Joy L. Wiggins Speaking Topics

• Power and Sexism: Unmasking Microaggressions to Create a More Equitable Workplace

  Biases are ingrained in the way humans process and organize information about others, rooted in our need for survival and belonging. These biases, shaped by power structures, childhood experiences, geographic location, and generational context, influence how we perceive ourselves and others. This talk delves into the messages we received growing up that shaped our worldview and explores how societal power dynamics shape our perceptions and interactions.

  Key questions addressed include:

  • What childhood messages shaped our self-views and perceptions of others?
  • How do societal power structures influence our biases?
  • What types of biases affect our relationships?
  • How can we change our perceptions and see the potential for change in ourselves?

  By examining our lifelong socialization, this talk uncovers how biases lead to harmful or violent interactions and limit self-beliefs. Through constant self-awareness and reflection, we can challenge and overcome these limiting beliefs, fostering better relationships with ourselves and others.

• Women Supporting Women: How Women Can Move from Sabotage to Support

  For women to genuinely support each other, we must address the intersections of power and privilege, focusing on race, class, sexuality, and geography. By recognizing where we hold power and where we don't, we can leverage our privileges to create inclusive spaces for historically marginalized groups. This talk examines the dynamics of privilege and power within the feminist movement's history and identifies behaviors and ideologies that trigger implicit bias and microaggressions.

  Key insights include:

  • Understanding the varying intersections of power and privilege.
  • Examining how privileges along different lines can be leveraged for support.
  • Analyzing historical feminist dynamics to understand current challenges.
  • Breaking down socialized behaviors that perpetuate implicit bias and microaggressions.

  By addressing these elements, we can move from sabotaging to truly supporting one another, fostering an environment where all women can thrive.

• Inclusive Leadership: Engaging Employees Who Stay

  How can leaders cultivate self-awareness, empathy, and emotional intelligence to engage and support their employees? According to a Gallup poll, employees often leave their managers, not their jobs. Managers must develop emotional intelligence and cultural competency to recognize and nurture their employees' strengths, acknowledge their accomplishments, and provide consistent, constructive feedback.

  With 40% of employees leaving their jobs due to poor performance by their senior leaders and 96% believing empathy is crucial for retention, it's clear that effective leadership is essential. Studies repeatedly show that middle managers and senior leaders often lack the ability to develop and retain their employees. This talk delves into how leaders' socialization and self-reflection can help them cultivate the skills needed to create an inclusive, innovative workplace that thrives on mutual success.

  Key Insights Include:

  • Cultivating Self-Awareness: Understanding personal biases and their impact on leadership.
  • Developing Empathy and Emotional Intelligence
  • Recognizing and Nurturing Strengths: Techniques for identifying and leveraging employees' unique strengths.
  • Building a Culture of Inclusion: Fostering a workplace environment that values diversity and inclusion and implementing policies and practices that support an inclusive culture.

• Navigating Global Markets: The Power of Cultural Awareness

  Cross and intercultural communication is crucial in business because it fosters understanding and collaboration among diverse teams and clients, enhancing productivity and innovation. By developing the skill to understand different cultures, businesses can build stronger relationships, navigate global markets more effectively, and avoid misunderstandings that can lead to conflicts or lost opportunities. This cultural competence leads to improved customer satisfaction, a more inclusive workplace, and a competitive advantage in an increasingly globalized economy. Cultural sensitivity has become essential for achieving business success. Multicultural teams drive innovation, with studies showing a significant link between diversity and higher revenue from innovation. Companies like Netflix exemplify leveraging cultural awareness by adapting content to local preferences, boosting global subscriber numbers. However, managing cultural diversity also entails risks, as demonstrated by eBay's failure in China and Snapchat's insensitive advertisement, highlighting the need for tact and compassion. Organizations must embed culture-sensitive strategies across all operations to harness their full potential and foster inclusive, innovative environments.

  Key Insights:

  • Leveraging Cultural Awareness: Adapting content and services to local preferences boosts global reach and customer satisfaction.
  • Risks of Mismanaging Cultural Diversity: Lack of cultural understanding can lead to significant failures. Sensitivity to cultural dynamics is crucial to avoid alienating users and damaging relationships.
  • Embedding Culture-Sensitive Strategies: Companies must integrate cultural awareness into all facets of operations, from HR to R&D and communications. Recognizing and leveraging diverse values and backgrounds as strengths fosters innovation and inclusivity.

  Cross-cultural communication is essential for business success, fostering understanding and collaboration among diverse teams and clients, which enhances productivity and innovation. Developing cultural competence allows businesses to build stronger relationships, navigate global markets effectively, and avoid conflicts, leading to improved customer satisfaction and a competitive advantage.

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