Podcast appearances and mentions of rohini anand

Join us for an engaging conversation with Dr. Rohini Anand as we explore strategies for empowering change and fostering a culture of inclusivity within organizations. Dr. Anand will share her expertise in driving sustainable change through initiatives to engage employees, customers, and communities. She will provide practical tips and best practices for implementing programs that deliver measurable results and create lasting impact. This episode will inspire leaders to take proactive steps towards building diverse and inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive.

What does DEI look like in practice? How do DEI practitioners make systematic change? How does one prepare for a role in the diversity and inclusion space? In this episode, Dr. Cindy Pace shares more about:what happens when leadership teams work together to advance DEIteaching future generations of leaders how to be great DEI practitionerswhy change has to be long lasting and systemic rather than programmaticAt Metlife, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we believe making a difference in the lives of our customers, community, and the world around us is #AllTogetherPossible. Learn more and join us at MetLife.com.

What is the role of a Chief Diversity Officer? How do you approach DEI from a global perspective? How can a good CDO educate leaders and transform organizations?Rohini Anand is a former Chief Diversity Officer and is the author of Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations.In this episode, we spoke with her about:What makes a good CDOHow a CDO should change their approach for global organizationsWhy DEI is a passion and not just a job At Metlife, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we believe making a difference in the lives of our customers, community, and the world around us is #AllTogetherPossible. Learn more and join us at MetLife.com.

In today's episode, Ashanti Bentil-Dhue and Rohini Anand a strategic senior DEI advisor who holds key positions on numerous external diversity advisory boards delve into her personal journey, from her roots in Mumbai, India, to her migration to the United States, which provides a unique lens to her work in DEI. Rohini brings a wealth of global perspective to their conversation as she talks about her experiences in navigating between majority and minority spaces, and how this informs her perspective on diversity and inclusion.  “Ultimately this global work is very complex, and it's very dynamic in nature. So there's no quick sort of checklist or playbook. And even best practices are really not enough. So the principles that I have, these five principles are simple, but they're very disruptive. And they don't provide sort of standards, or plug and play templates, based on what's worked in one country or one location. And I think that's been the foundational mistake in doing this work is replicating what's worked in one part of the world elsewhere, it can be sort of adapted to apply with sensitivity to any country and empowers global leaders to kind of develop their own solutions without mimicking a solution.” Episode Highlights:  ● Cultivating a global mindset as chief diversity officers ● Advice for aspiring diversity and inclusion professionals ● How to keep developing and nurturing skills About Rohini Anand:   DR. ROHINI ANAND, Founder and CEO, Rohini Anand LLC  rohinianand1121@gmail.com  Web site: https://www.rohinianand.com;  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohinianand Dr. Rohini Anand is Founder and CEO of Rohini Anand LLC providing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) advisory services to clients in the public and private sectors. She is a strategic business leader and trusted board member who has successfully transformed cultures and built an iconic brand with an enduring reputation, resulting in accelerating new business creation. With expertise that spans executive leadership, human capital, global corporate responsibility, wellness and diversity equity and inclusion, Rohini brings a unique perspective on the critical alignment of the business culture and the triple bottom line to drive exceptional performance. Rohini is recognized as a pioneer in the DEI field and is a sought- after expert by leaders around the world. Her global experience, cultural dexterity, extensive network and ability to influence leaders result in a reputation for judgment, integrity, and accountability.   Rohini Anand is a thought leader and a published author. Her book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations, has been endorsed by luminaries like Indra Nooyi, former Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo, Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO Chobani and Tent, Michel Landel, Danone S.A Board member and former CEO, Sodexo, amongst others. It is available on Amazon here and Bookshop.org and on bookdepository here  for international orders. Most recently Rohini was SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo. She reported to the Global CEO and was a member of Sodexo's North America Executive Committee. Rohini successfully positioned Sodexo as a global thought leader in DEI and Corporate Responsibility. Sodexo's remarkable global culture change, led by diversity and inclusion, is featured in a Harvard Business School case study entitled Shifting the Diversity Climate: the Sodexo Solution .  Rohini has been featured in several articles in CNBC, The Boston Globe, The New York Times, and the Washington Post. Rohini has appeared on CNN, Bloomberg and CNN Money as well on National Public Radio. She is the recipient of many accolades including the Mosaic Woman Leadership Award, the Women's Foodservice Forum Trailblazer Award, Webster University's Women of Influence Award and the Who's Who in Asian American Communities Award (WWAAC), amongst others.  Dr. Anand received her PhD from the University of Michigan. She serves on the boards of several organizations including WomenLift Health a Gates Foundation initiative, Aspen Institute's Family Prosperity Initiative, Tent Partnership for Refugees and Galt Foundation. She also serves on the external diversity advisory boards for Sanofi and for Charter Communications and chaired the Catalyst Board of Advisors. Rohini is a Senior Fellow with the Conference Board and is on the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Center for Inclusive Governance's Advisory Council.  If you would like to apply to be a guest on the show email: operations@goodsoilleaders.com   If you would like to schedule a capability briefing call with our team, email: operations@goodsoilleaders.com    If you would like to apply for DEI PRO Coaching, email: operations@goodsoilleaders.com  Stay Connected with Ashanti:  LinkedIn: Ashanti Bentil-Dhue 

