504: How to Support Belonging, with Julia Taylor Kennedy

Julia Taylor Kennedy: Coqual

Julia Taylor Kennedy is an Executive Vice President at Coqual, driving cutting-edge research into the issues impacting today’s professional workforce. She led The Sponsor Dividend research and co-authored Disabilities and Inclusion, Mission Critical: Unlocking the Value of Veterans in the Workforce, and The Power of the Purse: Engaging Women for Healthy Outcomes.

She has spoken at the United Nations, the Carnegie Council for Ethics and International Affairs, the Conference Board — and many other places — and she’s been featured in The Washington Post, CBS News, Forbes, Time, and Harvard Business Review. Coqual recently released a new report, titled, The Power of Belonging: What It Is and Why It Matters in Today’s Workplace.

Key Points

• A slight uptick in belonging leads to a sizable increase in engagement/loyalty.
• White men and women have the highest belonging scores. Black and Asian women have the lowest.
• Organizations can move beyond espousing support by setting clear metrics and also inviting in external stakeholders for accountability.
• Senior leaders set the tone for what the organization does (or does not do) to support belonging.
• While there is not yet enough action from white, straight leaders, there is movement in espoused support and concern for belonging.

Resources Mentioned

• The Power of Belonging by Coqual
• How to Be an Antiracist* by Ibram X. Kendi
• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism* by Robin DiAngelo

Related Episodes

• What You Gain By Sponsoring People, with Julia Taylor Kennedy (episode 398)
• Journey Towards Diversity and Inclusion, with Willie Jackson (episode 441)
• Changed My Mind (Dave’s Journal)
• Making the Most of Mentoring (audio course)

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