Deliberate words and hard conversations

The need to speak up

As a leader, an ally and a colleague, if you value inclusion and diversity, you need to vocalise it. The recent comments from Attorney General Suella Braverman speaking out against “diversity zealots” who she believes “never tire of rooting out unbelievers” have made this an even more pressing need. It’s important that we voice what we value and who we value. Not in a way to condemn, as AG Suella Braverman suggests, but in a way that uplifts, welcomes and includes others.

One of the most memorable interviews I ever had was early on in my career with a very experienced investment banker. He was the head of a large M&A division, but insisted on still participating in the graduate interview days. It was at the end of one of those days when I sat opposite him. My naive and barely formed thoughts around corporate valuation, mergers and acquisitions became painfully apparent early on in the interview. They stood in stark contrast to this MD’s thirty year career in the sector. However, he was quick to point out that I didn’t need to get nervous about my lack of experience or knowledge, what he wanted was potential and commerciality. He said he didn't only want Economics students from the top European business schools. He wanted a variety of individuals on his team who would bring “unique perspectives” and a range of strengths. This statement immediately put me at ease, and I was able to demonstrate why I was passionate about business and how I thought I could add value. 

Later on, I found out that he was an advocate of sponsoring women through their careers and had been the only MD known to hire a non-grad into his team. Without using the label, he was an ally and a sponsor. He was vocal about what he valued and it meant I wanted to work for him. When I got the offer, I took it without hesitation in large part due to that interview.

The benefits of inclusion

As an employer, a leader or a colleague making it clear how much you value diversity pays dividends. There are studies that show a clear statement of positivity about diversity makes under-represented groups perform better at a variety of tasks, since they are not using up cognitive resources trying to figure out where they stand. 

There are other benefits as well. A recent Gallup poll showed that 42% of job-seekers want to work for an organisation that is diverse and inclusive of all types of people. Researchers have also found that high rates of inclusion and belonging in a company equate to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% decrease in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days (a 10,000-person company would result in an annual savings of £50 million).

A survey we conducted at Equality Group in 2019 of more than 2,000 UK professionals showed that ethnic minorities are less likely to believe that their organisation takes issues of inclusion and diversity seriously rather than it being only a tokenistic exercise.

Even in the most well-meaning, diverse, and inclusive companies, mistakes will sometimes occur, even if by accident. And even when everything is going relatively well, sometimes ambiguous or unclear messages can cause offence. The good news is that the right environment can help everyone feel better about these instances and respond better to them. The more upfront and positive you are about your inclusion and diversity values, the more likely your employees are to see ambiguous instances in a favourable way. 

When you speak up, others value your effort and transparency. Often it gives them permission to fully be themselves and demonstrate their full potential. The work of Brene Brown, the research professor at the University of Houston, who has spent most of her career studying shame, guilt, vulnerability and courage offers powerful advice for leaders. She said:

“You can’t be brave if you’re tapping out of hard conversations about painful, hard topics. That’s what it means to lead”.

Brown demonstrated in her book Daring Greatly that to become better leaders we not only need to embrace the pain and discomfort of difficult subjects, but we also need to put down the defensive emotional armour that we often carry into those arenas. The topic of inclusion and diversity often raises uncomfortable feelings and can trigger painful emotions and reactions. As you venture further into this territory, it is important to remember to put down your armour; be prepared to be wrong; use gentle words; and listen more than you speak.

Focus on Values

This is where Attorney General Suella Braverman and I agree. The best way to build an inclusive environment is to focus on the “unifying values” that we all hold in an organisation, “rather than focus relentlessly on dividing us into different cohorts”. We all need to create space for discourse and understanding, with a focus on our common values and shared humanity. Nobody benefits from polarised views, cancel-culture, trolling or any of the other demeaning ways healthy discourse is sabotaged.

I love the way Ocean Vuong, the poet, author and essayist, describes the deliberateness of language like footsteps on sacred ground:

“I want to make my words deliberate; I want to enter — I want to take off the shoes of my voice so that I can enter a place with care so that I can do the work that I need to do.” 

We need to be mindful and intentional about what we say, especially on a topic that is so highly sensitive and emotive to so many. We need to focus on what unifies us rather than divides us. The level of care required puts many people off even trying. Yet when you appreciate how valuable and appreciated your words are, how they are the footsteps that keep us moving forward, then you will want to keep trying. 

Step out, speak up, be brave and trust the process.

To read more on this topic, please see The Diversity Playbook and further free research at Equality Group.