listen in: crucial conversations on race in the workplace

As the title suggests, Listen In offers an inside look at real-life conversations, packaged in a fictional format that will change the way we look at diversity, equity and inclusion.

The story follows five friends during their weekly meetups at a restaurant. While each one of them has a unique background and personality, they are all connected by the struggles they face surrounding race in the workplace.

The story provides insight on the experience behind the metrics and scorecards, pulling the following issues to the surface: Black hair and what being a ＂good fit＂ means, the contradiction of why height isn’t an advantage for Black males, words that make a difference in conversations, and the essential connection between #blacklivesmatter #blackmoneymatters and #blacktalentmatters.

In Listen In, you’ll learn how to initiate conversations that build trust, navigate your company’s culture, plan your career for sustainable success, attract and retain minority talent, and transform your organization’s culture. In the Afterword, Howard J. Ross, one of the nation’s leading diversity consultants and a nationally recognized expert on diversity, leadership, and organizational change writes: ＂Allison Manswell’s Listen In is a welcome addition to our discourse around these issues. If you are anything like me, you were probably struck with the authenticity of the characters that Allison introduced us to, and the reality of the conversations that people are either having or trying to find ways to have! Some of the characters might have reminded you of people you know and work with, even people from your own family. You may even have seen some of yourself in one or more of the characters. And yet, we do not always put our thoughts and feelings about race on the table to talk about, particularly in mixed racial groups in which the conversations are most needed.＂