Suzanne Wertheim, PhD - Why Inclusive Language is Strategic and Effective in Business

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Summary:

Suzanne Wertheim, Ph.D. is a researcher, consultant, and educator of strategic and effective language in business. She’s talked at conferences, annual events, and leadership summits about the why’s, the how’s, and the power of adopting inclusive language. She’s also the author of The Inclusive Language Field Guide. 

In this episode, Suzanne talks about addressing fears surrounding poor communication; how context affects what might be considered acceptable (or offensive) language; and how we can strive for inclusive language without falling victim to politically-motivated narratives. 

Chapters:

[0:00 - 6:01] Introduction

• Welcome, Suzanne!
• Today’s Topic: How to Communicate Better by Using Inclusive Language

[6:02 - 17:53] Suzanne’s response to people’s worries about poor communication

• Why humans feel so compelled to comment on differences even if we know we shouldn’t
• Communication dos and don’ts may look different for different people

[17:54 - 33:03] How does context influence how you should communicate?

• Identifying and replacing existing biases
• The key to replacing insensitive linguistic habits for good

[33:04 - 47:49] How do recent political events affect how we communicate? 

• The number one rule of inclusive grammar: reflect reality
• How status affects how we communicate

[47:50 - 49:25] Closing

• Thanks for listening!

Quotes:

“[One] principle of inclusive language is ‘show respect.’ . . . and showing respect for some people shows up differently than showing respect for other people.”

“Language skills build up slowly over time . . . it just takes time to get to that pattern recognition and get enough data into your brain.”

Resources tab 

The Inclusive Language Field Guide 

Dr. Wertheim’s Newsletter 

Contact:
Dr. Suzanne's LinkedIn
David's LinkedIn
Dwight's LinkedIn
Podcast Manger: Karissa Harris
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