Episode 165: Navigating Productive, Polarizing Conversations with Karen Jones

Leadership is built on conversations. To move the needle, your voice needs to be heard, as do the voices of your team. But let's face the elephant in the room: not all conversations will be easy. Some will be difficult. Some will be polarizing. Some will consist of conflicting ideas and opinions. So how do you make a positive impact despite (and being inclusive of) diverse views?  Who better to answer this question than Karen Jones, Founder and President of Sacred Leadership Solutions. She's also the Vice President of Learning and Partner Solutions at NextUp. To say that she's done profound work is an understatement. With 15+ years of experience in leadership development, talent management, and process improvement, Karen is seasoned in handling polarizing environments and helping leaders navigate difficult conversations. Working with Fortune 500 companies like American Express and Ulta Beauty, she implements human capital strategies that produce desired and sustained outcomes. She specializes in designing emotionally safe discussion environments and has extensive experience in delivering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) strategies.   In her Your Brilliant Difference Podcast interview, Karen discloses the main cause for people avoiding difficult conversations at work—relationship erosion.  But Karen pulls back the curtain and shares how approaching polarizing conversations with "Speaking From Centre" can be beneficial and productive for organizations.   Tune in to learn how to have difficult conversations at work that produce productive, meaningful outcomes.   Here's What We'll Be Talking About Today:  00:00 — An Introduction to Karen Jones  03:00 — The Importance of Navigating Difficult Conversations in a Polarizing World  10:18 — Practical Tools for Productive Conversations  20:49 — The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Conversations  30:33 — Leadership Words of Wisdom: How to Be Distinctive   37:59 — Karen Jones' Brilliant Difference  Connect with Karen Jones  Karen Jones on LinkedIn  Become the Next Your Brilliant Difference™ Podcast Guest  Have a brilliant story you want to share that surrounds leadership, team building, communication skills, or leaning on your brilliance and strengths to drive meaningful results? Click HERE to fill out the application form, and our team will be in touch! 

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