This Saturday I’ll be speaking at the University of Notre Dame’s 30th Anniversary Celebration of its Gender Studies Program. I am so honored to join a panel discussion with five fellow graduates of the program. Together we will share how our gender studies degrees have shaped our experiences in the world since graduation. We’ll be joining students, faculty, and staff in celebrating the extraordinary accomplishments of the Program over the past three decades, while connecting with students and learning more about their scholarship.

Belonging – it's the reason why I started my business, and it's the driving force behind why I've dedicated my career to inspiring others to open their hearts and minds to new people, ideas, and experiences. As I continue to build a purpose-driven business designed to make it easier for professionals to bring their whole selves to work, I am eager to learn more about the specific challenges you are looking to address, and how I can offer support or guidance. I encourage you to let me know how I can help by sending a quick email.

Thank you, MBA Orlando, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and the greater Orlando business community for your support in helping launch The Out Entrepreneur's inaugural live podcast recording and LGBTQ marketplace event. With your support, the event was an enormous success! The stories shared about the power of LGBTQ businesses offered encouragement and support for those of us in the rainbow family, and to our corporate allies, especially those who work in the world of supplier diversity.

Coming out on the job remains an extremely complicated matter. Without a consistent federal law prohibiting LGBTQ workplace discrimination, it’s no wonder that more than half - or 53% - of LGBTQ workers remains closeted at work. This post offers strategies to first consider before coming out on the job. If after reading this post, you would like to receive additional support, consider scheduling a 1:1 coaching call with me where we will explore your motivations to come out, and weigh all the factors before taking action.

In honor of October's LGBTQ History Month, I'm very pleased to announce the next offering of the LGBTQ A-Z Certification, which kicks off on Monday, October 2. The program offers individual and group mentorship for executive, HR, and diversity professionals looking for proven strategies to build a culture of belonging for their LGBTQ stakeholders. When you enroll by Friday, you will receive 50% off of the registration fee when using the promo code AUTUMN. Visit www.rhodesperry.com/mentorship to enroll today!

Over the past century, the workplace has evolved in significant ways. Unfortunately, what hasn’t changed for many workplaces is the physical nature of the office – it’s often overlooked as a source for building inclusive environments where teams can thrive. Given this pain point, experts have a wide variety of solutions to reimagine traditional office environments that can help drive innovation, cross-cultural collaboration, and a spirit of inclusion. This blog post offers strategies on how to up the ante of your office space. For leaders interested in communicating why creating an inspiring and inclusive workplace is critical, register for the next RPC free webinar on the topic by clicking here.

Happy Pride! This post provides some background as to why we celebrate Pride Month, and it also offers resources to help you create space for Pride at work throughout the year. As a next step, consider registering for the next free RPC webinar all about making the LGBTQ business case to your leadership team. To prepare for the webinar, check out some of the available research to help craft your own talking points, and come to the session hungry with questions. There will be plenty of time for Q&A to help build your own business case.

When the topic of workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) management is addressed, senior executives and board members sometimes raise concerns about some stakeholders “losing power” when an organization commits to engaging, empowering, and elevating historically underrepresented and undervalued stakeholders into the highest levels of an organization in aggressive and achievable ways. These leaders falsely believe that DEI is a zero-sum game, or the idea that when one person gains something, another loses something in exactly the same amount. This post confirms through research and anecdotal experiences that DEI is instead a game where all parties can truly win. If you are curious about how to begin a DEI dialogue in your own organization, let’s set up a time to talk.

Earlier this month I had the privilege of presenting at Project Harmony’s 10th Annual Speaking of Children Conference in Omaha, Nebraska. I was asked to lead a series of breakout sessions helping child welfare practitioners understand the needs of LGBTQ young people in foster care settings. After the session, I shared 10 resources to support child welfare practitioners deliver LGBTQ affirming services. If you find these resources helpful, subscribe to the RPC Newsletter, where you’ll receive exclusive content like next Friday’s (5/5) complimentary webinar all about creating inclusive organizations for LGBTQ stakeholders. Register today by clicking here: http://www.rhodesperry.com/register.

