However, in a world where every word is freighted with meaning and risks offending someone, not to mention being memorialized on social media, these conversations can be challenging. In awkward and uncomfortable moments, we often find ourselves in denial or defensive mode, or we back away and shut down.
Cancel ‘cancel culture’. Forgiveness is mandatory. Without forgiveness, there is no opportunity to improve. Participants must agree to an open, accepting, and non-threatening discussion. Don’t penalize people for using a wrong or insensitive word if it comes from an authentic desire to learn and meaningfully engage in the conversation.
Bring in external moderators. Moderators with credibility, expertise, and experience can facilitate conversations, read the room to keep discussions flowing and on track, find common ground when conversations become divisive, and tell stories. In our experience, stories lead to other stories, a richer conversation, deeper empathy and understanding, and personal growth.Article contentThese are long-term, multipronged discussions.
While the prescription for effective conversations around DEI-related topics seems long, the pay-off is a healthier corporate culture built for longer term success. We have seen executives across industries such as telecom, finance, shipping, and insurance make a deep commitment to health and equity and put the insights provided above into action.
Purolator, which employs a large, diverse front-line workforce, paired their health and DEI teams to conduct ‘listening tours’ across sites, taking the time to hear about the challenges these employees face. They also sent postcards with links to surveys to each employees’ home, welcoming families to be part of the conversation.