Speakers For this EXCEPTIONAL WO.MEN's TALK we have the pleasure to welcome: ► Rohini ANAND, PhD, Founder and CEO of Rohini Anand LLC and former Group SVP Corporate, Responsibility and Global Chief DEI Officer, who will share insights and key learnings on how she shifted SODEXO DEI Global culture.  Rohini was SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo. She reported to the Global CEO and was a member of Sodexo's North America Executive Committee. Rohini successfully positioned Sodexo as a global thought leader in DEI and Corporate Responsibility. Sodexo's remarkable global culture change, led by diversity and inclusion, is featured in a Harvard Business School case study entitled Shifting the Diversity Climate: the Sodexo Solution . Her book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has been widely acclaimed as the must-read book on DEI. Biography Rohini Anand.pdf ► Patrick SOCHNIKOFF, Group SVP, Corporate & Social Responsibility, and Chief DEI Officer, SODEXO  Biography Patrick Sochnikoff.pdf ► Angeles GARCIA-POVEDA, Chairwoman of the Board at Legrand, inspiring Sponsor of WO.MEN by NEOMA Alumni. Biography Angeles Garcia-Poveda.pdf Programme How do we leverage DEI as a competitive advantage to better perform in our business? Time to ACT LOCALLY - A framework to PERFORM GLOBALLY Join a conversation with Rohini Anand and Patrick Sochnikoff, moderated by Angeles Garcia-Poveda, on integrating DEI into business models to make it sustainable. Rohini recently published her book “Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: a guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations”  Drawing on her extensive experience working with multiple organizations, she will share 5 key principles as a framework to guide action. • Why DEI matters and makes a difference?• How do we measure progress and impact?• How do we make DEI local in its application?

Why is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion pivotal to a healthy work environment? How can you take action on DEI? How can you have conversations that matter?The goal of our show, is to examine the pivotal role that YOU can play in advancing DEI. In our second season, we're bringing you twice as many stories and research driven conversations. On the show, we'll have Carla Harris, Kenji Yoshino, Dr. Rohini Anand, and so many more notable and globally recognized DEI experts and practitioners.Throughout our second season, you'll also hear episodes in a new format that we've aptly titled “Behind the Conversations.” In these episodes, we'll drill down on the lessons and the sharp insights from our guests that you can really use.Season 2 launches March 21st.At Metlife, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we believe making a difference in the lives of our customers, community, and the world around us is #AllTogetherPossible. Learn more and join us at MetLife.com.Subscribe to our podcast. Rate and leave us a review.Produced by Hueman Group Media.

114. Rohini Anand, PhD - Leaders Change to Lead Change “Disruption of our worldview happens with the very painful work of introspection.” - Rohini Anand, PhD Rohini Anand, PhD Guest Bio: Dr. Rohini Anand is a strategic global business leader and trusted board member who has successfully transformed cultures, built an iconic brand with an enduring reputation resulting in growing the core business and driving sales. Dr. Anand is a recognized pioneer and a sought-after expert on organizational transformation, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), executive leadership, human capital, and global corporate responsibility (CR). Her global experience, cultural dexterity, vast network and ability to influence leaders result in a reputation for judgment, integrity and accountability. Her new book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations, offers five proven principles for multinational companies to advance DEI with a nuanced understanding of local contexts across countries and cultures. It is now available to buy! As Principal and CEO of Rohini Anand LLC, Dr. Anand provides DEI advisory services to clients in the public and private sectors. She was the former SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo. She reported to the Global CEO and was a member of Sodexo's North America Executive Committee. Rohini successfully positioned Sodexo as a global thought leader in DEI and CR. Sodexo's remarkable global culture change, led by diversity and inclusion, is featured in a Harvard Business School case study entitled Shifting the Diversity Climate: the Sodexo Solution.  Dr. Anand is a published author and esteemed speaker. She has been featured in CNBC, The Boston Globe, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, as well as appearing on CNN, Bloomberg and CNN Money and on National Public Radio. See some of her featured videos here. Dr. Anand received her PhD from the University of Michigan. She serves on the boards of several organizations including WomenLift Health a Gates Foundation initiative, Aspen Institute's Family Prosperity initiative, Tent Partnership for Refugees, Pulsely and Galt Foundation. She also serves on the DEI Advisory Boards of Charter Communications and Sanofi. Rohini chaired the Catalyst Board of Advisors, is a Senior Fellow with the Conference Board and is on the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Center for Inclusive Governance's Advisory Council. R.O.G. Takeaway Tips: Organizational focus on DEI:  Focus on the things that are most impactful. What are you solving for? What are the initiatives that will have the largest impact? Measure the impact on the barriers.  Link DEI to core business strategy. Diversity is leading to business outcomes. Connect the work you are doing to the mission of the organization. Understand the business well and make the DEI work integral and core to the business. Quantify how it grows the business. Make it congruent with purpose and how business is done.  Influence key leaders to be allies and stakeholders. They will advocate on your behalf of the efforts you are making. How to influence? Meet people where they are, without judgment. What makes the tick? Give them whatever experiences they need (head: data, listening to lived experiences; heart: engage in a position of being a minority, listen). Have a plethora of strategies.  Belonging: How can our organization belong to diversity elite companies?  Resources: www.RohiniAnand.com About Dr. Rohini Anand Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations offers five proven principles for multinational companies to advance DEI with a nuanced understanding of local contexts across countries and cultures.  Principle 1 — Make It Local 1. Localizing a Global Change Strategy 2. Understanding Race and Ethnicity Principle 2 — Leaders Change to Lead Change 3. Transformational Leadership Across Cultures 4. Dealing with Resistance Principle 3 — And it's Good Business, Too 5. Compelling Rationales for Change 6. Creating Competitive Advantage through DEI Principle 4 — Go Deep, Wide, and Inside-Out 7. The Scaffolding for Change: Governance and Champions 8. Embedding Change: Internal and External Ecosystems Principle 5 — Know What Matters and Count It Conclusion: Elevating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Long Haul Four Strategies for Moving Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Beyond Lip Service Article from Forbes.com Network Diversity Index Quiz Dr. Rohini Anand with her new book Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Coming Next: Episode 115, Building Bridges Coaching Tips for Generous Leaders with Shannon Cassidy. Topic: Patience.  Credits: Dr. Rohini Anand, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

