The Power Of The Thinking Environment? To Create Inclusion

We are in the business of behaviour change.

Why?? Because we believe in the power of diverse thinking; and we know that, to generate the best thinking in others, we need to be in a truly inclusive environment.

In our experience, this genuinely?inclusive environment is something that most leaders have not managed to achieve, especially when the thinkers are truly diverse.? So, when we work with our clients, we role model and develop behaviour that encourages free-flowing, powerful, diverse thinking.

We do this by embodying the Thinking Environment?in everything we do – and this makes us unique.

The power of an inclusive thinking space

I’ve written about the?Thinking Environment ?before.? It is a coaching methodology developed by?Nancy Kline ?that honours the individual’s ability to think for themselves and shows us how to create an environment that is most conducive to the generation of imaginative, uninhibited, practical thought – an environment that is psychologically safe and empowering.

As a team that appreciates?diversity of thought, we have found immense value in this methodology. This method has transformed our decision-making, encouraging creativity, clarity, and deeper understanding.

More importantly, however, is that our keen adherence to the Thinking Environment?creates a greater impact for you, our client.

Our gift to you

By embodying the Thinking Environment?as the methodology of delivering Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) services, we multiply and accelerate the impact of our work.? Here’s how:

1. The Thinking Environment accelerates mindset shift by going very deep, very quickly.

According to Kline, the single most important factor impacting how well people think is how we are being treated at such time. When others respect, value and are interested in us, we are less affected by interfering factors, like worrying about what we might say and how it will be received. We are more prepared to explore what is in our mind, and process what is being said at face value. This lack of distraction from noisy thoughts and emotions allows us to delve into deeper analysis and reasoning more quickly.

Given that accepting one’s own blind spots and those of others around us is something that requires a lot of brain power, the more attentive, non-judgmental and welcoming the environment, the quicker people can process, digest and apply new concepts. This is what we give you with the application of the Thinking Environment.

2. The safe environment which we establish allows for the transformation to occur more swiftly.

Embodying the Thinking Environment along with our 8 Inclusive Behaviours?, we create a safe space that promotes vulnerability. This enables individuals to share openly, without fear of judgment, and to generate lightbulb moments which often lead to permanent change in perception. By opening our clients to new perspectives in this way, they become more amenable to embracing change, which encourages quicker transformations and mindset shifts.

3. We give you permission to be imperfect.

One key component of the Thinking Environment?is Equality. Equality is about honouring each person as an able thinking peer, regardless of background, rank or seniority. This also means that we honour people’s freedom to develop their thinking and to travel at their own pace in doing so. We all think differently and at different speeds. Some of us need to apply a theory to a concrete scenario in order to understand it, while others prefer to visualise it. Whatever your preference, we understand these differences and allow you to think in whatever way suits you best. There is no standard to meet, or benchmark to be measured against. Whether this is the first time you’ve encountered the content we offer or you’re refreshing your knowledge, we honour you as an equal thinking peer and give you the space you need to do your own type of thinking.

Moreover, while the concepts of Inclusion seem simple?(after all, most of us understand empathy and listening, and value?difference), we often apply a microscopic approach to these concepts and?uncover things that most in the room have not seen before. We ensure that clients understand that, as these concepts are in fact new, there is no expectation that people should know how to behave in these situations, and therefore there is no need for embarrassment, self-consciousness or awkwardness. We also acknowledge out loud that some of our conversations may create a level of discomfort and that that’s OK too. In other words, in establishing a Thinking Environment, we give you permission to be human again.

Being treated as an equal peer in every way abolishes inhibitions and allows the mind to wander to less familiar places. This generates greater creativity, innovation, originality and enhanced problem solving, and creates greater impact from our work together.

By embracing the Thinking Environment, we help you more quickly and sustainably remove obstacles to more meaningful thinking.? We help you delve deeper more quickly, to help create worthwhile and lasting behaviour change.

To us, the Thinking Environment?is not just a methodology, but a philosophy which helps form the backbone of what we do in our commitment to EDI. And in this way, we help develop more inclusive workplaces that are better able to tap into the diversity of their people.

This blog was first published on the Voice At The Table website ?

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