Johannah Vukadinovic

What is the greatest piece of business advice you have received from a mentor/sponsor?

A senior leader once told me “there are a lot of people out there who can fulfill the obligations on your job description, so think about other ways you can bring value to the organization”. This is where women and folx from traditionally marginalized groups can really shine! We have a trove of unique perspectives, skills, and experiences that bring an immense amount of value to our organizations.

What strategies have you seen work well to help foster inclusion, belonging and culture in the workplace with your colleagues/organization?

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The creation of brave spaces for learning. When we create formalized groups that are focused on education with no expectation of participation or previous knowledge, we help people who want to know more and do more move along the allyship spectrum. I have seen many people go from “fly on the wall” to “learning leader” through these types of groups.

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Most people I’ve met want to help marginalized and under-represented groups succeed but they don’t know where to start – create that starting point. Beginning each meeting with a Brave Space Statement and regularly soliciting anonymous feedback on topics of interest helps to keep everyone engaged and increases participation. And always remember: equity, diversity, and inclusion is about progress, not perfection. That’s an important lens through which we should view every comment, question, and conversation!

You can draw inspiration for your own Brave Space Statement here.

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What advice do you have for future generations of women about their voice/leadership/gender equality?

Take. Up. Space. We will not have true gender equality until non-dominant genders not only have a seat at the table but their voices are heard on the same level as those of the dominant gender. We will not get any closer to equality by making ourselves small, trying not to step on toes, or giving in to discomfort. You have great ideas, you bring great value, work on finding ways to communicate so others will hear you and then don’t stop improving upon and tweaking your communication skills until you are truly heard in every setting. It’s one thing to be in the room, it’s another thing entirely to be a contributing member who demands the space they deserve and makes good use of it!