How to Find Your Voice and Create an Inclusive Workplace

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How to Find Your Voice and Create an Inclusive Workplace Lily Hou, Lauren Singer

Level5 Strategy

How to Find Your Voice and Create an Inclusive Workplace Lily Hou, Lauren Singer

We’ve all been there. You want to pitch an idea or offer a unique perspective to your team, but the second you get ready to chime in, you stay quiet. You’re not alone.

Knowing when to chime in, how to effectively share your idea and in which tone, are questions that can consume us prior to speaking up.

For those who don’t associate themselves with the dominant archetype in their office, this rings especially true. Being a minority voice in any homogenous environment presents a unique set of challenges.

Minority groups may fear that sharing their thoughts could reinforce negative stereotypes as a result of labeling, or, some may fear that when they do speak up, their opinions won’t be heard or accepted because they are different.

In this article, we outline how individuals who don’t find themselves to be the dominant archetype can find their authentic voice. We also examine how organizations can create an environment that not only supports inclusivity, but encourages it.

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Part 1 Finding your voice Finding one’s voice can mean different things to different people. We define it as building your inner confidence to have the courage to speak up – even if you’re not the dominant archetype.

challenging situations with, and who can act as your champions.

Here are four things to consider on your journey towards finding your voice:

Your mental soundtrack can contribute significantly to the way your carry yourself and your outward actions.

Developing the comfort and confidence to speak up starts with believing in the innate value of who you are. Imposter syndrome, or feelings of inadequacy, can begin to be quashed by believing in your talent and ability, rather than attributing success to luck or tokenism – a common sentiment among those who find themselves the minority at work.

Leverage your uniqueness as a strength Social pressures can create a strong desire to fit in and conform to the norm. But speaking and acting uniquely means that you will inevitably stand out. People’s unfamiliarity with you may lead them to compensate their lack of understanding with stereotypes or unconscious biases. Don’t let this set you back on your path to finding your voice – over time, the tension or discomfort that you feel will hopefully be replaced with familiarity and lead to understanding, at the very least, or acceptance, in the best case. Growing thick skin is important as you work through this initial discomfort.

Not taking it personally will pave the way towards teaching others to see your uniqueness as a strength and value-add.

Cultivate a support network Allies can be found not only at work by reaching out to peers and employee resource groups, but also externally through friendships and people within the industry. These connections see past differences; they’re built on common values, such as hard work, passion or other shared interests and experiences.

These are the people to bounce ideas off of, discuss

Stand up to your inner critic

Own your achievements Champion your successes in the workplace. Be proactive – whether through an office chat in passing, water cooler banter, or formal conversation with your manager. Keep your records by tracking achievements and documenting key successes.

“No longer can we keep our head down and work really hard, we have to lift our heads up and articulate our value and quantify our worth.”

Suki Sandhu, founder and chief executive of Involve, an organization dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion within businesses

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Part 2 Building an inclusive culture On the flip side of finding your voice, the onus is on leaders and employees to create an inclusive culture: a safe environment for people to share opinions, and where everyone feels emboldened to challenge the status quo. We must embrace that individuals have different ways of sharing ideas; for example, not everyone is loud and assertive. Fostering an environment that welcomes many personality types is vital to diverse thinking. Countless studies have demonstrated that inclusive cultures play a critical role in improving organizational effectiveness, increasing employee engagement, delivering high quality products and, ultimately, delivering a sustainable competitive advantage.

5 ways for leaders and employees to foster an environment that encourages idea sharing include: 1. Identify ways your organization embraces diverse thinking. Reiterate how different perspectives promote innovative thinking.

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2. When speaking, talk “with” not “at” individuals. Make speeches more conversational – thank people for sharing ideas and ask follow-up questions. Politely push back on other people’s ideas to encourage a healthy, two-way dialogue.

3. Acknowledge and highlight differences in learning and leading style, instead of trying to mold individuals into an “ideal type.” Ask others how they like to engage, seek feedback and accept feedback.

4. Create opportunity and space for others to speak.

Leaders can ensure – both in client and internal environments – that they’re making room for all ideas to be heard.

5. Convert ideas into action, where appropriate, leading to increased impact. This will show others the value of their contributions.

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We’re all in this together We each have a role to play in creating an inclusive workplace. Speaking up requires the courage to showcase vulnerabilities, mistakes and turn them into learning.

Truly inclusive workplaces thrive because their people are emboldened to contribute fully. However, the path to getting there isn’t always smooth sailing. This journey is filled with continuous improvements – it’s not a one-and-done activity. Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the individual and the people within an organization to work together to create a culture where all feel empowered to speak up. Only when that is achieved can true innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity begin to occur.

About the Authors Lily Hou Lily Hou is a Consultant at Level5 Strategy with experience working in a variety of industries including retail, B2B, and the public sector amongst others.

She works on strategy and transformation projects with experience in research, insights and analytics, and strategy development. Lily holds a CPA, CA and a B.Comm from Queen’s University.

Lauren Singer Lauren Singer is a Consultant at Level5 Strategy with experience in strategy and transformation using tools including market research, competitive analysis, consumer research, strategy development, and narrative sessions. Lauren has had the opportunity to work with a variety of industries including retail, sports and entertainment, government bodies, and not-forprofit. Lauren holds an HBA from Western, Ivey.

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