Seeing it THEIR Way.
Hi There,
This past week a colleague asked for my opinion, based on my JEDI work, about how I see DEI progressing in the next couple of years within organizations. You’ll have to reach out to me for the details of my answer, but the following “Cliff’s Notes” version demonstrates why I’m hopeful:
1. Patience is necessary. Psychological safety means that each and every person in the organization feels safe.
2. Progress requires vulnerability. The journey begins with individuals willing to recognizing that “MY view of the world is not THE view of the world”. This has become more of a challenge as society has grown more partisan.
3. Action is required. To widen our individual lens is to put ourselves into another’s eyes and understand how they see the world.
4. There is no instant cure! When we act with impatience, we’re not able to be empathetic. Our brain can't be in two places at once, and sadly, impatience triggers the pesky amygdala, which mutes our ability to be empathetic. Larry Senn’s The Mood Elevator is a great resource in this department.
5. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, we must accept and remember this reality: “Just because I’m sharing space with others doesn’t mean we’re sharing the same experience.”
The first time this reality of shared space vs shared experience occurred to me was in 2014, while on a commuter train leaving NYC. As two police officers walked through the car and I wondered what was going on, I was graced with a sense of safety. Looking across the aisle at a young black man, who was visibly uncomfortable, it became apparent that not everyone was enjoying that same sense of security.
This was the moment I realized that in the movie of my life, the police were the good guys. Clearly this young man, through his life experience, held quite a different script. I now saw the world clearly through his eyes. WOW!
Inviting inclusion means actively being willing to widen my lens and recognize how (and why) another may be experiencing a situation differently. I continue to remind myself that what I see isn’t necessarily what others see. The statement “there are three sides to every story” continues to prove itself true!
The question becomes, “How do I stay out of my own story so I can see others’ perspectives?” I call it “going up to the balcony” for a better view. Would you like to join me? Learn more HERE about developing a psychologically safe 21st-century workplace.
Cheers!
-Deborah
Deborah Goldstein
DRIVEN Professionals / Forbes / Linkedin
info@drivenpros.com | LinkedIn
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