Reframe for Resilience: Dr. Frank L. Douglas on Accountability, Connection, and Human-Centered Inclusion with Delphia Howze

Reframe for Resilience

Episode Summary:

In this enlightening episode of Reframe for Resilience, host Dr. Frank L. Douglas sits down with Delphia Howze, a seasoned HR executive, consultant, and author. With over 20 years of leadership experience across industries, Delphia shares her journey, shaped by a strong personal “why” — her daughter — and a commitment to inclusive environments where people can thrive.

Together, they explore how personal values and human connectivity can transform workplaces, the importance of intentional inclusivity, and how going back to the basics — like the lessons we learned in kindergarten — may be the key to building resilient and inclusive cultures.

Key Topics Include

• The power of knowing your “why” and how it guides professional purpose
• How exclusion limits authenticity and impacts organizational performance
• Accountability for inclusion: why it’s everyone’s responsibility
• Human-centric inclusiveness: what it means and why it matters
• Reclaiming the mindset of connection we embraced in childhood
• The role of human connection in building resilience
• Drawing strength and growth from our relationships, like plants in a shared garden

Timeline Summary:

[00:00] – Delphia Howze opens by highlighting the emotional impact of exclusion in the workplace

[00:30] – Dr. Frank Douglas introduces Delphia as an author and HR executive with over 20 years of experience

[01:00] – Delphia shares her professional journey across industries including banking, retail, energy, and consulting

[02:30] – Discussion on finding purpose: Delphia reveals her “why” — her daughter — and how it shapes her career

[03:30] – How her “why” influences how she reframes workplace challenges and transitions

[06:00] – Inclusion as a shared responsibility rooted in our personal experiences of exclusion

[07:00] – Reflecting on early life lessons (like those taught in kindergarten) as a guide for adult workplace behavior

[08:30] – The irony of unlearning inclusion and over-intellectualizing exclusion in professional settings

[09:30] – Introducing the idea of “human-centric inclusiveness” and embracing imperfection and vulnerability

[10:30] – How human connection and shared values strengthen resilience

[11:30] – Final analogy: Delphia compares resilience to a “Three Sisters Garden” where we grow through mutual support

[12:00] – Closing appreciation from Dr. Douglas and a shared call to keep our sense of connection alive

Links & Resources:

● Learn more about Safe Haven Dialogues: Safe Haven Dialogues

Closing Remarks:

Delphia Howze reminds us that inclusion doesn’t require a title — it requires intention. Whether you're a leader or a colleague, we all carry the responsibility to create spaces where people can be their authentic selves. By centering humanity, remembering our early lessons in kindness, and nurturing one another like a garden, we foster the resilience needed to grow — together.

“We are more connected than we realize. And when we honor that, we all thrive.”

— Delphia Howze

Dr. Douglas closes with gratitude and a powerful reminder to hold onto our kindergarten spirit — where connection and care were second nature.