Authenticity, Belonging, Community

S7 Ep10 : It Starts With You | Gail Plant

Gail Plant is an inspirational Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging advocate. She attended Drexel University, where she received her B.A. in Computer Information Systems. Immediately following graduation from Drexel in 1995, she began her career with a local company, where she worked for 27 years until her retirement in June 2022. During her tenure, she held several leadership roles within the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. Gail received her M.A. in Leadership Development in 2015, and she has spent the last 28 years coaching, mentoring, and leading others on the journey of embracing and fostering the value of themselves and others. Key Takeaways: * If you’re the smartest person in the room, then you need a new crowd * Remain teachable * Listen to young people * Being an ally means speaking up in the moment, not after the fact * An inclusive society starts at the individual level * V.A.L.U.E. – Victorious, Authentic, Loving oneself, Uniqueness, Empowerment * Valuing you starts with you  * Honor everyone’s perspective in a room * Authenticity is the ability to be yourself in every situation, regardless of the circumstances, and, in doing so, unleash your full potential Guest’s Media Recommendations: * Sound Of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot (Film) __ For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com [http://www.incognitotheplay.com/] or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay [https://www.instagram.com/incognitotheplay/] __ Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify. Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger. Email info@incognitotheplay.com with questions or comments about the show!

S7 Ep9 : Intentional Consciousness | Emily McConnell

Emily McConnell is a collaborator, designer, educator, and researcher based in Chicago. She has been the resident costume designer at the CCPA Theatre Conservatory at Roosevelt University since 2007, designing almost 100 productions during that time all while managing the costume shop and teaching and supervising students. Starting in the fall of 2024, she will also be serving as the Program Director for Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies and the Curriculum Coordinator for Technical Theatre. She has been an Artistic Associate at Steep Theatre since 2011 and worked as a freelance designer in Chicago theatre since 1999 with credits including The House, Northlight, Oak Park Theatre Festival, Lifeline Theatre, and The Gift. Her research into collaborative methods in theatrical design has presented that research at conferences including the Association for Theatre in Higher Education and the American Theatrical Costume Association, and her writing has been published in HowlRound Theatrical Commons and Theatre Design and Technology Magazine. She holds a BA in Drama from Dartmouth College and an MA in Theatre Design from Northwestern. Key Takeaways: * Proximity is not enough – gaining new knowledge and expanding your awareness is essential to progress * Be mindful of the identities present in the spaces you are in (including your own) * Determine the priorities of everyone in the room – ask yourself how you can support these goals * Transparency is key to resolving conflicts in the workplace * Honesty should be the starting point * Present the problem, not the solution * Mutual investment in collaboration will bring about the best outcome * Authenticity means being honest and open about your strengths, vulnerabilities, and limitations Guest’s Media Recommendations: * The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley __ Find Guest’s work: * Emily’s Website: https://www.emilymccdesign.com/ [https://www.emilymccdesign.com/] * Emily’s Blog: https://www.emilymccdesign.com/blog [https://www.emilymccdesign.com/blog] __ For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com [http://www.incognitotheplay.com/] or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay [https://www.instagram.com/incognitotheplay/] __ Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify. Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger. Email info@incognitotheplay.com with questions or comments about the show!

