4. Create psychologically safe spaces that invite honest conversation

Conversations around topics such as gender bias, exclusion, inequality and decolonization can be uncomfortable; accepting mistakes and sharing failures to support learning can be intimidating. Because people may feel threatened or fearful talking about these things, creating environments that support open, authentic and useful conversations and knowledge exchange is challenging, even more so when it involves people from different cultures.

One of the most important things we have learnt at WILD is how to facilitate discussion around difficult topics and create virtual spaces in which people feel safe enough to be open and authentic. This has been critical to the success of the WILD Forum, where we’ve also run sessions on how to create psychologically safe work environments. Besides having an excellent facilitator, it’s essential that there’s a clear foundation for the spirit in which people engage and the expectations they have of each other. For the Forum, our code of conduct invites everyone to attend in a spirit of optimism and we ask all speakers and participants to:

• Be curious about and open to other people and their ideas • Acknowledge that no-one is perfect, and that’s OK • Be respectful of others in how they listen, respond and ask questions • Commit to being open and honest about what they have learnt through their successes and failures, and what they don’t know. I appreciated that the speakers brought their authentic perspectives to these “ discussions. Some of these talks were tough but I believe challenging conversations are what we need when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion in international development. It was refreshing to have an audience that was participating fully on this topic. And it wasn’t just a side topic. Something to check the box to talk about, but a real discussion and a very frank one. “ Vivian Nguyen, Communications Specialist, USAID, USA Participant, WILD Forum