The Workplace Dance

The Workplace Dance

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  THE WORKPLACE DANCE A MANAGER’S GUIDE TOINCLUSION K E L L Y S C O T T M A D I S O N | 2 0 2 0
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  You've heard thephrase coined by Vernā Myers, “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” The Workplace Dance guides Managers on how to foster inclusion within a team. WELCOME TO THE WORKPLACE DANCE WHY WE DANCE HOW TO LEAD THE DANCE GRAB YOUR DANCING SHOES The importance of inclusion and your role as a manager Learn where to focus your energy + impactful action items Rate yourself against the six signature traits of inclusive leadership, and create an action plan SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES
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  WHY WE DANCE
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  What is Inclusion SHRMdescribes inclusion as the extent to which each person in an organization feels welcomed, respected, supported, and valued as a team member. Inclusion is the action behind diversity. It requires people from diverse backgrounds to communicate and work together, and to understand one another's needs and perspectives. The Business Case NeuroLeadership Institute found that employees perform best when they feel valued, empowered, and respected; our most productive, innovative, and collaborative times at work are when we feel like we’re a part of the team. When we feel included and respected, our bodies create hormones and healthy energy that raise our performance. Your Role As manager, you set the tone. Your words and actions have the power to bring people in or push them away. This is a significant responsibility which requires intentional effort and heightened consciousness. T H E I M P O R T A N C E O F I N C L U S I O N WHY WE DANCE Sources: SHRM, NeuroLeadership Institute
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  HOW TO LEAD THEDANCE
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  THE FIRST STEP SL O W D O W N In a world where we’re accustomed to moving at an amazingly fast pace, it might seem radical to recommend slowing down. But here’s the thing: speed and spontaneity are rarely inclusive as they rely on ingrained habits, not empathy and understanding. So, allow yourself to fully absorb the tips that follow and then consider your next steps. A few minutes of intentional planning and thought can go a long way. Source: Pantheon
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  1 Communicate consciously 2 Embrace theindividual 3 Build trust 4 Turn auto-drive off in meetings 5 Set ground rules 6 Commit with courage 7 Lean in from afar KEY DANCE STEPS O V E R V I E W
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  COMMUNICATE CONSCIOUSLY 1. Use inclusivelanguage: Choose your words wisely; ensure your message is respectful, sensitive to differences, and free from stereotypes and discrimination 2. Avoid micro-aggressions: Subtle slights or insults that accumulate over time; can make employees feel unappreciated, under-valued, or invisible 3. Use micro-affirmations: Small acknowledgments that show value to others (e.g., make eye-contact, nod to show you see them, greet them by name, recognize their good work); can uplift employees, have a ripple effect, and require minimal effort 4. Don’t make assumptions: Don’t assume you know more than others by explaining concepts they may already understand, also known as “mansplaining” when done by men to women 5. Share: Offer as much information as you can about goals, expectations, and initiatives 6. Hold office hours: Offer a consistent opportunity for Q&A to ensure employees get the answers and information they need 7. Open your door: Signal that you welcome spontaneous conversation and that you’re interested in social contact 8. Use technology: Explore tools like yes/no voting and polls to account for introverts and employees who may be less likely to speak up for whatever reason 9. Stay connected: Check-in daily with each team member Sources: SHRM, YW Boston, LinkedIn Learning
