The Culture Advantage

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The Culture Advantage

Michael Baran

17 episodes

2 weeks ago

You’ve heard countless people talking about bias and how it impacts the workplace. But how often do you get to hear about bias from the author of perhaps the single-most influential book on the topic? In this wide-ranging and important episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews two guests: (1) legendary thought leader, author, and workplace consultant Howard Ross, and (2) his son Jake Ross who is collaborating with Howard to write the second edition of the book, Everyday Bias, to be released in su...

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Entrepreneurship,

All content for The Culture Advantage is the property of Michael Baran and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

You’ve heard countless people talking about bias and how it impacts the workplace. But how often do you get to hear about bias from the author of perhaps the single-most influential book on the topic? In this wide-ranging and important episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews two guests: (1) legendary thought leader, author, and workplace consultant Howard Ross, and (2) his son Jake Ross who is collaborating with Howard to write the second edition of the book, Everyday Bias, to be released in su...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship,

Episodes (17/17)

The Culture Advantage

Everyday Bias, Updated: Insights from Howard and Jake Ross

You’ve heard countless people talking about bias and how it impacts the workplace. But how often do you get to hear about bias from the author of perhaps the single-most influential book on the topic? In this wide-ranging and important episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews two guests: (1) legendary thought leader, author, and workplace consultant Howard Ross, and (2) his son Jake Ross who is collaborating with Howard to write the second edition of the book, Everyday Bias, to be released in su...

2 weeks ago

1 hour 26 minutes

The Culture Advantage

Transitioning into Disability: Clear Cane Chronicles with Dr. Cynthia Overton

There is so much misunderstanding and discomfort around people with disabilities. Dr. Cynthia Overton tells about how when she was using a wheelchair, people would lock eyes with her and refuse to break eye contact or even blink so they didn’t look at the wheelchair. In this powerful episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews Dr. Overton, a fellow social scientist. They discuss Cynthia’s transition from a person without a disability to a person with a disability at age 26 when she was diagno...

4 weeks ago

50 minutes

The Culture Advantage

Black Fatigue in 2025, with authors Mary-Frances Winters and Mareisha Winters Reese

Black fatigue is not just about Black people being tired. It’s about the real psychological and physical costs of racism, inequity, and exclusion. This is a people issue, and also a business issue. Any organization that ignores Black fatigue is choosing higher burnout, turnover, and reputational risk over trust, innovation, and real performance. In this incredibly relevant and important episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews two guests: (1) legendary trailblazer Mary-Frances Winters who coined...

1 month ago

1 hour 4 minutes

The Culture Advantage

From Murder Cases to Music Legends: Ethical Documentary Filmmaking with Oscar-winning Producer Caroline Waterlow

I often recommend documentaries as a good way for people to learn more about others who they might not have a lot of experience with. But not all documentaries are created equal. There are so many decisions involved in ethical and responsible storytelling. In this behind-the-scenes episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews Oscar, Emmy, and Peabody award-winning documentary film producer Caroline Waterlow. Caroline isbased in New York City and has been working in the documentary film industr...

1 month ago

56 minutes

The Culture Advantage

Past, Present, Future of Work: Race and culture with Effenus Henderson

It can be a challenge sometimes to get out of the present moment and take a more bird’s eye view of changes in the workplace through time. How have cultures changed over time, especially in terms of culture, biases, and inclusion? Why is this important for companies to consider, as they plan for the future? In this big-picture episode, Dr. Michael Baran interviews internationally acclaimed strategist, author, speaker Effenus Henderson. Effenus went from working on a tobacco farm in North Caro...

1 month ago

1 hour 1 minute

The Culture Advantage

“I never leave the pizza boxes:” Ally Actions with Karen Catlin

When you think of being an ally, what comes to mind? Are you thinking that being an ally means being respectful to everyone? Are you thinking about a scenario where someone is being bullied or insulted and you stand up for them or stand with them? While those are both important, they are not enough, if we really want to create cultures of more inclusion and safety for everyone. In this action-oriented episode, Michael interviews highly acclaimed workplace influencer, speaker, and four-t...

2 months ago

1 hour 1 minute

The Culture Advantage

Katica Roy: AI Could Eradicate Bias at Work in 10 Years

Would you be surprised to learn that over 300,000 Black women were recently pushed out of the US labor force in just three months? Do you know how that impacts all of us? It was Katica Roy’s research that brought this to our national attention, first from her MSNBC byline that broke the story and then from the front-page article about it in the New York Times. In this episode, host Michael Baran asks Katica more about how that is happening and what the implications are for workplaces and for ...

