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Essential Skills for Inclusive Leaders

inclusion

Accessibility for Blog Posts

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Imagine you’re a marketing intern trying to expand your outreach and engagement with your client base. You spend hours sifting through different blog themes and deciding what subject matter you want to explore. Hours of work later, you are finally ready to make your first post. However, there’s a slight problem: you have not created your post with disability accessibility in mind.

This is exactly what I went through creating my first blog post last week for Lead At Any Level. While I have plenty of experience in legal research and writing, this was my first crack at a more casual form of writing. Amy approached me about some aspects of my article that would present difficulties to those with a visual impairment. Let’s use my mistakes as a learning opportunity. Here are some tips for writing blog posts for accessibility!

Media Accessibility

Pictures and videos can be a great way to supplement the content of your posts. However, you should make sure that the use of media does not create barriers for those with visual or audial impairments.

Color Choice and Contrast

Whether you’re deciding on a blog post theme or adding pictures, it is best to avoid distracting or high-saturation images. Opt for muted tones and high-contrast images. This goes for text as well. The University of Edinburgh recommends a minimum contrast of 4.5:1 or 3.1:1 for large text. It is also crucial to avoid intense graphics and flashing images. These can be triggering for those with epilepsy and other disabilities.

Audio Accessibility

Your blog should not be overly reliant on music and audio effects. In fact, it is best to make them optional. If you include a video in your post, include a transcript! This will ensure that viewers with hearing impairments have a substantially equal experience to those listening to the audio.

Visual accessibility

Pictures are great additions to any blog! They are an opportunity to make your content visually appealing and personable. With that being said, I give you the same warning as the previous tip; do not become overly reliant! Alt tags are an effective way to improve accessibility. 

If you are like me and had no clue what an alt-tag is, it is an alternative text that describes the image being displayed. These are helpful for those who use tools such as screen readers. It is worth noting that these are more than just simple captions. I loved the University of Edinburgh’s description of making alt tags, “a written image of what we see for people who cannot.”

Text and Format Accessibility

There are a few easy changes you can make to your blog to make it easier to view.

Font

You should use size 14 font at the minimum in an easy-to-read font (no wacky fonts!). Avoid italics and blocks of uppercase letters

Text Links

This was one of the pitfalls I had with my first blog post. I included hyperlinks to outside resources. The issue was that I used the same word for two different links. This creates difficulties for those with visual impairments who use a screen reader. Make sure your links are specific and different from each other.

Scannable Content

This tip will make your content more digestible regardless of your reader’s disability status. Having enough white space for readers to differentiate between sections will help with comprehension. You can also look into adjusting your margins and line heights.

Readability

Again, this is an area that will benefit any reader of your blog. The biggest step you can take in this category is to include a read-aloud feature if possible.

Additionally, you should consider having translations available in different languages. This can help your message reach a broader audience!

Intuitive Language

Sometimes less is more! Go with language that feels organic. When using abbreviations or industry jargon, provide clear explanations.

Additional Accessibility Resources

I know I just threw a lot of information at you, but do not fear! There are plenty of resources to help.

Are We Missing Anything?

Are there any tips we forgot to include that you utilize in your writing? How can WE improve? Reach out to us and let us know!

When Do You Feel Included?

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Recently, I had a conversation with young woman from the United Kingdom. She asked me about the stickers I use for my Network Beyond Bias program. The stickers look like name tags. They say “Hello! I feel included when…”

Hello. I feel included when...

Usually toward the end of my programs, I prompt the audience to ask one another, “How can I help you feel included?” or “When do you feel included?”

This is something that gets lost in our day-to-day work. It’s very rare for a manager to ask this question when someone new joins their team. It’s a simple question. How can I help you feel included? What makes you feel included? This question has tremendous power because it helps you understand very quickly how to show respect and appreciation for another human being.

If you’re a leader, whether you have a management title or not, it’s your responsibility to make sure that the people around you feel welcome and feel included.

This prompt, “I feel included when…” is one to which people respond all sorts of ways. Some people feel included when someone asks their opinion. Sometimes I’ll have people say to me, “I feel included when I get invited out for happy hour.” And usually I ask, “Do you go?” And they say “Never, but I want to be invited.”

Sometimes I have people say they feel included when there’s clear communication. Or when they’re involved in important decisions that affect them. Some people feel included when you ask to see pictures of their children. For others, it’s when you don’t mention their families. For each person it’s different. It’s important because when we have different dynamics on teams, we often talk about treating everybody the same. Instead, we need to realize everyone wants to be treated a little bit differently.

Rethinking the Golden Rule

The Golden Rule says we should treat others as you want to be treated. The Platinum Rule, on the other hand, implores us to treat others the way they want to be treated. That’s an important distinction. If I want to be invited to happy hour and someone else doesn’t want to be invited, you might invite us both to treat us the same. However, you may have made someone else feel excluded by extending the invitation. On the flip side of that, if you ask me about my family, I feel very included. When someone else does not want to discuss their family, you’ve inadvertently created a trust gap between you and that person.

It’s important to get down to the heart of what makes each person feel valued and what makes each person feel special.

When Do YOU Feel Included?

So tell me, what makes you feel included? It may be something simple like people pronounce your name correctly. Or it may be something a little bit deeper and more complex. Either is okay.