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  EMBRACE THE INDIVIDUAL BUILD TRUST 1.Get personal: Learn about team members’ preferences, interests, and ways of working 2. Show interest: Inquire about topics they care about; recall personal things that were mentioned previously and follow-up in a thoughtful way 3. Show you care: Hold regular 1:1s and dedicate time for informal personal catch-up; check-in on their well-being 4. Recognize and celebrate: Acknowledge birthdays (unless they specifically ask you not to), milestones, and achievements 5. Ask: Don’t assume anything about their well-being, opinions, needs, etc. 6. Share the wealth: Keep track of employees’ goals; when an opportunity arises, review the list before jumping to the same high performer 1. Give and take ownership: Take less credit for the wins and more accountability for the mistakes 2. Empower them: Let them take risks and fail 3. Be an advocate: Manage up on their behalf and plant seeds 4. Share: Keep everyone informed so each person gets a sense of what everyone else is doing and the value they bring 5. Be kind: Don’t embarrass or retaliate against them 6. Defend: Have their back (and they’ll be more likely to have yours) 7. Celebrate uniqueness: Make them feel comfortable being themselves and encourage authenticity 8. Make it safe, easy, and rewarding: Enable them to share honest feedback Sources: SHRM, McKinsey & Company
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  TURN AUTO-DRIVE OFF INMEETINGS 1. Represent all POVs: Confirm if you are missing any diverse or dissenting POVs 2. Prep: Distribute meeting materials in advance and share questions to be discussed 3. Acknowledge everyone: Greet each participant warmly by name so all feel welcome 4. Keep track: Who’s talking and who’s not? Prevent anyone from dominating or derailing 5. Pause: Ask questions and pause so that others are given the opportunity to speak 6. Structure participation: Consider strategies such as a round-robin or ask every participant for their opinion directly at least once 7. No interruptions: Step in quickly when interruptions occur and ask the original speaker to continue their thought 8. Listen with your eyes and ears: Demonstrate that you’re interested in what the speaker is saying 9. Lead with humility: Don’t assume you know more than others; solicit other perspectives 10. Play musical chairs: When meeting in your office, move away from the desk and/or sit on the same side to indicate that you’re working together 11. Give credit where it’s due: When a team member is recognized for an idea that someone else mentioned previously, point out who shared the idea originally 12. Follow-up: Thank participants for attending and ask for their feedback Sources: SHRM, Harvard Business Review, LinkedIn, McKinsey & Company
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  SET GROUND RULES COMMIT WITH COURAGE 1.Give the floor and listen: Give others an opportunity to speak and listen actively, empathetically, and openly—no interruptions 2. Enforce zero tolerance: Prohibit exclusionary behavior, badmouthing, and offensive comments 3. Assume positive intentions: Give the benefit of the doubt 4. It’s ok to disagree: Let people express and defend themselves and use conflicting POVs to drive creativity; ensure employees aren’t agreeing just because they feel like they should 5. Say thank you: Acknowledge contributions and input, especially those that differ from yours 1. Be an ally: Don't allow colleagues to say offensive things without intercepting them; speak up and take action 2. Rewire: Acknowledge your unconscious biases (especially affinity bias) and rewire your brain to respond differently 3. Educate yourself: Diversify your social media feeds; learn more about underrepresented communities 4. Get uncomfortable: Go somewhere you’re the minority; get a taste of how your diverse team members feel 5. Don’t be defensive: When reacting, focus on impact over intent Sources: The Muse, Inside Hook
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  LEAN IN FROMAFAR 1. Leverage video to strengthen team connection: 1. Non-verbal cues: Up to 10,000 nonverbal cues occur in a 1-minute interaction, and these can be lost on the phone and cause misunderstandings 2. Communication: Seeing your team helps ensure everyone is on the same page 3. Human touch: Inviting others into your home offers a different side of you 2. Set an example: Turn on your camera for every meeting and embrace interruptions to make others comfortable doing the same, otherwise they may go unseen and unheard 3. Acknowledge unmutes: Check-in on anyone who unmutes their audio but hasn’t spoken up; they might have something to share 4. Use in-app features: Utilize the “hand raise” feature, breakout rooms, and others to ensure everyone who wants to speak has an opportunity to do so 5. Offer nonverbal signals: Give a thumbs up or make a heart with your hands to signal support while someone expresses their point of view 6. Inquire and accommodate: Ask remote employees about their daily routines and agree on times when everyone can be available 7. Don’t judge: Respect the diversity of personal circumstances; lead with trust and empathy over speculation and judgement 8. Remove the pressure: Assure remote employees that they don’t constantly need to be visible and responsive online to prove that work is getting done 9. Be flexible: Rotate meeting times if you have employees in different time zones 10. Ensure setup: Make sure that everyone has access to quality tools (e.g., a laptop, reliable internet connection, etc.) and request them for team members in need. Sources: SHRM, New York Times, Inklusiiv
