Sparking Community | Ilene Wasserman & Jeff Branch | Part 1

How do we create spaces where people feel, not just safe enough but also, brave enough to share their most vulnerable stories and selves?How can we learn to manage the tension that arises when we start having new and challenging conversations?...Dr. Ilene Wasserman is the Founder and President of ICW Consulting. Ilene is on the Board of Stewards for the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution. She has been on the cutting edge of practice and research in strength-based methodologies, capacity building, and relational leadership, that engage diversity, create equity, and fosters inclusive cultures.Dr. Jeff Branch, Principal with ICW Consulting Group, LLC is an organization development, change, executive coach, and DEIBJ consultant. Jeff also practices as Chair of graduate programs utilizing inquiry, dialogue, and systems thinking to support multi-level system development and high performance.Ilene and Jeff are passionate about creating and sharing diversity, inclusion, and social justice initiatives with organizations at the personal, group, system, and community levels. They model transparency and value discovery, connection, care, and love. Ilene and Jeff understand the work it takes to create safe spaces for meaningful dialogue to occur. Today, Ilene and Jeff introduce themselves and share some stories that shaped them. Ilene discusses identity and how her understanding of identity was first formed. Jeff talks about how he thinks in terms of "episodes" and how he has always been guided by curiosity. Abbie, Ilene, and Jeff explore their first experiences interacting with people from different backgrounds and learning about diversity. Ilene explains what "innovative communities" and "inclusive communication" at the workplace means to her. Finally, Abbie asks Ilene and Jeff to describe what it means to them to "spark community."... Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter.Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal andSocial Evolution....Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann. Find Rik on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Listen to our conversation with Rik in ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ep. 8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠....⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email me! [email protected] me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Learn more about the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CMM Institute.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CMM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cosmopolis 2045⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CosmoKidz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Learn more about the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CosmoTeenz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Fellows' work on Instagram.