Inclusive Acts: Empowering Every Employee. Part 3 - Breaking the Silence
In this four-part "Inclusive Acts: Empowering Every Employee" series, discover simple changes to elevate your everyday interactions and significantly impact workplace culture. Tune in every Tuesday to learn how you can contribute to creating a more inclusive workplace. If you’re catching up, here’s Part 1 and Part 2
Breaking the silence: amplifying marginalized voices
Marginalized voices are referred to as "marginalized" for a reason. Equity-deserving groups are consistently pushed to the periphery, sidelined, and denied opportunities to share their perspectives and be heard. The irony lies in the fact that, with their diverse life and professional experiences, they have some of the most powerful voices, ready to bring forth unique and crucial solutions to problems that companies have been facing for years. But when they do speak up, their attempts are often met with indifference, fear, or a resignation to the belief that no one is listening. But why does this happen? With so many self-proclaimed "allies" in the workforce and more and more conversations about how to increase workplace inclusivity taking place, how are these voices still being overlooked or, worse yet—ignored?
We all play a part in the problem
Think back to a time when you overheard a joke in poor taste, perhaps one with racial undertones or hypersexualization of women. Individually, each person likely knew it wasn't an appropriate joke, but no one called it out, so the group shared a collective awkward laugh and changed the topic. Or think of a time when a person of colour mentioned an idea in a meeting you thought was really great, but no one else seemed to hear it. They moved on to another topic or person's idea.
Whether you meant to or not, you contributed to the problem in both these situations—despite not actually making the off-coloured joke or helping amplify someone else's great idea in group settings. But why didn't we speak up even when we knew someone needed to?
The bystander effect "refers to the psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help or intervene due to the ambiguity of the situation, the inhibiting presence of multiple bystanders (diffusion of responsibility), and the social influence of other people’s inaction." There are even instances where we look to others for cues on how to behave, and when others aren't reacting (including leaders), we may see the situation as not requiring intervention. When individuals such as yourself wait for others to speak up, it's likely no one will. It's on us all to take action.
But on an even more primitive level, we battle with the fear of losing status or not being part of the "in-group," which often inhibits us from doing the right thing. Social perceptions can be paralyzing, but pushing through is how we set good examples and create more inclusive workplaces.
how do we combat this?
As everyday employees, there are a variety of ways we inadvertently contribute to the suppression of marginalized voices. To counteract this, there are proactive steps that employees can take to foster inclusivity:
Promote active listening: We all can emphasize the importance of understanding each other's perspectives and wait until the speaker is finished before we respond. Don't just wait until it's your turn to speak; truly absorb what the other person is saying. They have valuable points to add to the discussion.
Celebrate milestones or accomplishments: Support every team member's growth and success by celebrating milestones or accomplishments within your teams. While this may seem obvious, it's not. It remains an area for improvement in many organizations, as observed in focus groups.
Amplification technique: Repeat or credit ideas that may have been overlooked, particularly when they come from underrepresented voices – this ensures that diverse perspectives gain the recognition they deserve: sometimes, people will take credit for others' ideas. It's like the kid in the class who repeats someone else's joke louder and gets the laughs—don't be that person.
A study found that "publicly endorsing — or amplifying — another person's contribution, while giving attribution to that person, enhances the status of both parties." So it's a win-win situation for all!
Supportive acknowledgment: Provide vocal and public support to diverse colleagues through supportive acknowledgment. While private conversations are valuable, publicly acknowledging their ideas and contributions goes a long way in encouraging others to do the same.
Encourage diverse perspectives: Actively encourage diverse perspectives by inviting marginalized colleagues to share their views. Use open-ended questions to invite their input, being mindful of different communication styles, as some colleagues may prefer the written expression of ideas.
Use inclusive language in team meetings: This not only sets a positive tone for inclusive communication but also emphasizes the importance of diversity in discussions.
See this post for a deeper look into the importance of inclusive language.
Provide feedback: if you notice a colleague's idea was not given the attention it deserves, offer feedback privately. Express your appreciation for their contribution and ask how you can help support and elevate their idea.
These simple yet effective steps help ensure our colleagues' voices are amplified and receive the attention they deserve. But remember, amplifying voices also means getting to know your colleagues better. Take a look at this article to learn more.
Ultimately, the power to promote inclusivity doesn't just come from top-down initiatives; it resides within each individual. Making an example and laying the groundwork for inclusivity is a collective effort that starts with you. Choose to act. Choose inclusivity.
