Speaking Human-First

So, you’ve got a world-changing idea. A new way to think about an intractable problem. A framework for understanding people, the planet, or, maybe, the space between our ears.But getting that idea heard? Well, that’s a challenge. It’s especially challenging for big thinkers and subject-matter experts. For people like you(!), who are passionate about their ideas but perhaps, less experienced in getting others excited about them.I’m Mary Knox Miller, and I have over 20 years of experience in communicating ideas. Originally trained as a photojournalist and videographer, I’ve traveled across the globe to document realities from all walks of life. I’ve interviewed world-renowned practitioners and researchers, placing their humanity front and center.More recently, I’ve been partnering with socially impact-driven leaders on the frontlines of change. I’ve helped academics, researchers, advocates, and practitioners translate their complex ideas into simple concepts. Then, I watch in awe as they connect with their audience.What do they have in common?They’ve learned to speak human-first.They don’t only communicate what they know. They infuse ideas with personal stories while acknowledging the dignity of all life experiences. They craft messages that mean something to the people who hear them.On my new podcast, Speaking Human-First, I interview thought leaders from across industries and disciplines. I explore all the ways they’ve bridged the gap between solo thinker and public persona – without losing their sense of self.I uncover specific strategies you can use to communicate your own world-changing ideas. We’ll look at techniques like metaphor, explore the origins of crystal-clear ideas, and think about how to show up in ways that play to our strengths.My goal is simple. I want to embolden every listener to speak up and contribute to the human cause.Join me as I learn alongside thought leaders across industries and disciplines by subscribing to Speaking Human-First wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you know someone with a world-changing idea, encourage them to give it a listen!Learn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedIn

Social psychologist Robert Livingston has been studying the science underlying bias and racism for 20 years. But it’s his mastery of language that empowers and inspires. Dr. Livingston wears many hats. He serves on the faculty of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, teaching leaders in the public and private sectors how to lead more inclusive organizations. He is the award-winning author of The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations. And he is a diversity consultant to Fortune 500 companies, public-sector agencies, and non-profit organizations. But the road to recognition hasn’t come easy. Listen as Dr. Livingston offers hard-won lessons learned in becoming a public figure.Listen to the full episode to hear:How Dr. Livingston’s youth in a predominantly Black neighborhood shaped how he responded with intellectual curiosity to racism as a young adultHow the myth of a post-racial America has emerged and altered the dynamics of racism in the last 15 yearsAn introduction to Dr. Livingston’s P.R.E.S.S model for making profound and sustainable changeThe psychological, structural, and historical underpinnings of inequalityHow Dr. Livingston uses metaphor and storytelling to distill complex systemic issues into easier-to-understand conceptsDolphins, ostriches, and sharks in the social landscape and why DEI efforts need to be tailored to each group Learn more about Dr. Robert Livingston:WebsiteConnect on LinkedInThe Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth about Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and OrganizationsLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedInResources:13thThinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman

Abby Falik is an award-winning entrepreneur and expert in social innovation and leadership. With an aspiration to “only preach what I already practice,” Abby, her husband, and two young sons spent the last nine months traveling across the globe to embody her commitment to bridging the gap between theory and practice, challenging conventional wisdom, and seeking innovative approaches to make a meaningful impact on the world.A former founder and CEO of a global nonprofit, Abby is currently an entrepreneur in residence with the Emerson Collective based in California, USA. She’s building a global movement to redefine the rite of passage between high school and college while encouraging all of us to ask ourselves, "What are we pretending not to know?"Listen to the full episode to hear:How Abby’s core value of authenticity drives her approach to practicing what she preachesWhy Abby, her husband, and two young sons immersed themselves in communities across the globeAbby’s vision for a connective, empathetic, and resilient orientation for leaders committed to solving problemsWhy youth education should include creativity, risk-taking, and innovation instead of a high-stakes race to collegeWhy the transition between childhood and adulthood should become a global rite of passageWhy relational currency is vital to the spread of creative ideas and solutionsLearn more about Abby Falik:WebsiteLearning on PurposeConnect with Abby on LinkedInInstagram: @abbyfalikLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedInResources:Saving Time, Jenny Odell

