By Angelique S.C. Grant, Ph.D., Senior Consultant + Principal, The Inclusion Firm

Many employees feel uncomfortable and lack confidence when engaging with external constituents, and oftentimes are unable to communicate their views in a way that creates a mutual understanding, according to the Inclusion Firm’s trends analysis.

The discomfort arises from the complex and historical nature of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues, which can trigger strong reactions in individuals. There is a common expectation for individuals to be subject matter experts even when they are not. To counteract this, organizations, especially those with relationship managers engaging externally, play a vital role in building employees’ comfort and confidence levels. This, in turn, will ultimately lead to more effective and courageous interactions.

There is an alarming need for organizations to navigate complex discussions and address inappropriate behavior, particularly in light of the tragic global humanitarian events, recent Supreme Court rulings and ongoing efforts to anchor inclusivity into the fabric of organizations.

To increase comfort, organizations have the opportunity to foster a culture that allows for mistakes and underscores the value of learning from them. Cultivating psychological safety is pivotal, with leaders playing a role in alleviating power imbalances, demonstrating vulnerability, and emphasizing internal relationships that nurture an environment conducive to candid conversations.

What is comfort?

Comfort, defined as an emotional state of feeling secure and content, is essential for employees to engage in difficult conversations both within and outside the organization. Conversely, discomfort, characterized by worry or fear of embarrassment, can hinder these conversations and create a conflict-avoidant organizational environment. The initial step in cultivating greater comfort is recognizing and addressing this unease. According to our analysis of client trends, individuals in organizational roles closely tied to external engagement, such fundraisers, alumni relations, special events, and sales personnel, exhibit varying levels of comfort during interactions with external constituents.

Why is it uncomfortable?

• The discomfort associated with discussions centered around topics like gender identity or social justice arises from a range of factors. Individuals feel uncomfortable due to reasons such as:
• The desire to maintain organizational relationships, such as donations, board memberships, or community partnerships.
• Past experiences of discrimination or sexual harassment.
• Reluctance to assume the role of an educator (e.g., “I do not want or feel like educating people”).
• The intention to honor diverse viewpoints.
• Apprehension about potential escalation of the situation.
• Uncertainty about reporting interactions.
• Fear of being perceived as invoking the “race card” and other related concerns.

Developing confidence.

Confidence represents a mindset rooted in self-trust and belief in one’s abilities. Similar to acquiring proficiency in playing a musical instrument or learning a foreign language, developing confidence with difficult conversations requires both education and practice.

When employees lack confidence in their ability to respond to a heated conversation, they may avoid addressing offensive comments or inappropriate behavior, which can inadvertently perpetuate the tolerance of such behavior within and outside of the organization. Therefore, understanding and addressing employees’ confidence levels in external engagements is vital.

From addressing microaggressions to openly discussing personal mistreatment, these interactions require a certain level of vulnerability and directness that not everyone may be prepared for. While individuals can often articulate their personal and even the organization’s values conceptually, speaking up in real-time situations can be more complex, and this is where confidence plays a pivotal role. The fear of making mistakes or choosing the wrong words can paralyze individuals when the moment arises to voice their thoughts. People lack confidence because they:

• Do not want to offend, or accidentally use language that sounds accusatory or racist.
• Strive to express themselves accurately and use appropriate terminology.
• Are unsure of how to guide the conversation.
• Crave a psychologically safe environment where they can navigate their words without fear.
• Wish to sensitively “call in” individuals rather than “call out” their remarks.

Enhancing comfort and confidence.

Organizations can bolster collective comfort and take several effective measures, irrespective of where employees stand in their individual journeys.

First and foremost, creating a culture that embraces mistakes is paramount. The more robustly the culture milieu acknowledges errors, the lower the anxiety around them. Strive to establish psychologically secure spaces where employees feel at ease admitting mistakes and viewing them as learning opportunities. Hold the organization accountable for making this commitment.

Another significant approach to enhance comfort and safeguard psychological well-being involves ensuring job stability. Often, employees worry that advocating for themselves might jeopardize their positions, especially when dealing with influential supporters and supervisors within the organization. Addressing power dynamics, particularly during discussions related to the organization’s commitment to inclusivity, is essential. When organizational leaders exhibit openness and prioritize employee relationships through the implementation of a code of conduct or a zero-tolerance policy and process, it establishes a foundational sense of safety and empathy. This, in turn, creates a more conducive environment for sharing difficult perspectives.

Leaders can support employees’ confidence in confronting difficult conversations by providing educational and professional development training. Integrating DEI dialogues into existing professional development curriculum helps build confidence among all employees, regardless of their roles. Emphasize how to manage diverse scenarios specific to your industry and deliberately integrate conflict resolution skills needed to address colleagues and external constituents who engage in offensive or inappropriate behavior and comments.

Equip employees with an environment where they can successfully manage situations in which external constituents make offensive or inappropriate comments that do not align with an organization’s stated values of promoting equity, inclusion, and accessibility for all people. Leaders can also illustrate their approach to various scenarios, and just as important, employees can trust that organizational leaders and supervisors will stand by them in their responses and decisions.

Similar to how organizations offer training programs to enhance technical skills across various workplace domains, they should equally provide educational avenues to improve language proficiency. Employees highly value the opportunity to acquire cultural competency knowledge, enabling them to better understand and adapt to the constantly evolving demands of today’s society.

When comfort and confidence align, employees can be courageous.

Every employee should possess the bravery to engage in action and actively take part in difficult discussions that contribute to shaping an inclusive workplace environment. By boosting employees’ comfort and self-assurance, we empower everyone to confidently initiate and participate in these impactful courageous conversations.

If your organization seeks to empower its employees, The Inclusion Firm offers customized workshops on Navigating Difficult Conversations and Inappropriate Behavior. Our team of expert consultants provides:

● Enhanced awareness, comprehension, and context concerning challenging interactions.

● Comprehensive education on concepts such as inappropriate conduct, power dynamics with donors, and relationships involving volunteers and supervisors.

● Tailored experiential training to cultivate essential skills for effectively addressing harmful statements and interactions,

● Strategies for establishing psychologically safe spaces to apply newfound knowledge at various stages of individual journeys.

● Support in developing organizational policies and procedures, including: a Code of
Conduct, Zero Tolerance policy, administrative policies and procedures, gift acceptance and volunteer policies, and all associated processes (e.g., policy drafting, reporting procedures, constituent CRM flagging and protocols).

● Practical insights, approaches, and tools for your teams and initiatives.

● Resources to foster an inclusive organizational environment, enabling everyone to feel more at ease and confident in their constituent interactions.

 If you are interested in partnering with subject matter experts, contact us today at [email protected] to learn more about our services.