Inclusivity in Dialogue Practices

Stop wasting meetings! Too many meetings leave people unheard, disengaged, or overwhelmed. The best teams know that inclusion isn’t accidental—it’s designed. 🔹 Here are 6 simple but powerful practices to transform your meetings: 💡 Silent Brainstorm Before discussion begins, have participants write down their ideas privately (on sticky notes, a shared document, or an online board). This prevents groupthink, ensures introverted team members have space to contribute, and brings out more original ideas. 💡 Perspective Swap Assign participants a different stakeholder’s viewpoint (e.g., a customer, a frontline employee, or an opposing team). Challenge them to argue from that perspective, helping teams step outside their biases and build empathy-driven solutions. 💡 Pause and Reflect Instead of jumping into responses, introduce intentional pauses in the discussion. Give people 30-60 seconds of silence before answering a question or making a decision. This allows for deeper thinking, more thoughtful contributions, and space for those who need time to process. 💡 Step Up/Step Back Before starting, set an expectation: those who usually talk a lot should "step back," and quieter voices should "step up." You can track participation or invite people directly, helping create a more balanced conversation. 💡 What’s Missing? At the end of the discussion, ask: "Whose perspective have we not considered?" This simple question challenges blind spots, uncovers overlooked insights, and reinforces the importance of diverse viewpoints in decision-making. 💡 Constructive Dissent Voting Instead of just asking for agreement, give participants colored cards or digital indicators to show their stance: 🟢 Green – I fully agree 🟡 Yellow – I have concerns/questions 🔴 Red – I disagree Focus discussion on yellow and red responses, ensuring that dissenting voices are explored rather than silenced. This builds a culture where challenging ideas is seen as valuable, not risky. Which one would you like to try in your next meeting?  Let me know in the comments! 🔔 Follow me to learn more about building inclusive, high-performing teams. __________________________ 🌟 Hi there! I’m Susanna, an accredited Fearless Organization Scan Practitioner with 10+ years of experience in workplace inclusion. I help companies build inclusive cultures where diverse, high-performing teams thrive with psychological safety. Let’s unlock your team’s full potential together!

Quiet voices can often have the loudest ideas. In every team, I’ve found that some voices naturally dominate discussions - not because they’re better, but because they’re quicker or more confident. These contributions are valuable, but as leaders, we risk missing out on equally powerful insights from quieter team members who approach problems with reflection and depth. Often, their perspectives can uncover blind spots or offer fresh perspectives that louder discussions might overshadow. Leadership is about balance - ensuring that every voice is given its rightful space, not by excluding those who speak up but by intentionally drawing in those who may hold back. It requires creating environments where quieter contributors feel safe to share, whether through thoughtful pauses in meetings or alternative formats like going around the room and asking for individual opinions in a genuine and non-judgmental way, with questions like “ Do you see anything we might have overlooked?” Or “What would you do differently?”. You could also ask for written feedback after the meeting or solicit thoughts in one-on-one conversations. By fostering this inclusivity, we enrich the conversation and enable more robust decisions and outcomes.

Decoding belonging: B – Bravery Encouraging voices to challenge the status quo, surface truths, and advocate for necessary change. Speaking up against harmful practices and behaviors. E – Equity Recognizing that different people have different needs, removing barriers that have disadvantaged historically excluded groups, and designing systems where everyone can access information, resources, and opportunities they need to succeed. L – Leaning In Engaging with curiosity, confronting discomfort, and being willing to learn and unlearn rather than retreating into defensiveness. O – Openness Fostering a transparent, trust-based environment where information flows freely and where vulnerability is not seen as a weakness. Openness is also about sharing decision-making power, encouraging feedback, creating space for honest dialogues across all levels of the organization, and holding ourselves accountable. N – Nurturing Committing to the long-term development of individuals and teams by investing in their growth, well-being, and potential. G – Growth Embracing learning, innovation, and change as continuous processes. Seeing mistakes as opportunities rather than character flaws. I – Inclusion Ensuring that every individual, across every identity and experience, feels valued, respected, and heard (except racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, and other oppressive narratives and behaviors.) N – Normalizing Making belonging practices part of everyday life instead of a one-time initiative or a special program. Embedding inclusion into hiring, meetings, leadership, evaluation, and decision-making until it becomes “that’s how we work together.” G – Grounding Rooting actions, policies, and practices in shared values. Grounding reminds us that organizational culture needs a steady foundation where decisions are not only strategic but also aligned with who we say we are and who we aspire to be. —— [Image description] The image features the word “BELONGING” in bold, capitalized letters at the center. Each letter in the word is vertically connected by dotted lines to a corresponding value or concept that elaborates its meaning.

