Meeting leaders should outline who will speak first, starting with the most marginalized or least heard persons at the table.
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Whether it’s an in-depth conversation surrounding diversity or just another discussion for a team project, it’s important to set expectations and ground rules before the conversation begins. If someone denies their bias exists, there will be no motivation to overcome it. Leaders, managers, and employees must mentally accept these differences and the need to overcome them.
ARE THEY MAKING A BRAVE 2 FULL
Simply stating that all voices are equal will not inspire full participation from all. It’s critical to first recognize that everyone will come to the table with diverse experiences and viewpoints. As a foundation for promoting D&I in the workplace, organizations and leaders can consider the following strategies for building a brave work environment:īrave and safe spaces are fluid depending on the group gathered. Thus, acts of courage within environments that inspire bravery lead us to a state of psychological safety 4 Steps to Creating a Brave DEI Space in The WorkplaceĬreating a brave space requires intention and hard work. All of these actions build up our emotional and psychological muscles to become comfortable in our teams and workplaces.
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In the office, these acts of courage may take the form of workers sharing stories from personal experiences, managers initiating conversations on difficult topics, and even executives taking risks and supporting widespread company change. It makes sense then to work on encouraging acts of courage and bravery first. But, if that worker slowly builds up their resistance to fear or uncomfortable situations, their basal ganglia will jump in and start making speaking up automatic. For example, a worker who is fearful their idea will be dismissed perceives danger and decides they should not speak up. When our brain perceives danger, it sends a signal from the amygdala to the prefrontal cortex which interferes with reasoning abilities. We are hardwired to seek out safety and comfort. But conversations surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion are not always comfortable, nor should they be if we are truly challenging ourselves to grow in our worldviews.
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In a psychologically safe place, participants already have the capacity to interact openly and without the fear of judgment or punishment. While “psychological safety” and “safe spaces” are trending terms, many people will equate these with comfort. Instead of simply declaring your team environment a safe area, take steps to make it a place of bravery first. While this type of team dynamic is desirable because it can lead to very real ROI, it’s not easy to achieve. Science shows that when teams step outside their comfort zones and take risks on the things that frighten them, it can move them into a zone of high performance and innovation. Bravery requires going out on a limb, taking a risk or finding the strength to do something we are unsure of. How did you get through that moment? Whenever confronted with something outside of our comfort zone, we must rely on our ability to be brave – to have courage. Think back to a situation with a co-worker on in a team meeting that made you uncomfortable.