“Put simply, wabi sabi gives you permission to be yourself. It encourages you to do your best but not make yourself ill in pursuit of an unattainable goal of perfection. It gently motions you to relax, slow down and enjoy your life. And it shows you that beauty can be found in the most unlikely of places, making every day a doorway to delight.” — Beth Kempton Host Bio:  Shannon Cassidy is Founder and CEO of Bridge Between, Inc. a boutique leadership development firm specializing in behavioral change, executive presence, effective communication, collaborative teamwork, empowering leadership, and conflict resolution. She provides Executive Coaching, Facilitation (team sessions, retreats, conferences) and Keynote Speaking (conferences, annual events, ceremonies) and Mentoring Programs (associations, ERGs, leadership circles) all custom designed. She has a podcast called R.O.G. Return on Generosity that focuses on how to be a corporate generous leader by sharing time, talent and gratitude.  Shannon combines her keen ability to get to the heart of every matter with a proven track record as a corporate leader. Before founding bridge between, she spent years building profitable businesses and driving innovation and leadership initiatives. This real-world experience formed the bedrock of her success, enabling her to provide clients with the strategies, tools, and inspiration to thrive during organizational change and lead with vision, values, and purpose. Shannon has authored several articles and books including Discover Your Inner Strength (2009), The Five Degree Principle: How Small Changes Lead to Big Results (2013), V.I.B.E. A Self-Discovery Journey to Authentic Leadership (2014) and Grounded in Gratitude a one-line-a –day, five-year gratitude journal (2015). Her current efforts focus on the benefits of Generosity at Work. Bridge Between, Inc. provides two free quizzes to help leaders realize their current state as a Generous Leader and how to diversify their networks. Check them out!  Generous Leader Network Diversity Index Resources: Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton bridgebetween.com Network Diversity Index Quiz YouTube Channel R.O.G. on Apple Podcasts R.O.G. on Spotify Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 114, with special guest Dr. Rohini Anand.  Credits: Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

Dr. Rohini Anand was the SVP of Corporate Responsibility (CR) and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo and is the author of Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations. She joins us to share: Why we need to stop exporting DEI initiatives, and how to customize DEI to the region and culture The importance of transformative leadership skills when implementing DEI change How to overcome the local challenges of DEI, especially from a racial perspective Connect with Rohini at https://www.rohinianand.com and Julie at Nextpivotpoint.com 

In this episode of the HR Leaders podcast, I'm joined by Rohini Anand to discuss the 5 global principles that drive local diversity and inclusion.Dr. Anand is a strategic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) advisor, highly sought-after Board Member, published author and esteemed speaker. Recognized as a pioneer in DEI, she has been on the forefront of leading lasting change for corporations, non-profit organizations and government agencies worldwide. Rohini Anand is Principal and CEO of Rohini Anand LLC, and was previously Senior Vice President Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo. Under Dr. Anand's leadership, the Sodexo brand became synonymous with leadership in diversity, corporate responsibility and wellness.

