The more you practice the RIR Protocol?, the more adaptive—and grounded—you will be.

I once did a presentation for a charter school system with a very diverse population.

As I went through my slides, the tension in the room was palpable.

Something was happening I couldn’t put my finger on.

And, it was getting in the way of the material.

I kept trying to address it and move on.

But no matter what I did, someone would start another discussion that derailed us.

Finally, I abandoned the presentation to process what was coming up in the room.

We had a listening circle, and it ended up being the most powerful of all our sessions.

This is an example of taking an adaptive stance (versus a technical one).

An adaptive stance requires you to consider all the factors at play.

By contrast, a technical stance is all about solving the issue without getting to its heart.

For example, I could have kept going through my slides.

If I had, though, the presentation would have been ineffective.

When it comes to communication, most of us start in the technical space.

By adding compassion, we can be more adaptive.

The key is to practice the steps until they become rote.

Once you truly know what you’re doing, your responses become naturally adaptive.

And that should be your goal:

Because the more adaptive you are, the more flexible and effective you can be.

To learn more about the RIR Protocol, you can find it in?Let’s Talk About Race (and Other Hard Things)?on Amazon.

Renowned speaker, author, and equity consultant?Dr. Nancy Dome?co-founded Epoch Education in 2014 to provide leaders in education and business with accessible professional development in diversity, inclusion and belonging, and equity. As an educator for nearly three decades, Dr. Dome taught in the juvenile court and community schools teaching our most vulnerable students and has served as a Distinguished Teacher in Residence and faculty member at California State University San Marcos. Her transformative approach helps school districts and educational agencies throughout the country navigate complex topics, build bridges, and work together for inclusive, impactful change.