Deep Dive: Inclusive Communication in the Workplace
What it is and why you should consider it.
How you communicate matters. No doubts.
Inclusive communication helps create a supportive environment. Bias plays no role and focuses on participation and engagement.
Imagine sharing information in a way that everybody can understand. You do not separate groups by gender, background, education, position, etc.
Successful collaboration stands on respect. Are you aware of what you say? In this deep dive, you can test your language skills.
Content:
Respect vs. lack of respect
Bits about inclusion history
Principles of inclusive language
How your brain ‘bucket’
Inclusive language for sexual orientation and gender identity
Practice: Can you be more inclusive?
Inclusive language regarding background and characteristics
Practice: Can you be more inclusive?
Wrapping up
Respect vs. lack of respect
Respect can mean different things to different people. If you ask around, people may say, for example:
Having good interactions.
Authority
Thoughtfulness and kindness
Accepting feedback and different opinions
Being polite
Two things to consider first. The first thing you should do is respect yourself. You are proud of your qualities, value your achievements, and have good self-esteem. You also know yourself. You are self-aware and can predict your reaction. Respecting yourself is understanding your emotions.
The second is respecting others. You respect someone because you admire them. You act polite and care about others because you feel what is right and wrong. Showing respect also means accepting differences and behaving in a way that does not offend. Lastly, respecting means you follow laws and rules.
Lack of respect
I asked my LinkedIn network if they felt respected at work. More than 35% of people said ‘no’. Every third colleague might not feel respected. That is something to consider.
Source: https://memeshappen.com/
People like talking about others. But comments like these won’t help build a respectful culture on your team.
Coffee talks:
•“You mean the gay from the accounting?”
• My client is an idiot. Really these people should learn how to behave.”
Promotions:
•“I bet she’ll leave soon on maternity leave. She does not need it.”
• “He’s too introverted to be good for management.”
Networking:
• “And you have a wife?” “How many kids do you have?”
• “You come from this town, that’s the local slum, right?”
Managing:
•“You don’t know how to do it anyway." "I'll ask Fred, he's got a better brain for this task.”
• “How many times do I have to explain this to you?”
A lack of respect can make you feel hopeless and demotivated. You may even develop imposter syndrome. All in all, a lack of respect prevents teams from trusting each other and developing open and functioning communication.
When respect is missing, teamwork is difficult.
Bits about inclusion history
Language carries biases and prejudices. It can be sexist, racist, offensive, and hurt others.
When people hear about inclusion, they often imagine:
A group of activists.
People who communicate with respect and include everyone.
A feeling that you belong.
Keep everyone in the loop.
= Inclusion is to embrace all people irrespective of race, gender, disability, medical, language, or other needs. Treat them fairly and equally.
Inclusion is nothing new. It’s been here since written history. Notably, diversity education and rights development blossomed during the 20th century.
Since the 1960s education has been opened up to women and other discriminated groups (e.g., race, age). Since the 1970s more inclusive ideas have been promoted in education. Businesses used diversity and inclusion training in the late 1980s. In 1990 we had the World Declaration on Education for All. During the 90s-200s all different children were taught within the same schools, and barriers are dissolved.
Nowadays it is not taboo to celebrate Pride Month. Many large companies take the opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in myriad vital and visible ways.
Yet, the inclusion process is still ongoing. There are barriers and challenges in the education system and at work.
Creating a trustworthy and open culture that embraces and does not judge differences is one of the challenges leaders face across the world.
Principles of inclusive language
Inclusive language is your tool. Focusing on what you say allows you to avoid expressions that are considered biased or prejudiced.
The main principles of such a (neutral) language are:
Bias-free (sensitive to identity, race, age, physical/mental condition, religion, etc.)
Include everyone.
Example: All staff meetings - European colleagues vs. others. Project managers do great, but others are ignored.
People-centered
We are all people. Not men, women, white, etc.
It might feel a bit clumsy but think if you are an alcoholic or a person who suffers from alcoholism. You are a disabled person or a person with a disability.
Small tweaks can create more inclusive communication.
No assumptions
Don’t assume. Things might not be as they seem.
Not all women have children, not everyone celebrates Christmas, and some people are local even if their skin tone is different.
Fair, kind, and friendly
How you say things matter too. You may say something wrong, but your tone reveals how you mean it. Friendly or prejudiced? Being kind no matter what is always the best strategy.
Avoid idioms, jargon, or acronyms
Non-native speakers have it difficult. People joining your team will not know all SPP, KPIs, and TBDs. Talk in a language everyone can understand.
Do not show your superiority with silly jargon.
How your brain ‘bucket’
Daniel Kahneman wrote a brilliant book ‘Thinking, Fast, and Slow’.
He says assumptions are based on experience. It helps us make decisions quickly but also creates bias. That is system 1 aka ‘fast’ thinking.
Example:
But not everyone with long hair is a woman, and not all women are mothers. Likewise, when I lived in Sydney, December was the month for barbecuing on the beach and swimming in the ocean. No snow, and no Christmas celebrations for my Muslim friends.
Our brain takes shortcuts. Situations, feelings, and interactions with people. It is automatic.
On the other hand, Kahneman suggests there is also slow thinking - system 2. This brain works slower and is more deliberate and logical. It takes some effort to think slowly and watch out for what you say or think.
In the example, you would avoid a person with long hair to immediately label as a woman. December might only mean the last month of the year and nothing else.
Notice how your brain buckets situations as you go through your day. When you face a task you have done before, it is quick. When it is new and difficult, you will sit and consider solutions.
How can you use both systems in your communication?
Inclusive Language for sexual orientation and gender identity
What is the difference between sex, gender, and sexual orientation?
Sex refers to the biological expression of chromosomes and hormones.
Gender refers to an individual's identity.
Sexual orientation refers to physical attraction to others.
It is now common to ask others what pronoun to use. But asking about sexual preferences is not necessary in formal settings. Respect privacy.
A few more things you might want to avoid:
Gender-binary: man & woman (implying two genders only)
Using words like ‘straight’/’normal’ (making heterosexual a norm implies other sexual orientations aren't normal)
Using gendered language and gender comparison (“Women are emotional.” “You throw like a girl.” “She will never be a successful engineer.” “Women are bossy and hysterical”)
Making silly gender jokes (“She’s dressing like a man.”)
Disrespecting privacy (“Is she gay or not?”)
Promoting stereotypes (“Gay men are softies.”)
Practice: Can you be more inclusive
How to use inclusive language for background and characteristics
Inclusive communication spans backgrounds and personal characteristics. It is not just about adding she/he/they everywhere to your guidelines.
Also, think about avoiding:
Cultural/ethnical/racial stereotypes, even if they are “positive” (e.g., “Swiss people are punctual.”)
A default characteristic for a group (e.g., Czech vs. non-Czech, white vs. non-white)
Using class terms (e.g., homeless, poor, slum, middle-class)
Using disability/health conditions as an identity (e.g., an allergic, autistic person, dyslexic). Remember people first. Better is to say a person with allergy, etc.
Using education and field of work as an identity (e.g., accountants are strict).
Treat people as individuals. Just like that. Don’t reduce people to labels and titles.
Practice: Can you be more inclusive?
Wrapping up
Show respect through language. Be mindful of what you say and how you say it. Aim for bias-free communication with no assumptions.
The most effective strategy is to be kind and fair.
Some food for thought:
Let me know your ideas for the two tests :). Happy to give you the solution. Ivona