 Hear how to really live diversity, equity and inclusion  This was a very special podcast with Dr. Rohini Anand, a global strategic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) leader. A published author, Dr. Anand's new book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations, sets the stage for her own journey as a pioneer in DEI and a woman helping global companies transform their organizations, one person at a time. You are going to enjoy learning from Dr. Anand. Open your notebooks, iPads or computers and get ready to capture the innovations, the insights and the impact she is making, and which you can as well. I just love women who are changing the world! Watch and listen to our conversation here Rohini's 5 principles for truly bringing about DEI change: The first principle: Make it local. Global change has to be anchored in an understanding of the local context. It has to be rooted in the local particulars informed by the history, the culture, the language and mores of each place. The second: Leaders change to lead change. And we know very well that commitment from senior leadership is absolutely fundamental to ensuring that the DEI is sustained. The third: It's good business to institute DEI, and without a compelling reason for change. We all know 70% of change efforts fail. But there's reasons this sort of change narrative has to be congruent with the organization's purpose and how business is done. The fourth: Go deep, wide, and inside out. Organizations are interconnected systems that work in concert with each other. DEI needs to be infused in the internal processes and systems and externally, so you have to take a systems approach. And the fifth principle: Know what matters and counter. Metrics clearly provide a global framework, a cohesive narrative to spotlight problem areas and solutions. To be instruments for change, they've got to have the right metrics, and you've got to hold your teams accountable. To contact Rohini, go to LinkedIn and Twitter, email her at rohinianand1121@gmail.com and visit her website www.rohinianand.com. Want to know more about DEI and culture change? Start here  Blog: How's Your Culture? Doing Fine Or In Drastic Need Of An Overhaul? Blog: How Storytelling Can Transform Your Culture And Energize Your Team Podcast: Kim Graham Lee—How To Build A Culture Where Men And Women Truly Support Each Other Additional resources for you My two award-winning books: Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Businessand On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights Our website: Simon Associates Management Consultants   Read the transcript of our podcast here Andi Simon: Welcome to On the Brink With Andi Simon. Hi, I'm Andi Simon. As you know, I'm your host and your guide. And I've started to tell people on our podcast a little bit more about me, because they keep asking, Who are you? So I'm a corporate anthropologist, and I've specialized for most of my career helping organizations and the people inside them change. And you must recognize that people hate change, your brains would just as soon I go away. But the podcast came about after my book, On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights, was published and won an award. And my second book just won an award as well, Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business. I'm honored to be able to share with you my insights into how people can change, and particularly how corporate cultures must change. So today's guest is a very special woman. I can't wait to share her with you: Rohini Anand. I met Rohini through the Women Business Collaborative, where I'm a member, and she is as well. I read her new book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations. Rohini has a wonderful perspective. I'm going to tell you a little bit about her and then let her tell you about her own journey. But remember, our job is to help you see, feel and think in some new ways so you can do something. And the questions around diversity, equity and inclusion are profound. I cannot tell you how many CEOs have said to me, it took me three months to hire some people to diversify my culture. They only lasted three months. And I said, Okay, we have a bigger question here about what is your culture? And why should people belong to it? And humans want to belong. So here's Rohini's background. She is a strategic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion expert, highly sought-after board member, a published author and speaker. She is recognized as a pioneer in DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) and has been on the forefront of leading businesses through lasting change for corporations, not for nonprofit organizations and government agencies worldwide. She was previously senior vice president of corporate responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo. And under her leadership, the Sodexo brand became synonymous with leadership in diversity, corporate responsibility and wellness. And I have a hunch she's going to tell you a little bit about her journey. But I'm excited because both in her book and in her work, she's actually making things happen. And for all of you who are wondering, How do you make DEI happen?, you need to listen carefully because this is what's happening. And now the question is, how can we share it so you can do it as well? Rohini, thank you for joining me today. Rohini Anand: Thank you. I'm delighted to be with you, Andi. And looking forward to the conversation. Andi Simon: Let's begin, who is Rohini? What's been your journey? Share it with the listeners, they love the stories. Rohini Anand: Yeah, as you know, anyone involved in diversity, equity and inclusion work, this book is very personal for them. And my story is integral to who I am. I actually grew up in Mumbai, India, and growing up in India, almost everyone sort of looked like me. It is a country with a lot of diversity, many socio-economic classes, religions, ethnicities, languages, etc. I belong to the majority religion, Hinduism, and surrounded by others like me. I had the privilege of not having to think about my identity. So I moved to the United States as a teenager, and went to graduate school. And that really was my inflection point in my both literal and metaphorical journey. And I have to say that my identity shifted from being a person who saw herself as the center of her world to being a foreigner to being an immigrant to being a minority, and I was totally unprepared for that. So it was only when I was identified as a minority did I realize the privileges that came with being part of a majority. I was part of the majority growing up in India, but I had not recognized my privilege in that way. And honestly, I was unable to until I was perceived as a minority and I experienced things differently. So the realization that identity is situational is fluid and informs the research that I did for my PhD and still informs my work. So I would say that this vocation is very personal to me, understanding what it means to be perceived as a minority, as an outsider, is very much at the heart of diversity, equity and inclusion work. And I am fortunate that my vocation and my avocation are perfectly aligned. So it's a little bit about my journey to the work that I do today. I continue to do this work. You're right, I worked for Sodexo for 18 years. And we were hired from Sodexo in 2020, just before COVID hit, was the time to write my book. And since then I've been doing booktalks, strategic coaching and advising, and I'm on several boards, but I continue to do this work that's so meaningful to me. It is part of who I am. Andi Simon: Well, being who you are, when you were at Sodexo, I have a hunch you explored and learned a great deal about the challenges of building a diverse culture, particularly a global one. Now is that a good place for us to start to talk about the learnings that went on there because it was very profound. You went from India, I've been to India, it's quite a complicated place. And coming here, discovering a culture that had a different attitude, different values, everything about you being here was different. And somehow you had to find a way of belonging, and humans want to belong. Some of the insights that came from the Sodexo experience would be really helpful, I think, to our listeners. Rohini Anand: So Andi, when I joined Sodexo, there was a fairly serious lawsuit. And I didn't quite understand or really recognize the seriousness of that lawsuit until about six months after I was hired, when it was certified as a class action lawsuit that was settled for over $80 million. It was a discrimination lawsuit filed by African Americans in the company. And I share that because you know what I say in the book, and the journey really was from class action to best in class. So that was the sort of situation that I stepped into. But with the support of leadership, we were able to change the culture around and became known for leadership and diversity, equity and inclusion in the United States. And then it was a question of scaling this work globally. So what I found was that doing this global DEI work is very complex. It's very dynamic. There's no checklist, there's no playbook, I don't even think any best practices are adequate. But there were these five principles that showed up each time when I did the work that are absolutely critical. And they provide a true line. Each of the principles is simple. It's a simple statement. It's based on my experiences, but also experiences of my colleagues who've done the heavy lifting in their organizations. They're simple, but they're disruptive. And they don't provide any sort of standards, the plug and play templates based on what's worked in the US, because that's been a foundational mistake—to replicate what works in one part of the world, in other parts of the world. So these principles can be applied with sensitivity to any culture, and really empower global leaders to develop their own solutions, not to mimic any one experience, but really develop their own solutions. So the principles are, and this is what I think is absolutely foundational in doing this culture change work, because it is about transformation, it's about culture change. The first step is make it local. And global change has to be anchored in an understanding of the local context. It has to be rooted in the local particulars informed by the history, the culture, the language and mores of each place. We have to consider the power dynamics, identify those that are the subordinate and not subordinate in dominant groups, identify how identity is defined, how it's expressed. But understanding doesn't mean accepting the status quo. Because outside influence can be cancerous for change. They can raise issues that those within a culture may not be able to see. Like, I was not able to see my own privilege, because of power dynamics. But this works best when local change agents are empowered to partner with outside influencers. So it's about pushing the status quo, disrupting and pushing for change, but doing it with an understanding of the local context. The second is what I call leaders change to lead change. And we know very well that commitment from senior leadership is absolutely fundamental to ensuring that the DEI is sustained. And when leaders embrace the DEI with authentic purpose and passion, the organization goes from performative action to sustainable progress. So leaders really need to internalize the benefit of doing it to themselves personally, and to the organization, that often requires the destruction of their worldview, and the painful work of introspection. And this happens often through stories, not necessarily data. But I think it's important as leaders do seek out these disruptive experiences as they take ownership of their own learning, and be mindful of the toll that it takes for people with those lived experiences to share the experiences again and again and again. And so it takes leaders who intentionally prioritize the DEI as they would any other business imperative. So that's the second principle: leaders change lead change. The third is: it's good business to, and without a compelling reason for change. We all know 70% of change efforts fail. But there's reasons this sort of change narrative has to be congruent with the organization's purpose and how business is done. The fourth principle is: go deep, wide, and inside out. And that really speaks to the fact that organizations are interconnected systems that work in concert with each other. And DEI needs to be infused in the internal processes and systems and externally, so you have to take a systems approach. And then the last one, the fifth principle is: know what matters and counter. And metrics clearly provide a global framework, a cohesive narrative to spotlight problem areas and solutions. And to be instruments for change, they've got to have the right metrics, and you've got to hold your teams accountable. So make local leaders change to lead change. And it's good business to go deep, wide and inside out and know what matters. These five principles I think are absolutely critical to any change. Andi Simon: Well, I love your principles. They are very much congruent with the culture change work that we do. But there are some things I'd like to dig a little deeper into, because the leader changing the way they see diversity, and equity and inclusion are essential. They're the leader. The question is, how do you get them to change? Remember, we live the story in our minds. If we don't collaborate with our mind, our mind does exactly what it thinks we want it to do. And so the research on the mind is so compelling. Now, the question is, how do we get leaders to change that story, so that it isn't the outsider who you're bringing in sort of gratuitously, the outsider is essential to the growth of the organization, and how we now build a culture where we value that diversity as opposed to want to eliminate it, or control it or put it into a certain box. The thing that always worries me, having been an executive in two banks, you said you tend to bring in the diversity and put them into buckets where they belong. And they were sort of a stereotype of what kind of jobs they should hold, and where those people should be. And that by itself wasn't diversity, or