You’ve seen and heard about it from the hiring room to the Hollywood screen. For the last few years, every workplace imaginable has been discussing and trying to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion by implementing DEI practices in their company.

But Mia Henry, founder and CEO of Freedom Lifted, sees a flaw in the way these concepts often get applied. Her approach involves pioneering innovative work, and she has lots of experience working with those committed to promoting justice and equity.

In this episode of the Promote Yourself to CEO podcast, we’re continuing our work and business culture series with Mia. You’ll learn how to cultivate a sense of belonging within your team by using a more effective way of applying these concepts in your small business. Mia will reveal what shared power looks like, why it’s important to have it, and the process she uses to help others begin to do DEI work differently.

On this episode of Promote Yourself to CEO:

7:03 - Why are diversity, equity, and inclusion so important within the culture of a company? Mia explains from her unique perspective.

12:42 - Mia discusses what social power and equity are and how they relate to shared power within team dynamics or management of organizations.

20:07 - Many still aren’t ready to have this conversation, so what is necessary for people to be ready to do this work? And how does Mia help them start to tackle it?

23:12 - Issues still arise when those with marginalized identities gain positional power. Why? And why is privilege not necessarily a bad thing?

25:23 - We talk about the two stakeholders I think small businesses really need to consider in this and how too many businesses approach it instead.

32:33 - How is this kind of social justice and movement work similar to doing trauma work? Mia also discusses a critical (and sometimes revolutionary) part of her work.

38:21 - Mia gives some examples of people she looks up to who are leading from this new paradigm of shared power.

41:11 - We share why we have hope for younger generations to make a difference, and how our generation can help.

45:08 - Mia has been part of The CEO Collective for a year. What has happened to her business since joining?

Mentioned in Build a Business Culture That You and Your Employees Love with Tiffany Slater

Shared Power and DEI Work Done Different...