Unbias: Unconscious bias at work - Stacey A. Gordon

02/04/25 • 37 min

In this episode Stacey Gordon, founder and principal consultant of Rework Work and author of Unbias: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work, Stacey commented, “The awareness piece is so big. When I first started DEI work, about a decade ago, I really thought it was all about action, and I was that person, like, you need to take action. (“...”) But the more I do this work, the more I am scaling back and just keep coming back to the awareness piece, because I can't make you take an action, can't make you do anything, but once you become aware, and like I said, you have that alignment, that intentionality, that accountability for wanting to do something, (“...”) you're going to do what is right because you see it. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.”

Stacey A. Gordon, MBA
As an Executive Advisor and Inclusive Workplace Culture Consultant, Stacey Gordon anchors action using change management principles while facilitating mindset shifts. She combines concepts of recruiting, career development, diversity, and workplace culture to focus on reworking how companies work, including how they inclusively recruit, hire, and engage employees, effectively creating inclusion and belonging for all. Through her company, Rework Work, she has worked with executive leaders and people managers from companies such as American Express, Kia Motors, Hewlett Packard, GE, Roku, The Obama Foundation, and many others to deliver education, coaching, and consulting that supports organizational change and leadership development in furtherance of creating inclusive workplace cultures.

Stacey’s book, UNBIAS: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work, debuted at #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Release list, while her unconscious bias course on the LinkedIn learning platform was the #1 most watched course of 2021 and has been translated into several languages. Her audience is quickly approaching 2 million unique learners, and Stacey has been recognized as a passionate supporter of DEI by Forbes, the Los Angeles Times, Pepperdine University, and LinkedIn. She earned her MBA from Pepperdine University Business School, her SHRM-SCP certification, and the SHRM Inclusive Workplace Culture Credential. To learn more, visit learn.reworkwork.com
Resources:
Unbias: Addressing Unconcious Bias at Work (2021) by Stacey A. Gordon

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Decoding Higher Ed - Nana Kofi Nti and Mashama Thompson

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In this episode, Nana Kofi Nti and Mashama Thompson, co-founders of 510 Media, discuss the challenges facing colleges and universities in the attention economy. They note that institutions of higher education must work to distinguish themselves from the ubiquity of crowdsourced online learning.

Kofi Nti and Thompson challenge us to reflect critically on whether higher education is truly developing quality minds. They suggest that education is not a finite destination, but rather a continual process of growth and learning.
Nana Kofi Nti

Nana Kofi Nti is known for his commitment to Black Excellence in business, and dedication to Black Entrepreneurship in his local community and beyond. As co-founder of 510media, Nana is responsible for the strategic vision of the business. Under his leadership, 510media has grown from a photography studio to a brand strategy and management agency focused on finding creative solutions that move audiences to action. Honed over nearly 15 years, Nana has authored an unconventional approach to creativity anchored in human connection through deep listening, storytelling, and shared experiences. This approach has earned Nana and 510media a reputation for creating brands and stories that build connections and change the way clients show up to their audience. Active in his community, Nana Kofi Nti created and led free editorial photography courses for several years before handing the reins over to a group of hand-selected photographers that apprenticed directly with him. For the past four years through 510media HOPE, Nana has actively coached more than aspiring and existing Black entrepreneurs. A modern blueprint for nonprofits serving Black communities, HOPE draws on Black creativity, culture, and entrepreneurial spirit to address the dynamic challenges faced by aspiring business owners and leaders of color. “I want to see Oakland become a thriving hub of Black entrepreneurship.”
Mashama Thompson
Mashama is a co-founder and Creative Director at 510media, distinguished by nearly two decades of expertise in pioneering brand and creative strategies across various sectors, including health and technology. Over the past 17 years, he has led both creative and strategic teams in the physical and digital spaces, spanning lifestyle, education, entertainment, and technology industries. His work ethos strives for simplicity, elegance, and human-centered design that cuts through the noise, delivering messages that resonate deeply and drive meaningful engagement.

Beyond leading projects for significant entities like the San Francisco Public Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control, Mashama's commitment to education shines through in his development of the ‘PLAY Sessions’ course and his role as a panelist on the Adobe Design Awards, nurturing the next generation of brand and design leaders.

Resources
Kumar, M. J. (2024). The Imperative of Critical Thinking in Higher Education. IETE Technical Review, 41(5), 509–510
Burnett, D.G., Loh, A. & Schmidt, P. (2023). Powerful Forces Are Fracking Our Attention. We Can Fight Back. New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/24/opinion/attention-economy-education.html
Argyris, C. (1993). Knowledge for Action. A Guide to Overcoming Barriers to Organizational Change.

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DEI: Why is it being used to divide America? - Dr. Daryl G. Smith

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In this episode, we delve into the attacks on DEI with Dr. Daryl G. Smith, author of Diversity's Promise for Higher Education. Dr. Smith discusses the complex dynamics of institutional capacity building and offers insights into mission advancement during these turbulent times.

Dr. Daryl G. Smith, PhD

Dr. Smith is a Senior Research Fellow and Professor Emerita of Education and
Psychology at Claremont Graduate University. She joined CGU as a faculty
member after serving for years as a college administrator in planning and research
and student affairs. She is the author of numerous books and publications, including Diversity’s Promise for Higher Education: Making it Work (4 rd ed). She has served as an evaluator, consultant, and faculty to numerous projects, professional associations, and campuses across the country and to foundations such as the James Irvine Foundation, the Haas Jr. Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and The Hewlett Foundation. She served as part of two U.S. delegations to Ford Foundation sponsored tri-national conferences (India, South Africa, U.S.) on campus diversity, higher education, and democracy that took place in South Africa and the United States. Smith was a Fulbright Senior Specialist in South Africa in 2010 and 2012.

Resources (all publications authored or co-authored by Daryl G. Smith):

Diversity’s Promise for Higher Education: Making it Work (4th ed) (2024)

Framing Diversity Work Today: An Imperative for Excellence for a Pluralistic Society (2024)

Leadership Excellence in a Pluralistic Society: The Role of Identity and Inclusive Leadership (2021)

Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education: Emerging Cross-national Perspectives
on Institutional Transformation (2014)