The Art and Joy of Inclusion

In the spirit of the title of this newsletter "Expand & Thrive" I think the idea of inclusion warrants some exploring and is an often underdeveloped concept in the workplace. This doesn't necessarily mean people are intending to be exclusive. It just requires a bit more attention and intention to create more inclusive spaces.

What might be possible if we each took on the responsibility to become more self-aware of our own stories and beliefs, while also becoming more open and curious about others?

A number of years ago I traveled by myself to India for my birthday. Arriving into the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in the early morning hours just one week after the 2008 bombings rocked the city, my senses were overwhelmed with smells, lights, sounds and feelings of trauma and sadness, mixed with strength. I'm one of those empathic humans who feels what everyone around me is feeling, even if I don't recognize it at the time.

About a week later I was spending some time in Goa. The taxi driver was showing me around the historic sights as we headed toward the airport and I saw a park. Time was spacious and I asked to take a walk in the park before taking my flight back to Mumbai. As I walked around the trees and flowers, two young women approached me shyly and smiled. They wanted photos with me. They were curious, smiling and asking question after question:

Where are you from?

Why are you here?

Do you go to the beach every day in California?

What time is your flight?

Do you like Indian food?

Come with us.

Meet our family.

Please. We're celebrating our sister's wedding.

And, so I did. The taxi driver shook his head and looked confused, but told me I had 30 minutes before we had to leave. Grandmother didn't speak any English, and paused her chopping only a moment to smile at me and pat the blanket for me to sit down next to her. The smells were fresh and spicy and my stomach growled. The new bride and groom wanted me to eat first. I wasn't sure what was customary and I certainly didn't have the language to express myself, yet with their words and their actions I felt welcomed and included. The teenage girls I had taken photos with earlier asked if I was ok to eat with my hands. I said yes, feeling a bit self conscious as they watched me taste their food. We laughed, we shared about ourselves and our culture and we shared a celebratory meal. I felt so included in their special moment in time right up until the taxi driver signaled that it was time to go.

I believe my experience with this family beautifully exemplifies the beauty of inclusion in its purest form. It shows how curiosity, respect, and a desire to understand and connect can overcome barriers of language, culture, and personal histories.

What does this have to do with how we show up at work, how we lead and how we create our company cultures? Isn't it fundamentally the same? Our ability to make connections with people who might be different from us and our willingness to learn from those differences is what defines inclusion. It doens't look a certain way. In fact, trying to make it "look" a certain way will pull you off the path to an inclusive environment for true inclusion means we co-create what it looks like.

Inclusion, at its core, is about creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, seen, heard, and valued. It's about fostering a culture where diversity in thoughts, perspectives, and experiences is not only tolerated but is also celebrated. Not only does this help us all to grow and expand in our lives, but research shows that truly inclusive teams are more innovative, more effective, and more successful.

So, how can we bring this spirit of inclusion into our workplaces and into our lives? It starts with you and it is an evolving process. I could have learned so much more from spending more time with my Indian "hosts" and yet, what I remember most is feeling seen, welcomed and included.

1. Practice Self-Awareness: Reflect on your own biases and prejudices. Challenge them and be open to changing your perspectives.
2. Be Curious: When you are in a curious stance, you open up to receiving, learning and growing.
3. Express Empathy: Try to understand others' perspectives and feelings. Show genuine interest in their experiences and acknowledge their emotions.
4. Value Uniqueness: Appreciate each person for their unique backgrounds, experiences, traits and capabilities. We are all so diverse in our own unique ways. Avoid the tendency to compare or to create hierarchies.
5. Foster Collaboration: Although we are all different, we can align with one another around a particular purpose, mission or strategy. Picture sitting side by side with your team members and look toward the desired outcome. Encourage teamwork and make sure everyone's ideas are heard and considered.
6. Search for Ways to Continue Learning and Growing: This isn't the type of thing that you "do" once and then you're done. We can continue learning, growing and expanding no matter where we are in our lives. Be intentional and offer the opportunity to others as well.

What would you add to this short list?

Inclusion is about genuinely wanting to understand and value the other, and creating spaces where everyone can thrive. Although the wedding family in India and I were not planning a project together, my experience did create a feeling of being a part of their celebration for no other reason than they were curious and welcoming.

As individuals and as organizations, we have the power to create such spaces for others and the more we do our internal work, the better able we will be to co-create an environment that serves us individually and collectively. Let's make our workplaces not just diverse, but truly inclusive.

I'm Laura Ciel and I empower leaders and their teams to thrive, in an often chaotic world, while making a positive impact. If you're interested in learning more about private or team training and coaching, check our website or DM me on LinkedIn so we can discuss your particular needs.