Sitting with Dissonance: A DEI Super Power:

Strong DEI programming is an essential aspect of Learning and Development. It strengthens teams, sustains innovative collaborations, and creates an environment where people thrive and love to work. Strong DEI programming always feels uncomfortable at times. Successful team leaders and members are often “sitting with dissonance” as they learn from one another.

It's counter-intuitive, but building a place where people thrive requires feeling uncomfortable at times, particularly for employees who do not personally identify with traditionally marginalized communities in our society. Work environments are naturally an extension of the social and cultural environment in which they exist, so creating a differentiated work environment requires consciousness and commitment. Are you ready for that?

Here are some guiding principles to consider when shifting a culture:

• Feeling uncomfortable is an opportunity and is important.

• A best practice is to "try on" new ideas and new ways of engagement with others in your own personal life before you try them out on colleagues or teams you manage or support.

• A critical muscle for many team members to build is listening without being defensive.

• Everyone deserves the opportunity to feel uncomfortable.

Here are a few more specific reflections that explain my perspective on the topic:

• Learning to listen and observe is a key aspect of DEI work. White people generally need more work in that area than people of color.

The good news is that listening and observing skills can be taught and evaluated and become part of an annual feedback tool.

• We need to set equitable and just expectations for all.

The good news is that with experience it becomes easier and easier to develop models of shared learning. And as soon as you commit to developing comprehensive models of learning so that everyone is appropriately engaged in the practice of DEI, you will find the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

• Ask for help! It's a team effort.

The good news is that as soon as people start brainstorming with one another it changes internal attitudes towards Learning and Development across the board, because people start to crave opportunities to be more curious about one another and new ways to think about old ideas. They start to want to “sit with dissonance.”