2 months ago

1 hour 14 minutes

The Culture Advantage

The Pro Tips about Pronouns: Understanding and Improving They/Them Use

There’s a lot of misunderstanding about the use of gender-neutral pronouns they/them in the workplace and in the world. Many people in your organization or in your life, especially younger people, would be feeling a lot more inclusion if people used these pronouns correctly. In this episode, Michael Baran delves into the many ways that people are messing up – by ignoring people’s identities, by debating the grammar of it (or some other devil’s advocate position), by rolling eyes or pausing be...

2 months ago

15 minutes

The Culture Advantage

What is Lurking in Our Minds? Unconscious Biases and What to Do about Them

If you’ve been working for at least a few years, especially in the corporate world, you’ve probably done an unconscious bias training. These trainings can be frustrating and ineffective! They fail to really provide deep understanding about bias, and they do not usually provide practical solutions. In this episode, Michael Baran provides that deep understanding with some compelling research studies and with a fascinating account of how biases develop, starting in childhood. He also describes w...

2 months ago

23 minutes

The Culture Advantage

Silence is Deadly: Giving and receiving feedback around challenging topics

When people are silent about the subtle exclusions that happen in a workplace, the culture suffers. When people speak up but the feedback is ignored or met with defensiveness, the culture also suffers. In this episode, Michael Baran outlines some of the best practice guidelines for having productive conversations about these insidious interactions. He describes how to “call in” rather than “call out” someone when they inadvertently cause exclusion, a skill especially essential for potential a...

3 months ago

20 minutes

The Culture Advantage

Toxic co-workers? A new way to think about nice people causing exclusion

The people bringing down the culture of your organization are not necessarily the ones you think they are. In this episode, Michael Baran describes the insidious way that all of us, even with the best intentions, can cause our co-workers to feel exclusion in our attempts to bond, to help, to be funny, or even to give a compliment. Michael and his book’s co-author name this concept “subtle acts of exclusion,” and in this episode he describes why they coined this term to reframe “microaggressio...

3 months ago

23 minutes

The Culture Advantage

Can We Talk About Charlie Kirk at Work?

It’s been over a week since Charlie Kirk was killed, and it’s still weighing on people, though in very different ways. In this episode, Michael Baran explains how organizations can’t ignore important events like this. He gives practical strategies for leaders, for managers, and for everyone to acknowledge realities, align on values, and connect human to human. The killing of Charlie Kirk is weighing heavily on many people. Is that something that can be discussed at work? How sh...

3 months ago

21 minutes

The Culture Advantage

The LIE About DEI: The Real Work that Drives Results – Part 3

DEI isn’t magic, it’s real work. And it’s worth it. In this episode, Michael Baran unpacks what DEI work actually does and how it can make a difference. Along the way, he provides some actionable tips leaders can use right away to create more trust and inclusion. DEI work is mistakenly thought to be only about quotas or the most extreme examples of “wokeness.” What is the work really? And how can it help organizations? In this episode of The Culture Advantage, Michael Baran elaborates ...

3 months ago

20 minutes

The Culture Advantage

Is DEI Dead? Why Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Still Matter – Part 2

DEI has been all over the news, as political attacks affect organizations of various types. Host Michael Baran clarifies how the attacks are misleading people about DEI work, explains why the work of DEI isn’t going anywhere, and shares strategies for moving forward in this contentious time. DEI has become the subject of the most heated debates about today’s workplaces. Is there any validity to the attacks against it? Is DEI really dispensable? In this episode of The Culture Advantage, ...

3 months ago

19 minutes

The Culture Advantage

The Truth About DEI: Myths, Meanings & Missteps - Part 1

DEI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the foundation of healthy, high-performing cultures. In this episode of The Culture Advantage Podcast, host Michael Baran breaks down what diversity, equity, and inclusion truly mean, why they matter, and how leaders can start noticing everyday behaviors that shape belonging in the workplace.

4 months ago

19 minutes

The Culture Advantage

Culture Isn’t What You Think: Foundations for Thriving Workplaces

Culture isn’t about food days, slogans, or posters on the wall; it’s about how people actually experience your organization every day. In the premiere episode of The Culture Advantage Podcast, Dr. Michael Baran unpacks what culture really means, why it determines everything from retention to innovation, and how leaders can intentionally create environments where people thrive and teams excel.

4 months ago

18 minutes

The Culture Advantage

Toxic Culture? Check Out Your Culture Advantage Instead

From hidden messages to everyday interactions to structures and policies, culture has a significant impact on how people feel, collaborate, and perform. In this inaugural episode, Dr. Michael Baran shares about his background and his motivation for starting this podcast to help you build a culture that supports all people, catalyzes effective collaboration, and leads to thriving organizations.

4 months ago

12 minutes