Ep55: Why Effective Leaders Don't Take the "Blame" Unnecessarily - Damion Jones

Topic:

Learn how to take responsibility as a leader, without potentially ruining your career. Our guest shares the advice no one talks about.

Today's Guest:

Damion Jones is the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion for Bayer Company.  In his current role, Damion is responsible for outlining the inclusion strategy & partnering with business unit leaders in regions across the company’s global footprint.  This includes partnering to outline the global strategic framework, implementing cultural infrastructure and recommending action s in support of the functional & regional oversight of our company culture and operations.  In recent years, he has led strategic enterprise wide initiatives for Monsanto, prior to acquisition, regarding the diversity dashboard design, mentoring and Unconscious Bias training all of which have reached thousands of our leaders world-wide.  Currently he is working to integrate Business Resource Networks (ERGs) strategy which exist across 6 geographies.

Prior to his current role, Damion was matrixed between Monsanto Company’s Organizational Development/Talent Management & Talent Acquisition divisions and was additionally responsible for project managing the Executive Team talent review & succession planning process.  At that time, Damion was intimately involved in our corporate governance aiding updates to the Board of Directors concerning CEO/ET succession as well as global diversity.

Damion received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Morris Brown College (HBCU) and both his masters (M.S.) and doctorate (Ph.D.) from Saint Louis University specializing in the areas of both social and organizational psychology.   Outside his day job Damion is frequently asked to guest lecture and lead webinars on topics of inclusion, psychology and leadership within various corporate, educational and civic institutions.  In response to the Ferguson Commission Report recommendations to aid the socioeconomic stability for Black businesses within the metropolitan area the Heartland St. Louis Black Chamber of Commerce was established for which Damion was asked to sit as a founding board member.  He also sits on the board of The Biome, a Youth Learning Center STEAM charter school within St. Louis City that utilizes Carol Dweck’s work on “growth mindset” to instruct students in underserved communities.  He is also a frequent contributor to DiversityInc via articles, webinar facilitation and video career advice as noted on their website www.DiversityInc.com. 

Damion currently resides in St. Louis Missouri with his wife Marvis, sons Simon and Aiden and daughter Genesis.

Music: https://www.bensound.com/