This post is for executive, HR, and diversity professionals struggling to effectively engage LGBTQ people in meaningful ways, comply with existing non-discrimination laws, and implement workplace policies that attract top talent and new customers. It details The LGBTQ A-Z Certification, a mentorship program that offers proven and affordable solutions to address these challenges within four weeks. Professionals interested in learning more about this program are encouraged to register for a FREE live webinar on Friday, January 27 at 11:00 am/2:00 pm. In advance, participants are encouraged to share their opinion about the type of mentorship they desire here. The LGBTQ A-Z Certification begins on Monday, March 6 and participation is limited to the first 20 people.

In 2017, RPC will mentor more change agents to build inclusive workplaces, and offer support to fellow LGBTQ people interested in taking the entrepreneurial leap. To accomplish these goals, RPC will offer The LGBTQ A-Z Certification in March, a program designed to support executive, HR, and diversity professionals by offering everything needed to lead on equity & inclusion in the workplace. Those interested in learning more about the program are encouraged to register for a FREE live webinar scheduled for January 27 at 11 am Pacific/2 pm Eastern Time. And for those LGBTQ folks interested in learning more about taking the entrepreneurial leap, subscribe to The Out Entrepreneur, a weekly podcast hosted by Rhodes Perry intended to connect listeners to some of the 1.4 million out bosses crushing it in business.

The TEAMS Transformation Method supplies new timber to build inclusive workplaces that welcome LGBTQ talent, and appeal to LGBTQ markets. This post outlines the process, and shares an opportunity for executive, HR, and diversity professionals to gain the skills needed to complete the first step of this method. The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, December 1 at 2:00 pm ET/11:00 am PT. Participants who register before November 1 will save $50. Once registered, participants will receive a pre-work activity, and an optional 30 minutes coaching session following the training. Be sure to register today by visiting: http://www.rhodesperry.com/teamsregister.

The future of work relies on how skillfully employers manage change. When changes in the workplace increases, employees may experience resistance that can impede desired workplace transformations. This post offers six approaches employers can adopt to support their employees overcome resistance, and instead embrace the attitudes, behaviors, and skills needed for successful and speedy implementation. It is the fifth and final post of a five-part blog series detailing my consultancy’s TEAMS Transformation Method™, a unique branded system designed for executive, HR, and diversity professionals ready to transform their big ideas about LGBTQ diversity & inclusion into actionable plans that deliver results. After reading this post, be sure to save your seat for my consultancy’s next live webinar where this topic will be further explored.

LGBTQ workers can still be fired in 30 states simply for who they are, or who they love. Fortunately, a growing number of employers are taking the initiative to develop their own LGBTQ non-discrimination policies to protect these workers. This post is specifically written for executives eager to translate these policies into lasting culture change. It is the fourth of a five-part blog series detailing my consultancy’s TEAMS Transformation Method™, a unique branded system designed for executive, HR, and diversity professionals ready to transform their big ideas about LGBTQ diversity & inclusion into actionable plans. After reading this post, be sure to save your seat for tomorrow’s Q&A webinar where this topic will be further explored.

Believing that your workplace culture is 100% welcoming and inclusive of LGBTQ employees is a sure sign that your business may have a few significant blind spots. This post is specifically written for executives willing to identify those blind spots by assessing their workplace culture, establishing a diversity & inclusion baseline, and developing aggressive benchmarks to transform the existing culture. The post is the third of a five-part series detailing my consultancy’s TEAMS Transformation Method™, a unique branded system designed for executives, HR, and diversity professionals ready to transform their big ideas about LGBTQ diversity & inclusion into actionable plans. After reading this post, be sure to save your seat for the 9/22 Q&A webinar where this topic will be further explored.

For those exceptional leaders eager to fine tune their LGBTQ diversity & inclusion vision, look no further! This post shares a glimpse of the first step of the TEAMS Transformation Method™, a unique branded system my firm developed for executives, HR, and diversity professionals ready to transform their big ideas about LGBTQ diversity and inclusion into an executable plan. Read more about five strategies necessary to fine tune your LGBTQ diversity & inclusion vision here, and save your seat for the 9/22 Q&A webinar where these strategies and more will be discussed.

In the wake of the Orlando Shooting, business leaders are looking for solutions to support and encourage LGBTQ employees to take the time necessary to grieve and heal. While our collective mourning won’t end overnight, the initial sting can become less acute with effective leadership implementing real solutions offered in this post. Such action has the power to cultivate more compassionate and equitable workplaces, especially for those LGBTQ employees who may not always feel welcomed to bring their whole selves to work.