Interfaith Business Network Podcast

Lucia Die Gil and Melinda Varfi are part of Greaterthan, a community for practitioners, coaches, network weavers, product builders, experimenters, space holders, and alchemists that has been exploring decentralized organizing for a decade and supports others on their journey, from developing open source tools and products, to conducting research and running experiments. Lucia and Melinda facilitate a 10-week course called Trauma Informed Collaboration: Foundations that interlaces recent scientific research on trauma with embodied practices and collective intelligence/wisdom, to give participants awareness to recognize trauma responses in others and in oneself; and how to apply it to work situations.Heather Archer is a certified wellness coach with specialties in sound healing, reiki, yoga, and hypnotherapy. Author of the Grind Culture Detox and founder of Thriving with Heather, she creates transformational learning experiences for liberation and thriving at work.Topics covered during the episode include:Lucia and Melinda's journeys from Catholicism to the ways of life that created wholeness and connection with SpiritGreaterthan and their approach to trauma in the workplaceOur “aha!” moments in the workplace realizing our own trauma triggersA practice of Orientation and Resourcing from Somatic Experiencing to reduce harm and retraumatization in the workplaceHeather's sabbatical to reimagine what work-life liberation looks likeA definition of Grind Culture as an addiction to productivityHow jobs that are callings make it easier to get caught up in Grind CultureWhy leaders need to model healing and undoing the trauma of overworkingA glimpse into the connection between trauma, perfectionism, and overworkGenerative boundaries at the individual and collective levels that address our codependent tendenciesScheduling micro-breaksLucia, Melinda, and Heather's vision for the world (a world I 100% want to live in!)To learn more and connect with Lucia, Melinda, and Heather, check out:Greaterthan.worksThrivingwithHeather.comThe Grind Culture Detox bookConnect with Lucia and Melinda on LinkedInListen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

Teddy Taptiklis is a researcher, facilitator, member of Enspiral, and founder of Between Us. Through his project Entangled Bodies, he has been researching the use of sound recordings to create a sense of relational awareness amongst groups. In 2019, he published the blog series Microattunement on Medium, building upon Richard Bartlett's Microsolidarity framework, a community-building practice with the objectives of creating structures for belonging and meaningful work. Though Richard wasn't able to join us for this recording, it is his voice you heard in Part 1 of this series. This episode is Part 3 of 3 of our conversation, where we explore the importance of the role of host and ritual, as well as the design of the physical space, for creating conditions for belonging, membership, and responsiveness to the needs of the group. Topics covered during the episode include:-Reimagining the role of hosting to share responsibilities with the group-Teddy's experiences at the Marae and what these practices can teach us about designing gatherings, meetings, and teams to be self-organizing-Jim Burklo's Musings: The Meaning of Membership-Designing spaces and rituals for inviting strangers to settle into an experience of belonging and membership where every role matters and where responsiveness to the needs of the room is possible-Richard Bartlett's tweets (@RichDecibels)-The crew as the appropriate size for minimizing panic, achieving enough comfort to maximize stretch-Exploring how Zoom can be used for ritual and for developing presence without the need for identity labels-Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of the utterance-Moving from appreciation and recognition to empathy with feedback-Inner Development GoalsTeddy shares his website (betweenus.net) for listeners to connect with him. You can also find his Microattunement blog series on Medium. Two books coming this year. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

Teddy Taptiklis is a researcher, facilitator, member of Enspiral, and founder of Between Us. Through his project Entangled Bodies, he has been researching the use of sound recordings to create a sense of relational awareness amongst groups. In 2019, he published the blog series Microattunement on Medium, building upon Richard Bartlett's Microsolidarity framework, a community-building practice with the objectives of creating structures for belonging and meaningful work. Though Richard wasn't able to join us for this recording, it is his voice you heard in Part 1 of this series. This episode is Part 2 of 3 of our conversation, where we explore the scales of microsolidarity and why group sizes matter for power dynamics and learning. We discuss how Microattunement uses sound recordings to enable leaders to create conditions for unleashing unique genius, and how for the first time in history, we have AI as a tool to enable us to best contribute our talents in group settings. We dive into Teddy's Entangled Bodies project and end with a reflection about the magic of humanity. Topics covered during the episode include:The scales of MicrosolidarityHow power and learning shows up within dyads and crewsBoundary setting as a means to mitigate power differences in dyadsMicroattunement as a structure to actualize the self through the appreciation of othersThe promise of sound recordings and AI to enable members of a group to unleash their unique genius at the exact moment that it's most usefulRemaking the concept of leadership as a response to an event/moment, not a capacity within a personAn overview of the Entangled Bodies workshopsThe magic of humanityFind Teddy's Microattunement blog series on Medium and learn more about his work at betweenus.net. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

