Scott Christianson: Higher Education and the Rapid Pace of Change

With recent events and the resulting protests due to social injustice, the current moment has shaken many of us in a way that inspires us to shape a better future. In this episode, I speak to Diversity and Inclusion Strategist Kristina Smith about diversity, race and the importance of having the ability to be exactly who we are in our work and in the world.

Kristina's Bio:

Professional Background:

Kristina Smith, CDP (she, her) has spent the bulk of her career in training and development. This laid the foundation to develop performance improvement strategies for corporations. She has been successful at helping organizations build stronger teams through specific team development activities, strategic planning with leaders and designing programs to develop bench strength in companies. Coaching C-Suite and mid level managers was a large part of her success ensuring businesses met their goals and objectives.

Kristina has worked with corporations, government, and non-profits. Her greatest strength is her ability to communicate with all stakeholders. She facilitates conversations between frontline team members and management. These conversations make it possible to find solutions to some of the organization’s toughest challenges.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

While working to help teams improve performance, she frequently uncovered data which led to devising and implementing diversity and inclusion (D&I) strategies to exceed expected business results. She has hosted conversations about race, how to create more equitable workspaces, and how leaders in the C-Suite can mentor women and people of color to assist in their advancement, retain them and create inclusive environments.

Sometimes, diversity training is not the answer to solving a workplace dilemma. Facilitating a structured conversation is what allows teams to express where an organization may be missing an opportunity to use the employees’ talents and strengths. By tapping into this unused potential organizations are often amazed at how this benefits their company.

Facilitating, Coaching, and Conversations:

Kristina has trained teams to lead large scale change initiatives as change agents. Teaching facilitation techniques empowered front line leaders to have a dynamic impact within their teams. She is adept at coaching C-Suite and mid level managers to bring out the best in their employees, thereby creating more desirable workplaces.

As a Conversational Intelligence (C-IQ) Coach, Kristina facilitates difficult conversations about race, racial inequity, and creating equitable workspaces for all. Kristina shares tools that can help team members navigate difficult conversations with people who are different.

Education:

Kristina earned a B.S. in Communication Disorders at Emerson College. She attended Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School and received a graduate certificate in Managing Change in Organizations. To better understand individuals, couples, and teams she received a certification from the Relationship Coaching Institute. Expanding on the concept of understanding different groups of people she participated in workshops at the Multi-Cultural Institute. This training eventually led her to become a Certified Diversity Professional (Institute for Diversity Certification).

Kristina is certified to deliver the DiSC and the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team. The DiSC is a Behavioral Assessment that allows individuals to know themselves and work with others better. She is also certified in Conversational Intelligence (C-IQ). This is the neuroscience of how the brain works when people are in productive and unproductive conversations. She received continuing education credits in Executive Coaching and is currently enrolled in the Purpose Development Coaching program.

Volunteer Work:

Emerge, Inc – non-profit organization that serves people with disabilities – Past President

Emerson College (Boston, MA) – Alumna Board of Directors

Resources:

McKinsey Reports

https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters#

https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/organization/our%20insights/why%20diversity%20matters/diversity%20matters.ashx

Harvard Business Review

https://hbr.org/topic/diversity

Diversity in tech

https://www.wired.com/story/five-years-tech-diversity-reports-little-progres...