Human Side Up: Leading with authenticity with Dr.Joel A.Davis Brown

Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown is an author, educator, and speaker. He is also the founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Pneumos LLC, a worldwide management consultancy that provides organizations with leadership training, organizational development, and fostering a diverse, creative environment where people can thrive. He is an adjunct professor at the IESEG Management school, where he teaches executive MBA courses on emotional intelligence, strategic storytelling, and story listening. He is also the author of The Souls of Queer Folk: How Understanding LGBTQ+ Culture Can Transform Your Leadership Practice. Dr. Davis Brown sat down with CLARA Founder & CEO Natasha Nuytten for a conversation about the role of connection, belonging, and storytelling in leadership. In a world where workplaces often prioritize efficiency over human connection, Davis Brown challenges leaders to rethink how they engage with their teams. They explore why psychological safety, cultural intelligence, and authenticity are essential for creating workplaces where people feel seen, valued, and inspired to contribute.

Leading with connection and authenticity

Davis Brown believes that true leadership isn’t transactional, it’s relational. Early in his career as a lawyer, he realized that traditional workplace interactions often felt rigid and impersonal. "When I meet people, it’s not about what you do or what you can do for me," he says. "It’s about how we take care of each other." He quickly saw that when relationships were built with authenticity, they became the foundation for creative collaboration and success.

Davis Brown learned this lesson firsthand in a consulting environment where the word "community" was used frequently, but not always with sincerity. "Not everybody who talks about community means it," he explains. In competitive spaces, relationships can often feel transactional, but Davis Brown made a commitment to lead differently. "I always lead with who I am," he says. "If the energy isn’t right, I trust that and go in a different direction."

The importance of making contact

For Davis Brown, connection is about making real contact, not networking. "Making contact means truly engaging with someone’s truth, their worldview, and their reality," he says. It requires presence, active listening, and a willingness to be a witness to others. Yet, he sees that many professionals spend years working side by side without ever truly knowing each other. "You can work ten, twelve hours a day with someone and still not really know them," he notes.

This lack of connection has real consequences, not just for individuals, but for organizations and communities at large. "Many of the issues we see in the world come from people not making contact— with themselves or with others," Davis Brown says. "To genuinely connect, you have to start by looking inward. Who am I? What do I stand for? What’s guiding me?" Once leaders do the inner work, they’re able to foster real, meaningful connections with their teams and cultivate workplaces where people feel seen and valued.

Redefining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are often discussed in corporate spaces, but Davis Brown believes we need to revisit their true meanings. "Diversity is about recognizing the differences, the variations that exist around us," he says. "But it’s not just about acknowledging them—it’s about understanding how to honor and incorporate them."

He draws a sharp distinction between equity and equality: "Equality assumes we’re all starting from the same place. Equity recognizes that history, social systems, and personal circumstances create different starting points. Real equity means adjusting structures so that everyone has a fair shot." His analogy of fire alarms in dormitories illustrates this perfectly: "A loud bell might notify most students, but those who are hearing-impaired wouldn’t get the message. So we add flashing lights. But what about those who are both hearing and visually impaired? Equity requires a layered, thoughtful approach to ensure no one is left behind."

Yet today, these concepts are often twisted and misrepresented. "If I were just going by what I see on the news, I wouldn’t recognize what diversity is supposed to mean," Davis Brown notes. "It’s time to reclaim these principles and remind people why they matter—not just for marginalized groups, but for all of us."

Belonging as a business imperative

Beyond diversity and equity, Davis Brown sees belonging and inclusion as essential for both human well-being and business success. "Businesses are made up of people. And people need to feel recognized and valued in order to do their best work," he says. The data backs him up: disengagement and low psychological safety lead to decreased productivity, higher turnover, and diminished innovation.

But the consequences go beyond the workplace. "We’re facing a global loneliness epidemic," Davis Brown warns. "Municipalities in Denmark, governments in New Zealand and the UK— they’re all investing in efforts to combat social disconnection." He believes that organizations must take responsibility for fostering connection, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it directly impacts business outcomes. "The companies that truly prioritize belonging will not only sustain their growth, they’ll accelerate it. The ones that don’t will fall behind."

Storytelling as a leadership tool

One of the most powerful ways to foster belonging, Davis Brown argues, is through storytelling. "I’ve always been a storyteller, always been curious about people’s journeys," he says. But in many workplaces, stories are absent. "I once realized that I worked alongside people for years without knowing anything real about them. That lack of connection made my work feel hollow."

Davis Brown sees storytelling as a bridge between leadership and psychological safety. "If leaders want an open, engaged culture, they have to model vulnerability," he explains. That means sharing experiences, being transparent about struggles, and showing up with empathy. But it’s not just about leaders—it’s about fostering a culture where storytelling and openness are encouraged at all levels.

For leaders who want to create this kind of environment, Davis Brown offers a challenge: "Do a 'hello' inventory. Who do you speak to? Who do you trust? Who do you actually know beyond the surface level?" The answers, he says, often reveal blind spots in inclusion and engagement.

Creating an inclusive culture isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about changing behaviors. "The best leaders recognize that inclusion isn’t just an initiative; it’s a way of being," Davis Brown says. "It takes time, patience, and a willingness to unlearn and relearn. But the organizations that commit to this work will be the ones that thrive."

To hear more from Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown on leadership, inclusion, and the power of connection, watch the latest episode of Human Side Up here.