Teddy Taptiklis is a researcher, facilitator, member of Enspiral, and founder of Between Us. Through his project Entangled Bodies, he has been researching the use of sound recordings to create a sense of relational awareness amongst groups. In 2019, he published the blog series Microattunement on Medium, building upon Richard Bartlett's Microsolidarity framework, a community-building practice with the objectives of creating structures for belonging and meaningful work. Though Richard wasn't able to join us for this recording, it is his voice you heard at the beginning of this episode.This episode is Part 1 of 3 of our conversation, where we explore communication that goes past our heads and why the feeling tone of a host and the primary senses that we use to engage with a group matter. We wonder about today's text-based performative identity and if our shift from oral tradition to writing has created a cult responsible for this white dominant culture we now find ourselves struggling to replace with something different and better.Topics covered during the episode include:Teddy's journey from the corporate world to Enspiral and Entangled Bodies research Universal sense of detachmentNonverbal communication and magical thinkingThe power of listening and relisteningHuman history for use of the senses (otherness of sight vs. participatory, social, relational nature of hearing & speaking)“Communal presentism” of the past has been replaced by solitary acts of reading and writingText-based performative identityWriting as a cultWhite dominant culture and something differentCultural assumptions of the written wordFind Teddy's Microattunement blog series on Medium and learn more about his work at betweenus.net. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

In this episode, Lawrence Lerner shares his story about coming out as Pagan in a Protestant United States workplace culture. He also shares relevant practices to honor our bodies and nature as business leaders. Lawrence Lerner has 25 years of success as a C-level executive in digital transformation, is a pioneer in payment technology, has generated $100M in revenue, and is recognized for building outstanding team culture. He identifies as Pagan, a spiritual path he chose 40 years ago, when he was a young adult. Lawrence is President of Pagan Pride in Washington, promoting earth-first religions, equality, and economic empowerment. As a Pagan priest, he leads ceremonies and offers guidance to others who follow this path of honoring nature and beliefs predating major world religions.He was a speaker at the 2019 World Economic Forum on both the role of faith in business and blockchain. Lawrence will present at the 2023 Parliament of the World's Religions (PoWR).Topics covered during the episode include:-Lawrence's experience coming out as Pagan at work in 2017-The origins of Paganism and Wicca-The wisdom of Paganism for living a natural, holistic life-The importance of choosing a religious or spiritual path that feels authentic and leads to greater connection-The roots of religious conversion as a means to acquire power (see Professor Timothy Snyder's course The Making of Modern Ukraine)-The Protestant Work Ethic & The Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber (1930) and how Protestantism contributed to the creation of a version of capitalism that causes burnout and bodily oppression-The Ten Commandments & The 42 Principles of Maat-What nature teaches us about designing workplaces that care for and value ALL bodies for their unique contribution (see the nRhythm Regenerative Leadership program)-Tips to create workplaces inclusive of Pagan identities, including flex holidays and equitable dress code policies-An invitation to join the Interfaith Business Network at 2023 PoWR! Email i n t e r f a i t h b u s i n e s s n e t w o r k @gmail.com if you plan to attend so we can meet up (Lawrence and Angie will be attending for sure).Lawrence shares his website (tokeepsilent.me), podcast (To Keep Silent - Confessions of a Modern Male Witch), business blog (lawrenceilerner.com), YouTube, and LinkedIn for listeners to connect with him. You can also find him on Twitter and Instagram (@RevInnovator). Two books coming this year. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

