All managers should proactively ask employees to discuss how they feel race has influenced their experience within the company, rather than wait for a crisis to arise before confronting these issues. Proactive discussions let managers direct the dialogue in constructive approaches and avoid future conflicts from soaring out of control.

Some pertinent questions to ask employees may include:

• Have you faced any barriers to success at this company associated with your race?

• Have you observed additional hurdles in the way to your success?

• What can we do better to accelerate your success and feel of inclusion?

• Do you sense that mentorship and promotions occur without bias?

While there isn’t one specific set of measures for establishing an inclusive culture in every organization, there are definite steps you can take. If you aren’t confident about what they are, get suggestions.

Ask the people you lead, of all races, if they feel comfortable bringing their authentic self to work, if they are aware of or have experienced unconscious bias, how they think race has impacted their experiences in the organization, and what changes could help create a more wholly inclusive workplace. 

Accept that there will be some bitter truths—a profound sense of deprivation, isolation, racial discrimination, and tokenism common anxieties. However, if you don’t hear, acknowledge, and understand these genuine concerns, you cannot help to resolve them.

Practicing is critical, and organizing the conversation can go a long way toward improving climate. Yet, while it pays to be racially diverse, you can’t leverage what you aren’t willing to discuss.

ABOUT JIM WOODS

Phone: +1 720-923-1644 Email: jim@woodskovalovagroup.com Book a Zoom meeting with Jim.

Jim Woods is President and Chief Diversity Officer of Woods Kovalova Group, headquartered in Denver, CO with consultants and facilitators in over 30 countries. Since 1998 he and his team have worked to enable managers and frontline employees to have meaningful conversations on race and reimagine diversity and inclusion programs that create collaboration and increase the leadership capabilities of under-represented people everywhere. He is an author of 3 leadership books along with two for children. Happily married to his business partner Lucy Kovalova-Woods., their work has helped individuals and leaders in companies ranging U.S. Military, Fortune 500, Education and small businesses.