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Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/dei-wasnt-the-problem-cowardly-leadership-was
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In this episode of BEP Live on A Black Executive Perspective Podcast, Tony Tidbit and Chris P. Reed confront the real reason DEI efforts stall, not because the ideas are flawed, but because too many leaders retreat when truth creates discomfort.
The conversation opens with Grace Fooden Correy, host of the newly launched A Mixed Executive Perspective Podcast, as she shares her leadership journey and why honest conversations matter when navigating identity, culture, and power. From there, the discussion expands into a powerful breakdown of an interview with Katie Couric and Bryan Stevenson, examining how historical narratives, cultural conditioning, and corporate fear continue to undermine real progress.
This episode challenges performative DEI, calls out the absence of accountability, and makes one thing clear, progress requires leaders willing to sit in discomfort, own the truth, and act with courage.
This is not about optics. It’s about leadership.
▶︎ In This Episode
00:00: Introduction to Tonight's Discussion
00:54: Interview with Grace Fooden Correy
01:39: Grace's Background and Career Journey
03:53: Launching 'A Mixed Executive Perspective' Podcast
08:55: The Fragility of DEI
12:02: Historical Context of Racial Narratives
18:50: The Impact of Cultural Narratives on DEI
23:59: Challenges and Progress in Racial Equality
36:42: Employee's Promotion Struggles
38:13: Navigating White Culture
40:50: DEI Misconceptions
42:03: Corporate Accountability
45:02: Challenges in the Fashion Industry
47:36: The Rooney Rule and Opportunities
48:21: Personal Reflections on DEI
53:36: Bryan Stevenson's Courtroom Experience
59:51: Final Thoughts and Optimism
01:02:20: Upcoming Episodes and Closing Remarks
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