Summary
Senior leadership can create more accessible, disability-friendly workplaces — and unlock a wealth of talent, perspectives, and competitive edges.
The Women’s Leadership Success podcast interviewed Stephanie W. Cawthon, PhD, for an episode on building true inclusive disability leadership.
Dr. Cawthon’s conversation with host and author Sabrina Braham MA, MFT, PCC, explored a wide variety of leadership topics, shared key insights, and offered actionable strategies that senior leaders can immediately implement.
In the introduction, the podcast noted that as senior leaders, it’s critical to proactively address disability inclusion in organizations. People with disabilities make up over 25% of the population – and that number is even higher among younger demographics. By creating more accessible, disability-friendly workplaces, leaders can unlock a wealth of talent and perspectives that will give their companies a competitive edge.
“Accessibility is not a to-do list. It’s a to-be list,” said Dr. Cawthon in the episode. “Who are you? Who do you want to be? How do you interact with your people? How do you interact in the community with others? How do you demonstrate that disabilities are okay, that they’re valued, and that it’s just a part of the human experience.”
And the burden for access is not on disabled people.
“The responsibility falls on all of us – not just the employee with a disability. As leaders, we must model inclusive behaviors and create a culture where accessibility is simply the norm,” said. Dr. Cawthon.