Inclusive leadership: are your managers falling behind? Imagine this: A manager in your organization organizes a team meeting. Around the table (a virtual one too) are team members with different perspectives, experiences and needs. Does the manager: ✅ Create space for every voice? ✅ Catch their own biases before they influence decisions? ✅ Show genuine curiosity about ideas they don’t yet understand? … Or does the pressure of their workload or uncertainty about how to lead inclusive meetings keep them stuck in "business as usual"? Juggling tight deadlines, team dynamics and strategic goals—all while navigating the emphasis on DEI -  it’s no wonder many managers sometimes feel overwhelmed, even as they genuinely want to do better. Inclusivity doesn’t happen by chance—it happens by choice. And your managers need the right tools, support and mindset to make that choice. So, how can you support them? Here are some strategies to help managers foster inclusivity: 1️⃣ Training and education: Provide DEI training for all managers, but not just those that "increase awareness and understanding". Choose ones that teach concrete tools, techniques and ways for behavioural change. 2️⃣ Tools: Equip managers in a couple of tools that will help them to create an environment where team members feel safe to speak up and share ideas. 3️⃣ Clear policies and procedures: Ensure that managers are trained in unbiased hiring, promotion and performance evaluation processes. 4️⃣ Inclusive team norms and open communication Encourage managers to establish inclusive team norms and regular one of ones to actively listen to their team members and consider diverse perspectives. 5️⃣ Regular check-ins: Schedule regular check-ins with managers to discuss their inclusion efforts, address concerns and provide ongoing support and resources. Here’s an idea for January: think of one specific thing you can do this month to empower your managers to lead more inclusively. What does ‘choosing inclusivity’ look like for you?

Sometimes, disability isn't a physical limitation, but a consequence of a broken system. A system lacking true Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEI&B). 🤲 Diversity. Our Boardrooms are filled with brilliant minds, but are they diverse in thought and experience? The absence of individuals with disabilities can create a blind spot, hindering our ability to understand and serve a wider customer base. ☝️Equity. Do we have a level playing field for all ideas? Without accessibility features, communication tools, and inclusive practices, talented individuals with disabilities might be unintentionally excluded from the conversation. 🤝Inclusion. Do we foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing? 👏Belonging. Do board members with disabilities feel truly welcome, valued, and supported? Can they be themselves and contribute authentically without fear of judgment? Unconscious bias can lead to dismissive attitudes towards ideas or perspectives that seem "different." Talented individuals with disabilities are present, but their voices are unheard, their potential untapped. They may even choose to leave the conversation altogether, feeling unwelcome or unsupported. This lack of DE&I creates a real disability. A disability to access opportunities, contribute meaningfully, and fully participate in the Boardroom. 🤷♂️What can we do? 1️⃣ Champion DEI&B initiativesthat actively seek and support Board members with disabilities. 2️⃣ Embrace accessibility from physical spaces to communication tools to inclusive language. 3️⃣ Challenge unconscious bias through training and open dialogue. 4️⃣ Create a culture of psychological safety where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and sharing their perspectives. By building a truly diverse and inclusive boardroom, we dismantle the invisible disabilities that hold us back. We tap into a wider pool of talent, gain new insights, and ultimately, make better decisions for our organizations.

Want to make reconciliation conversations more inclusive in your workplace? Here's one key: Offering different formats for engagement so that every voice can be heard. Leaders need to think beyond the standard group meeting. Consider creating spaces for one-on-one yarns, group discussions, and even anonymous feedback channels. People engage differently, so providing a variety of options helps foster a more inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. It’s not just about having conversations; it’s about creating meaningful dialogue that reflects the diversity of your team. By tailoring the way you communicate, you’re ensuring everyone has the opportunity to participate in reconciliation efforts and contribute to the success of your organisation’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Your organization’s inclusivity isn’t defined by the polished DEI statement on your website. It's far more than the policies penned or the occasional training sessions held. True inclusivity is how your employees feel every single day they show up to work. ↳ Do they feel genuinely valued and heard? ↳ Or do they mask parts of themselves to fit in? When your employees look forward to work, not just for the paycheck, but because they: ↳ Feel embraced for who they are, ↳ Feel supported in their unique needs, and ↳ Feel aligned with the company’s vision of true diversity, That's when you know you've built something exceptional. Your inclusivity is built in the small, everyday moments: ↳ The accessible entrances that welcome everyone. ↳ The meetings where every voice is invited and respected. ↳ The swift actions taken when someone faces barriers. Inclusivity is what people share after the workday ends, when they talk about their experiences. It's not just a message crafted for your corporate image, but the reality your team lives and breathes every day. Something that cannot be fabricated or forced. Perhaps you're thinking, "We have policies; isn't that enough?" But policies are just the starting point. ↳ Are they reflected in daily practice? ↳ Do they resonate with every team member? Inclusivity isn't about grand gestures; it's about consistent, meaningful actions. ↳ The effort to understand someone's unique challenges. ↳ The willingness to adapt and accommodate without hesitation. ↳ The culture that celebrates differences rather than merely tolerating them. It's recognizing that every employee's experience matters. When your team members feel: ↳ Safe to express their ideas, ↳ Confident to ask for what they need, and ↳ Certain that they belong, That's the true measure of inclusivity. It's not a statement on your website—it's the heartbeat of your organization. Let's build a place where everyone feels they are part of something bigger. Because true inclusivity can't be written—it must be lived.