Inclusive Conversational Cultures are Vital to Business Success

Conversations are the backbone of any workplace. They enable teams to collaborate, solve problems, and make decisions. However, not all conversations are created equal. Some conversations are easy and comfortable, while others are difficult and uncomfortable. Conversations about race, work, and family fall into the latter category, but avoiding them is not an option.

What we ignore festers.

If we want to build inclusive workplaces where everyone feels valued and heard, we need to learn how to have courageous conversations.

Not only are these conversations vital to the wellbeing of your workforce, research shows that conversations about diversity and inclusion are essential for business success. A study by Deloitte found that companies with inclusive cultures are twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets. Another study by McKinsey found that businesses with more diverse workforces are more likely to outperform their less diverse peers. These findings highlight the critical role that courageous conversations play in building inclusive workplace cultures.

So, how can we create conversational cultures that prioritize inclusivity? Here are a few tips:

1. Start at the top: It is said that 70% of employees routinely avoid having conversations about difficult topics. But they are not alone. Leaders are avoiding them also. Leaders must model the behavior they want to see. If leaders avoid courageous conversations or dismiss the importance of inclusivity, employees are unlikely to feel comfortable having these conversations themselves. Leaders should demonstrate a willingness to engage in courageous conversations and show that they value diverse perspectives.
2. Create safe spaces for conversation: Courageous conversations can be emotionally charged, so it's important to create safe spaces where everyone feels comfortable sharing their perspectives. This could be a designated room or virtual platform where employees can have open and honest conversations without fear of judgment or retaliation. These conversations should also be led by a trained facilitator.
3. No double dutching: Don’t sit there just waiting for your turn to jump in to say what you want to say. Active listening is essential for building trust and fostering understanding during courageous conversations. To listen actively, you should focus on what the speaker is saying, ask clarifying questions, and summarize their points to show that you understand. Avoid interrupting, judging, or dismissing their perspective.
4. Be willing to learn and get uncomfortable: Courageous conversations are an opportunity to learn and grow. Approach these conversations with an open mind and a willingness to learn. Recognize that you may not have all the answers, and be willing to admit when you don't know something. Also, be willing to get uncomfortable and sit in the discomfort. Resist the urge to defend, justify or deflect. In our discomfort is where change happens and learning occurs.
5. Train your leaders and employees: Communication is an art and a skill. What I learned in the wake of George Floyd’s murder is that people really want to converse about difficult topics, they just don’t know how. They fear they will say the wrong thing, offend someone, or destroy a relationship. Therefore, they choose the path of least resistance and just don’t engage. But it doesn’t have to be that way. People can learn how to communicate effectively using my “PER”fect Framework for Courageous Conversations. ?

If you want to learn more about how to create and cultivate conversational cultures in your organization, let’s chat.

About the author:

Kelly Charles-Collins is a sought-after authority specializing in courageous conversations, unconscious bias, and bystander intervention. Kelly has been revolutionizing the way leaders and employees learn about and address the issues of justice, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace; while acknowledging the tension, resistance, associated with and the vital importance of these issues.

As a retired 20+ year employment law trial attorney turned keynote and award-winning TEDx speaker, author, podcast host and magazine publisher, Kelly understands first-hand the complexities of employer/employee and employee/employee relationships and feels compelled to lead a revolution to create safe, inclusive, accountable organizational cultures and environments where people see, appreciate, and respect each other’s humanity.

A transformative keynote speaker and mentor, Kelly has been featured in some of the biggest media publications and outlets including ABC, NBC, CBS, Time.com, Forbes, Fast Company, Authority Magazine, Women’s Wear Daily, Thrive Global and more. She is also the author of Conversations Change Things: The “PER”fect Framework for Courageous Conversations and Unapologetic AF: 34 Ways to Unleash Your Inner Badass.