Are you familiar with deepfakes? These are manipulated videos using AI technology to make a person appear to do or say something they did not, and they are more than just convincingly believable – it takes active disbelief in what your eyes are seeing to know that some deepfakes are in fact, fake. And deepfakeContinue reading “Using the “Whoa Test” in Everyday Conversations”
Category Archives: Biases
What do Racist Attacks on Black Fantasy Actors Have to Do with Your Work?
A few months ago, Obi-Wan Kenobi star Moses Ingram faced an outporing of racist attacks following her portrayal of the villainous Inquisitor Reva Sevander – the first Black female villain in the Star Wars franchise. Ingram wasn’t surprised by the abuse – and Lucasfilm even helped to prepare her for them. Attacks on people ofContinue reading “What do Racist Attacks on Black Fantasy Actors Have to Do with Your Work?”
Serena Williams, Power Dynamics, and “Black Exceptionalism”
Were you one of the millions of viewers to watch Serena Williams play (what is expected to be) her final match of tennis at the US Open last week? Just a few weeks earlier, Williams announced her farewell to tennis after a truly extraordinary career. She was careful with the words she used: “I haveContinue reading “Serena Williams, Power Dynamics, and “Black Exceptionalism””
How to Move Forward with a Difficult Coworker
Many things can contribute to work being challenging, but most of us have had at least one experience where the people you work with make or break your experience. Sometimes a coworker or manager can really add to your experience and you’re grateful to be working with them – if so, great! Other times youContinue reading “How to Move Forward with a Difficult Coworker”
If Microaggressions Were Mosquito Bites
It’s the time of year when mosquitos are out in force where I live in New England. And mosquitos love me. Much more than I love them. At any one point during late Summer I can have dozens of mosquito bites on my body. And while I’ve been telling people for years that it’s becauseContinue reading “If Microaggressions Were Mosquito Bites”
Mentoring Summer Interns, and Finding a New Mentor or Mentee
As we approach Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, your organization may be planning to bring on some interns for the season. Internships can provide incredible hands-on learning opportunities for young people looking to enter a field of work. The interns also bring value to the organization through their labor, their unique perspectives and lived experiences,Continue reading “Mentoring Summer Interns, and Finding a New Mentor or Mentee”
Being a Mental Health Ally for Your Colleagues (and Yourself!)
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, each year millions of Americans (as many as 1 in 5) experience mental illness. In the past, many of us might have believed that mental health was a concern only for those with mental illness, but living through a lengthy pandemic, and all the stresses and repercussionsContinue reading “Being a Mental Health Ally for Your Colleagues (and Yourself!)”
Workplace Stretches to Reduce Stress
When was the last time you had a stress headache while working on a major project? Or felt tension in your stomach following an interaction with someone on your team? How do those physical sensations affect the rest of your day? Chances are they don’t support you succeed in your work or have life-giving interactionsContinue reading “Workplace Stretches to Reduce Stress”
Can You Sleep Your Problems Away?
How often do you face a hard choice, perhaps related to your work team or hiring, only to receive the advice “just sleep on it”? Does that feel like just putting the problem off for another time? Conversely, have you ever rushed into a decision about something only to regret it and wish you’d leftContinue reading “Can You Sleep Your Problems Away?”
Poison Ivy Privilege, Revisited
In New England, where I live now, poison ivy is commonplace. But in the UK, where I grew up, there is none. So unlike many New Englanders, I didn’t grow up with regular exposure to poison ivy; nor did I grow up looking out for it, or being able to identify it with a “leavesContinue reading “Poison Ivy Privilege, Revisited”
Building Bridges Leadership 