What Joe Did.

Yesterday, England cricketer Joe Root was praised for his response to an unheard - but apparently anti-gay - comment made by a member of the opposition team. What he did was indeed newsworthy and his praise is due, but it is also what we encourage people to do during equality, diversity and inclusion sessions in our workshops. So what is the magic touch?

1. When he heard a comment that made him uncomfortable, he didn't ignore it, join in with it, or laugh it off. He chose to respond.
2. He acted 'in the moment'. He didn't wait until later to make a point, or until he'd heard it a few times. He didn't check to see if any targetted people were upset. He didn't report him to someone else. He responded instantly from his own perspective.
3. He was calm, collected and respectful. He didn't get angry, aggressive or defensive. He simply stated his view.
4. When asked about it later by the press, he didn't make an issue of it, he barely wanted to discuss it, and in fact focussed on the strengths of the player in question rather than this one incident.

When we're at work, and we hear a comment , a 'joke' or some banter going on, we often decide the best approach is 'do nothing', don't get involved. However in doing so, we don't address the issues of fairness and equality that may be being challenged. Root has shown that it doesn't have to become a drama, there is no need for escalation, and it can be addressed quickly and efficiently.

Of course there may be incidents where escalation is necessary, or where repeated incidents call for more formal action.

However in the first instance, just by calling it out, encouraging more thought from others and acting immediately, we could slowly begin to eliminate the negative voices in our workplaces, sports fields and playgrounds.

For more information on our workshops, including those that cover topics mentioned in this post, for leaders and team members, please contact [email protected]