Hello from Johannesburg, South Africa (and happy 2025)!
This is our first newsletter of the year, and Danette is already overseas speaking and running a series of workshops on improving communication skills and Leading and adapting through change in Johannesburg.
Our theme for this month is DEI and Unconscious Bias and we think this is extremely important topic given what we are seeing large companies across the U.S do, where they are scraping their DEI initiatives. At Magical Learning we value, encourage, and always hope to see more diversity in the workplace and world.
As people we all have unconscious biases that our sub-conscious runs to help us make decisions quickly. The problem is those decisions are rarely good decisions. To create great workplaces where we can attract and retain great people we need to all become aware of our biases and make better decisions.
I was once offered a role in an organisation because the interviewer’s wife had been one of my teachers at high school. This is an example of affinity bias. The class his wife taught me had nothing to do with the role I was offered and yet it influenced his decision-making.
To deal with unconscious bias we first must become aware of the different types of bias and how they impact our decision-making. Then we have to consciously put practices in place to override those biases. That allows us to create psychologically safe workplaces where everyone can bring their full selves to work.
Stay tuned this month for more resources on DEI and unconscious bias.
Until Next time,
The Magical Learning Team
Podcast: Making Boredom Not Boring - A Path to Creativity and Team Building
In this episode of the Magical Learning Podcast, the team reflects on their holiday experiences and transitions into a concept sandbox discussion centered around Narnia. They explore the theme of boredom, its implications for creativity, and how it can be harnessed in team dynamics.
What is the team reading?
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Magical Learning acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past and present
The conversation delves into the importance of psychological safety, historical perspectives on boredom and innovation, and practical mindfulness techniques.
