Set yourself up for success by having courageous conversations with your leaders.
As the year closes, many of us may be pondering how to set ourselves up for success in the coming year. One of our challenges may include getting Executives pumped and energized for massive shifts in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work scheduled for 2022. We are currently experiencing a taxing time after the many pivots (i.e., lingering effects of Covid, remote/hybrid working, culture necessities) delivered in 2021. Diversity Inc suggests that we will also have to contend with trends around artificial intelligence, technology, and more in the coming year. Therefore as we prepare ourselves, let us be mindful of the summarization process as we find and review insights that may yield tough conversations ahead with the leaders in our workplace. To share authentic feedback with our Executive Teams, we must acknowledge our roles and set the stage for enhanced commitments and actions that transform the workplace.
Acknowledge Our Roles
Messengers
If you're the messenger, resist the urge to dissect and over massage natural language to ensure palatability. 2021 has served us up a heaping of truth serum that deserves to be acknowledged and actioned. Most employees are being encouraged to share their authentic voices, and those that aren't being encouraged to share internally are sharing it externally. It behooves us to take note and plan for changes accordingly.
As messengers, bias can creep into the equation whereby we omit/overly massage information to minimize pushback or painful courageous conversations. So, for example, if we know leaders are not in favor of DEI efforts, then it's tempting to avoid dissenting discussions, especially if this is not the first time or we feel like we're pushing a boulder uphill. We must consciously plan to avoid confirmation bias and groupthink and show up and share authentic messages that deserve airtime. Those messages are essential inputs to facilitate change in the workplace. Consider yourself gifted with engagement insights to transport to the appropriate audience.
Proactive Receivers
Leaders receiving cultural insights should carve out ample time to prepare themselves and their teams for feedback. Consider adding space to the meeting agenda to discuss and plan for the reception of not so glowing feedback. We can also set ourselves up for success by setting ground rules for the discussion and allowing everyone the opportunity to speak. A good approach for digesting input is to model desired behaviors with differing perspectives in the pre-meeting. These actions prime the stage for innovative solutions in the debrief (insights review) meeting that may go by the wayside if met with defensiveness. Having conversations to foster a safe space for receiving authentic feedback is pragmatic. Leaning into curiosity about the input is a good approach. The desire to defend against critique is natural. Flexing our leadership styles is necessary.
Commit to Long Term Success
Both messengers and receivers are essential for the long haul in transforming workplace cultures. Messengers need leaders to support and uphold accountability for Diversity, equity, and inclusion success. Receivers need guidance on staying educated, demonstrating vulnerability, and best support efforts in the ever-changing DEI landscape.
