Thread by @PearnKandola

Hello and welcome! This is @kguilaine, thanks for joining me, pls encourage others to! And do check the #Pkclinic hashtag

@KGuilaine So this 3rd #PKclinic focused on race & inclusion. Please do refer to previous using #PKclinic
For those wondering what we’re doing tonight, further info here:
pearnkandola.com/events/monthly…
You can learn more about us: pearnkandola.com

@KGuilaine This space is a thinking, challenging & hopefully reflective consultative space. I try to ask what you’d find helpful...& took a poll to check, you wanted to talk about race #PKclinic, great that is up my street :)

@KGuilaine Two original questions were asked, what can leaders do to makes workplaces more inclusive of employees of colour and what can employees of colour do to sustain themselves in predominantly white workplaces particularly if they do diversity work #PkClinic

@KGuilaine (I am typing as fast as I can. Be kind re typos, a forte of mine #PKClinic), I will focus on these 2 main questions, that may lead to a later question I was asked, what does good look like. We would need to think together on this one.

@KGuilaine Replying to
@PearnKandola
and
@KGuilaine
Again, all my tweets are in good faith often using what I know of the empirical evidence AND my clinical experience working with employees of colour. Happy to be* challenged #PKclinic

@KGuilaine Two working definitions:

Inclusion: everyone feels they can be authentically themselves

Diversity: a workplace that is heterogenous & representative of the society we live in.

#PKClinic

@KGuilaine Those are working definitions. Not perfect and really there is no universally agreed definitions (surprise, surprise). Each definition will have weaker points & will place emphasis on different aspects #PKclinic

@KGuilaine The point nonetheless, diversity =/= inclusion. And there is as I hope many of you know on-going controversies around the term diversity and for good reasons, w/ many feeling it whitewash discrimination, exclusion & indeed here racist processes #PKclinic

@KGuilaine I agree to a large degree. But I won’t go into these debates today. Maybe another time. The point is language will always be approximative & no term is without problems. Personally I tend to speak of equality & justice. But you choose...as long as you do the work.

#PKclinic

@KGuilaine There is something really odd that I come across with recurrently, I speak to senior employees who tend to be white and inevitably they assess their workplace as inclusive #PKClinic

@KGuilaine Then I speak to employees of colour...and it’s almost as though they inhabit a different space altogether. I refer to this phenomenon as the experiential gap #PKClinic

@KGuilaine We can’t go into depths due the nature of the format so pls if you want to pursue any issue get in contact with us..., but just a few factors that breed exclusion or marginalisation first #PKclinic

@KGuilaine - Unchecked assumptions about who belongs
- Normative assumptions about the way we do things
-Unchecked bias at all stage of the employee life cycles
-Discrimination (in case this was not obvious) including subtle & micro behaviours
-Cliques
-THE EXPERIENTIAL GAP

#PKclinic

@KGuilaine I want to say more about that experiential gap & why I think it is so central to issues of inequality & injustice then present our model of inclusive leadership aka what you can do to make workplace more welcoming & safe spaces for employees of colour #PKClinic

@KGuilaine The key problems with the experiential gap is 1) it means the testimonies or voices of employees of colour are distrusted or appear aberrant rather than normative

@KGuilaine 2) and related to this things that are aberrant are not explored, taken seriously, remedied. Leaving the gap unaddressed & exclusion the norm #PKclinic

@KGuilaine So what can you Tweeps do? A LOT. I am going to entrust you with OUR (copyrighted) inclusive leadership model. This is the we as an organisation think about inclusion. There are others...but I like our model...#PKClinic

@KGuilaine Again, this is Pearn Kandola’s model. This is a copyrighted model, if it helps you think about inclusion, do use it with credit to Pearn Kandola. #PKClinic

@KGuilaine I will not talk through the whole thing (coughs we do provide training, coaching & consultation on Inclusion & on inclusive leadership) but simply to get you thinking...#PearnKandola

@KGuilaine There are three core areas you can take action in to increase inclusion (not only race wise) culture, relationships and decision making. The model is geared towards ppl with more power...however we can all use aspects of it within our sphere of influence #PKClinic

@KGuilaine Can you make it safer for employees of colour to speak out about their experience and challenge you on discrimination without fear of retaliation (one aspect of culture: creating psychological safety) #PKclinic

@KGuilaine Can you increase your self-awareness*? That is to say are you cognisant of your biases, prejudices and your social positionslity can shape your decisions/judgements (one aspect of decision making) #PKclin

@KGuilaine Can you be deliberate in spending time with people of colour? Building relationships at work and outside work, so you can start to bridge that experiential gap? (On aspect of relationship) #PKClinic

@KGuilaine Now a little bit on the final main question, related to exclusion how does one survive & sustain oneself as an employee of colour within predominantly, white spaces? #PKclinic

@KGuilaine Particularly in white spaces where you are engaged in doing diversity work...#PKclinic
As a clinician I take this question very seriously indeed, I know first hand the risk associated with doing this work within environments that are often hostile and/or resistant #PKclinic

@KGuilaine Again, I am available for detailed clinical advice...but just to leave you with something a few pointers;
1) Can you increase your self-awareness? There are reasons you have chosen this path of work. What are they? What drives you? What are your vulnerabilities
#PKclinic

@KGuilaine If is critically important you understand how trauma works & can become reproduced* at work. The more self-aware you are the more adequate self-care you can put in place #PKclinic

@KGuilaine 2) Think about using and/or building supportive networks, at work and outside work. This is one of the most powerful protective factor #PKclinic

@KGuilaine You cannot do this work alone. You cannot survive alone. And you are not alone #PKclinic

@KGuilaine 3) Work on developing an identity that is independent from work. Work is not all you are. Diversity is not all you do. The more you can rely on, to build a sense of worth, value & self-efficacy the more protected you will be in the face of hostility & exclusion at work #PKclinic

@KGuilaine Now I would like to open it up and ask you the final question asked of me, what does good look like, when it comes to inclusion at work? What do you think? What does your good look like? #PKclinic

@KGuilaine Shoot, I should have said, please, please, please ask your bosses, managers & their managers to check out these clinics if you think they would benefit from them, the hashtag exists for that reason #PKclinic

@KGuilaine Ok, my good tweeps, I like equality but I do like my family too, if there is no question or if you’d rather think about the contents without my intervention, I am happy to close this third clinic...#Pkclinic

@KGuilaine Thanks so much to you all. For me good looks like that experiential gap reduces and employees of colour (and all marginalised employees) are treated fairly, there is little loss of potential & I encounter less ppl who have been damaged by work processes or dynamics #PKclinic

@KGuilaine The next #PKclinic will be July 1st at 18h00. As is becoming customary, I will do a poll about what you would find helpful to cover in the 4th clinic. Do get in touch to pursue anything raised tonight. Good evening.
Guilaine