Diversity and inclusion are not only ethical values, but also strategic advantages for any project. However, not all bosses share this vision and may resist or ignore your efforts to create a more diverse team. How can you work with them to overcome their biases and foster a more inclusive culture? Here are some tips to help you navigate this challenge.
Before you confront your boss, try to understand their perspective and motivations. Are they aware of the benefits of diversity and inclusion, or do they need more education and evidence? Are they open to feedback and change, or are they defensive and resistant? Are they influenced by external factors, such as clients, stakeholders, or policies, or are they driven by their own beliefs and preferences? Knowing where your boss stands can help you tailor your approach and avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Working with a boss who isn't inclusive can be challenging, but there are steps you can take to promote diversity within the team. Start by having open and honest conversations with your boss about the importance of diversity and the benefits it brings to the team and organization. Share examples and research that demonstrate how diverse teams outperform homogenous ones. Offer to assist in developing diversity initiatives or programs within the team, such as implementing unbiased hiring practices or providing diversity training.
When in doubt if one of the bosses is not being inclusive, a first option can be to highlight bias topics in safety moments or meeting introductions ... then open up for discussions with simple yes/ no questions, and allow the conversation to flow to self-reflections ... do we value diversity and inclusion in our teams? Off course, this kind of approach do not work when there are extremely few people (1-2) in the "outgroup".
Once you have a sense of your boss's mindset, you can start a dialogue with them about your goals and expectations. Explain why you want to create a more diverse team, how it will benefit the project and the organization, and what steps you plan to take. Use facts and examples to support your arguments, and avoid accusatory or emotional language. Show respect and empathy for your boss, but also assert your role and responsibility as a project coordinator.
I would adopt a slightly different approach, emphasizing to leadership the importance of diversity of thought. Illustrating this point with real-life examples, metrics, and data showing how contributions from a multifaceted team led to desired outcomes is crucial.
Some people may think diversity may be wanted as a "good people" wish, but the truth is that with a very homogeneuos team, your chances of group thinking and failures to identify obvious risks are increased. For the team benefit and for your own role, it is worth invested the time to prepare and make your case, to get the support from Sponsor and other allies and increase the diversity of the Team.
You don't have to do this alone. Seek allies and supporters who share your vision and can help you influence your boss. These could be other team members, colleagues, mentors, or senior managers. Ask them for advice, feedback, or endorsement, and involve them in your initiatives. For example, you could invite them to join your meetings, workshops, or trainings, or ask them to share their success stories or best practices. This way, you can show your boss that diversity and inclusion are not just your personal agenda, but a collective and strategic one.
One of the most effective ways to convince your boss of the value of diversity and inclusion is to show them the results. Track and measure the impact of your actions on the project's performance, quality, innovation, and satisfaction. Highlight the achievements and contributions of your diverse team members, and celebrate their successes. Share feedback and testimonials from your clients, stakeholders, or beneficiaries, and show how they appreciate your inclusive approach. By demonstrating results, you can prove that diversity and inclusion are not only good for the people, but also for the business.
It may be too time consuming and maybe complex to track and document performance results caused directly by diversity and inclusion, specially following privacy/ GDPR rules in a strict manner. A simpler approach can be to promote the good performance feedback to a much wider audience. In a bigger scale, an initiative can be set to analyse the data across the whole company with a multi-discipline approach, HR/ PO, IT and technical personnel, with a more representative higher number of participants.
Creating a more diverse and inclusive team is not a one-time event, but a continuous process. You may face obstacles, setbacks, or resistance from your boss or others along the way. Don't give up or compromise your values. Be persistent and consistent in your actions and communication. Keep educating yourself and your boss about diversity and inclusion, and seek new opportunities and challenges to grow and learn. Remember that change takes time and effort, but it is worth it in the long run.
Be persistent in a medium term, while keeping an open-mind for opportunities to develop and grow. Be consistent with your values in the short, medium and long term.