Inclusion — Build the scaffolding
My advice to those of you looking to be an ally this year is simple — build the scaffolding.
I have slowly shared the barriers I’ve faced in feeling like I belong and bringing my authentic self to work. I feel safe doing this now after decades of being in the workplace because I found myself, for the first time, in a team where I felt safe. Safe to apply for a promotion under the “guaranteed interview scheme” for disabled applicants. Safe to speak at the PRIDE in energy event on mental health. Safe to ask for support as I juggled lockdown as a disabled single Mum.
This feeling of safety in the workplace is an enormous privilege. Of course its not the only source of privilege I draw on. I’m white. Most traces of my Dad’s geordie and Mum’s Welsh accents were firmly polished off at University. I have a permanent role in a workplace that recognises my union.
From this position of privilege I’ve poured my time and energy into attempts to make my workplaces more inclusive — in my team, in my department and in my industry. I’d love to say that this has resulted in a failsafe inclusion strategy. I haven’t managed that just yet but I still have some advice to share: You can build the scaffolding.
Scaffolding (n)
a raised structure that supports workers and materials during work on a building
Building scaffolding means putting the structures in place to support the ideas that can lead to change. It means people who want to make a difference can. It means people new to the organisation don’t have to start from scratch. It means allies can support each other through the slow, slow progress to cultural change.
What did that look like in practice for me?
- Write the (sh*tty) first draft
A great way to lower the barrier to getting people thinking is to do the first attempt at getting things on paper. It gives people something to react to — positively or negatively.
2. Do the admin
Someone, somewhere needs to write things down to try and prevent the same conversation happening 18 million times with no action. Write down what needs to be done. Put someone’s initials next to it — voila an action log! Of people doing things!
3. Connect people
So many people who are having individual conversations about inclusion with you — what could they achieve if you linked them? You will only know if you can take a deep breath and send the random email or even better a calendar invite.
You don’t need a role in inclusion or diversity in your job profile to do any of those three.
You could do them now.
Couldn’t you?
References
I found the wheel of privaledge a fantastic tool to reflect on my personal position of power. Its from Sylvia Duckworth who you can findon twitter @sylviaduckworth or on https://sylviaduckworth.com/
