Race, equality, black history month, and the workplace

As we move into Black History Month it’s important that to be intentional of how we will honor this time, rather than check a box. 

The last year put pressure on companies and leaders to not just acknowledge the areas where we still need change but to actually do the work of growth, listening, and creating more equitable workplaces and culture. 

Over the past several years there has been an increase in D&I in the workplace. However, sadly most of these initiatives have merely equated to Unconscious Bias training and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), both are just stepping stones that shine a light on the areas we maybe didn’t know existed before.

But what good is it to shine light on a mess but then do nothing to clean it up?

Our employees are anxiously waiting to see how we will approach the situation. More than ever, leaders and companies are under a microscope. All employees are watching and examining each step, action, and decision we take. Will we use this time to practice self-awareness as leaders and organizations or will we gloss over it—highlighting a few shining employees and go back to our day-to-day? This is the definition of privilege, being able to check-in and check-out on the issues of equality and inclusion. 

So what are some ways you can approach Black History Month and take measured steps towards improvement?

1. Empower your D&I, employee engagement, and culture team(s) to work together on creating meaningful dialogue and opportunities for engagement during this month. 

• Volunteer with a local group in supporting black and POC neighborhoods and organizations

• Hold an event interviewing a black author or artist in your community

• Share information or host a discussion about Black Joy. Highlighting aspects of black culture and family traditions.

• Highlight various aspects of black culture by inviting black employees to share something: a poem, piece of artwork, song, dance, etc. You can send out links and articles to the whole organization showcasing the talents and culture of your employees.

• Leading a book club. It could feature a new black author or go deeper in addressing issues of racial inequality, for example, So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo

2. Host a series of discussions or listening sessions. It is important to plan this, be very intentional of the structure, how you will hold space, and ensure it stays honoring and respectful. I have seen these turn negative very quickly. Follow the following guidelines to do this well.

• Start with hosting discussions on topics such as a panel of employees sharing how their hair is part of their identity, how corporate America can be more inclusive of cultural differences, and hearing directly from Black leaders who share their career journey and lessons learned.

• Bring in a guest speaker who specializes in leading these discussions on allyship and intersectionality.

• Empowering 3 or more black colleagues to host a listening session. These should be from various levels, not all senior but a combination of senior level to emerging leader. Do not put this responsibility on 1 person, this puts them in the place of “speaking on behalf of their entire race” and can be counterproductive and offensive.

• Have 3 or 4 questions planned for the discussion. Be sure to work with leaders who are black or person of color to form these questions. Present the questions you will be discussing at the beginning of the session, this way people know what to expect and can begin thinking about what they may want to share.

• Have at least 1 executive sponsor the event. This person does not need to speak—in fact, it is probably best that they do not speak. But be present and thank those that share. This person also should serve as the person to take notes and feedback to facilitate a discussion with the entire leadership team later on areas they can work to build a more equitable workplace.

• Be clear that this is a time to listen. Explain to everyone that the session is for all of us to grow, learn about other’s experiences that you personally may not be aware of, and become allies to our coworkers and colleagues to promote a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

• Have parameters set up. If arguments start or insulting comments made, shut them down. They will not be tolerated.

• Acknowledge that we are here to share experiences, not air opinions. Everyone’s experience is valid.

• Don’t force anyone to talk, even by encouraging or asking someone to speak up. Not everyone will want to speak and this is ok. Even just encouraging someone to share something can violate that person’s comfortability and potentially put them in a situation they feel they have to share or it could hurt their career—this is not ok. Just hold space.

• Lastly, but perhaps most importantly. Follow up with how you are going to use what you learned and make improvements. It is important for employees to not feel like they shared personal information and experiences for nothing. If you do nothing after February it will break trust with your employees and you will have to do even more to rebuild and move forward. Ensure most, if not all, the executive leadership team is present. Have one person take notes and facilitate an action planning session with ELT, D&I team, and HR after the event to discuss ways they can fix broken systems, grow, and improve the workplace for all employees.

3. Invest in training and support to help the organization as a whole create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable work culture. The work here is deep. Do not try to take it on by yourself. A specialist will help you dig into all areas of the organization to uncover blind spots. Examples:

• Talent acquisition practices

• Values and culture

• Pay practices

• Processes, policies, and procedures that may be discriminating against members of your employees

• Leadership and sponsorship

• Learning how to discuss race, not hide from it, in respectful and empowering ways

None of this is an exhaustive list. 

It is understandable that these can be uncomfortable conversations to navigate, but they are vital if we are to make progress in this space. 

