1- An introduction to today’s topic, creating inclusive work cultures, and guest, Dr. Michael Baran. [0:00:52]

2- Dr. Baran’s company Iris Inclusion and some of the services it offers. [0:02:50]

3- How Dr. Baran went from being a cultural anthropologist to landing in the DEI space. [0:05:34] 

4- How Dr. Baran approaches DEI work at Iris Inclusion from a place of deep understanding. [0:11:07] 

5- How he builds that deep understanding through research. [0:12:56] 

6- Why Dr. Baran uses the term “subtle acts of exclusion” and not “microaggressions”. [0:17:02]

7- What sparked the idea for Dr. Baran’s book with Dr. Tiffany Jana on subtle acts of exclusion. [0:19:44]

8- How Dr. Baran has seen people use his framework to overcome subtle acts of exclusion. [0:25:33] 

9- Why it’s helpful to realize that we're all going to mess up at some point and the importance of responding well when you do get called out. [0:29:57] 

10- Insight into some of the work Dr. Baran is doing on psychological safety and why it’s so important. [0:31:54]

11- Some psychological safety exercises that you can do. [0:34:29]

12- The challenges and the opportunities that Dr. Baran sees for organizational or DEI leaders [0:37:29]

13 - Dr. Baran’s most valuable piece of advice to move people forward in their DEI journey. [0:41:13]  

Resources mentioned:

• Iris Inclusion [0:00:58]
• 
  Subtle Acts of Exclusion: How to Understand, Identify, and Stop Microaggressions [0:01:17]
• The FrameWorks Institute. [0:08:56]
• American Institute for Research [0:08:58]
• inQUEST Consulting [0:09:47]
• Ep 10: Podcast: Let’s Talk Team Dynamics and Racial Equity Readiness with Annie McKay

Guest information: 

Dr. Michael Baran is a social scientist and CEO of Iris Inclusion. He draws on his own research in cultural anthropology and cognitive psychology to inform his current diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work–his speaking engagements, writings, consulting, leadership development, workshop facilitation, and digital products. He has been supporting the DEI efforts of organizations of all types and sizes for 20 years – from Fortune 500 corporations to educational institutions, government agencies, and nonprofits. His work and his digital products have been covered in the
New York Times, BBC, Forbes, Washington Post, CNN, NPR, Boston Globe, Slate
, and more. Prior to his starting Iris Inclusion, Dr. Baran worked as a Senior Partner at inQUEST Consulting. Before making the shift to full-time DEI work, he taught courses at Harvard University and the University of Michigan. He has worked as Associate Director at the FrameWorks Institute and Principal Researcher at the American Institutes of Research, conducting extensive ethnographic research to inform culturally competent campaigns to create more equity and inclusion.

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