Early in my career, I had the pleasure of working as a general practitioner at two clinics in the same city. Let’s call them Practice A and Practice B. Practice A was gorgeous. When you walked in the front door, you were greeted by a pristine welcome area with tall windows everywhere you looked, white walls and lots of natural lighting. The staff members were competent and helpful. They had scripts for common client questions, so they spoke with one voice, making the communication aligned and consistent. The inventory was streamlined to optimize shelf space, and Practice A had all the latest diagnostic equipment.
In contrast, Practice B was older and a bit darker inside due to the wood paneling, which brought to mind iconic homes from the 1970s. The cracked parking lot sprouted weeds that had worked their way toward the sunlight. However, the building was always clean inside and out and contained all the basics needed to practice veterinary medicine. When you walked in the front door, you were greeted with open smiles that made everyone feel immediately welcomed. The technicians who came up to weigh the pets made eye contact with every client and walked with an air of egoless confidence. Laughter was heard around every corner, but clients never felt like they were being talked about, and they were always part of the conversation. The staff members looked forward to coming to work because they understood they were a team and had been empowered by the practice owner to always do what was necessary to take care of themselves, each other and the clients.
From my experience, I knew that Practice B had much lower employee turnover than Practice A. Years after working at the clinics, I learned that Practice B was much more profitable. That performance mirrored the results of research published by Deloitte showing that workplaces with more inclusive cultures are eight times more likely to have better business outcomes. Eight times!
Inclusivity at Work
What does an inclusive workplace look like? Consider the following 19 questions in the context of your current workplace. If you are in a career transition, think about a previous work environment.
- Is an anti-harassment and non-discrimination policy posted publicly?
- Has the team been trained on the policy?
- Do all staff members know what to do if they hear a statement or see an action that does not align with workplace policies?
- Is periodic training offered to all team members so that they are clear about acceptable and unacceptable behaviors?
- Does the workplace celebrate diverse holidays and awareness months?
- Do the images hanging on the walls mirror a diverse society?
- Do the images on the employer’s website and social media channels mirror a diverse society?
- Does the workplace have a gender-neutral restroom?
- Are client materials offered in languages other than English?
- Are team members encouraged to proactively share the languages in which they can communicate?
- Do client forms contain gender-neutral and inclusive wording, such as spouse/partner instead of husband/wife?
- Are pronouns shown on name badges and email signatures?
- Do all team members view feedback as a gift?
- Have team members reviewed the Gender Identity Bill of Rights (pridevmc.org/gibor) and signed their support?
- Does employee recruitment occur through a diverse variety of outlets, such as the Black Chamber of Commerce and the Latinx Chamber of Commerce?
- Are symbols of inclusion, such as the Pride flag, which signifies an LGBTQ+ friendly workplace, posted publicly?
- Is mentoring offered to all team members?
- Are exit interviews offered to all departing employees?
- Are stay interviews offered to employees regularly?
If you answered “no” to more than four questions, your organization likely has a workplace inclusivity problem.
There’s a Problem. Now What?
Where does allyship fit into all this? Everywhere. Regardless of role, career stage or workplace setting, every team member can choose to be a leader, leverage privilege and power, and be part of the solution. Allyship and leadership go hand in hand. The common characteristics of everyday leaders include:
- Approaching challenges and new ideas with a growth mindset.
- Being adaptable in a constantly changing environment.
- Communicating with radical candor by speaking directly and caring deeply.
Everyday leadership how-tos if you’re the boss include:
- Have a growth mindset.
- Be adaptable.
- Communicate with radical candor.
In addition, bosses must walk the talk and ask for feedback. For example, I once had a coaching client who wanted to be a force for positive change and evolve the culture in his workplace so that everyone viewed feedback as a gift. During one of our coaching sessions, he told me, “I don’t get it; I’m giving feedback every day using a friendly, constructive, approachable tone, but the team doesn’t seem to be getting into it.” When I asked how often he asked for feedback about his performance, I was met with a silent gaze followed quickly by raised eyes and a look of understanding.
If we want to create a culture where feedback is viewed as a gift, we must first ask for it, share authentic gratitude from what we learn, and do something with the suggestions offered.
Now, if you’re not the boss, your everyday leadership how-tos are:
- Have a growth mindset.
- Be adaptable.
- Communicate with radical candor.
If you’re not the boss, you also can strengthen your everyday leadership skills by being an active ally and asking for help when needed.
So, go ahead and tap into your leadership strengths as well as the abundance of resources available and create a collaborative plan of attack with your team members. You could start by answering the 19 questions above and considering where you are and want to be. The steps for how to get there become your plan of attack. The roadmap becomes part of your business plan and will guide you in creating a more inclusive workplace for yourself and those you serve.
USEFUL RESOURCES
- “What Having a Growth Mindset Actually Means,” by Carol Dweck, bit.ly/2VgHBW9
- Radical Candor, bit.ly/3CBQCwc
- Deloitte’s “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” report, bit.ly/3SHuPsn