“The way to be most impactful at work requires us to use skills that many of us were, including myself, were not taught growing up…Many of us were not taught to understand how we’re feeling. And how we’re feeling impacts our behavior and how our judgments and biases impact our behavio.” – Tonya Ladipo

Tonya Ladipo, LCSW is the visionary behind The Ladipo Group, a premier provider for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion consulting and psychotherapy services. The company works with individuals and organizations to elevate the Black experience at home, at work,and in the world.

Using her unique perspective as a clinician, Tonya understands the complexities of human behavior and what motivates people and organizations to change. She has a particular passion for understanding the influence of gender, race, sexuality, and intersectionality as it relates to creating psychologically safe and inclusive workspaces where people of all backgrounds can thrive and succeed.

Tonya Ladipo worked for many years in community mental health agencies, and soon realized that a one-size-fits-all approach often ignored the needs of Black and African-American people. Institutionalized racism, a lack of diversity, and a failure of cultural awareness all conspired to mean that people of color often received poor treatment.

Tonya is on a mission to change that.

She works with an incredible team of skilled counselors, therapists, and psychologists who have an expertise in working with Black and African-American communities. What’s more, she leads an ED&I team that consults with companies and organizations to recognize and address unconscious bias and retain diverse talent by creating a truly welcoming and inclusive workplace for everyone.

An engaging speaker on diversity and women’s self-care and wellness, Tonya has been the keynote speaker and been a featured panelist for a number of organizations across the U.S. including Black Enterprise, Philadelphia Works’, Villanova University, and Black Women Talk Tech.

She has also been featured on radio (National Public Radio (NPR) and WURD Radio), television (NBC-10, Fox-29, and ABC-6), and in magazines (Black Enterprise, Essence, and Madame Noire).

Tonya is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program (April 2016) and Widener University’s Clinical Social Work Master’s degree program (May 2004).

When not working, Tonya is laughing with her identical twin daughters, taking walks alone, and spending time with friends.

R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:

• Do a body scan. Acknowledge where you’re feeling something. Be curious about why you are feeling what you are feeling. No shame. No blame.
• Acknowledge your feelings. 
• Seek the win, win, win. How can your company win, your people win and your customers win?

Resources:

• The Ladipo Group
• Tonya Ladipo and Team
• Managing Well Podcast with Tonya Ladipo 
• Guest Natalie Nixon
• Trevor Noah, Now You Know: Being Black in America | The Daily Show

Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:

• R.O.G on YouTube
• R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
• R.O.G on Spotify

How diverse is your network? 
N.D.I. Network Diversity Index

What is your Generosity Style? 
Generosity Quiz

Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 141, with Kim Scott

Credits:

Tonya Ladipo, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.