Episode 72: Human Connection at Work Is Broken. Here's What Actually Works

What if the highest-ROI program in your organization isn&#39;t a new tool or a new hire, but a mentoring program built on psychological safety? LaTonya Wilkins talks with Artimisha Curl, Head of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity &amp; Belonging at El Camino Health, about the mentoring pilot they built from the ground up, why most programs fail before they start, what happens when mentors and mentees stop being separated, and why leaders learned as much as the people they mentored.🎥 Prefer to watch? This episode is also available on YouTubeChange Coaches on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@changecoaches/podcastsEpisode Chapters &amp; Key Moments[00:00] Welcome back &amp; meet today&#39;s guest: Artimisha CurlA 23-year HR veteran who built something unexpectedFor anyone building community, making a business case or supporting burnt-out leaders[03:00] What sparked the mentoring program pilotThe gap between talent and accessWhy potential is everywhere, but access is not[06:00] Equity, access, &amp; who mentorship is really forNot a stereotypical mentoring cohort: that was the pointWhy leaders need expanded networks[09:00] Cross-functional matching: pairing a chief legal officer with marketingWhy matching &quot;just like us&quot; reproduces inequityHow intentional, non-obvious pairing opened the organization&#39;s eco-system[12:00] Why this program went beyond traditional mentoringThe truth about voluntold mentoring programsWhat made people actually want to show up[15:00] The learning series: psychological safety, belonging &amp; leading across differencesFour workshops gave people shared language for what they feltThe moment &quot;psychological safety&quot; clicked for healthcare leaders[18:00] What mentors &amp; executive leaders actually got out of itTruth: C-suite leaders are hungry for developmentWhy mixing mentors &amp; mentees changed everything[21:00] The art and science of matching: how blind trust became a game changerWhat happens when people don&#39;t fully understand each other&#39;s daily roles Why that trust built the strongest cross-functional partnerships[24:00] Measuring benefits beyond the traditional surveyArtimisha hears about the program in unexpected spacesWhat self-sustaining development looks like[27:00] The subgroups that formed all on their ownThursday&#39;s session nobody planned and why it matteredWhen psychological safety outlives the program[30:00] From pilot to permanent: building the internal pipelineWhy pipelines aren&#39;t built by accidentDeveloping talent from the inside out not just recruiting from outside[33:00] The application process and keeping access equitableHow vetting works, and who&#39;s eligibleBalancing structure with genius accessibility[36:00] The ripple effect on cultureWhy culture changes slowly and then all at onceMicro-cultural shifts on teams that never touched the program directly [39:00] How to sell this program to your bossThe vision is clear, the ROI data isn&#39;t there yetFinding change agents to carry the vision[42:00] Talking points for the ROI skepticsTangible vs intangible ROIThe story matters as much as the numbers[44:00] Remote workers, wellness &amp; where to find ArtimishaA lifeline for people working from homeWhere to connect with Artimisha Learn MoreEmail: info@changecoaches.ioCoaching Below the Surface Waitlist: https://changecoaches.io/coaching-below-the-surface-interest-form/Coaching Below the Surface (ICF-approved): https://changecoaches.io/coaching-below-the-surface/Newsletter: https://change-coaches.kit.com/profileChange Coaches on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@changecoaches/podcastsChange Coaches on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/change-coachesLaTonya Wilkins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latonyawilkins/Artimisha Curl on LinkedIn: <a href="http://linkedin.com/in/a