equity or inclusion. It was a different way of building mosaics, which wasn't particularly good. Share with us. And I'm particularly interested in, How do I start with the leader? Because I think that's where we have to start. Rohini Anand: You're absolutely right, we do have to start there. Let me share two quick stories. So you know, one story is about a particular leader who mentored a woman who is part of the organization, and she managed high security facilities. And after mentoring her, he came to me and he said, "If you had presented me with two candidates, a male and a female, and asked me to hire the best qualified candidate for a high security facility, I would have chosen the man because you need an aggressive, assertive leadership style. So it's a dangerous environment, I would never have chosen the woman." But he says, after having mentored this woman, who's extremely effective, "She has a different leadership style. And she is very effective. She gets the assignment. I will never let an unconscious bias impact my talent decisions again." So I think that's the story of basically providing leaders with disruptive experiences that help to shake their worldview, provide them a different perspective, expose them to people who are not necessarily like themselves, in this case, a woman with a different leadership style, so that they can actually do this work of introspection and emerge in a way that really shifts their perspective, their thinking, their worldview. We don't know what we don't know. So this leader was able to internalize that experience. The other story that I have is a leader who listened to all these stories about diversity, equity and inclusion and was not buying. I had some Sodexo specific data, but he was not necessarily convinced. He got involved in a cross-company mentoring program along with other CEOs. He wanted to network with other CEOs and this was networking on the topic of diversity and he mentored a woman from a different organization and developed a trusting relationship with her. She got laid off, and she had discussed and shared with him her lived experiences being marginalized, being discriminated against as the only woman on the executive team, and he listened with sort of this newfound interest. And he came to me and he said, "I just cannot believe that women have these kinds of experiences in the workplace. She was the only woman on her executive team." He said, "This is unacceptable. I want all 12 of my direct reports to mentor a woman from a different part of the organization." So they did, and of the 12 women that were mentored/sponsored, because it wasn't just mentoring, these were senior executives who actually sponsored these women, nine out of the 12 got senior positions, either as country heads, or heads of large pieces of business. Now, again, it took the lived experiences of this woman. It came close to home, he developed a relationship with her. He listened to her, and it was her lived experiences that helped to shift his perspective. So I think storytelling and lived experiences can be very beneficial. But I will caution that it is very tiring for those that have experienced these lived experiences to share them again and again and again. And we have to really maximize the impact of those lived experiences. But also, leaders have to take responsibility for their own learning at the end of the day. So I think those are sort of two stories. I have one more if you have time. Andi Simon: I'm a storyteller. And I think that what you capture in the story, that you said that the leaders have to change their leadership. And the question is, Okay, how do I do that? And experiential learning is where we learn best. You can't learn from a book and you can't learn from listening to me. What is it you really mean? How does that really feel? Another story? Rohini Anand: So this story is actually the CEO, previous year, to Excel. And globally, as you know, most companies focus on gender just because race and ethnicity translates very differently in different parts of the world. It doesn't translate in many parts of the world. And this was a Frenchman in France. The word "race" was actually struck from the French constitution in 2018, for historical reasons. So when we started talking about ethnicity and race, he said to me, "Why dilute the focus on gender by bringing in all these other strands of diversity, because race doesn't translate in France, it doesn't translate in many parts of Europe." And he was right. And so I realized that I needed to expand his worldview. And to do that, I invited him to an employee resource group meeting by the African American employee resource group in the United States. He attended that meeting, one of maybe two French men who were at that meeting, one of the only white men at the meeting. He listened to the lived experiences, particularly of the Black men, Black leaders in that meeting. And it was very moving, because now he knew these people, again, these stories came close to home. He listened to the experiences outside and within the organization, so that listening to the lived experiences, combined with his experience of being a minority, was very disruptive for him. And he went on after the murder of George Floyd to send this really heartfelt message to the organization, something he wouldn't have done under normal circumstances, and in succession planning meetings and talent review discussions. Yes, you cannot gather data about people's race and ethnicity in Europe, but nothing, no one stops you from asking the questions. So when individuals say, "We have diversity, we have Belgians, and we have folks from the Netherlands and from Switzerland and Austria, and Germany," the question would be, "That's wonderful. And how many of them are Black people?" So he was able to ask those questions. Again, it was a very disruptive experience for him. And what's wonderful is, many of these leaders have gone on to other organizations and have taken this secessionist connection, this learning that they've had, and become allies and started to bring about the culture change in the other organizations. Andi Simon: You are alluding to something very important. Two things I want to talk about. People are copycats, and they need to see others. You can call them role models, but unless somebody who they can admire is doing something differently, they would just as soon move away from it, hijack it and not be the solo solitary leader there. So building that base is important. Rohini Anand: If I can just add to that, you're absolutely right, Andi. And when he talks about this notion of belonging, we often say an employee's sense of belonging to the culture of an organization, but there's another dimension of belonging. And that dimension of belonging is the need for a leader and organization to belong to an elite group of companies that are committed to DEI. So I want to identify with other companies that are seen as diversity elite companies and want to be part of that. There's this desire to belong to other organizations that are seen as having credibility. Andi Simon: Because they feed off each other. Because the contagion is a healthy one, because if I'm doing it, and they're doing it, somehow together, the whole ship rises. But if I'm doing it alone, that's a long road home all by myself, solitary. It's very challenging. The other side of what you were talking about, though, I experienced as a woman, and I am not a woman of color, although I have a niece who's biracial, and we talk all the time about the challenges of being different. I was an executive in a bank, and I went to a board meeting, and there were 49 men, a nun and me. I didn't say anything. And for many years, I was the sole woman on any executive team. And the challenge for a woman in that story is how to navigate what role to play. We're role players, I often think of life as theater. And I remember changing the conversations. I learned new ways of behaving, how to dress, how to perform, particularly when you are in a room of mostly men, and you are not exactly being asked anything to contribute. I can't tell you how many times I was the only or among the few. And I do think it's changing. And I'm glad that I can date myself. But the other thing is, how do you advise or counsel those who are now being brought in to diversify? The gentleman I mentioned who spent three months recruiting a woman of color to join his organization and they only stayed three months was angry at her for not belonging. And I said to him, "Why is it her problem? And a combination? It's not your problem or her problem? You brought her into a place that wasn't welcoming, where there was nobody who looked like her. How are you going to change this? And what is the role of the person being anointed with this diversity banner to have to come in and do something for you?" Some advice or experiences, stories to share? Rohini Anand: In terms of being the only, and you know, I think a woman of color is the double only, which is the other piece, as a woman and as a woman of color. And I think you're right, I think very often, when you are the only one, it's difficult to speak up. I do think that is what helps a lot, is if you can get allies and male allies within the room. So having the conversations outside to find out who can be an ally, who can amplify your voice, who can say when you talk, "That will work." Who can say, "We haven't heard from Rohini yet, perhaps we should hear what she has to contribute." Those kinds of allies I think are really important. It's sort of a double edged sword, because in a sense, usually the allies are the ones who have the power, the ones with the dominant group are white males. So in a sense, we're asking someone to validate us as women, aren't we. And the other side of it is, in some senses, you're using their power to upend their power. So there's two sides to this. And I think it has to be used strategically, but I think allies are one piece. I think the other piece of advice that I would give is, just be true to who you are, you have to be authentic. I think imitating someone else's leadership style or a male style does not work because it does us a disservice. I think being authentic is absolutely critical. And I think the third piece is, before you can join an organization, do research, because an organization that is not welcoming of someone who looks like you doesn't deserve you. So do your research. And if you need to, walk away. There are other options that you have, particularly today with the talent shortages. So I think that organizations will have to change in order to provide a welcoming environment. I have millennial daughters, and you know, I know numerous people who have walked away from organizations because they didn't see someone like themselves. And they didn't think that it was a female friendly organization. Andi Simon: Well, as I'm listening to you, it's not a bad time to think about wrapping up because you and I could talk for a long time about this. And I know you can with great expertise. I think that the times are changing, and I'd like our listeners to walk away from Rohini and take away two or three things that you think they should focus on. And you have your principles, I like them. I love the fact that we're talking about how to make them actionable principles, but what do you actually do if you're going to do it local, what would be the top two or three things that they should remember, because I want them to do something when they leave. Rohini Anand: So I think the one piece of change really happens at the intersection of people and processes, and you have to impact both. So I would encourage, on the personal level, to see how you can be an ally for others regardless of who they are in the organization. And then I would say, look at how you can dismantle those processes that are tenacious, that have advantages for some and have created disadvantages for others. So, work both the people and the process piece. And then I think this power of storytelling is amazing. Even in terms of bringing along allies, I think it's really important, but I think, use those stories with discretion because of the toll it takes on those that have lived experiences. But you know, work at the intersection of people and processes would be my one big takeaway. Andi Simon: Where can they find both you and your book, to reach you? Rohini Anand: Thank you so much. So my website is www.rohini.com. And my book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, is available on Amazon, and all of the other major outlets. Also you can order it through my website. Andi Simon: It's a great book. It's great to read it. I want to add one last thought to our listeners. If you don't know Judith Glaser's work on conversational intelligence, go take a look at it. Judith was an observational, an organizational anthropologist who passed away a couple of years ago, but when she was doing neuroscience work, she said something very profound. If you say, "I'm the brain," it gets full of cortisol and flies away from it, it becomes a battleground. It's a threat. But if you say, "We, the oxytocin, the bonding hormones, really make love there." So as you're thinking about this, diversity, equity, inclusion is about us. And if you start talking about what we can do together, it's a much healthier environment for us to actually do it, the bonding that happens. It is natural for the brain. And so don't underestimate the power of the body to respond to the way you're talking and the conversations that we're having today, around how do we build a better world where people are part of a larger organization that can all together rise, and do better together because they care about each other. And I can't tell you what a pleasure it's been to have you here today. Thank you. Rohini. Rohini Anand: Thank you, Andi. This is wonderful. Andi Simon: So I'll wrap up for my listeners and my viewers. My audience is terrific. You've put us in the top 5% of podcasts globally. Thank you so much. And you send me great people to interview which I just enjoy tremendously. And my job is to help you see, feel and think in new ways to do something that you hate to do: embrace change. These are changing times. Please open up and try to do it with great joy. Bye bye now. Have a great day. Thank you. 