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  GRAB YOUR DANCING SHOES
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  Read about the“6 Cs” below and on the next slide: 1. COMMITMENT: They have a high level of commitment to diversity and inclusion that inspires others and shows they care 2. COURAGE: They recognize their own shortcomings and are willing to admit to their mistakes 3. COGNIZANCE OF BIAS: They understand that personal and organizational biases narrow their field of vision and preclude them from being objective 4. CURIOSITY: They refrain from making quick judgments that stifle the flow of ideas; they synthesize a range of ideas, making people feel valued, respected, and that they belong 5. CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE: They are adept at functioning effectively in different cultural settings; they adapt while also maintaining their own cultural authenticity 6. COLLABORATION: They know that diversity of thought is key to effective collaboration, which drives team performance and success; they pay close attention to team composition and team processes THE “6 CS” OF INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP O V E R V I E W & D E S C R I P T I O N S Dr. Shirley Davis, a 20-year diversity and inclusion officer and HR veteran, explains the “6 Cs” as the essential qualities that show “an openness to different ways of doing things, leaning into some discomfort, and demonstrating courage to embrace the unknown and the unf amiliar.” Sources: Deloitte, LinkedIn Learning
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  THE “6 CS”OF INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP P R O M P T S F O R S E L F - A S S E S S M E N T ( N E X T P A G E ) 1 | Commitment Do you articulate an authentic commitment to D&I and make it a personal priority? Do you visibly support people’s uniqueness? Do you attend optional D&I forums? Do you identify as an ally? 2 | Courage Do you challenge the status quo and speak up about beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that foster homogeneity? Do you admit mistakes and create a safe place for others to do the same? 5 | Cultural Intelligence Do you understand how your own culture impacts your worldview? Do you recognize how cultural stereotypes influence your expectations of others? Are you attentive to others’ cultures? 3 | Cognizance of Bias Do you make a deliberate effort to identify your biases and strive to prevent them from influencing talent decisions? Do you work hard to ensure a meritocracy? 6 | Collaboration Do you create a safe space for all to express their opinions freely without judgment or retribution and focus on team cohesion? Do you empower others and promote diversity of thought and psychological safety? 4 | Curiosity Do you have an open mind and a hunger for other perspectives to minimize your blind spots? Do you engage in respectful questioning and active listening without judgment? Do you seek to understand and empathize with others? Sources: Deloitte, LinkedIn Learning
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  SELF ASSESSMENT & ACTIONPLAN Rate yourself against each of the “6 Cs” on a scale of 1-5: [1 = not effective at all, 5 = very effective]. Then: 1. Identify at least one behavior in each category that you can improve upon 2. From that list, commit to start doing 2 things today to be more inclusive (Refer to slides 7-11 for suggested action items) 3. Focus on those 2 items for one month 4. Revisit your list monthly and repeat steps 1-3 Sources: Deloitte, LinkedIn Learning
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  SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES
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  SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES Inclusive Leadership * (LinkedInLearning) Communicating About Culturally Sensitive Issues * (LinkedIn Learning) The Six Signature Traits of Inclusive Leadership (Deloitte University Press) Inclusive Language Guide (Counseling@Northwestern) Guidelines for Inclusive Language (Linguistic Society of America) * Requires a LinkedIn Learning subscription
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  THIS DANCE ISNEVER GOING OUT OF STYLE, SO GRAB YOUR TEAM AND GROOVE!