Bonavox Spotlight: Josh Swann
Bonavox is a people-first company so we are excited to spotlight the good people who make up our team.
Today, we’d like to introduce you to Josh Swann.
How did you originally get involved in change management?
My work exists at the intersection of my professional and personal interests. I studied organizational change and leadership at USC. A large part of that program was learning about diversity and inclusion. Through my education and personal experience, I started to notice gaps in equity at the workplace. Having studied this profusely, transitioning to this field was a no-brainer.
One of the core principles of change management is that behavior isn’t fixed. Everyone has the opportunity to change. And if I wanted to make a positive impact on workplace equity, I had to learn how to work with leaders who may be unaware or unwilling to make adjustments, so I started out by building an executive coaching program.
Racial equity was certainly a priority, but I also worked with leaders on developing their general leadership skills. I helped them develop their talents and capabilities to make sure they reached their full potential.
“It is not enough to say Black lives matter, you have to demonstrate that through actions.”
Sounds like a lot of your work is rooted in the pursuit of racial equity.
The problems we’re facing aren’t new. We’ve been talking about them for a very long time. These solutions we’re seeing today, DEI programs, unconscious bias training, all started with social changes we saw during the civil rights movement. But after 60 years of education and research and development, we still haven’t seen a lot of change when it comes to fixing the achievement and wealth gap.
That’s why I’m a strong advocate for progressive DEI. Coaching and research aren’t enough to achieve equity. We need to start by dismantling existing culture so we can build something better. It’s not about education, it’s about execution. It is not enough to say Black lives matter, you have to demonstrate that through actions.
How has that shaped your work at Bonavox?
My first project here at Bonavox was to create a Black Equity Solutions Toolkit. I designed all three tiers with execution and progress in mind. Looking at data across industries, there are trends that many organizations have had difficulties with closing the equity gap for Black talent. Leveraging scholarly research and real-world data, I developed the toolkit with specific education actions and support tools to drive real results.
Companies that take equity seriously will have a major impact moving forward. Solidarity is important, and organizations hold a lot of accountability when it comes to the movement because Black people have lacked the access and opportunity needed to build generational wealth. Only two percent of executives are black men. Pursuing organizational equity makes your business more competitive, the community stronger, and ensures that future generations grow up in a more equal world.
“Every day we all have an opportunity to lay the bricks to build that world. ”
What inspires you?
We’ve seen generation after generation pursue racial equality. And as each generation grows old, they pass the baton to the next. I’m inspired by those who came before me: Angela Davis, Bayard Rustin, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde. I call them my Fantastic Four. They’ve inspired me to grab the baton and carry it further along in the pursuit of building a world free of hate and filled with hope. Every day we all have an opportunity to lay the bricks to build that world. I’m confident my work at Bonavox will help me lay down at least a few more myself.
