AGL 241: Leading Below the Surface with LaTonya Wilkins

About LaTonya

Leading Below the Surface: How to Build Real (and Psychologically Safe) Relationships with People Who Are Different from YouFounder of The Change Coaches, LaTonya Wilkins partners with executives, upwardly mobile professionals, and teams to build cultures of belonging through highly customized coaching and consulting services. She is a sought-after keynote speaker and has inspired audiences all over the world. She built her career working in HR, talent management and learning & development at Fortune 500 companies before teaching and taking on progressive leadership roles at the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business. LaTonya is currently the President of the True Star Youth Foundation board. She gained industry recognition when she was featured on the peer-nominated list of most inclusive HR influencers in 2019.

LaTonya developed her signature concept of Below the Surface Leadership based on her own experience climbing the corporate ladder and researching across disciplines while constantly being the “only one” on her teams. This revolutionary approach to leadership is about creating psychologically safe relationships across differences, empowering underrepresented employees to feel valued, heard, and engaged, and creating cultures of belonging in the workplace.

LaTonya’s clients often describe her as approachable, non-judgmental, inspiring, creative, unique, and insightful. You may experience her the same way as you read through Leading Below the Surface.


Today We Talked About

  • LaTonya’s background
  • Leadership
  • Diversity
  • Equity
  • Inclusion
  • People First
  • Belonging
  • 3 Prongs of People Leadership
    • Real Leadership
      • Relatable
      • Equitable
      • Actionable
      • Loyal
    • Listening
      • Playback what you’re hearing
      • Write it down if you’re fidgety
    • Psychological Safe Relationships
    • Confirmation Bias

Connect with LaTonya


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December 22, 2021
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AGL 241: Leading Below the Surface with LaTonya Wilkins

About LaTonya Founder of The Change Coaches, LaTonya Wilkins partners with executives, upwardly mobile professionals, and teams to build cultures of belonging through highly customized coaching and consulting services. She is a sought-after keynote speaker and has inspired audiences all over the world. She built her career working in HR, talent management and learning & development at Fortune 500 companies before teaching and taking on progressive leadership roles at the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business. LaTonya is currently the President of the True Star Youth Foundation board. She gained industry recognition when she was featured on the peer-nominated […]
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