11. How One Leader Is Helping Companies Build Inclusive Products For Equitable Outcomes With Dr. Dédé Tetsubayashi

Send us Fan MailDiversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have been the buzz phrase in the last few years. Today, my guest addresses how this concept plays out in product development and management. Dr. Dédé Tetsubayashi, Founder & CEO of incluu, is an Ethical Technologist and Social Scientist. She synergizes her lived experience as a Black queer woman with an invisible disability with her over 20 years of experience in ethical tech, product equity & inclusion as a catalyst for creating brave spaces and products for all. Her work empowers individuals and organizations committed to investing in equitable and accessible product development and design processes, unlocking their full potential in their products, people, and practices.In our conversation, Dédé pulls back the curtain on what building products for equitable outcomes and non-discrimination means and why she founded her business, incluu. We dive into some fascinating topics such as:How straddling multiple identities played a role in shaping Dédé’s future and ultimate career choices.Why relationship building and intentional curiosity are crucial in building a culture of inclusivity.How the Incluu team helps companies and their teams understand their circles of influence and why it’s essential to increase those circles.Bridging the gap between technology, justice, and ethics.The biggest challenge facing leaders today is fear and functioning from a place of fear of the unknown.Why a leader needs to hold strong beliefs loosely that will enable them to have a transparent dialogue. Why do leaders need to be aware of their knowledge gaps and understand when it’s time to ask for help.Dédé recommends two books that offer a deeper dive into how high tech tools profile, police, and punish the poor and reinforce the inequality in our society: Automating Inequality by Virginia Eubanks and Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil.Connect with Dédé at www.incluu.us and tune into her podcast Brave Spaces Roundtable to learn more about the work that Dédé and her team do.If you found the conversation helpful, subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss any future episodes.Connect with your host, Kele:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com