Corporate America’s Work in Fighting Racism is Just Beginning

HBR IdeaCast

Harvard Business Review

Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Communication, Marketing, Business, Business/management, Management, Business/marketing, Business/entrepreneurship, Innovation, Hbr, Strategy, Economics, Finance, Teams, Harvard

4.4 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 9 June 2020

⏱️ 28 minutes

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Summary

Ella Washington, an organizational psychologist at Georgetown University, argues that private sector American organizations have a big role to play in sustaining the fight for racial justice that has gained such momentum in recent weeks. She says that widespread protests should mark a shift in how companies and their leaders push for government policy change, think about diversity and inclusion in their own workplaces, and strive to combat bias and inequality in U.S. society. It not enough for CEOs to release statements and continue on with business as usual. To promote real change, they need to work on these issues each and every day. Washington is the coauthor of the HBR article "U.S. Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against Racism."

Transcript

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0:00.0	How do you navigate gender in your workplace?
0:04.0	HBR's fan favorite podcast Women at Work is back with personal stories, the newest research,
0:09.6	and practical advice on navigating divorce, disability, and career failures.
0:14.0	Listen for free to H.B.
0:16.0	Women at Work wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to the HBR IdeaCast from Harvard Business Review. I'm Allison Beard.
0:37.0	Over the past few weeks in the United States, massive protests over the deaths of
0:49.0	George Floyd and other black Americans at the hands of police have thrown a huge spotlight on an
0:54.2	issue the country has been struggling with since its inception, systemic racism.
0:59.1	Now this is not a news show. We are apolitical, but Harvard Business Publishing's
1:06.1	mission is to improve the practice of management in a changing world. And we think
1:11.0	that these recent events do mark a shift in how companies are
1:14.3	thinking or should think about diversity, inclusion, and racial justice.
1:19.1	As CEOs release statements disavowing bigotry, managers at every level are figuring out how to carry on and support their teams during this traumatic time.
1:30.0	Our guest today wants to make sure that this momentum translates into meaningful
1:34.6	change in corporate behavior and workplace culture. Ella Washington is an
1:39.6	organizational psychologist coach and consultant and a professor at Georgetown University.
1:44.4	She's the co-author of the HBR article US Businesses must take meaningful
1:49.1	action against racism. Ella thank you so much for being on the show.
1:53.2	Hey Allison, thank you so much for having me.
1:55.6	So for you, So first of all I just want to ask how are you doing? You know that is a
2:10.0	loaded question these days what I've noticed in the last few days as the days go on, I find
2:16.4	myself kind of slipping back into our normal retort of, hi, how are you? And then saying, I'm fine, how are you and then saying I'm fine how are you and particularly for
	...

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