In Episode 94, Melinda speaks with Dr. Rohini Anand, Principal & CEO of Rohini Anand LLC and author of Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations. Dr. Rohini describes her work to advance DEI across different countries and cultures. She addresses some common missteps that global leaders make when localizing their work and how we can disrupt our own biases and worldview to foster inclusion and cultural competence in the global workplace. She also shares how we can be better allies across global teams by understanding local contexts and bringing outside perspectives to challenge harmful and oppressive practices.About Rohini Anand, Ph.D. (she/her)Dr. Rohini Anand is Founder and CEO of Rohini Anand LLC providing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) advisory services to clients in the public and private sectors. She is a strategic business leader and trusted board member who has successfully transformed cultures and built an iconic brand with an enduring reputation, resulting in accelerating new business creation. Rohini is recognized as a pioneer in the DEI field, a thought leader and is a sought- after expert by leaders around the world. She is a published author. Her book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations, has become the go-to resource for DEI professionals and for inclusive leaders.Most recently, Rohini was SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo. She reported to the Global CEO and was a member of Sodexo's North American Executive Committee. Rohini successfully positioned Sodexo as a global leader in DEI and Corporate Responsibility. Sodexo's remarkable global culture change, led by diversity and inclusion, is featured in a Harvard Business School case study entitled Shifting the Diversity Climate: the Sodexo Solution. She serves on the boards of several organizations, including WomenLift Health, a Gates Foundation initiative, Aspen Institute's Family Prosperity Initiative, Tent Partnership for Refugees, and the Galt Foundation. She also serves on the external diversity advisory boards for Sanofi and for Charter Communications and chairs the Catalyst Board of Advisors. Rohini is a Senior Fellow with the Conference Board and is on the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Center for Inclusive Governance's Advisory Council.To join us for our monthly live event and find educational resources, visit ally.cc.Connect With Dr. Rohini Anand On SocialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohinianandFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadingglobaldeiTwitter: https://twitter.com/RohiniAnandPhDConnect With Us On SocialYouTube: youtube.com/c/changecatalystTwitter: twitter.com/changecatalystsFacebook: facebook.com/changecatalystsInstagram: instagram.com/techinclusionLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/changecatalystsProduction TeamCreator & Host: Melinda Briana EplerCo-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst ChanCreative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth[Image description: Leading With Empathy & Allyship promo and photos of Dr. Rohini Anand, an Asian American female with short black hair, apple green dress, and emerald-and-olive green beaded necklace; beside her is the grey book cover of Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with red hair, glasses, and orange shirt holding a white mug behind a laptop.]Support the show

