Effective Communication & Collaboration - Chris Williams

Chris Williams first remembers becoming aware of race when his brother was stabbed several times in the back. His brother survived, but it gave Chris a lifelong passion of working for equity. As Global Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at CBRE, Chris is igniting change in a 68,000 person organization that operates in over 100 countries.

To lead change on this scale, Chris talks about the importance of effective communication and collaboration. In order to create change with such a diverse audience, he notes it's important to be able to read the audience, practice active listening, and not assume that your normal messaging translates to different audiences.

Chris shares stories of several times where he realized that his communication may have created a barrier and how his self- and situational awareness helped him recognize that he made a mistake. He explains how he apologized and learned from those experiences - modeling the power of humble DEI leadership. You won't want to miss this high-energy and deeply vulnerable conversation. Original music by ⁠Lynz Floren⁠.