184: Building Inclusive Cultures Through Mentoring - Lisa Fain
Play the episode
184: Building Inclusive Cultures Through Mentoring
Lisa Fain grew up in a family of lawyers and while there was no obvious pressure, she ended up going to law school. She had envisioned a career in public interest law, but upon graduation, she had significant student loan debt which she wanted to clear before moving forward. Fortunately, Lisa was able to work in an area that interested her, labor and employment law, while squaring away her loan, working for a large law firm. She enjoyed counseling clients, using her negotiation and mediation skills while focusing on matters pertaining to EEO, diversity, and compliance.
Yet, still, Lisa knew this was not the way she wanted to work. The turning point came after she had pulled an all-nighter preparing for a litigation case. She saw a blinking light on her phone indicating she had a voicemail. It was a message from her four-year-old daughter. She said “Mommy come home. We need a mommy, not a lawyer.” Lisa shared, “It was the worst best gift I ever got because I recognized that I wasn't living my values. Although I was doing great work, I wasn't able to be the kind of mother that I wanted to be.”
Lisa left the large firm and transitioned to an in-house role at a company where she developed workplace policies, eventually focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She loved the work and demand across the company grew. Lisa was asked to create a mentoring program so she reached out to Lois Zachary of the Center for Mentoring Excellence to provide consultation on how to set it up. Full disclosure: Lois is Lisa’s mother!
Fast forward to today: Lisa is the CEO of the Center for Mentoring Excellence. She is a global speaker with expertise in cultural competency and mentoring. Her passion for diversity and inclusion fuels her conviction that leveraging differences creates a better workplace and drives better business results.
In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about Lisa’s journey:
Lisa is the co-author with Lois Zachary of Bridging Differences for Better Mentoring and the 2022 revision (3rd Edition) of The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships.
She is an Executive Coach who guides leaders to create better workplaces and is known for her frank, kind, and holistic approach to helping leaders help themselves.
Learn more and connect with Lisa here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisazfain/
https://www.centerformentoring.com/about-us/lisa-fain
Listen, subscribe and read show notes at www.tammygoolerloeb.com/podcasts/ - episode 184
Interested in booking Tammy to speak? Learn more about speaking and workshops on how she guides audiences through the skills and techniques that yield success by taking an interactive approach. Her presentations equip participants with essential tools that can be utilized immediately and throughout their careers.
Interested in individual or group coaching with Tammy? Learn more about her coaching service.
Stay Connected:
Affiliate Links: Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links above are “affiliate links”. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products and services I use personally and believe will add value to my listeners. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Subscribe to the Show
About Tammy, host of
Work from the inside out
Prior to establishing her practice, Tammy held a variety of positions in mental health services, higher education administration, public policy analysis and fundraising. Her practical knowledge and experience in organizational development, program management and business operations builds a relatable relationship with clients striving for higher performance results.