Weekly Resources from the Catalyst Community: Week of October 13th

Welcome to our weekly showcase featuring a curated selection of valuable resources shared by our community. We explore various topics, including professional development, diversity, equity, and mentorship. We enjoy sharing these resources and hope they will benefit you as much as they have benefitted us.

This week's post from the Collaboratory explores an important issue that companies across all industries face today - the gap between diversity messaging and actual inclusive practices. It provides a thoughtful analysis of how many organizations attempt to showcase diversity during hiring, yet fail to carry that commitment through once candidates become employees. The author examines the roots of this "bait and switch" approach and offers practical guidance on how leadership commitment, transparent communication, and sustained effort can help close the disconnect. This is a good read for anyone interested in creating equitable and inclusive workplaces that live up to their brand promises.

In a fascinating TED talk, journalist Krista Tippett distills wisdom from decades of conversations with leading thinkers into three key practices for living fully and meaningfully. Notice everyday goodness, embrace life's big questions as journeys rather than problems to solve, and cultivate a sense of wholeness that balances difficulties and joys. Tippett argues that consciously engaging in these habits allows us to appreciate complexity, evolve over time, and contribute our gifts to the community and the planet. Her thoughtful talk offers inspiration for bringing creativity, conviction, and our best selves to meet the challenges of our era.

The pandemic forced a massive shift in how we approach work-life balance, requiring many employees to reset boundaries as companies moved to remote or hybrid models. But maintaining that balance is an ongoing effort that benefits both workers and employers. This LinkedIn article explores practical strategies to achieve a healthier work-life balance, like setting clear expectations with your boss, utilizing workplace policies that support balance, and managing guilt around taking time off. It shares perspectives from experts on how to have crucial conversations with leadership about your needs and advocate for yourself. With concrete takeaways on improving work-life fulfillment while boosting job performance, it’s a must-read for anyone seeking to find the right equilibrium between their work and personal life in our evolving workplace culture.

In this Ted Talk, Vimeo CEO Anjali Sud shares how leaders can guide diverse workforces through uncertainty. She explains how communicating with more video and normalizing discussions of problems built trust and agility during the pandemic. Sud describes tailoring approaches to engage young employees seeking flexibility, purpose and understanding the “why.” Though times are challenging, Sud retains passion by embracing the good and hard parts of leadership. With empathy and care for people, she sees no tradeoff between results and support. Offering practical wisdom on leading amid constant change, this piece provides inspiration for bringing out the best in people.

Thanks for reading! If you have any interesting resources we should share in our next roundup, let us know at [email protected].