In this episode, Professor Atul Shah discusses his new book, Inclusive and Sustainable Finance: Leadership, Ethics, and Culture, where he “reflects on…the links between culture and finance…and comes to the conclusion that the core foundational assumptions of…individualism, materialism, profit and wealth maximization, utilitarianism, rationalism and consumerism are deceitful values taught in business schools as if they were a science.” But, science they are not, and through the interviews in this book and our conversation, we find hope in the culture and wisdom of ancient traditions to remind business of its purpose to build a better human life on this planet. Professor Atul Shah is a Professor (PhD LSE) and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and is an award-winning writer and broadcaster. He has taught at the London School of Economics; University of Bristol; University of Maryland; City, University of London; Hult International Business School; Essex University; University of Suffolk; and University of Kent.The book is available for purchase via Routledge and Amazon.Topics covered during the episode include:-The G20 forum for international economic cooperation-What death has to do with accounting, finance, and social entrepreneurship-The nRhythm Regenerative Leadership program-How Professor Atul Shah uses storytelling and field trips to unleash the collective wisdom of business students-What the following traditions contribute to our understanding of finance and economics - Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Jainism-Some of the institutions and mindsets that need to change during this paradigm shift toward sustainabilityProfessor Shah shares his website (atulkshah.co.uk) and LinkedIn for listeners to connect with him. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

In this episode, we explore what science and belief have to do with creating more engaging workplaces and with transforming how business is done for the benefit of all stakeholders, not just shareholders. Gavin Watson has a BA in religious studies and a minor in psychology. In his family's food manufacturing business Watson, Inc. Gavin emancipated teams to design and run continuous improvement based on Lean and Agile processes, self-organizing self-directed teams, and open space meetings from all levels of the organization. He is now on the board of several organizations, where he focuses on conscious culture and leadership development. Along with several members of the Connecticut Chapter of Conscious Capitalism Gavin helped design a Conscious Leadership Network program for business, non-profit, and business education professionals interested in co-learning about Conscious Business.Altruistic Business: Why Conscious Business Outperforms the Competition was released on January 25, 2023 and is available on Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, Bookshop.org, and Books-A-Million.Gavin shares his email address for listeners to connect with him - g w a t s o n 0 3 @ s n e t . n e t.Dive deeper into the ProSocial Design Principles discussed in the episode here, and follow the rabbit hole to ProSocial's Business community if you please.Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

Angie frames what's in store for Season 3 of the Interfaith Business Network (IBN) Podcast through the lens of the Eagle and Condor prophecy of the Amazon as shared by the Pachamama Alliance Blog. Learn more about IBN on our website, follow us on Twitter, and join the network on Slack and LinkedIn!

In this episode, we feature ourselves! Tune in to hear about the interfaith experiences that led us to found the Interfaith Business Network and this podcast, as well as what's next for both.Join the Interfaith Business Network on Slack and LinkedIn, and apply here for the opportunity to host Season 3!Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

If feelings of belonging are the metric of success for DEI efforts in both academic and corporate settings, what are the skillsets that people need to have so we can all finally truly see, appreciate, and celebrate the beauty in our differences?In this episode, we feature Eddie Banks-Crosson, Director of the Office of Student Life for the Wharton MBA Program. Eddie shares how his intersectional identities as a gay, black, Christian man show up in his personal and professional relationships and interactions. He speaks about the importance of honoring each others' identities and creating spaces for students to be able to be themselves, such as Conversations that Matter at Wharton, and he recommends Ramy on Hulu.

In this episode, we feature Parth Bhansali, an Interfaith Youth Core alum, Regional Head of Sales at Groupon, and Real Estate Broker, for best tips and practices about managing people in a way that is inclusive of religious, spiritual, and secular identities.Connect with Parth on LinkedIn or by joining the Interfaith Business Network Slack community and LinkedIn group.

