Team Connectedness
In This Section
10 Actions You Can Take
Section 2.0: Start the Conversation, Participate and Listen to Others
Starting the Conversation
Section 3.0: What is starting the Conversation?
10 Actions You Can Take: Start the Conversation, Participate and Listen to Others
3. Reflect on your own identity and unique perspective, and how that influences your experiences. Think about how that is the case for each person, making each of our perspectives and experiences different.
4. Participate in discussions and workshops about how to make your workplace a space where everyone feels welcome, safe and respected.
- Create a space for employees to openly share their experiences so that they can build trust with one another
- Dedicate time within an employee’s working day to participate in activities and workshops
5. Take the time to discuss with your colleagues how to further build a space where everyone feels welcome, safe and respected at work.
- Grow your network! Reach out to colleagues who you may not normally connect with
6. When communicating, focus on the words you use so people do feel welcome, respected and invited to contribute. Think about how you can:
- Avoid distractions, focus on the person speaking, and bring your whole self to the conversation
- Respect the language people use to describe themselves and follow suit
- Use the active voice so your sentences are focused and convey presence and engagement with the other person
- Should someone correct you, acknowledge them with thanks
- If you observe a mistake, offer a quick correction
3.0 What is Starting the Conversation? The Four A’s
Starting the conversation is a series of 4 critical steps that promote and foster equity and belonging amongst priority employee groups.
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Awareness
Know the data, conduct self-identification surveys, understand employee challenges, needs and barriers to success, and learn about leading practice.
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Action
Conduct a listening tour that includes 1-on-1 coffee chats with employees and/or focus group sessions. Ask intentional questions, be open to criticism, and provide multiple mediums for discussion such as in-person conversations as well as anonymous channels for communication.
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Accountability
Review the collected data, promote transparency in sharing the current state results, ensure accountability by sharing the desired future state, ask employees to hold each other and leaders accountable, and set goals and metrics.
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Again
Repeat the process and be open to iterations. Keep educating yourself and others, take courageous actions to challenge systemic barriers, and demonstrate humility throughout.