Remember, our goal is to practice brave leadership—that means we don’t shrink back in difficulty but choose courage over comfort.

If you have questions or need advice on any of these suggestions, reach out. You are not alone in growing and deepening your culture and leadership. 

Vulnerability in the workplace

Brave happens when we dare. 
Dare to show up. 
Dare to be vulnerable. 
Dare to risk. 
Dare to make unpopular decisions.

All of these require courage and all are an act of vulnerability. 

If you google vulnerability in the workplace, the top hits you'll get are something like “Why vulnerability is crucial to success.” If you look up vulnerability in relationships the top results talk about it being key to the relationship’s success. So if vulnerability is what’s crucial and key to success, why is it not embraced more often in real life?

Vulnerability has become a buzzword, (thank you Brene Brown) but I want to give some examples of what it actually looks like, to show that while we may talk about it and say we want it, we often have no clue what to do when confronted with someone else’s vulnerability.

Vulnerability is your friend telling you that they are having money trouble and are afraid they won’t be able to pay their bills.

Vulnerability is your employee telling you that it feels like all you ever say to them is what they’re doing wrong, that they don’t feel appreciated, and that you feel that they can’t do anything right. 

Vulnerability is a colleague saying they’re suffering with depression.

Vulnerability is speaking up about racism and confronting your family about a comment they made that was hurtful.

Vulnerability is a direct report telling you that the team is struggling because they need clearer direction and defined expectations, but you’ve been too busy recently. 

Vulnerability is taking on a big new project, trying a new approach and failing

Vulnerability is a man prioritizing his family when he’s judged for not working 50+ hours a week. 

Vulnerability is realizing you hate your job and choosing to start something new when you have two kids at home and bills to pay.

Vulnerability is becoming emotional in front of your boss because the work environment is too toxic and stressful when the office culture says “showing emotions hinders your career.”

Vulnerability is a woman saying she might need to stop working to be more available to her kids.

Vulnerability is a man who was recently let go from his job because he wasn’t part of the direction of the company’s new plans. 

Vulnerability is a woman saying she doesn’t want kids.

Vulnerability is sharing your story about growing up black in an all-white community.

I know that is a lot but I wanted to show examples from all areas of life that we might be faced with. I also intentionally worded the first ones as being on the receiving end, because I think the problem with us being comfortable with vulnerability is not as much of us being willing to open up and be vulnerable, but us knowing what to do when someone is vulnerable with us and how often we fumble when faced with it.

If we are going to lead vulnerably and start practicing it ourselves, then we have to be ready when someone takes that risk with us. 

Part of the issue is that we are often uncomfortable with other people’s pain. Sitting with someone in their pain, with their shame, with their process, is tough. We say we are open to it, but in practice I’ve seen more often than not, people having a difficult time with it once they’re faced with it. 

For example, a couple of years ago when both Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain committed suicide, I saw so many people post on social media about how sad it was and that if anyone they knew was considering suicide, to reach out to them and that they were there for them. My first reaction was actually “red flag, red flag!” Yes, that is wonderful, and those battling suicidal thoughts need people to turn to in those times, but people suffering with depression to the extent of suicide is a real and dangerous thing. And most people are ill-equipped to know how to handle that. I have seen people reach out when going through depression and how others froze not knowing what to do with that information. I also have seen people distance themselves from people when they are going through these things, probably because they don’t have the language or know what the best action is to help. We have to know when to encourage others to seek help and also know how to sit with someone in the midst of their pain, and not try to be the help.

When it comes to leading from a place of vulnerability and creating a culture of it in our work and teams, there is a dichotomy at play that I think we have to tackle before we can start telling people to be vulnerable in the workplace. 

There are popular books circulating that say the key to success and the company growing to the next level is for risk-taking, courage, and failure to be welcomed and encouraged. But we don’t take the time to break down the old culture first: office politics, leave your emotions at the door, do things my way, know your place and act appropriately for your level, etc. All of these hinder the ability for vulnerable acts like risk-taking and creative thinking.

As someone who has worked in corporate leadership, and specializes in Leadership & Organizational development, I can confidently say that you cannot safely have vulnerability in the workplace if we don’t take the time to intentionally break the traditional corporate culture down. 
Vulnerability won’t work and those who take the risks will be punished and pushed out.

I truly believe and have seen in my own life that vulnerability is required if we are going to lead with courage, have meaningful connections, and if we’re going to live our lives with purpose. 
But I also know that in order to get there, we have to be prepared when we are faced with another's vulnerability and learn how to embrace it, sit with them in it, empathize, and move closer, not further away, in our connections.