In this episode, May Mowzoon, a lawyer at Intel, and Tasvir Singh Virk (or Taz), a Client Security Technologies Customer Engineering Manager at Intel, talk about their faith backgrounds as members of the Baha'i and Sikh faiths, respectively.May describes how the faith-friendly culture at Intel inspired and empowered her to found the Baha'i employee resource group (ERG), and May and Taz conclude the episode sharing what it takes to be successful as managers and colleagues in religiously diverse, global workplaces. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

Breanne and Angie share what's in store for Season 2 of the Interfaith Business Network (IBN) Podcast. Learn more about IBN on our website, follow us on Twitter, and join the network on Slack and LinkedIn!

In this episode, Ambassador Sujay Johnson Cook shares how her intersectional identities as a Black, Christian woman have contributed to her personal and professional success as a trail-blazing interfaith leader with global influence and impact. Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook, or Ambassador Sujay as she prefers to be called, is an award-winning filmmaker, diplomat, faith leader, and entrepreneur. She has served as the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, chaplain of the NYCPD, and faith advisor on Clinton's “President's Initiative on Race”. She also founded the Global Black Women's Chamber of Commerce.Follow Ambassador Sujay's work on DrSujay.live, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

In this episode, David Brenner and Linda Kinstler discuss why religion and faith matter in the tech sector and provide advice for technologists and business leaders who wish to build ethical products and a future that is good for everyone.David Brenner is Board chair of AI and Faith, who seeks to promote winsome engagement between Christians, other faiths and the broader culture through conference programs and writing. David enjoys reading and reviewing a wide range of books, and cultivates a four season garden.Linda Kinstler is a PhD candidate in Rhetoric at UC Berkeley. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian Long Read, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, and more. In July, her opinion essay titled, “Can Silicon Valley Find God?” was featured in the New York Times, in which Linda explores the responsibility of technologists to embed ethics and values into the technologies they create, and the ways in which religion is either ignored, glorified, or misconstrued in the workplace. Linda's other piece referenced during the conversation can be found on Protocol here. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!We also invite you to a professional development lab called Engaging Religious Diversity in the Workplace: Building Your Interfaith Strategy and Skillset on November 8th from 12-4pm CT. Use the code from Episode 3 for a special Interfaith Business Network $10 discount. Didn't catch the code or not working for you? Email us!

Why are interfaith employee resource groups (ERGs) important in the workplace, in addition to individual faith ERGs, and how can you start one? In this episode, Jonathon Felter (Twitter), Farah Siddiqui (Salesforce), and Marsie Sweetland (Equinix) share their perspectives about the importance of interfaith employee resource groups and unpack the challenges interfaith leaders at work may face. They also give tips for anyone wanting to start an interfaith ERG.Jonathan Felter has spent his career building business and campaigns in the Sports Marketing and Media fields. He is currently a Senior Client Partner at Twitter.Farah Siddiqui has been working in the start-up/tech space for over 10 years. She is now blessed to be part of Salesforce in the Trailhead Global Operations Team, leading Trailhead M&A (mergers & acquisition) initiatives as well as program and process improvements. She is also the Co-Founder and Global President of Faithforce - the Interfaith Employee Resource Group (aka Equality Group) at Salesforce, which seeks to support, foster understanding of, and celebrate global faith diversity.Marsie Sweetland is an experienced Client Executive and Founder of FaithConnect at Equinix.Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

Why does religious equity, diversity, and inclusion at work matter? In this episode, Brian Grim, Founding President of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation, and Craig Carter, Product Manager and Corporate Culture and Inclusion Driver at Intel, explore the importance of religious freedom and inclusion at work.The Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (or RFBF for short) is an organization dedicated to educating the global business community, policymakers, non-government organizations and consumers about the positive power that faith — and religious freedom for all (including those with no religious faith) — has on business and the economy. RFBF produces expert research, training programs, practical business tools and interfaith dialogue convenings to promote Freedom of Religion or Belief for all people. RFBF has also developed the Religious Equity Diversity and Inclusion Index (or REDI Index) that ranks corporations based on how much attention they give to religious identity in the workplace.Let us know your thoughts on Twitter and visit our website to learn more about how to join the network!

Breanne and Angie share the purpose of the Interfaith Business Network (IBN) Podcast. Learn more about IBN on our website, follow us on Twitter, and join the network on Slack and LinkedIn!