Relationships breed mutual understanding, and the empathy that results is the foundation of creating an inclusive culture.

On this episode, host Alex Allen welcomes Cisco leaders Jim Jones, Director, Strategy and Planning, Global Services Sales; and Shonya Howell Brathwaite, Growth Marketing - Emerging Talent Program Manager.

Together, they share important insights from Cisco’s Proximity Initiative:

- Creating a safe space for those who are different from us is core to cultivating trust and vulnerability.

- Mutually trusting relationships allow us to broach uncomfortable conversations in a healthy way.

-  Proximity is a prerequisite to authentic allyship.

- Humility in listening to the experiences of others can help us overcome our unconscious biases and our exclusion based on ignorance.

- We all have room to grow, and a willingness to learn is more important than holding the right perspective on every issue.

Jim and Shonya’s relational journey is a powerful case study on the effectiveness of proximity relationships in provoking personal growth and creating more inclusive workplaces.

Resources Mentioned 

Jim Jones -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimjon/

Shonya Howell Brathwaite -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shonya-brathwaite/

Cisco | LinkedIn -

https://www.linkedin.com/company/cisco/

Cisco | Website -

https://www.cisco.com/

Alex Allen -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-allen-a4334210/

Callie McKee -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/callie-mckee/

You can find a human-verified transcript of this episode here. - https://docs.google.com/document/d/14sJn_mfiZEl9vHcgWGh3XzQWFNx8z3VCuWxKWR_WeTI/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks for listening to the Let’s Get Proximate podcast, powered by Cisco. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show. And be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation.

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