I work in a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (and Belonging) consultancy. I help organizations find, attract, and retain talent inclusively - meaning they’re looking past the systems and networks they know to find people they might not otherwise have seen. It’s rewarding work and no stranger to difficult conversations.
In the U.S., the Supreme Court majority made a decision that impacts a woman’s ability to get an abortion. This post is not political - nor is it about abortion. It’s about how we show up.
How do we show up?
If we’re in a group setting and people feel particularly strong (one way or the other) about important topics (such as abortion), do we share our thoughts?
What if our thoughts run counter to the majority?
What if what we think is inflammatory?
What if people might look upon us differently?
What if what we believe is deemed worthless?
I have an idea, but it starts with knowing three criteria.
Society is not perfect;
Most of our cultures prefer to defer or avoid conflict in favor of group peace and cohesion;
People, on the whole, are trying to do the right thing.
So what’s the idea? Two actually.
Mindfully give the option for space - give people the option to chat with like-minded people or in debate and ask if that would be valuable.
Check in on people one-on-one.
The ideas give teams and people the opportunity (space) to connect with others like them and process their thoughts while preventing others from suppressing their thoughts.
Nobody likes to feel like what they believe is wrong, and it’s also nobody’s role to set others “right.” We have so much work to do on ourselves, we need to focus on standing in our own power and beliefs and being a better person for others - and that means showing love.
