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Thriving in IntersectionalityAuthor: Dr. Lola Adeyemo
Thriving in Intersectionality is a leadership podcast exploring how identity, lived experience, and culture shape the way we lead, work, and build impact. Hosted by Dr. Lola Adeyemo leadership strategist, researcher, and founder of EQImindset and Immigrants in Corporate the show features thoughtful conversations with executives, founders, scholars, and changemakers navigating leadership at the intersections of identity and influence. Through interviews and solo reflections, each episode examines how leaders make decisions, build belonging, navigate complexity, and grow their careers while shaping more human, inclusive workplaces. Listeners gain practical insight, real-world leadership stories, and research-informed perspectives on culture, power, and professional growth. If you care about leading with intention, building cultures where people thrive, and understanding how lived experience informs leadership this podcast is for you. Language: en Genres: Business, Careers, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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EP 146: When Your Language Doesn't Show Everything You Know with Douglas Brewer
Friday, 2 October, 2026
What happens when what you know is bigger than what you can communicate in the moment?Executive communication coach Douglas Brewer works with accomplished non-native English-speaking professionals who are already fluent—but don't always feel like the full version of themselves when the stakes are high. It's an experience he understands from his own journey: growing up in North Carolina, moving to China and becoming fluent in Mandarin, building a career in education and hospitality leadership, and later moving to Spain and learning Spanish. In this conversation, Dr. Lola and Douglas explore the relationship between language, identity, communication and competence. Dr. Lola reflects on how her own voice changed after immigrating to the U.S., while Douglas challenges us to consider how easily we can underestimate someone's intelligence or expertise simply because of how they communicate in a particular language. In this episode, you'll hear:How Douglas's childhood as a performer eventually connected to his work in communication.Why moving to China became a formative experience in language, culture and identity.How teaching English to international hospitality employees led Douglas into training and executive leadership.Why fluency doesn't always mean feeling fully like yourself in another language.How Dr. Lola's communication changed after immigrating to the United States.Why language and accent can influence how we perceive competence.How learning another language can reveal different parts of our identity.Why communication requires effort from both the speaker and the listener. Pasted textA takeaway to carry with you:“There are so many more cues to competence than language.” Someone searching for a word, speaking with an unfamiliar accent or saying less in a meeting doesn't tell you everything they know.About Douglas BrewerDouglas Brewer is an executive communication coach who helps non-native English-speaking leaders communicate with greater confidence and presence. A former university professor and hospitality executive, Douglas is also a multilingual adult language learner who brings his own cross-cultural experiences to his coaching. Pasted text (2)Connect with Douglas:LinkedIn: Douglas BrewerWebsite: www.thedouglasbrewer.comFully Yourself in English Retreat: www.fullyyourself.comSend us Fan MailSupport the showThank you for listening to Thriving in Intersectionality with Dr. Lola Adeyemo.This podcast explores how identity, lived experience, and leadership intersect in today's workplace and beyond. Through conversations with leaders, founders, educators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers, we uncover stories and insights that help people thrive across the many intersections of their lives.💬 Have a thought about this episode? Send a Fan Mail message directly through Buzzsprout. I'd love to hear what resonated with you.❤️ If you find value in these conversations, consider becoming a supporter of the show. Your support helps us continue amplifying diverse voices, meaningful stories, and leadership insights from across industries and experiences.⭐ Follow, share, rate, and review the podcast to help others discover these conversations.📬 Continue the conversation - read the companion reflections on Substack🌍 Immigrants and first-generation professionals can join our free community at:www.immigrantsincorporate.orgConnect with Host Dr. Lola Adeyemo on LinkedIn.Keep thriving in your intersections. Your story matters.