Why is it that when we introduce ourselves we lead with what we DO instead of who we are?I dig into that question and others with Tara McMullin – a writer, podcaster, and business owner who is also a wife, mother, feminist, and so much more.In her book and on her podcast, both titled What Works, Tara regularly delves into the hidden systems and structures at play in our daily lives with uncanny insight.The result? An opportunity to move through life with eyes wide open.Today, we’re peeling back the layers of capitalism and how it informs every part of our 21st-century lives.We also talk about how recognition for her ideas has built slowly, why she's changed communication tactics over the years, and why it’s critical to choose a medium that fuels your creativity.Listen to the full episode to hear:The fundamental questions that drive Tara’s work and how she’s come to contextualize that motivating force with learning she is autisticHow neoliberal capitalism has become the “air we breathe” economically, politically, socially, and culturallyHow our relationship to the market and labor informs how we see ourselves and why it’s so important to expand our identities beyond workWhy a healthier, more whole life is not an endpoint, but a constant process of noticing and making more intentional choicesThe power of iteration and cumulative recognition in Tara’s careerHow What Works has evolved over the years and why Tara made the shift to a narrative format Learn more about Tara McMullin:What WorksInstagram: @tara_mcmullinConnect with Tara on LinkedInLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedInResources:Jim Sinclair

If you could change how people think about an issue, would you? If that shift required you to be radically visible–to share your personal experiences and speak up on behalf of others, regardless of what people thought about you–would you still do it?Disability justice advocate and disabled law student Britt Belwine wrestles with these questions regularly as she weaves together information, activism, and personal experience on her TikTok and Instagram feeds.Britt was born with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and has been managing its impacts on her body for her whole life. In 2020, after numerous surgeries and learning how to walk again – twice! – she logged onto TikTok and started talking.In the three years since, she has amassed over 80,000 followers. But the number she cares most about is how many leaders, allies, and advocates she can encourage to blaze a path so that others don’t have to.Listen to the full episode to hear:How the steady accumulation of experiences of being denied access and accommodations led Britt to speak up for disability justiceWhy Britt advocates for a broad definition of disability - legally and practicallyWhy it’s important that allies work alongside disabled people, not attempt to speak for themWhy Britt says that video and TikTok are such powerful tools for connection and educationThe questions Britt asks herself when considering what about her life she wants to shareThe experiences and education that prompted Britt’s enrollment in law school and advocacy for prisonersHow facing her physical vulnerability and mortality has impacted Britt’s mission to do work that is meaningful Learn more about Britt Belwine:My Elastic HeartTikTok: @myelasticheartInstagram: @myelasticheartLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedInResources:Dylan MulvaneyImani BarbarinEP 1.1 Robert Livingston: Using Metaphor to Combat Racism

Laura Zapata didn’t see anyone who looks, thinks, or talks like her in the renewable energy space, so she put herself there.Co-founder and CEO of Clearloop, Laura helps small and mid-sized businesses offset their carbon footprint by investing in solar projects in American communities where the greatest economic and environmental benefits can be achieved.Today Laura is sharing her mission to bring more people into the conversation about climate action, her journey through multiple careers, and how leaning into her unique voice, ideas and lived experience has enabled success.Listen to the full episode to hear:How Clearloop tackles the twofold issue of offsetting carbon emissions and bringing clean energy to underserved areasHow Clearloop determines where they build solar projectsWhy renewable energy is a social justice and equity issueHow Clearloop gets communities on board and involved in their projectsHow Laura’s varied career experiences shape how she builds trust and relationships as a CEOHow Laura crafts communications that meet people where they are to bring them into the conversation about climate action Learn more about Laura Zapata:ClearloopLinkedIn: Connect with Laura, Connect with ClearloopTwitter: @LZapataTN, @clearloopUSTikTok: @clearloopusFacebook: @ClearloopUSInstagram: @clearloopLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedIn

