Creating change
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Focus On Changing People’s Behaviors, Not Their Values
Some people may think that when I train for inclusion and equity in an organization, I’m there to put my personal values on people. No way. I’m not in the business to change people’s values. It’s their behaviors that I’m trying to work with them on. “To change any behavior, we have to slow down and act intentionally rather than from habit and impulse.” -Henna Inam Getting Real About People’s Values Over three decades ago when I started in homophobia work, I was naïve enough to think that I could change people’s values, to let them know how wrong they were because they were so homophobic. Then reality…
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Answers to 3 of Your Most Popular Questions on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Training
Discussions on equity, diversity, and inclusion can be lively, emotional – and sometimes challenging. Sessions can give rise to a multitude of varying questions and difficult situations. In our Q&A sessions, I am often asked the same questions regarding situations that generate a feeling of unease and hesitancy during workshops. By being prepared, we can better assist our workshop participants. During these challenging situations, stand strong. Don’t judge. Be empathetic. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” When a…
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Are Your Diversity Efforts Falling Short? It May Be Because…
Even with the best of intentions, diversity efforts might have fallen short of expectations at your organization. Don’t worry. It’s not your fault. When this happens, there are a couple culprits often to blame. One of the most common? One person (or a small group of people) is expected to create a more inclusive workplace for the entire organization. It can’t be done that way. If only one or a few people are working towards an organization’s goals of equity and inclusion, think for a minute about all the others who may actually be reversing those efforts! How can just one person be expected to undo centuries of racism and…
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Bullying in the Workplace: Had Enough?
Bullying is immersed in our culture: in school, at work, and even online. My fear is you’ve experienced it. Like an epidemic, it spreads. Workplace bullying can lead to lawsuits, a loss of morale among employees and higher rates of absenteeism, along with countless other unproductive, harmful consequences. If you’ve experienced bullying in the workplace, you need to formulate a plan to alleviate the situation. Tolerating it isn’t the answer; that merely perpetuates it. You want to be courageous, to take a stand against bullying – but you’re afraid of retaliation. Your fears may be heightened if the bully is your boss, or someone in a leadership position. There are…
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Do you really believe change is possible for our world?
Do you want your workplace, community or the whole country to be different? Maybe it feels overwhelming – impossible, even – and you’re at a loss for what to do next. I hear you. And I’m here to tell you I believe that yes – change is still 100% possible – no matter how things may look within the greater context of our current political climate. My Vision of Transformation & Change A lot of folks say they want change. Some may want transformation and change to create a world grounded in the values of the 1940s and 50s – or even earlier. Others perhaps have a vision where only…
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Bosses and Staff Together At Inclusion Sessions: Yes or No?
For many employees, honest discussion on many topics is inhibited when supervisors and bosses are present. Discussing discrimination and exclusion in the workplace can prove even more challenging when bosses – who have the power to hire and fire – are themselves the ones needing the most training on inclusion practices. So what’s the correct way to hold sessions? Include supervisors and not have full employee input? Or leave the bosses out even though you recognize they’re in need of discrimination and exclusion training as well? I prefer to include supervision and staff together. Here’s why. Differing Opinions on the Same Organizational Goal In a particular organization I worked with,…
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Feeling Excluded In Your Inclusion Efforts?
“Help! I feel like I’m the only one at my organization striving for equity and inclusion. I’m frustrated and drained.” Can you relate to those feelings of weariness? I know you can! I’ve heard similar statements repeated numerous times, and this topic popped up again in one of my recent Q&A sessions. You’ve got a handle around equity and inclusion, and you keep getting more requests to do diversity trainings…but it’s really not your job. The problem is that no one else is stepping up to the plate and you feel stranded in your efforts. Fortunately, there are ways to take the pressure off you while at the same time,…
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You’ve been asked to train on equity & inclusion, but…
So, you’ve been asked to train on equity and inclusion, but there’s one small problem…you’ve never done it before! Eeeek…where do you start? A caller raised this great question during one of my recent Q&A sessions, and it’s one I hear a lot. There are a couple key steps that you can take, and I’m covering them below for you. Ready? Let’s go! Tip #1: Talk to your leaders about diversity and inclusion. Start by going back and chatting with the leaders or the person who asked you to do the equity and inclusion training. Ask them some basic questions like: Why do you want this training for our employees?…
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Train the Trainer: Continuing Education is Key
As a facilitator, your role is very different from that of a teacher or educator. How so? Instead of providing information or giving your opinion, you’ll focus on asking lots of questions that help members of the group learn and deepen understanding from sharing their reflections, feelings and experiences. You may: Relate to what someone has shared Offer a bit about yourself to make a connection Encourage interaction and productive dialogue in the group Most importantly, the emphasis is on group members interacting with their peers. Specifically, you’ll: Bring as many different voices into the dialogue as possible Help share the air time equitably Encourage others to join in the…
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Are your buttons getting pushed at work? Here’s a go-to guide packed with helpful tips.
Think you’re doomed to automatically react to situations that push your buttons in ways that have you saying “I can’t believe I did that” after the dust settles? I’m here to tell you: it can be different! Since we’re in that time of year where many organizations notice tensions rising, I’ve been talking a lot lately about navigating difficult situations. This post is meant to be a quick go-to reference – bookmark it so that the next time you feel like your buttons are getting pushed, you can refer to it for some fast tips to help you. 1) What pushes your buttons? Dig deep to discover more about…
