The Culture Advantage

The Shape of Change, with Jennifer Brown

Sometimes life forces us to be more reflective, more expansive in our thinking. It breaks us out of patterned ways of working. Have you taken the time to step back and think about recent changes to the way we work? How has politics and technology and current events shaped how we think about work, about leadership, about ourselves?  In this episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews bestselling author, speaker, and strategic advisor Jennifer Brown about her new book, The Shape of Change: On Leadership, Resilience, and the Urgent Art of Becoming More Human, Together. Jennifer and Michael reflect on many big picture issues: how to consider and value yourself when your work context changes dramatically, what inclusion means when you have non-human colleagues (AI), where the work of inclusion is heading, valuing humanity even through major disruption, leading through a BANI (brittle, anxious, nonlinear, and incomprehensible) world, and so much more. This conversation will be especially valuable if you are someone who leads an organization, someone who manages people, or someone who works to make organizations more fair, equitable, and inclusive for all.  Resources Mentioned:  The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39150120/] Jennifer Brown on Substack [https://jenniferbrownspeaks.substack.com/] Jennifer Brown on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferbrownspeaks/] How to be an Inclusive Leader book [https://jenniferbrownspeaks.com/how-to-be-an-inclusive-leader/] The Will to Change podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-will-to-change-where-leadership-meets-the-courage/id1208603357]

The Devil Emails at Midnight: Mita Mallick Talking Bad Bosses

Everyone has had bad bosses. But have you thoroughly considered the effect that they are having on our workplace cultures, our team productivity, or even our mental health? In this first episode of Season 2, Dr. Michael Baran interviews bestselling author and corporate changemaker Mita Mallick about her new book, The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn From Bad Bosses. According to Mita, bad bosses are not bad people, but they often do bad things. And those things have dramatic consequences for our workplaces. We can learn from patterned ways of bad bossing in order to build better leaders, therefore improving our workplace cultures, our productivity, our teamwork, and our life satisfaction. The conversation is highly entertaining and also practical and inspiring. If you have had a bad boss, you will love this episode, and if you are a boss or leader, you definitely need to listen! Resources: The Devil Emails at Midnight [https://www.porchlightbooks.com/products/devil-emails-at-midnight-mita-mallick-9781394316489] Reimagine Inclusion [https://www.porchlightbooks.com/products/reimagine-inclusion-mita-mallick-9781394177097] Mita Mallick LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mita-mallick/] Mita Mallick Website [https://www.mitamallick.com/] Mita Mallick TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@mita_mallick13] Video [https://youtu.be/HpZX21eKFJo] of interview

Everyday Bias, Updated: Insights from Howard and Jake Ross

You’ve heard countless people talking about bias and how it impacts the workplace. But how often do you get to hear about bias from the author of perhaps the single-most influential book on the topic? In this wide-ranging and important episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews two guests: (1) legendary thought leader, author, and workplace consultant Howard Ross, and (2) his son Jake Ross who is collaborating with Howard to write the second edition of the book, Everyday Bias, to be released in summer 2026. Michael and guests revisit the insights from Howard’s 2014 book Everyday Bias and then dive into what is being updated for the second edition. This includes updating the research and context in the book as well as new chapters on AI and social media. We also dig into ways that political opinion has moved from a bell curve to a barbell shape, the lack of white men in DEI work, how to avoid triggering defensiveness, and how to make real human connections. We close with some reflections on activism and change and some optimism for the future. Resources mentioned: Everyday Bias by Howard Ross book [https://howardjross.com/books/everyday-bias/] Reinventing Diversity by Howard Ross book [https://howardjross.com/books/reinventing-diversity/] Our Search for Belonging by Howard Ross book [https://howardjross.com/books/our-search-for-belonging/] Bowling Alone by Robert Putman book [http://bowlingalone.com/] The Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker book [https://www.amazon.com/Enlightenment-Now-Science-Humanism-Progress/dp/0525427570] Biography of Andrew Jackson by John Meacham book [https://www.amazon.com/AMERICAN-LION-Andrew-Jackson-White/dp/0812973461] Ken Burns: The American Revolution series [https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-american-revolution]