S7 Ep8 : “I Am Because of Those Around Me” | Lusanda Mayikana

Lusanda Mayikana is the Dean of Pluralism and Multicultural Affairs at Lake Forest Academy. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Social Justice from Lancaster University (U.K.), a Master of Arts in English Education from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and a Master of Arts in English from Middlebury College. Lusanda came to Lake Forest Academy in 2003 after spending a year as a Harvard-South Africa fellow in the African American Studies department and the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University. As the Dean of Equity, Pluralism, Inclusion, and Community, Lusanda is committed to fostering an inclusive culture and community where all members enjoy belonging, agency, and support. Her focus on bridging by listening, engaging, and intentionally organizing emphasizes connectedness, understanding, and learning about our varied lived experiences. Key Takeaways: * “I am because of those around me” * Meet people where they are * Be curious  * Play to the strengths of you and those around you * Slow down * Take the time to listen to others, even those you disagree with * Authenticity comes from self-knowledge, self-awareness, and sincerity * Trust who you are * Create spaces where people can take risks and, in doing so, be their authentic selves Guest’s Media Recommendations: * Learning to Disagree by John Inazu (book) __ Find Guest’s work: * Lake Forest Academy: https://www.lfanet.org/ [https://www.lfanet.org/] __ For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com [http://www.incognitotheplay.com/] or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay [https://www.instagram.com/incognitotheplay/] __ Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify. Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger. Email info@incognitotheplay.com with questions or comments about the show!

S7 Ep7 : Follow Your Passion | Damon Cates

Dr. Damon Cates has been the President & CEO of One Hope United since 2024. Damon received a BA from Millikin University, an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an EdD from the University of Pennsylvania. He joined One Hope United from the University of Chicago, where, for over 16 years of service, he led alumni relations and development programs for several of the University’s academic units. In addition to UChicago, Damon has also held leadership fundraising positions at the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University. Damon is a sought-after speaker who regularly presents at conferences. He has published articles on enhancing constituent engagement and building organizational capacity, and was appointed by Governor JB Pritzker to the Illinois Youth Budget Commission in 2023.   Key Takeaways: * Be honest about your lived experience – you can always find commonalities with others  * Be aware of the assumptions you make of others on face value * Be mindful of the shame that can be attached to certain identities – allow yourself and others to share your/their identity on your/their own terms * Engage in your community and the causes you support in whatever ways you can * Never underestimate the power of being with people in person * Be present and intentional in interactions with others * Authenticity comes from passion Guest’s Media Recommendations: * Beautiful Thing (film) __ Find Guest’s work: * One Hope United: https://onehopeunited.org/ [https://onehopeunited.org/] __ For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com [http://www.incognitotheplay.com/] or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay [https://www.instagram.com/incognitotheplay/] __ Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify. Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger. Email info@incognitotheplay.com with questions or comments about the show!

S7 Ep6 : The Art of Give and Take | Jeff Spahn

Jeffrey Spahn is the founder and president of Leading Leaders Inc. For more than 20 years he has researched, coached and inspired top business executives and their teams through the distinctive collective leadership process of We the Leader. Jeff’s journey into leading leaders was sparked by experiences of collective flow in high school and as a letterman on the University of Michigan football team. His business degree from the University of Michigan and doctorate from the University of Chicago ground his practice in sound scholarship. Jeff’s most recent publication is the book, We the Leader, published by McGraw-Hill. Key Takeaways: * We are all both leaders and followers * Collective flow comes from explicitly stating shared intentions to foster connection * Mutual investment within a community allows us to see others as valuable and vital * Ask questions – be curious * Practice dialogue – stay open to new ideas * Try things and take risks to foster new connections * Assert your beliefs – don’t impose or withhold – and be ready to let them go * Reframe difference from something to avoid or attack to an opportunity to create * Authenticity requires community – to be authentic you need to allow others to be authentic Guest’s Media Recommendations: * Mary Parker Follett – Prophet of Management: A Celebration of Writings from the 1920s (book) edited by Peter F. Drucker __ Find Guest’s work: * Jeff Spahn’s Website: https://wetheleader.com/ [https://wetheleader.com/] __ For more of Michael’s work, visit our website www.incognitotheplay.com [http://www.incognitotheplay.com/] or follow us on Instagram @incognitotheplay [https://www.instagram.com/incognitotheplay/] __ Thanks to Ned Doheny for providing our podcast music! You can find him and his music on Spotify. Editing and co-production of this podcast by Nina Kissinger. Email info@incognitotheplay.com with questions or comments about the show!