103. Courageous Leadership in DEI: Emotions, Identity, and the Bumpy Road to Change

Maria Morukian (Gen X), recognized organizational development practitioner specializing in training, coaching, and facilitation with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and intercultural competence, joins Yo to discuss trends in DEI, emotions that can be present when leading DEI initiatives, and how “jaggedy” those efforts may appear. They also get into intergenerational expectations and how the societal polarization could be shifting its way back.

Maria is the President of MSM Global Consulting, and an adjunct faculty member at American University’s School of International Service. She previously served in leadership and organizational development positions at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Executive Institute and the U.S. Department of State. She has also served in leadership positions at Management Concepts and the National MultiCultural Institute. Over the last two decades, Maria has trained and coached thousands of individuals around the world to build practices for better communication, foster competent and respectful workplaces, and navigate conflict for meaningful culture change.

She has worked with such diverse clients as PBS Distribution, the National Park Service, National Institutes of Health, the World Bank, and the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement..

3 Takeaways:

1. There are numerous emotions likely to be present for leaders when implementing DEI initiatives (fear, shame, courage).

2. We all want to have a balance of belonging and being recognized four our uniqueness. We want to be known for who we are.

3. There are complex deeply entrenched systems which have been around for a long time. We have to be willing to see the process as “jaggedy” and may not come out right or the way we hope the first time we try DEI initiatives.

More About Maria:

Maria is a sought-after speaker and has presented at numerous events, including TEDx, the Forum on Workplace Inclusion, the Association for Talent Development, Blacks in Government, and Ellevate Women’s Network. Her work has been published in Forbes and TD Magazine. She is author of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Trainers: Fostering DEI in the Workplace (ATD, 2022), and has contributed chapters to ATD’s Handbook for Training and Talent Development (ATD, 2022) and the upcoming Building an Organizational Coaching Culture (Taylor & Francis, 2023). Maria is host of the podcast Culture Stew, which focuses on the multidimensionality of identity and best practices in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Maria earned a dual Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan in Organizational Studies and Spanish, and a Master’s Degree from American University in International Communication. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and two daughters. She is an avid runner, dancer, reader, traveler, and lover of theatre.

How to reach Maria:

Email: maria@msmglobalconsulting.com

Website: www.msmglobalconsulting.com

FB: MSM Global

MSM_global on Instagram

Culture Stew podcast

Book: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Trainers

Maria's Upcoming Event:

Ember, a unique community and co-designed learning experience for DEI leaders and practitioners at every stage of their development

How to reach Yo Canny:

Our website:

www.girltaketheleadpod.com