{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"65 \u2013 Fighting Stigma: Overcoming Stereotypes in the Workplace","description":"Welcome back to Blended! Today, we\u2019re taking on a big topic \u2013 stigma and stereotypes.   As laws and recommendations continue to evolve at both federal and state levels, employers face an increasingly complex landscape. According to reports, some of the top challenges for employers in 2026 range from navigating compliance and whistleblowing, to dealing with issues around immigration and mental health and wellbeing. But, below all of this complexity, many employees find themselves dealing with versions of the same old problems. Stereotypes, stigma, and bias are still felt deeply by women, people of color, the LGBTQIA+ and disability communities, and more.  So, whilst the big battles are happening at federal and state level, what can the rest of us do to address what it all means for employees on a day-to-day basis? Our guests are going to be diving into all of that today, and exploring addressing stigma and overcoming stereotypes in your organization.    IN THIS EPISODE: [01.12] Introductions to our Blended panelists.   \u00b7         Jenny \u2013 Chief Executive Officer at Catalais Consulting \u00b7         Tedi \u2013 President and CEO at MI Diversity Center   \u00b7         Robbin \u2013 Founder and CEO at Women Igniting Change   [04.58] The group share their personal experiences, and discuss what stereotypes and stigma really mean, how they show up in the workplace, and their impacts. \u00b7         Gender-based stereotypes, eg. Emotion or working mothers \u00b7         Credibility \u00b7         Belonging \u00b7         Negative perceptions \u00b7         Unfounded truths \u00b7         Assumptions \u00b7         Judgement \u00b7         Blame \u00b7         Inherited beliefs and values \u00b7         Influence of family, society and culture \u00b7         Identity \u00b7         Language \u2013 words have power \u00b7         Dehumanization \u00b7         Lived experience \u00b7         Fear\/self-protection \u00b7         Privilege \u00b7         Jenny\u2019s experience of immigration and assimilation \u00b7         Limiting potential \u00b7         Racism \u00b7         Top down examples\/leadership \u00b7         Sources of information\/disinformation \u00b7         Asking questions \u00b7         Doing due diligence \u00b7         Control   \u00b7         Us vs them narrative \u00b7         Challenges of multigenerational workplaces \u00b7         Right and wrong, true and false \u00b7         Physical and mental impact \u00b7         Intersectionality    \u00b7         Active listening \u00b7         Robbin\u2019s experience of reverse agism and stereotyping around her personality type \u00b7         Misogyny \u00b7         Tedi\u2019s experience of identity stereotyping \u00b7         Bias \u2013 implicit and explicit, conscious and unconscious \u00b7         Stereotyping and labels within individual communities \u201cSomeone who expresses passion and empathy in the workplace is often framed as too emotional, rather than that being seen as a leadership strength. To me, that\u2019s a stereotype\u2026 The stigma is when we start to internalize that.\u201d Robbin \u201cThere\u2019s no such thing as a true stereotype!\u201d Tedi \u201cStereotypes are assumptions, shortcuts we take to understand others quickly. Stigma is what happens when those assumptions get loaded with judgement or consequence.\u201d Jenny \u201cOur own unexamined beliefs and values tend to ooze out onto other people, either intentionally or unintentionally.\u201d Robbin \u201cPrivilege is not the issue \u2013 what we do with it is... Blind spots are the not issue \u2013 refusing to look at them, acknowledge them, and then learn and grow from them IS.\u201d Jenny [55.39] The panel explore how to tackle issues around stereotyping and stigma in the workplace.  \u00b7         DEI mapping\/auditing \u00b7         Examining attitudes of leadership team and employees \u00b7         Examining policies and practices \u00b7         Tracking, meeting and celebrating goals\/milestones \u00b7         Awareness \u00b7         Responsibility \u00b7         Communication \u00b7         Safety\/culture  \u00b7         Authenticity \u00b7         Separation between work self and personal self \u00b7         Accountability \u00b7         Respect \u00b7         Equality \u00b7         Impact of current political climate \u00b7         Transparency \u00b7         Vulnerability \u00b7         Value systems \u201cIt takes culture to create a safe container for those conversations. When I was in corporate, part of the management style was fear and intimidation. There was no way it was safe enough to have this kind of dialogue.\u201d Robbin \u201cIt comes down to our core values. If our core values, as human beings, are aligned, it\u2019s OK if we have different beliefs. As long as those beliefs don\u2019t diminish, harm or dehumanize anybody else based on their identity\u2026 Divisiveness is where we lose the ability to bridge our gaps in understanding of different perspectives and to have respectful dialogues.\u201d Jenny  \u201cIf we stop fixing people, and start redesigning our workplaces and systems\u2026 We can start moving the needle and meeting people where they are.\u201d Jenny  [01.13.45] The group sum up their thoughts from today\u2019s discussion.  ","author_name":"Blended","author_url":"https:\/\/blendedpledge.org\/podcast\/","html":"