How do we build a more equitable world?A world where historically marginalized groups find equal footing with power-dominant groups. A world where everyone does the necessary internal work, and extends grace to themselves and others when mistakes are made.Dr. Tina Opie and Dr. Beth Livingston wrote the book, Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial and Gender Equity at Work. In it, they offer a framework for creating a more just world: Dig, Bridge, Advance.Working these steps invites discomfort and requires uncomfortable  conversations, but they are vital.It’s time to get comfortable being uncomfortable, myself included.Content note: Brief, non-graphic mention of sexual assaultListen to the full episode to hear:How formative childhood experiences of discrimination inform the work that both Dr. Livingston and Dr. Opie pursue todayHow the two built trust and became collaborators, laying the foundation for their Dig, Bridge, Advance frameworkFour cornerstones of building an authentic connection and building bridges with othersWhy it’s vital to distinguish between the armor historically marginalized people wear and the armor power-dominant people wearWhy white women need to dig past their defensiveness in order to build connections with women from marginalized groupsThe importance of power-dominant groups acknowledging the truth of their history and their responsibility to do better nowWhat Dr. Livingston and Dr. Opie view as the fundamental issues underlying why we struggle with equity Learn more about Dr. Tina Opie:WebsiteInstagram: @DrTinaOpieTwitter: @drtinaopieConnect with Dr. Opie on LinkedInLearn more about Dr. Beth Livingston:WebsiteInstagram: @BethALivingstonTwitter: @BethALivingstonConnect with Dr. Livingston on LinkedInLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedInResources:Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial and Gender Equity at WorkIda B. WellsRobert CialdiniTimnit GebruMargaret MitchellDwyane WadeGabrielle Union

If you could create an ideal world, what would it look like? And how would you convince others to help you build it?For Maurice Mitchell, National Director of the Working Families Party, the ideal is a world where differences make us stronger because embracing them means living in a constant state of humility.A nationally recognized social movement strategist and community organizer for racial, social, and economic justice, Maurice Mitchell has spent a lifetime talking with people who don’t agree with him.In our conversation today, we touch on following your personal north star in your work, acknowledging our differences when building solidarity, and why humility and curiosity are  key character traits if you want to change the world.Listen to the full episode to hear:How coming from an immigrant family drew Maurice to community involvement and organizingWhy Maurice believes we need more labels for our differences, not lessHow unacknowledged differences can actually break apart coalitionsHow Maurice and the Working Families Party build solidarity across differencesHow cultivating humility creates opportunity for collaborationWhy we need to approach systemic change understanding it’s humans - not natural forces - that create and perpetuate systems  The importance of speaking face-to-face in creating social changeHow Maurice approaches getting beyond preaching to the choir and connecting with people who don’t already agree with himLearn more about Maurice Mitchell:Working Families PartyInstagram: @MauriceWFPLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedInResources:Building Resilient Organizations

I started Speaking Human-First to answer a simple question: If you want to change the world with your ideas, how do you speak so people will listen?This season we heard from seven leaders and while on the surface their strategies differ, they're all grounded in common themes. Today, I’m exploring these themes through the filter of three core principles: What you say, how you say it, and who you are matters. These guiding principles are the start of speaking human-first.I also want to return to the question, “Why can’t we see each other as equals?”Because to build trust with your audience, you have to tap into something far greater than your knowledge and expertise. You have to connect as human beings. Which means we have to show up as we really are.Listen to the full episode to hear:Key principles of communication that transcend trends and drive impactHow speaking to your specific expertise and experience and acknowledging your audience’s varied starting points builds trustThe impact of emotion, tone, and medium on conveying your messageWhy leaders need to be both uncompromising in their ideals and open to other possibilitiesHow recognizing and understanding the social realities that impact others builds empathy Learn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedInResources:Speaking Human First: All Episodes

