013: Breaking the Fear of Messing Up

What happens when the fear of “messing up” keeps us from speaking, connecting, or including others?

We are thrilled to welcome Brittany Martin Déjean, founder of Inclusion Jumpstart, for a conversation about FOMU—the fear of messing up—that holds back well-intentioned people and feeds exclusion.


Brittany knows this from both sides. At 12, after her father was paralyzed in a car accident and her brother was killed, she returned to school only to find silence. Classmates, afraid of saying the wrong thing, said nothing at all—leaving her isolated. Years later, she found herself making the same mistakes toward others.


Our conversations are always organic and you're encouraged to contribute questions. Join us live and shape the conversation in real time. We're looking forward to a deeply relevant discussion about how fear of making mistakes keeps us locked on the outside of "belonging". What might it take to build real connection through courage and compassion?

Brittany brings her lived experience and her professional expertise—leading disability inclusion at Airbnb, where she trained thousands across nine countries—to help us see how fear can give way
to growth, inclusion, and deeper humanity.

About Brittany Martin Déjean:
Brittany Martin Déjean is the founder of Inclusion Jumpstart with a mission to help non-disabled leaders get comfortable with disability to accelerate inclusion in business.
In the years after her dad was paralyzed in a car accident, she confronted the pervasive misconceptions about disability, forever transforming her awareness and understanding. She spent over 6 years at Airbnb as a disability inclusion and accessibility specialist. There she led workshops on disability inclusion and accessibility for over 1,000 employees and Airbnb hosts in nine countries.
These experiences reinforced what she had already seen throughout her career: many professionals hold deep-rooted misconceptions and unspoken fears about disability that create unnecessary barriers. Her conviction to change minds grew, as did her confidence that she was the right person to do it.

At her core, she is a daughter, mother, friend and colleague, who approaches her speaking, coaching and advocacy with deep empathy and compassion.


Connect with Britany:
www.inclusionjumpstart.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-martin-dejean/

Exposing the Hidden Reality is a weekly gathering for women who are ready to get real, ask better questions, and push back against the biases and barriers that shape our lives, work, and leadership.


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Connect with Annette Garsteck:
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Photography of Sandra Wint + Annette Garsteck taken by Katie Garlock, Portrations