Inclusion Catalyst

In this second conversation with Shailvi Wakhlu, The Inclusion Catalyst explores a critical but often overlooked dimension of workplace inclusion: what happens after people are invited to the table? Shailvi argues that inclusion cannot stop at representation or opportunity. Organizations have a responsibility to create opportunities for people to participate, but individuals also need the skills to make their voices heard, communicate their value, and take advantage of those opportunities. That leads to the idea of the "speak-up gap"—the space between having something valuable to contribute and being able to communicate it effectively. Sometimes people lack the words. Sometimes they lack the confidence, the forum, the context, or the psychological safety to speak. And sometimes they simply haven't been taught how to advocate for themselves without feeling pushy, difficult, or aggressive. Mickey and Shailvi discuss why self-advocacy should be treated as a professional skill rather than an innate personality trait. Just as people learn technical skills, they can learn how to communicate their accomplishments, negotiate, ask for opportunities, disagree effectively, and frame their work in terms of organizational value. In this episode: Why inclusion efforts can fall short without self-advocacy What the "speak-up gap" really means Why communication and self-advocacy are skills—not personality traits How to make the value of your work visible Turning everyday workplace conversations into career-building opportunities Why connecting your work to organizational goals matters How self-advocacy can be a win-win for employees and employers How to practice difficult conversations before you need them The difference between being assertive and being aggressive How to disagree effectively without becoming adversarial How empathy can make self-advocacy more effective How to recognize and respond to unhealthy power dynamics Shailvi Wakhlu is a technology leader, consultant, and author of Self-Advocacy: How to Get What You Deserve at Work. Her book approaches self-advocacy as a practical skill, offering playbooks, checklists, and examples for people navigating their careers. Find Shailvi on LinkedIn or visit her website to learn more about her work. This episode is produced in partnership with the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center. Inclusion Catalyst invites you to become our next guest host. Learn more here: http://inclusioncatalyst.com/join-us-as-a-guest-host/

What happens when you do excellent work, but nobody notices? In this episode of The Inclusion Catalyst, host Mickey Desai talks with technology leader, consultant, and self-advocacy author Shailvi Wakhlu about the often-overlooked forces that shape who gets recognized, promoted, heard, and trusted at work. Shailvi challenges the idea that merit alone determines career success. Great work matters, but so do visibility, communication, relationships, and the ability to articulate your own impact. For people who have been taught that humility is always a virtue, that can create a difficult paradox: how do you advocate for yourself without feeling as though you're being aggressive or self-promotional? Shailvi takes on one of the most persistent workplace myths: "Good work speaks for itself." It doesn't always. Some of the most valuable work, particularly behind-the-scenes or preventative work, may be defined by what doesn't happen. The bugs that never appear. The crises that never occur. The problems prevented before anyone knew they existed. For both employees and leaders, the challenge is learning how to make that invisible value visible. In this episode, Mickey and Shailvi explore: Why merit alone doesn't always determine who gets recognized at work The difference between humility, assertiveness, and aggression How employees can conduct a personal "career self-audit" Why inclusion metrics can tell us who is in the room without telling us who feels heard The importance of influence, psychological safety, dissent, and trust Why employees may be reluctant to speak up—and what leaders can do about it How self-advocacy can help organizations identify and reduce business risk Why "good work speaks for itself" is one of the biggest myths of professional life How to communicate the impact of work that is difficult to see or measure Why employees shouldn't leave their career advancement entirely to luck Find Shailvi on LinkedIn or visit her website at shailvi.com. This conversation only scratches the surface. The deeper question is one every organization and every individual should be asking: What valuable voices and contributions are we failing to see? This episode is produced in partnership with the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center. Inclusion Catalyst invites you to become our next guest host. Learn more here: http://inclusioncatalyst.com/join-us-as-a-guest-host/

What’s really at stake when you ignore your nervous system? In this follow-up episode of Inclusion Catalyst, host Mickey Desai continues his conversation with Dr. Rebecca Eldredge, diving deeper into the real-world consequences of dysregulation—on our relationships, our communication, and our ability to lead meaningful change. From subtle shifts in tone and perception to breakdowns in connection and trust, Dr. Eldredge explains how an unregulated nervous system quietly reshapes the way we experience—and respond to—the world around us. Even our ability to hear, interpret, and engage in conversation can be compromised, making already difficult discussions even harder. The conversation takes a practical turn as they explore how to navigate conflict without avoiding it, including simple but powerful tools for staying grounded in high-stakes moments. Whether it’s asking better questions, anchoring to your values, or recognizing the signals your body is sending, the goal is not to eliminate tension—but to move through it constructively. At the core of it all is a powerful reframe: as a changemaker, you are the tool. And without care, sharpening, and restoration, even the most passionate efforts can lose their impact. This episode is produced in partnership with the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center. Inclusion Catalyst invites you to become our next guest host. Learn more here: http://inclusioncatalyst.com/join-us-as-a-guest-host/

What happens when the people working hardest to make the world better begin to lose themselves in the process? In this episode of Inclusion Catalyst, host Mickey Desai sits down with licensed psychologist Dr. Rebecca Eldredge—founder of @Feel Deeply, Live Completely—to explore the hidden toll of advocacy, leadership, and social change work. From burnout and compassion fatigue to the subtle erosion of self-awareness, they unpack what it really means to sustain well-being while confronting injustice head-on. Dr. Eldredge reframes well-being not as constant happiness, but as an “inner harmony”—a grounded, resilient state that allows changemakers to stay engaged without collapsing into exhaustion or withdrawal. The conversation moves through the cultural forces that normalize overwork, the internalized pressures that make rest feel selfish, and the very real consequences of ignoring our limits. Along the way, listeners gain practical tools—from recognizing nervous system states to small, in-the-moment regulation techniques—that make sustainable engagement possible. This is not a conversation about stepping away from the work—it’s about staying in it, without losing yourself. This episode is produced in partnership with the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center. Inclusion Catalyst invites you to become our next guest host. Learn more here: http://inclusioncatalyst.com/join-us-as-a-guest-host/

Host Mickey Desai sits down with Su Joun, principal of Diversity at Workplace Consulting Group, to unpack the realities and misconceptions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Su reframes DEI not as a system of preferential treatment, but as a deliberate effort to remove barriers that prevent qualified individuals from accessing opportunity. Through practical examples and candid discussion, she challenges the idea that DEI undermines meritocracy, instead arguing that true meritocracy cannot exist without addressing systemic inequities. The conversation explores why DEI work remains necessary today, the impact of bias and micro-aggressions in everyday workplace dynamics, and how individuals (not just organizations) can take meaningful steps toward advocacy. Su also breaks down commonly misunderstood terms like equity vs. equality, psychological safety, and belonging, offering grounded, accessible definitions that cut through the noise. From amplifying overlooked voices in meetings to asking better questions about barriers, this episode delivers a pragmatic roadmap for anyone looking to foster inclusion in real, tangible ways. This episode is produced in partnership with the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center. Inclusion Catalyst invites you to become our next guest host. Learn more here: http://inclusioncatalyst.com/join-us-as-a-guest-host/