In this second conversation with Shailvi Wakhlu, The Inclusion Catalyst explores a critical but often overlooked dimension of workplace inclusion: what happens after people are invited to the table?
Shailvi argues that inclusion cannot stop at representation or opportunity. Organizations have a responsibility to create opportunities for people to participate, but individuals also need the skills to make their voices heard, communicate their value, and take advantage of those opportunities.
That leads to the idea of the "speak-up gap"—the space between having something valuable to contribute and being able to communicate it effectively. Sometimes people lack the words. Sometimes they lack the confidence, the forum, the context, or the psychological safety to speak. And sometimes they simply haven’t been taught how to advocate for themselves without feeling pushy, difficult, or aggressive.
Mickey and Shailvi discuss why self-advocacy should be treated as a professional skill rather than an innate personality trait. Just as people learn technical skills, they can learn how to communicate their accomplishments, negotiate, ask for opportunities, disagree effectively, and frame their work in terms of organizational value.
In this episode:
- Why inclusion efforts can fall short without self-advocacy
- What the "speak-up gap" really means
- Why communication and self-advocacy are skills—not personality traits
- How to make the value of your work visible
- Turning everyday workplace conversations into career-building opportunities
- Why connecting your work to organizational goals matters
- How self-advocacy can be a win-win for employees and employers
- How to practice difficult conversations before you need them
- The difference between being assertive and being aggressive
- How to disagree effectively without becoming adversarial
- How empathy can make self-advocacy more effective
- How to recognize and respond to unhealthy power dynamics
Shailvi Wakhlu is a technology leader, consultant, and author of Self-Advocacy: How to Get What You Deserve at Work. Her book approaches self-advocacy as a practical skill, offering playbooks, checklists, and examples for people navigating their careers.
Find Shailvi on LinkedIn or visit her website to learn more about her work.
This episode is produced in partnership with the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center.
Inclusion Catalyst invites you to become our next guest host. Learn more here: https://inclusioncatalyst.com/join-us-as-a-guest-host/