Personal narratives have a unique power to help us connect to ideas and issues despite disparate backgrounds.Courtney Martin has been channeling her “uncomfortable gift” for recognizing hypocrisy and seeking the truth into stories since high school. She’s an author, journalist, podcast host, speaker, and cofounder of organizations who uses words to grapple with contentious topics like race, education, activism, and motherhood.Today, she shares why she returns again and again to personal narrative in pursuit of change, how writing helps her make sense of the world, and how she holds her values close while making a living as a writer.Listen to the full episode to hear:How seeing her white, progressive friends avoid their local public school sent Courtney down the rabbit hole of what would become her memoir, Learning in Public.How Courtney uses her social and material capital to shape systemic change through collaboration with organizationsWhat taking a sabbatical taught Courtney about the throughlines in her body of work and reclaiming space to be aloneWhy she avoids getting overly precious about her writingWhy change advocates need to be willing to show up for the long haulLearn more about Courtney Martin:The article she wrote after our conversationWebsiteThe Examined FamilyInstagram: @courtwritesLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedInResources:Solutions Journalism NetworkFRESH SpeakersThe Holding Co.Learning in Public: Lessons for a Racially Divided America from My Daughter's SchoolThe Wise Unknown Podcast

Can you be a leader of an organization and publically share your personal views? Ami Dar, Executive Director of Idealist.org, is currently threading that needle after going viral for his commentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Driven by a long-held desire to create positive change and inspired by the possibilities of the nascent web, Ami Dar launched Idealist.org in 1995 to bring together nonprofits and social impact professionals to maximize their potential to do good.Over the last thirty years, Idealist.org has grown from a directory of links to become an essential resource for social impact professionals and 150,000 nonprofit organizations worldwide.Listen to the full episode to hear:How Ami’s multinational childhood and experiences in the Israeli army drove his desire to create changeHow his post-military travel and the dawn of the internet inspired the eventual creation of Idealist.orgWhy Ami says it’s vital for leaders to recognize mistakes, learn from them, and course-correct How going viral surprised him and why he says that commenting on the Israel-Palestine war wasn’t a choiceHow Ami sees Idealist Days as bridging the gap between connecting online and connecting with your community to make a real-life difference Why saying yes and getting started, even imperfectly, is how we make change Learn more about Ami Dar:Idealist.orgX: @amidarWatch Ami’s appearance on TED, "An Israeli and a Palestinian Talk Peace, Dignity and Safety"Learn more about Mary Knox Miller:thoughtleadermedia.coConnect with Mary Knox Miller on LinkedInFollow Thought Leader Media on LinkedIn

Our world is increasingly data-driven, especially when understanding our audiences, but what if the metrics we’re using are incomplete?David Allison, a renowned marketing strategist and the innovative mind behind Valuegraphics, argues that, at best, demographics only provide a partial picture of a person and, at worst, reinforce biases and stereotypes. This is where values fill the gaps and offer a more comprehensive understanding. David and his team have not just identified 56 universally shared values, but they've also made them actionable. By adopting a values-based approach to communication, we can challenge our unconscious assumptions and gain predictive insights into what truly engages, motivates, and inspires our audience. Listen to the full episode to hear:How our values drive everyday choices, large and small–How demographic data perpetuates stereotypes and hinders social changeHow acknowledging our common values helps build consensus and move us forwardHow the core 56 values break down into nuanced and actionable definitions and interpretationsThree key questions to begin uncovering people’s values Learn more about David Allison:WebsiteValuegraphicsConnect on LinkedInThe Death of Demographics: Valuegraphic Marketing for a Values-Driven WorldLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedIn

How do we make change that scales and replicates beyond our immediate sphere?For Denise Brosseau, founder and CEO of Thought Leadership Lab, thought leadership is a transformative path, a way to not just expand our influence and impact for good but to reshape the very fabric of our industries and ecosystems.It’s not about personal branding or superficial success. It's about being the 'pebble in the pond', the one who, with unwavering determination, uses their knowledge, experiences, and networks to push industries or ecosystems forward, even in the face of adversity.During our conversation, Denise shares practical tips on how to become a thought leader, including the importance of finding your niche and building a network of support ready to jump in when the waters get rough.  These insights can be invaluable on your journey to thought leadership.Listen to the full episode to hear:What it actually means to be a thought leaderDenise’s two key inflection points in her career and the different choices she made each timeWhy thought leaders need to cultivate allies along with their ideas and convictionsEssential questions to ask yourself when finding your thought leadership nicheThe importance of making your experience and processes tangible Learn more about Denise Brosseau:Thought Leadership LabConnect on LinkedInReady to Be a Thought Leader?Learn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedInResources:Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement, Tarana Burke

