Every week, we use The Buzz to share our thoughts on current news and trends around diversity, equity, and inclusion. What better way to kick off the new year than to share some of the “Buzz” going on at The Winters Group!

Yesterday, Mary-Frances was featured at Berrett-Koehler Publishers’ Author Day. She discussed her upcoming book, We Can’t Talk About That At Work! A Guide for Bold, Inclusive Conversations: How to Talk about Race, Religion, Politics, and Other Polarizing Topics. The purpose of the book is to provide a practical guide to engaging in effective dialogue around seemingly ‘undiscussable’ topics. Given our current political climate and other societal influences that have left our nation (and world) polarized across varying aspects of difference, the book is certainly timely.

Last year, we hosted a number of public and private client engagements that explored how we can take strides towards creating inclusive environments that encourage authentic dialogue across race and other dimensions of difference. What we found was a growing desire, among leaders and employees, to have these conversations, but a lack of competence in doing it effectively.

Whether it’s about the 2016 Election, the #BlackLivesMatter Movement, immigration, LGBTQ or Islamophobia, people are talking—or at the very least, thinking—about these topics, and its impacting the workplace. If we learned nothing else during 2016, we learned that there’s still so much more for us to learn about our respective “others.” However, the only way we’ll ever get to learning, is if we get to talking.

In 2017 and beyond, it is our goal to support you in doing just that.

Check out the live stream from Author Day with Mary-Frances, here: