S8-Ep17: Cultivating Empathy through Authenticity

Guest: Jason Lioy Authenticity boils down to one key concept: be yourself.  That concept is critical at Dawn Foods; their passion is their people, and their goal is to create a psychologically safe environment for people to bring their whole selves to work.  In short, every Dawn employee can truly “be yourself.”   Making the workplace a safe space took a lot of effort, but Dawn succeeded.  The Great Resignation barely touched the company; taking DEI, empathy, and authenticity to a whole new level has driven both retention and core business strategy.  Their I Am staff campaign and Women in Leadership program are just two successful facets of Dawn’s belief in people.  Dawn’s Chief People Officer – Jason Lioy – joins host Maureen Metcalf to discuss the motivation and implementation of this unique and inspiring drive to help each person achieve their potential.   Here's what you’ll learn from Jason & Maureen: Pre-pandemic, companies viewed their staff as resources or assets (things), but successful companies today view them as people first; Why people respond better to (and are more productive with) authentic leaders; and How respect for diversity boosts the bottom line. For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on Twitter:  @IL_Institute . Other episodes you'll enjoy: DEI: Needed Conversations & Understanding – with Laura Morgan Roberts & Courtney McCluney 5 Trends to Know: Leadership in 2023 – with Christopher Washington Informed Leadership: The Power of Trauma – with Rachael Kelly   ----------------------   RESOURCES:   Learn more about Dawn Foods – their products and their people – at www.DawnFoods.com .   -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko Masters of the (Podbean) Universe: Luigi Morelli & Connor Carson CONNECT WITH US: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Innovativeleadership YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership Twitter: @InnoLeader LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativeleadershipinsitute/ Website: InnovativeLeadership.com Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating!   -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Jason Lioy is the Chief People Officer for Dawn Foods, a global leader in bakery manufacturing and ingredients distribution. In this role, Jason leads the global people team to ensure the long-term success of Dawn’s 4,000+ team members across the company’s three core regions: Europe, Middle East, and Africa; Latin America; North America. Since joining Dawn in 2014, Jason has helped build Dawn's brand and culture into one that recruits, develops, and celebrates diverse top talent, and promotes expertise, collaboration and a passion for bakery. Prior to joining Dawn, Jason's experience spanned global HR leadership and development roles with a strong background in HR operations in manufacturing plants at Philips, GE, and Armstrong World Industries. In his spare time, Jason enjoys spending quality time with his wife and two sons.