Bravery comes in many forms: First responders sprinting into the collapsing World Trade Center; a young student unbowed by her stutter during an oral presentation to her sixth-grade class; stepping up and standing up for someone being bullied.
Another form of bravery percolating in business settings is a shifting dynamic creating a safe space where people can be their authentic selves. It’s based on a concept of psychological safety, a shared belief you won’t be punished, embarrassed or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes.
For many marginalized groups, if they speak up, they’re punished.
Back when I was working in-house, the HR team was rebranding our website to be more inclusive. I was brought in, along with my boss and a peer (both males) and the vendor doing the work, to help with messaging and to give insights into why diversity, equity and inclusion is important in the context of recruiting new team members. During the conversation, I was interrupted multiple times by the folks on my team.
They would say things like, “What Katee is saying is...” and “If I can explain a bit more about what she means...” I was floored my peers were not letting me speak. Even the vendor noticed and said something about letting me finish my thought.
I had to take that moment to decide what I was going to do — could I be brave? Could I go against what my boss and peers were saying? I knew my boss was open to feedback. He knew he didn’t have all the answers. When I finally found my courage, I simply said, “What you two are doing is exactly what we don’t want in this organization. Women should be able to speak without interruptions or interpretation of our words.”
They both looked a bit shocked. Then, my boss laughed and realized I was right. He told my peer that they were going to step out of the room and let me finish the meeting with the vendors. I knew in that moment that I was safe and it was okay that I spoke up. Not many previous bosses would have allowed that to happen.
We hear a lot about diversity, equity and inclusion these days. We think of it as inclusion, diversity and belonging. Understanding what the words mean goes a long way in being able to create those safe work spaces where people can bravely share what’s bothering them, what may be happening or talking about social justice issues.
To that end:
Diversity is acknowledging our differences and celebrating how that makes us unique. It’s about recognizing that different groups have been marginalized and their experience has not been the same as ours.
Inclusion is leveraging our differences for good to give everyone a chance at a fair and consistent experience.
Belonging is about not just being included, but truly feeling like you can contribute in a positive way.
So, how do business leaders and those who work for them collaborate to create equitable spaces? Here are some tips for leaders to create safe places for employees:
Let folks know they can take calculated risks without punishment if they make a mistake (as long as they learn from those mistakes).
Let your team know that you believe they can do the work and that their ideas are important to get to the most innovative solutions.
Acknowledge that you don’t know everything and you need their input to be successful.
Tips for employees to be more brave at work:
Be curious and ask questions to gauge the openness of the team.
Call people in when they make a mistake (this is a bit of a twist on the idea of calling people out). By calling people in, you are letting them know how to be better in the next interaction.
Recognize intent and own impact. Assume that folks are coming from a positive place and their intent is to learn and grow. And also own the impact of your words. If you say something that isn’t okay, own it and apologize.
The data is clear. We know diverse teams deliver better bottom-line results and team members who feel included want to stay. It’s not about checking a box. It is about moving to a more inclusive culture where everyone succeeds.
Katee Van Horn, a former vice president of engagement and inclusion for a Fortune 500 company, is the founder and principal at VH Included Consulting. She will be speaking at an upcoming Alliance of Arizona Nonprofit workshop.
