Phronesis: Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott Allen

Dr. Aftab Erfan & Amiel Handelsman - The Many Faces of JEDI

March 22, 2023 Scott J. Allen Season 1 Episode 167
Dr. Aftab Erfan & Amiel Handelsman - The Many Faces of JEDI
Phronesis: Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott Allen
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Phronesis: Practical Wisdom for Leaders with Scott Allen
Dr. Aftab Erfan & Amiel Handelsman - The Many Faces of JEDI
Mar 22, 2023 Season 1 Episode 167
Scott J. Allen

Dr. Aftab Erfan (she/her) is a scholar-practitioner currently serving as the City of Vancouver’s first Chief Equity Officer. She leads internal transformation for a public organization of nearly 10,000 employees. Originally from Iran, she moved to Canada as a teenager. Her formal education is in environmental sciences, fine arts, and urban planning. Aftab did much of her growing up within the youth environmental movement, where she learned that activism is an effective antidote to despair. In her late 20s, Aftab completed an action-research-based Ph.D. in Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia, where she subsequently taught for nearly a decade and completed a 4-year stint as Director of Dialogue and Conflict Engagement for the university. She has worked as a consultant on four continents but finds much more meaning in working locally. Next to her family, Aftab's primary engagement is with the large systemic issues of our times. She wonders how we can become useful leaders in times of societal struggle,  transition, and collapse.

Amiel Handelsman is a seasoned executive coach with 20+ years of experience helping leaders and teams navigate complexity. His clients have included college presidents, C-level business executives, and teams at every level. He is passionate about climate solutions and specializes in helping people deliver what they promise and build highly engaged workforces. Amiel is the author of four books, including Practice Greatness and the free e-books Reimagining American Identity and How To Be An Anti-race Antiracist, and is a frequent guest on podcasts. He holds a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University and an M.B.A. from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Amiel lives with his wife and two children in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode


A Quote From Atfab's Article 

  • "When the JEDI movement looks in the mirror, it sees many faces reflected back. I can only hope that giving names and definitions to some of these faces enables all of us who see ourselves a part of this movement to take our next steps with more awareness and mutual responsibility to one another."


About  Scott J. Allen


My Approach to Hosting

  • The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are important views to be aware of. Nothing can replace your own research and exploration.


About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

  • The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in the study, practice, and teaching of leadership. 
Show Notes

Dr. Aftab Erfan (she/her) is a scholar-practitioner currently serving as the City of Vancouver’s first Chief Equity Officer. She leads internal transformation for a public organization of nearly 10,000 employees. Originally from Iran, she moved to Canada as a teenager. Her formal education is in environmental sciences, fine arts, and urban planning. Aftab did much of her growing up within the youth environmental movement, where she learned that activism is an effective antidote to despair. In her late 20s, Aftab completed an action-research-based Ph.D. in Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia, where she subsequently taught for nearly a decade and completed a 4-year stint as Director of Dialogue and Conflict Engagement for the university. She has worked as a consultant on four continents but finds much more meaning in working locally. Next to her family, Aftab's primary engagement is with the large systemic issues of our times. She wonders how we can become useful leaders in times of societal struggle,  transition, and collapse.

Amiel Handelsman is a seasoned executive coach with 20+ years of experience helping leaders and teams navigate complexity. His clients have included college presidents, C-level business executives, and teams at every level. He is passionate about climate solutions and specializes in helping people deliver what they promise and build highly engaged workforces. Amiel is the author of four books, including Practice Greatness and the free e-books Reimagining American Identity and How To Be An Anti-race Antiracist, and is a frequent guest on podcasts. He holds a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University and an M.B.A. from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Amiel lives with his wife and two children in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode


A Quote From Atfab's Article 

  • "When the JEDI movement looks in the mirror, it sees many faces reflected back. I can only hope that giving names and definitions to some of these faces enables all of us who see ourselves a part of this movement to take our next steps with more awareness and mutual responsibility to one another."


About  Scott J. Allen


My Approach to Hosting

  • The views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are important views to be aware of. Nothing can replace your own research and exploration.


About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

  • The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in the study, practice, and teaching of leadership.