In a world inundated with information and brands vying for our attention, how do you not only get seen and heard but also inspire others to take action?Brand scientist and director of NobiWorks, N. Chloé Nwangwu believes brands and visibility strategies must be built with power dynamics and biases in mind to break through cognitive biases, especially for underrecognized  people.Chloé’s Visibility Engineering process, a transformative approach that draws on her experience as an international conflict mediator and social and behavioral science, empowers social impact leaders to navigate past their stakeholders’ brain filters and ensure their ideas  are retained and spread long term, thereby shaping social change. Today, Chloé underscores the urgency and importance of mastering the science of being noticed. This skill is not just a tool for personal branding, but a crucial element in shaping social change.Listen to the full episode to hear:How Chloé’s experience in international mediation led her to create brands that help underrecognized  players get a seat at the tableThe critical difference between being seen and being noticed amid the never-ending bids for our attentionWhy it’s essential to shape messaging advocating for social change in a way that facilitates behavior changeHow Chloé developed her Visibility Engineering process to get past the cognitive hurdles of getting ideas seen, remembered, and proliferatedAnd why it’s essential to have an understanding of the stakeholders and gatekeepers in your sphereLearn more about N. Chloé Nwangwu:NobiWorksInstagram: @nobiworksConnect on LinkedInThe Visibility ClinicLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedIn

When leaders wholeheartedly embrace our shared humanity and foster empathy, we unleash a transformative power that can reshape the workplace and beyond.Daisy Auger-Domínguez, a distinguished HR and DEI C-Suite leader, renowned speaker, and author, brings her unique perspectives to the table. She delves into the importance of a human-first approach to leadership, the need to challenge the status quo, and the significance of dismantling barriers and power dynamics to foster more inclusive workplaces. Our conversation also explores practical strategies. We delve into the power of self-awareness and vulnerability to foster connection. We also discuss the importance of intentionally designing time and space for rest and recharge, crucial for navigating and shaping a future where inclusion is not just a goal but a fundamental reality.Listen to the full episode to hear:How Daisy’s is driven by a vision of workplaces as sites of dignity, respect, value, and joy The impact of Daisy’s upbringing and education in both the Dominican Republic and the U.S. on how she views and experiences the tension, biases, and limitations around identity in U.S. cultureWhy it’s necessary to interrogate our personal intersections of identity and authority when we seek to change the status quo of power dynamics in our worldsHow Daisy has used sharing her mistakes and experiences to build connection and an audienceDaisy’s long road to taking a “radical sabbatical” and giving herself the space and boundaries to actually rest, recover, and reclaim the joy in her work Learn more about Daisy Auger-Domínguez:WebsiteInclusion Revolution: The Essential Guide to Dismantling Racial Inequity in the WorkplaceBurnt Out to Lit Up: How to Reignite the Joy of Leading PeopleInclusion Revolution TEDxPearlStreetThe Visibility Clinic Lab Pass Learn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedIn

How do movements gain enough traction to get people to take concrete action? How does a movement even come to be?Understanding the nuances of what truly motivates human behavior – not just thoughts and opinions –  is crucial for driving meaningful change in our society.Derrick Feldman, an internationally recognized researcher and advisor on social issues, movements, and consumer public action, brings his expertise to our discussion. We delve into how to ask questions to uncover what people truly believe about social issues, the significance of interpreting intentions versus actions, and the importance of humanizing data when communicating our findings.Listen to the full episode to hear:How Derrick’s early-career experience in state government galvanized him to dig deeper into what moves people to take action for social changeThe challenges of designing research that accounts for biases from participants, researchers, and even funders. Why it’s vital to bring diverse voices and experiences into the room when designing and implementing researchThe power of asking, “Why did you contact me?” when deciding what new projects to take on as a business ownerThe importance of context and storytelling for making sense of data in ways that stick with your audiences or stakeholders Learn more about Derrick Feldman:WebsiteConnect on LinkedInLearn more about Mary Knox Miller:Thought Leader MediaConnect on LinkedIn