34. Challenging Assumptions About Disability and Embracing Inclusive Leadership with Toby Mildon

Live Stoked, Lead Stoked

Today I have invited my guest, Toby Mildon, to discuss the critical yet often overlooked aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), especially regarding disability.

In this episode, Toby shares personal experiences, from misconceptions about his relationship to navigating discrimination and discovering his identity. We discuss the differing emphases on race, gender, and disability in DEI initiatives in the US and UK, stressing the need for genuine understanding and prioritization in organizations.

We'll also explore societal portrayals of disability, the concept of "inspiration porn," and the role of empathy in leadership. Toby also introduces the SEEDS model to tackle unconscious biases.

Meet Toby:

Toby Mildon is a Diversity & Inclusion Architect who is passionate about creating diverse workplaces and cultures that are inclusive. He has helped some of the UK's largest companies, including the BBC, Deloitte, Sony, and HarperCollins Publishing, improve staff retention, brand innovation, productivity, and performance. Toby's lifelong passion for Diversity and Inclusion stems from his personal and professional experiences with inequality, and his belief that building a culture of inclusive growth is essential for organizational success.

Toby's Inclusive Growth Culture Programme helps businesses implement real change and avoid shallow and superficial diversity initiatives. If a company has more than 250 employees, or is intending to grow to this size, Toby is the right person to help drive the business forward and achieve new heights. He speaks passionately about how moving beyond superficial diversity initiatives and building a culture of inclusive growth is essential. It addresses the underlying issues of inequality and creates a sustainable framework for continued growth and success.

Toby's book, Inclusive Growth: Future-proof your business by creating a diverse workplace, provides a practical framework that enables you to deliver a sustainable, diverse and inclusive workplace that allows your organization to grow. The book helps you understand how to strategically align diversity and inclusion to organizational growth, change the culture and motivate senior leaders to ‘walk the talk’ for inclusivity, design and implement a sustainable inclusivity infrastructure, work as a whole organization rather than in HR isolation, and celebrate your inclusivity to become an employer of choice in your industry.

Visit the Show Notes:

• 34. Challenging Assumptions About Disability and Embracing Inclusive Leadership with Toby Mildon

Episode Mentions:

• Eleven Madison Park
• Conference

Connect with Toby:

• LinkedIn - Tobymildon
• Website - www.mildon.co.uk
• Podcast - Inclusive Growth Show

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• Follow on Instagram - @livestoked_leadstoked (business) & @sea2mountains (personal)
• LinkedIn - sarahbettman
• Website - www.sarahbettman.com & www.livestoked.com
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Books Featured on The Live Stoked | Lead Stoked Podcast

Cover Art Photo by:

• Kim Thomson Steel

Podcast Production by:

• Allison Nitsch | Podcast Management