Next Generation Leadership

The world is changing at an incredible rate, and as it does, so do our workspaces. We invite managers to think about intergenerational aspects, new normals, and ways to engage across generations as you redefine your workplace environment.

Recently, I appeared on a podcast by highly regarded coach and strategist, Charles Day. This was a great session especially because we discussed my favorite topic, Leadership. I was equally delighted by Charles’ take-away from our discussion, naming me “DeEtta Jones, “The Quiet Leader.”

Join DeEtta as she talks about one of her heroes and historical icon Malcolm X, the relevance of Black History for everyone, and why it's important to include "Black History" under the broader scope of “History."

I wasn’t raised celebrating holidays but fell in love with them as an adult. Growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness allowed such mixed blessings in my childhood. I was enveloped by the religion’s most earnest expressions of brotherly love. Worldly pursuits are unimportant to Witnesses; therefore, everyone around me was either poor or living modestly while abundant in faith, love, and generosity. My...

Only 13% of employees feel that their leaders are transparent in their communication. Organizations with transparent communication have 47% higher employee engagement. Only 17% of employees believe their organizations are transparent about decision-making processes. Are any of these statistics startling to you? Transparency is one of the most used words and requested acts by employees...

New York Times International Edition, November 11, headline reads Business leaders tread lightly on Gaza war. It goes on to explain why it is so difficult for leaders to comment on the lack of knowledge about the history of the conflict, the inability to point to one, and only one, clear victim, fear of appearing either antisemitic or Islamophobic, and concern about negative financial...

I have such mixed feelings about being a “DEI practitioner.” The label is too small, too narrow for our work. These three letters are consistently misunderstood, undervalued, and often lack alignment with real strategic impact on organizations. People with real power to make ongoing investments view the work of inclusion as “optional,” lacking a clean and immediate “ROI,” and “in addition to our...

1. Perspective-Taking When we take the perspective of another person, our brains engage what is described as the "mentalizing" network. This network is engaged when we search for new alternatives or deviate from routines, provoking selection of options we typically wouldn’t take into consideration. With this in mind, perspective-taking is the perfect way to begin examining, unpacking, and...

Cultural competence is a personal skill set. It is the capability to shift cultural perspective and adapt behavior in recognition of cultural commonalities and differences. This competency requires an adjustment in everything - from becoming aware, to developing skills and then modifying behavior. Cultural competence requires a deep cultural self-awareness that derives from continuous education,...

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is all around us, and still a mystery to many. It’s difficult to know where it begins and ends, and what must be present to yield the desired results. Below is an un-checklist of what I consider to be essential ingredients for getting EDI right. None of them can be turned into a “check the box” activity or program, but each is necessary. 1. Philosophy We...