816: Dr. Gena Cox – Being Inclusive as Small Business Owners

A new, important role has entered the lives of business owners – the role of Chief Diversity Officer. This is a role in which we, as business owners, ensure we are being inclusive in our businesses and in our communities, with greater consciousness of the messages we’re putting out into the world. It may seem like yet another hat we must wear as small, self-employed business owners, but being inclusive is equally important for the self-employed as it is for large corporations. But as usual, how we can be inclusive is different for us than it is for large corporations. To help us navigate this topic, I speak with Dr. Gena Cox, author of Leading Inclusion. In our conversation, Dr. Cox breaks down the difference between diversity and inclusion, and how inclusion is particularly relevant to small businesses and the self-employed. As Dr. Cox says, all of us can be more inclusive than we currently are. We discuss how inclusion and respect can impact many of our daily business activities (for example, even in things such as decisions about how and to whom we offer discounts). Dr. Cox also offers practical insights and solutions for increasing inclusion, such as looking for things we have in common with others who are different from us, and how having a “comfort goal” can help us be more inclusive more easily. After a decades-long career advising leaders in some of the largest companies in America and beyond, Dr. Gena Cox concluded that the pace of workplace inclusion change was unacceptably slow. She harnessed her organizational psychology and executive coach insights, her understanding of c-suite dynamics, and her personal workplace experiences to write a book, Leading Inclusion. Her book helps leaders connect unfamiliar dots to drive inclusion from the top of their organizations. Gena asks her clients to remember one simple idea: “Inclusion tops diversity!” And be sure to subscribe to The Self-Employed Life in Apple Podcasts or follow us on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss an episode. Everything you need can all be found at jeffreyshaw.com.  Dr. Gena Cox, thank you so much for being here!   Remember, you might be in business FOR yourself but you are not in business BY yourself. Be your best self. Be proud and keep changing the world.     Guest Contact – Inclusion Insider Tipsheet GenaCox.com Gena Cox on LinkedIn (in/GenaCox) Gena Cox on Twitter (@GenaCox) Leading Inclusion by Gena Cox Contact Jeffrey – JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs The Self-Employed Summit Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!     Valuable complimentary resources to help you –   The Self-Employed Business Institute — You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! — Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that’s keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You’ll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! — Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO!   Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.