Strategy & Leadership Podcast 167: Dr. Rohini Anand is a strategic DEI advisor, board member, and author of Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Previously, she spent 17 years leading corporate responsibility and DEI as SVP at Sodexo. On this episode of the Strategy & Leadership Podcast, Dr. Rohini Anand joins us to discuss leading DEI in different countries, leveraging local change agents, 5 key principles for leading DEI, and much more. #DEI #GlobalDEI #DiversityandInclusion Check out Dr. Anand's book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by visiting her website: https://www.rohinianand.com/pre-orders

About this Episode Dr. Rohini Anand shares insights and stories from her decades long career as a DEI expert. She successfully helped move a multinational company from being in a class action lawsuit to being considered best in class for its Diversity Equity and Inclusion success. Connect with Us: Website: https://diversityonfire.com/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/diversityonfire Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diversityonfire/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/diversityonfire Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Diversityfire Heather: https://www.instagram.com/hponfire/ Guest/Episode Links: https://www.rohinianand.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohinianand/ Podcast: Subscribe: https://anchor.fm/diversityonfire - All Platforms Voicenote: https://anchor.fm/diversityonfire/message --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/diversityonfire/message

We may have moved from a time of reckoning on racial equity to a time of transformation, says business leader Dr. Rohini Anand, and that gives her hope. The author of “Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations,” Anand advises leaders all over the world on how to get to work and make DEI improvements that stick. Each situation is unique, but the principles Anand has come up with help leaders adapt her expertise to their own organization. Miecha Ranea Forbes, the Aspen Institute's Vice President of People and Culture, interviews Dr. Anand and shares some of her own expertise in this work. The talk is hosted by Ascend at the Aspen Institute; Ascend is a catalyst and convener for systems, policy, and social impact leaders working to create a society where every family passes a legacy of prosperity and well-being from one generation to the next.