Transitioning into Disability: Clear Cane Chronicles with Dr. Cynthia Overton

There is so much misunderstanding and discomfort around people with disabilities. Dr. Cynthia Overton tells about how when she was using a wheelchair, people would lock eyes with her and refuse to break eye contact or even blink so they didn’t look at the wheelchair.  In this powerful episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews Dr. Overton, a fellow social scientist. They discuss Cynthia’s transition from a person without a disability to a person with a disability at age 26 when she was diagnosed with a rare spinal cord injury. Cynthia tells the story of what that was like, how people engaged with her, and how she navigates life now. She also provides insights on the health care system, learned from her experiences living in hospitals for seven weeks. This episode will help listeners think more deeply about a wide range of disabilities, think more critically about the health care system, and learn practical strategies to interact with all people and build a culture that is truly inclusive and safe for everyone.  We will also discuss more lighthearted topics such as Cynthia’s forays into stand-up comedy and her love for The Golden Girls or K-dramas. Resources mentioned: Clear Cane Chronicles book [https://www.amazon.com/CLEAR-CANE-CHRONICLES-Healthcare-Person-Centered/dp/1968250999/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25YQYE1PT21A8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KCoB5uMhF-LjmbU-Q5H1BLRjUeHTKZYs370CORtLHe4.RabozzOVFOvdEF1jOivRXDfk88tMzwqyML7IgW3_4I0&dib_tag=se&keywords=cynthia+overton+clear+cane+chronicles&qid=1765228730&sprefix=clear+cane+ch%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-1] Crip Camp documentary [https://www.netflix.com/title/81001496]

Black Fatigue in 2025, with authors Mary-Frances Winters and Mareisha Winters Reese

Black fatigue is not just about Black people being tired. It’s about the real psychological and physical costs of racism, inequity, and exclusion. This is a people issue, and also a business issue. Any organization that ignores Black fatigue is choosing higher burnout, turnover, and reputational risk over trust, innovation, and real performance. In this incredibly relevant and important episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews two guests: (1) legendary trailblazer Mary-Frances Winters who coined the term Black Fatigue in her 2020 book of the same name, and (2) her daughter and business partner Mareisha Winters Reese who is collaborating with Mary-Frances to write the second edition of that book, to be released in June 2026. Michael and these guests unpack what Black Fatigue really is and how racism literally erodes the mind, body, and spirit across generations. Mary-Frances and Mareisha share what has changed in the forthcoming second edition of the book, including new chapters on AI, global Black experiences, and their perspective on the deliberate attempts to erase Black people, culture, and history. We also dig into the emotional weight of this political moment, the weaponizing of and co-opting of terms like DEI, “woke,” and Black Fatigue itself! We close with concrete ways to learn, act, and sustain resistance, including their upcoming companion workbook on healing Black Fatigue. Resources mentioned: * Black Fatigue book [https://www.wintersgroup.com/black-fatigue-is-available-now/] * Preorder Black Fatigue second edition [https://www.amazon.com/Black-Fatigue-Second-Racism-Erodes/dp/B0FSC4W1CN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=168LZGNAMCFLM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ullHEnyUlj8-9eG1I6J0ebwab5Otsks3LJIzwJHODK8.1e_G0lnxJkQbHK6maAilJgCxyizPpgy3dTi-locfXCg&dib_tag=se&keywords=black+fatigue+second+edition&qid=1764004105&sprefix=black+fatigue+second+edition%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-1] * Documentary, 13th [https://www.netflix.com/title/80091741] * Podcast, 1619 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1619/id1476928106] * Michael’s piece on Frozen II [https://irisinclusion.com/newsletter/on-frozen-ii-and-snowflakes/]