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Starting the conversation:
You can have “space” in your meetings, conversations, or company culture to unlock your team’s best ideas. It is the intangible connections that transform how your business scales, grows, and belongs — together. Heather Hester, Founder at More Human More Kind, shares how to be brave and honest about mistakes, as well as strategic challenges so that you can reach your growth potential.
Being curious and stepping into new dynamics is a tangible sign of bold leadership. It requires committing to courageous practices that ultimately make the greatest impact both in business and beyond. And it starts with you, as an authentic individual. You may already be experimenting and don’t know it. You can discover what you are already doing so that you can leverage that effort and model positive energy management and trust-building actions.
In this episode, you will hear that bringing more of yourself to every moment of your day will give you MORE energy; that experimentation is something we already do, so be intentional and use it to become in tune with the people around you; and that it is essential to work to shift the shame or embarrassment that holds us back from recognizing each person we interact with is extremely interesting. Jess Dewell talks with Heather Hester, Founder at More Human More Kind, about being BOLD and acting with courage even when it feels uncomfortable or risky.
Host: Jess Dewell
Guest: Heather Hester
What You Will Hear:
08:14 Experimenting in business and setting natural endpoints.
- Projects and experiments in business are often given specific time frames or goals to aid in evaluation.
- Two approaches to designing experiments: review dates and natural endpoints.
- Evaluating results helps determine which activities are worth continuing in the following year.
16:23 The emergence of “Brave Belonging” as a core theme.
- Heather Hester developed “Brave Belonging” in response to the increasing need for solidarity among marginalized groups.
- The concept highlights the intersection of courage and inclusion for those who feel pushed out.
- Curiosity and self-development of your Emotional Intelligence helps foster a sense of belonging.
22:17 The challenge and necessity of authentic belonging in business.
- Despite setbacks, efforts to create workplace belonging persist and require adaptability.
- Courage and creativity are necessary for organizations to reimagine inclusion.
- There’s uncertainty and risk in pushing forward, yet remains an essential business priority.
32:17 The “space between us” and how it shapes connection.
- Attending to subtle, unseen dynamics in group interactions fosters connection.
- Creating rituals and intentional practices can prepare spaces for deeper belonging.
- Noticing what’s beneath the surface is as important as attending to what’s explicitly communicated.
38:45 Understanding and practicing subtle communication for belonging.
- Establishing belonging requires sensitivity to nonverbal cues, energetic shifts, and the collective atmosphere.
- This level of communication goes beyond words to include body language and energetic connection.
- Cultivating these skills helps groups and families create environments where all contributions are valued.
46:31 Finding what makes belonging possible in today’s diverse world.
- Varied backgrounds in experience among people is a resource for collective understanding and growth.
- Valuing the differences present in each relationship allows for courage and deeper connection.
- Recognizing this “space between” can shift perspectives from conformity to curiosity and acceptance.
49:10 The pace and process of transformation in groups and business.
- Change in belonging and group dynamics takes time, often several months, but this is normal for real transformation.
- Progress depends on all group members reaching a point of curiosity and willingness.
- Genuine change in teams or families is a process, not an instant fix, and it pays off in lasting outcomes.
51:15 It is BOLD to build a culture where honesty about mistakes and strategy challenges is instantly rewarded as bravery.
Resources
- Why Free Speech Is Personal for Parents and LGBTQ Allies
- Raising Brave Humans in a Fractured World
- Empowering Brave Belonging
Transcript
Jess Dewell 00:00
Coming soon.