Nkem Ndefo on Embodying Change in Organizations and Individuals

The final Episode of Season 9, a season on mental health, embodiment, and in this episode we throw in change and some DEI (diversity equity and inclusion) as well. Recorded on Treaty 7 territory in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Change is hard, and harder still when it involves institutions filled with individuals who don't want to change. In this eye-opening and juicy conversation, Nkem Ndefo, founder of Lumos Transforms, joins Rohadi to discuss the pathways to embodying change. Change for both the self, and for organizations looking to become more equitable and inclusive spaces for all to work and thrive. I think in some ways it resilience has been weaponized. And as I've been teaching and working with people over the many years, I've seen a lot of people recoil from the word because it's been weaponized against folks in a very neoliberal context, in that we don't acknowledge the system's culpability in creating conditions of adversity. Instead, we look only at the individual and that unit, and we say that the individual must be more resilient, you must be strong, flexible to endure, whatever is going on, and that any resilience you build will then be extracted from you for greater production and consumption. - Nkem Episode Summary Intro to this episode. 0:00 Introduction to the show. 3:11 Reciprocity and collaboration in leading organizational and individual change. 8:24 The difficulty of existing in the liminal spaces that need to change. 15:08 The way resiliency has been weaponized ad how to reclaim it. 21:25 The importance of naming systemic problems. 30:55 How do we bring awareness to embodiment? 37:14 How do we build resilience in the face of privilege and fragility? 43:43 About Nkem: Nkem Ndefo, MSN, CNM, RN, is the founder of Lumos Transforms and creator of The Resilience Toolkit. She is a skilled practitioner, dynamic speaker, and valued strategist. She is known for her unique ability to connect with people of all types by holding powerful healing spaces, weaving complex concepts into accessible narratives, and creating synergistic and collaborative learning communities that nourish people’s innate capacity for healing, wellness, and connection. Social Media Handles: Instagram: @lumos_transforms Threads: @lumos_transforms Facebook: @lumostransforms