EP 176: How to Talk with Your Team About Traumatic Current Events, with Ella F. Washington, PhD

Summary: Ella F. Washington, PhD, a professor of practice at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and the founder of diversity strategy firm Ellavate Solutions, is the lead author on the recently released Harvard Business Review article “How to Talk with Your Team About the Violence at the U.S. Capitol.” The article gave guidance to employers having discussions following the January 6th violent attack on our Capitol. We catch up with Professor Washington nearly six weeks later to discuss the points in her article in more detail, how she and her co-authors were able to write it “in the moment” of the national crisis, and hear her thoughts retrospectively. Today's relaunchers are tomorrow's leaders and managers. Dr. Washington's recommendations for fostering communication at work following the events of January 6th, are equally relevant for managers engaging with team members in the aftermath of traumatic, emotional and challenging situations more broadly. Find out more in this wide-ranging and informative conversation. https://hbr.org/2021/01/how-to-talk-with-your-team-about-the-violence-at-the-u-s-capitol To learn more about Ellavate Solutions: https://www.ellavatesolutions.com/ Dr. Washington's Twitter handle: @EllaFWashington