#002 In our second episode, we're very honored to be welcoming renowned diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) thought-leader, and former SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo, Dr. Rohini Anand. She comes to speak to us about her newly published book: Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This is not an additional academic book on the matter of DEI, it is a view from the trenches, based on the lived experiences of the author. This practical guide offers five proven principles for multinational companies to advance DEI transformation with a nuanced understanding of local contexts across countries and cultures. Listen to this episode for a sneak peak into Rohini's learnings and teachings, as she combines them to the story of her personal journey going from being part of the majority in her native India, to part of the minority in the USA where she pursued her studies and career. Rohini also shares with us her missteps and the lessons she's learnt along the way, as challenges on the road have proven to be the most frustrating, yet the most rewarding aspects of the job. Finally, Rohini Anand shares with us her call to action for both individuals and organizations: be disruptive, and do it boldly! Tune in today, and subscribe to not miss our next episode next week! To purchase Rohini Anand's book, visit: https://www.rohinianand.com/ Do not hesitate to follow Rohini Anand on LinkedIn and on Twitter (@rohinianandphd) to continue following her journey as a DEI leader. Fact-check note: It was mentioned in this episode that France erased the word “race” from the first article of its constitution in 2018. While Members of Parliament unanimously voted for that change in 2018, the constitutional reform bill never fully went through Parliament, and France's Constitution remains unchanged to this date.

In this episode, our host John Rebecchi (M.B.A. '83), Ph.D. welcomes Rohini Anand, Ph.D, author, a sought-after expert, strategic global business leader, founder and CEO of Rohini Anand LLC. Rohini Anand LLC is a company providing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) advisory services to clients in the public and private sectors.    Growing up in Mumbai, India, Dr. Anand considered her move to North America an inflection point in her life. Dr. Anand's DEI journey was a calling and a reminder that our personal story matters. Discover the process of implementing successful DEI program, how to measure DEI and why fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion is so important. Get in touch with Rohini Anand, Ph.D. on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Learn about Dr. Anand's new book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations. Support us by sharing or reviewing our podcast series. Recaps and the link to each episode can also be found on our blog, The Achievement Index.

In this episode, Rohini Anand draws on her experience as the former Chief DEI Officer at Sodexo and shares insights from her book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations. We focus on how you can level the playing field so that anyone can do their best work in your organization, irrespective of their identity and background. To learn more about the CultureBrained community, click here: https://www.agabajer.com/culture-brained-community/

 In this episode I speak with DEI global thought leader and author of, "Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organization," Rohini Anand, whose wakeup call was going from a privileged insider in India to being an outsider in America and focusing on diversity and inclusion as her life's work. http://rohinianand.com  

Dr. Rohini Anand, Founder and CEO of Rohini Anand LLC, joins the program to discuss her new book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations and what it takes for organizations to ensure that their cultures are diverse, inclusive and equitable in a sustained way. Rohini also reveals how individuals in organizations who may be limited by organizational structures and positional power can still work to create positive change.   

In this podcast, Laura Sabattini, Principal Researcher at the Conference Board speaks with Dr. Rohini Anand, a strategic global business leader and trusted board member who has successfully transformed culture. Anand was the former SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer for Sodexo and is currently Principal and CEO of Rohini Anand, LLC. Her book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations, offers several successful principles for companies to advance D&I across different regions. In this podcast, Dr. Anand shares her inspiration for the book and examples that can help organizations get a nuanced understanding of local context, culture, and language.

Dr. Rohini Anand is Founder and CEO of Rohini Anand LLC, providing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) advisory services to clients in the public and private sectors. She is a strategic business leader and trusted board member who has successfully transformed cultures and built an iconic brand with an enduring reputation, resulting in accelerating new business creation. With expertise that spans executive leadership, human capital, global corporate responsibility, wellness and diversity, equity and inclusion, Rohini brings a unique perspective on the critical alignment of the business culture and the triple bottom line to drive exceptional performance. Recognised as a pioneer in her field, Rohini is a much-lauded and sought-after global expert. Her experience, cultural dexterity, extensive network and ability to influence leaders has resulted in a reputation for judgment, integrity, and accountability.  Rohini's upcoming book, Leading Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: A Guide for Systemic Change in Multinational Organizations, will be available from 30th November, and is available for pre-order right now! ------------------------------------------------------- For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk  

As part of a new series called “Leading Diversity at Work ” Wharton's Stephanie Creary and global diversity expert Rohini Anand discuss what it takes to create an inclusive culture. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Increasing Workplace Diversity as Maria speaks with Dr. Rohini Anand, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer of Sodexo. As companies are trying to crack the code on how to move women from middle management to upper management in larger numbers , Dr. Anand shows us what things do they need to understand to accomplish this more successfully.