Canadian Government Executive - Volume 26 - Issue 05

November/December 2020 // Canadian Government Executive / 27 On that path, inclusive leaders face many thorny conversations that they must stickhandle through, building trust and uncover- ing solutions. But fear and grievances from past injustices get in the way. Diversity and inclusion consultant Mary-Frances Winters sees people repeatedly struggling to find the right words for such chats. “It’s not that most people do not want to engage in inclusive conversations; they do not know how. They do not know what to say so as not to offend or be accused of insensitivity or worse,” she writes in Inclusive Conversations. She divides the workplace into two: Those who have historical- ly found themselves in dominant power and those who have tra- ditionally been subordinated and marginalized because of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or some other dimension. We don’t normally view our organization in those terms; we’re all supposed to be on the same team. It’s also hard to admit you may have been part of the dominant power group. Denial sets in. But it’s a vital distinction to keep in mind as you seek to be an inclusive leader. She says it will take more than a positive intent and a desire for equity to hold inclusive conversations with your teammates. Eight conditions are required: Commitment; cultural compe- tence; brave and psychologically safe spaces; an understanding of equity and power; the ability to address fear and fragility; grace and forgiveness; trust and empathy; and belonging and inclusion. In her 35 years as a consultant, she doesn’t feel we have fun- damentally changed the structures and systems that deal with historically subordinated groups. That’s why commitment is list- ed first. Think through how dedicated you truly are to changing things. Consider where that desire stems from – intrinsic, some- thing that bubbles up fromwithin, or extrinsic, something pushed on you or that you feel you must do (or pay lip service to) these days to be promoted. As well, think of how you can improve your own knowledge and understanding of the differences in culture within your workplace, so that you have the competence to ac- complish change – or the more ambitious transformation Tapia and Polonskaia preach. We have been told repeatedly that tough conversations require safe spaces. But Winters sees it differently. She argues we need to create brave zones, where deep truths can be expressed without fear of retribution. Safety in these brave will be quite different for the two groups she divides the workplace into. When dominant groups discuss race “safety” means “you will not make me feel web http://canadiangovernmentexecutive.ca/author/harveys/ uncomfortable.” But for those who have historically been mar- ginalized, “safety” often means “I can make you feel uncomfort- able (even if that is not my intention) and you will listen without defensiveness, dismissiveness, and ‘whitesplaining,’” in which a white person explains to a black person the true nature of racism. So there may be discomfort and discord but you must strive to make everyone feel safe enough to be brave. In the same vein, you need to face up to the fear and fragility which exists these days. “Many people are afraid of talking about diversity and inclusion topics for fear they might get it wrong and not be forgiven. Acknowledging these fears is an all-important step in engaging in inclusive conversations,” she says. Remember that how much you may want a united team, differ- ences remain, and they are profound. In particular, she stresses race is a dynamic in all cross-race conversations. If you are white, you need to realize the Black person is aware of that dynamic, even if they might not admit it. So if you are white, consider what role you play in the conversation. How might others with a differ- ent identity be feeling? It’s a difficult dynamic. But a critical one. Diversity has become a major organizational issue for 2020 and beyond. H arvey S chachter is a writer, specializing in management and business issues. He writes three weekly columns for the Globe and Mail and The Leader’s Bookshelf column for Canadian Government Executive, and a regular column and features for Kingston Life magazine. Harvey was editor of the 2004 book Memos to the Prime Minister: What Canada Can Be in the 21st Century. He was the ghostwriter on The Three Pillars of Pub- lic Management by Ole Ingstrup and Paul Crookall, and editor of Getting Clients, Keeping Clients by Dan Richards. The Leader’s Bookshelf We have been told repeatedly that tough conversations require safe spaces. But Winters sees it differently. She argues we need to create brave zones, where deep truths can be expressed without fear of retribution. Safety in these brave will be quite different for the two groups she divides the workplace into. When dominant groups discuss race “safety” means “you will not make me feel uncomfortable.”