Our world is one full of distractions. Increasing and retaining our focus, including on DEI, often feels impossible! Before we realize what has happened, we’ve gone back to the way things were.
Today, I want to offer a few simple strategies we can embody to continue living the values of DEI, even after our training wheels have been removed. I mean, being inclusive isn’t so different from riding a bicycle! We can learn about riding a bike, just like we can consume informational DEI material, and we can practice riding a bike with training wheels, just like we can participate in DEI training and workshops. If we really want to get anywhere, though, we need to take those training wheels off and ride! DEI is the same, because if we truly want to come to a world that is more welcoming for all, we must be intentionally inclusive every day. Let’s walk through a few strategies all of us can implement to live and breathe inclusion in our workplaces!
One of my favorite suggestions is to keep a sticky note on our desk that says, “What can I do today to be intentionally inclusive?” This strategy is a simple one, but having a tangible object before us that highlights the importance of inclusion helps keep inclusivity at the forefront of our minds! This constant reminder is a bit like the DEI equivalent of a life hack, no?
Another strategy, obvious though it may seem, is to reach out to coworkers and team members that we don’t usually interact with. Please note that I’m not suggesting we all need to be social butterflies or that we should be interrupting others’ work! Rather, when we have a break, we can be intentionally inclusive simply by spending time with new people. Start conversations, invite them to have lunch or coffee with ourselves (and our friends)—get to know them in whatever way is most comfortable!
When it comes to inclusivity during work itself, my advice is for us to be intentional about paying attention to who is speaking and who is quiet during meetings. If we notice a certain person is not talking much, is being talked over, or is simply being ignored, I encourage us to make space for them to share their perspectives. There is no such thing as inclusion with exceptions, and that means letting all voices be heard.
Last but not least, how to be intentionally inclusive on a managerial level: encourage team members to provide feedback! The avenues through which this feedback can be offered will look different for every organization, but the importance of creating a safe space for employees to share if they have witnessed/experienced any microaggressions, how they feel about the company’s commitment to inclusion, and so forth cannot be overstated. One-on-one meetings between supervisors and their employees to discuss the status of inclusion in the workplace would perfectly suffice!
There we have it: a few straightforward strategies we can use to be intentionally inclusive, no matter how the world might try to distract us. What are we waiting for? Let’s get on our bikes and ride!
Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization.
Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.
