Be an Inclusion Coach in your Workplace
I had the benefit of participating in SHRM’s 2021 National Conference, all masked up, and lots of research-based leadership and culture tips and techniques. As an avid life-long learner, I always find nuggets that support my clients and their vision of the future. Here are some takeaways you may use as you coach leaders and/or your team members on creating a culture of inclusivity. Here’s some research from the authors of Subtle Acts of Exclusion: How to Understand, Identify, and Stop Microaggressions (Jana & Baran, 2020). Please note some of these ideas are not from these authors, but my own coaching experience.
Define inclusion. Bring together a diverse group of employees. Share with them how inclusion has been defined by the experts. According to the researchers, inclusion happens when people feel they are fully able to contribute; their differences are values; they feel welcomed, valued, suspected, heard, understood and supported. With this understanding, create your own definition and find a way to monitor and measure based on your description.
Understand that your story (your experiences, your upbringing, your successes and obstacles) is not the same as others. Seek to understand others to the level the others want to share. What do they value; what do they need to be connected? This is the first consider when we are working to understand what motivates and what inspires others.
Educate all members of your organization that intention does NOT matter, it is the impact that matters; and all acts of exclusion cause pain and hurt (as seen in fMRIs; and as heard by those who share their experiences).
Acknowledge that most microaggressions (acts of exclusion) are subtle and sometimes unintentional. And therefore, providing a safe space to bring awareness and get support is important.
Promote allyships where everyone has a role to support those who may feel excluded, and to encourage ‘hard to have’ conversations. Imagine having others support your psychological safety; and creating an environment where awareness and empathy are top priorities.
Create a language that supports and does not minimize the impact. E.g. This just happened. Can we talk about it? Or, can we explore how we use those words here?
Measure how all employees feel about being understood, welcomed, valued, respected and seen and heard as an individual.
A coach is an advocate, is a cheerleader, and challenges our thinking habits. Working with a coach or DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) consultant will allow you to create the workplace culture that out performs those organizations that are not inclusive. Thanks @MichaelDBaran for sharing this knowledge with us at 2021 SHRM Conference in Las Vegas.
Dr. Patti Sullivan is a leadership coach, working with executives in diverse organizations. For over 15 years, she has assisted leaders in challenging their limited beliefs, cultivating key relationships, finding ease in leading high performing teams, and delivering exceptional results.