When I speak with DEI #teams in different organizations about the results from their identity and #inclusion or engagement surveys, looking out specifically for perception of underrepresented groups, I’m encouraging a further reflection by asking these questions:

𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯’𝘴 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘋𝘌𝘐 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥?

At my workshops with leaders when we discuss #inclusion, authenticity and #vulnerability, a question that pops up sometimes is: 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮?

Giving advice to #leaders to simply share their emotions in order to build trust can actually be potentially destructive.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation when you asked a question or shared an idea during a meeting, and even before anyone responded, you could „somehow” sense that it wasn't well received?

We're still confronted with a narrative that we must choose between being #professional and being emotional.

The opposite approach is needed though - if we allow our emotions into business spaces, we actually enhance our professional abilities.

I’ve spent a big part of the last 3 months in training rooms, mostly with leaders and managers.

And there was a sentence that I’ve heard at every workshop related to DEI…

Have you ever found yourself in a room where you were in a minority, and you felt the pressure or responsibility of representing your entire group and suddenly you become conscious of what you say and how you say it so that you and your group is perceived well?

Navigating conversations around a part of an identity we don't share can be difficult. We lack vocabulary, we don't know how what we say could be perceived, we don't want to offend anyone.

And sometimes, despite being well-intended, some expressions can actually be impolite and perceived as microaggressive.

Languages are my passion but I’ve never thought I was going to actually be teaching one 😉

When discussing bias in the workplace, the hiring stage often receives the most attention. However, it is crucial to recognize that bias also influences so many other stages, for example as performance reviews.

When people experience social rejection, the same areas of the brain get activated as when they feel physical pain.

Call people out but..

The Pride Month comes to an end.

The Pride Month comes to an end.

“I guess we’re doing great, no one is complaining!”

…is what I hear sometimes when I ask #leadership about employees’ perception of inclusion in different organizations.

I was recently reminded about the Duck Syndrome Effect that perfectly describes this situation.

An exceptional training session on inclusive #leadership will prove ineffective if it fails to consider the necessity of planning and sustaining behavioral changes over a longer time period.

„But you know it’s from rugby, right?”

“Punt Kids?”

Emm, no.

Organizations tend to focus their DEI efforts on different elements.

But from my observations there is surprisingly often ONE crucial element that is missing from those efforts:

Does your creativity, once triggered, also have a tendency to seek its own outlet?

On Flip It To Test It Punt Kick Cards

To create a safe environment where people are not prone to burnout is a responsibility of the organization, not yours individually.

However, you can lower the taxing effect of this job by working on your perspective and today’s bingo shows things to keep in mind for that.