Leadership Connectedness

In This Section

Board and Leader Guidebook

Section 3.1: Building Open Spaces for Discussion

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Board and Leader Guidebook

Section 3.2: So How as a Leader, Can You Build an Open Space for Discussion?

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3.1 Building Open Spaces for Discussion

“To feel left out is a deeply human problem, which is why its consequences carry such heft and why its causes are so hard to root out of even the healthiest workplaces”

– The Value of Belonging at Work

Establishing a sense of community and belonging in the workplace is more essential than ever before. This helps reduce feelings of uncertainty and increase positive emotions. Those who feel a sense of belonging show increased job performance and decreased turnover risk. 

  • Research shows that 56% of individuals who feel a sense of belonging show increased job performance.
  • Research shows that 50% of those who feel a sense of belonging show decreased turnover risk.
  • By helping people feel safe, you are decreasing their anxiety and increasing their positive emotions, allowing them to remain motivated and focused on the job at hand.

 

Many organizations have adopted an ‘add diversity and stir’ philosophy which assumes that, by strictly hiring more diverse candidates, they will automatically see benefits to their business. However, this fails to recognize that increasing diversity does not, by itself, increase effectiveness; what matters is how an organization harnesses diversity, and whether it’s willing to create space and structures where everyone feels safe to contribute.

It is therefore critical that leaders support employees by establishing spaces for open discussion and a forum for them to feel safe, valued, and welcome.

Key Action
Read Creating Authentic Spaces, a toolkit focused on gender identity and gender expression that can support leaders in creating inclusive spaces (available in English and French)

3.2 So How as a Leader, Can You Build an Open Space for Discussion?

Below are ways in which you, as leaders, can create an open space for discussion, where employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work:

  1. Build trust and create a culture where people feel welcome to share their opinions, express themselves, and request accommodations
  2. Actively combat unconscious bias and systems that can contribute to inequity
  3. When seeking opinions, allow employees to share their views first. Doing so will encourage authentic contributions and reduce the probability of receiving answers that they think you want to hear
  4. Embrace a variety of styles and voices inside the organization
  5. Leverage the skills and experiences of employees to reach the organization’s strategy and goals
  6. Hold regular listening sessions for employees to feel comfortable sharing concerns and/or opinions with you
  7. Acknowledge conflict openly and grant all employees the space and time to think, refine, and share their views
  8. Support the Psychological Health and Safety of Employees

    a)  Think ahead, communicate openly and stay in touch

    b)  Create a sense of purpose and vision

    c)  Develop ownership and accountability

    d)  Support employees emotionally and in concrete ways

  9. Leverage the power of storytelling: Share your personal experiences with employees, modelling openness and creating a space for others to share their experiences if they would like. This helps to build connections and foster a culture of empathy within your organization.

Case Study
Considerations for Non-Profit Organizations

Building Open Spaces for Discussion: Regional and Industry Considerations

Region: Northern Canada

When conducting meetings in Northern Canada, consider the following practices to build inclusion and open spaces for discussion:

  • Ask participants anonymously about accommodations they may require (e.g. prayer/reflection room, daycare or support for young children)
  • Create culturally safe spaces for diverse participants
  • Have First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural opening and closing ceremonies at events, and create time for these
  • Begin discussions with land acknowledgments, including intentional actions toward reconciliation and respect for Indigenous communities
  • Guide engagement through Inuit values, for example by;
    • Actively listening to each other, as listening influences decision-making
    • Valuing cooperation and conflict avoidance
    • Recognizing that decisions are made based on consensus which may result in longer discussions and decision-making periods
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Think about the last time you’ve heard “We’ve always done it this way”. Think back to those activities and ask: Who was present and engaged in the action? Who was disconnected? Who was missing from the activity? Think about how the ‘status quo’ can be done differently to ensure all people at work are included.

Small/Medium Organization:

Fuller Landau

In 2019, Fuller Landau was recognized as The Best Workplaces™ for Women, as the organization has worked towards the equitable treatment and advancement of women to leadership positions. Fuller Landau actively listens to employees by regularly collecting feedback, both directly and anonymously, to learn where the organization can improve and implement feedback received. The organization also has a Diversity and Inclusion Committee that focuses on increasing awareness of advancing women to leadership positions. Fuller Landau also offers flexible working hours, remote work options, and mentorship opportunities to its employees to create a workplace where people feel respected, welcomed, and included.

A fundamental way to embed inclusion in your organization is including everyone in the conversation. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on decisions that impact them.

Definition

Microaggression

Microaggression is defined as: “A comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group” – Source: Merriam Webster

Definition

Unlearning

Unlearning is defined as: “To make an effort to forget your usual way of doing something so that you can learn a new and sometimes better way” – Source: Cambridge Dictionary

Definition

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is defined as: A framework for understanding how different aspects of a person’s social and political identities (e.g., gender, race, class, sexuality, ability, physical appearance, etc.) combine to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege. Intersectionality identifies advantages and disadvantages that are felt by people due to this combination of factors – Source: Kimberlé Crenshaw, TIME

Definition

Privilege

Privilege is defined as: “The unfair and unearned advantages individuals are granted for having, or being perceived to have, social identities that align with those deemed to be superior according to societal rules and norms. It is often experienced as an absence of barriers related to a particular social identity (e.g., White privilege, straight privilege)” – Source: Egale

Definition

Safe Space

Safe Space is defined as: “A place intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations” – Source: Merriam-Webster

Safe spaces allow individuals to feel comfortable having brave and honest conversations.

Definition

Emotional Tax

Emotional Tax is defined as: “The combination of feeling different from peers at work because of gender, race, and/or ethnicity, being on guard against experiences of bias, and experiencing the associated effects on health, well-being, and ability to thrive at work” – Source: Catalyst

Definition

Tokenism

Tokenism is defined as: “Performative policies that ostensibly promote diversity or equality (placing women or diverse groups in leadership positions), but do not truly have a positive impact on the workplace. Tokenism isn’t progressive, and it especially causes harm to tokenized individuals, causing extra pressure to succeed due to being perceived as representative of a group and often leaving them in an alienating work environment” – Source: Catalyst

Definition

Psychological Safety

Psychological Safety is defined as: “An environment that encourages, recognizes and rewards individuals for their contributions and ideas by making individuals feel safe when taking interpersonal risks. A lack of psychological safety at work can inhibit team learning and lead to in-groups, groupthink and blind spots” – Source: Gartner