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Why Middle Managers Make or Break DEI

Most DEI efforts don’t fail because of bad intentions. They stall because middle managers are left out of the conversation. In this episode of Relationships at Work, Russel sits down with Jonathan Njus, Program Lead for Expanding Equity at the WK Kellogg Foundation, to unpack why middle managers are the linchpin of diversity, equity, and inclusion — and why engaging them requires a very different approach than most organizations take today. Jonathan explains: Why DEI resistance is often a language problem, not a values problem How middle managers influence hiring, performance reviews, and team culture — whether they realize it or not Why psychological safety must extend to leaders, not just teams What inclusion looks like in daily decisions, not training decks How reframing DEI as “building the best team” changes everything This conversation moves beyond acronyms and ideology and gets practical about what actually shapes workplace culture: how leaders show up, how teams experience fairness, and how relationships at work either strengthen or fracture trust. If you’re a middle manager — or lead people who are — this episode offers clarity, permission, and a path forward.