recognising me’. It is about being aware of how micro-aggressions can present differently in the future of work...

-       Interest Conversion – Jenny identifies that
people need a reason to care about racial inequity. She cites the business case for diversity as an example - businesses invest in DEI because of the financial returns they will get. For those with an ethnic background, it could be because they want more opportunities and, for her, it is about creating a society where incidents like George Floyd’s killing don’t happen.

-       Mindset shift – Jenny explains that people need to understand the power they have in different situations and to use that power with humility and not see it as a burden. She references that, as a straight woman, she has a privilege because she isn’t being discriminated against because of her sexual orientation. So, she can support the people from the LGBTQ+ community and be there for them.

 

Links:

Je

(Leadership theories are being developed by white men and researched on those from white backgrounds). “I think the biggest risk is how subtly permeated this exists within our definitions of leadership, of the leadership that we value and trust…"



In Episode 37 of Why Care?, I speak to Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, Founder and CEO of Untapped Leadership. We discuss her book, Untapped Leadership, and we explore the concepts of contextual agility, stealth-clean up and the zone of untapped leadership. We also touch on topics such as the race penalty, imposter syndrome, and how we can redefine and redesign leadership so it is representative and inclusive of all.

Jenny’s passion for DEI is evident in her roles as a leadership facilitator, educator, consultant, and author. Her work in DEI has spanned over two decades, and she has worked with over 500 leaders from more than 200 organisations. Her goal is to address the limitations of current leadership rhetoric...

Jenny speaks on her motivations in writing Untapped Leadership, which came from her reflections that white men typically created the management courses she attended and books she read. She clarifies that although her book was written from a racialised lens, there is an aspect of everyone that may be marginalised and so her book applies to underrepresentation more broadly...

Jenny breaks down the key concepts in her book:

- Roots of Leadership – Jenny gives an example of the ‘Great Man Theory’, where leadership was defined by the characteristics and behaviour of great men. However, by looking at the Fortune 500 senior leaders, it is evident that this theory is still in action. As she explains, if different leadership perspectives were being valued, we shouldn’t be seeing only this type of leader...

- Stepping stones to leadership (Redesigning Leadership) – Most organisational structures are triangular, not very representative, and result in a lot of people being left behind... What she advises is contextual agility; a leadership that is grounded in context and being agile in that context.

- Systemic vs Individual (Stealth-clean up) – Jenny explains a frequent phenomenon whereby leaders from marginalised ethnic groups are given an almost impossible task to ‘clean up’ an organisation's mess. However, they have limited support, people are less forgiving, and their missteps are more consequential. When organisations go through ‘epic failures’, they place the onus on the individual at the very top, when it is in fact systemic. To create a more sustainable system, she advises that organisations think about the structural elements, the systems in place, and how to fix this so that the person leading has all the support they need to succeed.

 - The race penalty – Jenny identifies through her connections with leaders of colour, that there is a ‘mental calculus’ of how to engage, i.e., they take extra thought and consideration on their actions, knowing that they might not be able to speak or show emotion the same way as somebody else in their organisation. This reality in itself, is something that they are often made aware of in their daily interactions.

- Reframing Imposter Syndrome – Jenny references her own experiences of how she would not engage in class because she felt that she didn’t belong. She explains that this narrative of imposter syndrome is deceiving because it is a deficit in the system, not the individual. Imposter syndrome needs to be reframed - what is needed here is a system that is supportive, robust, diverse, and representative to all...

- Zone of Untapped Leadership – Jenny describes the ‘zone of untapped leadership’ as the intersection between the way you leverage your power and privilege and the way you leverage your marginalised perspectives...

 

Links:

Jenny can be found on:

-       LinkedIn

-       Instagram

-       Book



For more from Untapped Leaders, you can visit their w