The idea here is that we get to know each other a little better. When we show an effort to respect each other right from the beginning, it can make all the difference in the relationships that we build with each other.

After you’ve thought about this for yourself, go to work. Ask your team members, ask your boss, ask the newest person in your department, the people that report to you. “How can I help you feel included?” And then see if you can’t do that thing.

Let me know what you learn!

TL;DR? Here’s the video version:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRvUTLXlr6Y[/embedyt]

Et Tu, Latte? Starbucks and Everyday Racism

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My Twitter feeds were once again abuzz with scandal. Starbucks, it seems, has just unwittingly entered the conversation about racism in America. And not in the way we would have hoped.

Police officers handcuffed and forcibly removed two real estate agents from a Starbucks in Philadelphia. Melissa DePino‘s video of the incident went viral. Their crime? Waiting while black. According to the NPR report,

When police arrived [in response to a 911 call], two Starbucks employees told them two men had asked to use the restroom but were told they couldn’t because they hadn’t purchased anything. The men allegedly refused to leave after being asked by Starbucks employees.

What Starbucks Got Wrong

  • The Starbucks employee(s) involved in the incident denied two men use of the restroom because the men hadn’t purchased anything. White customers at that location were not required to order before gaining access to the restrooms.
  • Then the Starbucks employee(s) asked the men to leave because they had not yet made a purchase. According to witnesses, the two men were sitting quietly at a table, waiting for a friend to arrive. Hardly an unusual situation. If you were sitting quietly at a coffee shop, waiting for a friend to arrive, how would you respond if you were asked to leave?
  • Starbucks employee(s) called 911 to report disturbance and trespassing because the men did not leave when asked. The men had EVERY RIGHT to be there. There was no emergency.
  • Finally, Starbucks headquarters has so far issued a response to the incident that’s even weaker than their blonde roast. Certainly, Starbucks needs to investigate the matter thoroughly from an HR and legal perspective. However, perhaps their first response should have been a mea culpa on the lack of diversity among their own employees at the Philadelphia location in question.

The Problem Is Bigger than Starbucks

  • More than half a dozen police showed up to escort two real estate agents out of a coffee shop. Instead of de-escalating the situation or understanding the perspective of the customers in question, they placed two men under arrest. Police held the men in custody for eight hours. As real estate agents, how much did that cost them? Did they miss client meetings or sales?
  • White people on social media who said “There must be more this story” were infuriating. Abuse by authority figures is NOT the fault of the abused. Yet time and again, white people assume that authority figures can be trusted because we can usually trust them. We don’t fear for our lives when we get pulled over for speeding. We don’t get “randomly selected” for additional screening. We don’t get denied service or access to public places (unless we’re gay). And so, here we sit, blinded by privilege, wondering why we can’t all just get along. Instead of thinking critically about all the things people of color might have done to contribute to their own abuse, try applying your critical thinking skills to how you form your own assumptions.
  • News media organizations replayed the viral video of two black men being cuffed by six police officers. When white people commit actual crimes, we tend to see images of them provided by their families. We hear about their family relationships, their jobs, their medical histories. When black people have done nothing at all wrong, news outlets reinforce “dangerous criminal” stereotypes by showing handcuffed men in police custody. When people of color are victims of crimes by authority figures, we hear about every traffic ticket and character flaw they’ve ever had. Again, critical thinking by a white audience is a moral imperative.

How We Get This Right

For this section, I ask for direction from friends in the black community. I have seen calls for more of us to emulate the white allies who challenged police during the incident. That’s a great start.

Many folks are also calling for a #BoycottStarbucks or a sit-in movement. To this, I have a number of questions. What can Starbucks do to make this right? In other words, what is the end game for a boycott? How do we fight the everyday racism that makes situations like this not just possible, but commonplace? How can I use my privilege to stop the abuse of people of color?

Finding these answers won’t be easy and may take a while. In the meantime, I’ll be waiting for my friends to arrive before placing my next order at Starbucks.

Inclusive Networking: 3 Ways to Say “You’re Welcome”

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Identifying missing perspectives in your network is relatively easy. And finding people who can fill those gaps isn’t terribly difficult. But how do you attract people who differ from you? How do you make yourself the light in the room to which they are drawn? In this article, I propose three pillars of inclusive networking that you can use, not just to bring people to you, but also to bring out the best in them. These pillars are: acceptance, respect, and empathy.

Author’s Note: This article is adapted from my book Network Beyond Bias.

Inclusive Networking Begins with Acceptance

The first step in inclusive networking is acceptance. In fact, you cannot be inclusive of someone at all until you can accept them as they are.

For many of us, our first instinct when we encounter conflict is to attempt to convert or persuade the other party to our way of thinking. Instead, go into the conversation with the mindset that the person you are about to meet is an expert.

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey says “seek first to understand, then to be understood.” For many of us, though, both critical thinking and preconceived notions become obstacles to understanding. Asking challenging questions can be perceived as disagreement, resulting in more conflict and greater barriers to understanding. That’s why I try to accept first.

It was this critical step that led me to be a vocal, if imperfect, ally to the transgender community. I had spent so much time getting in my own way, trying to understand the “why,” that I missed the whole point. Finally, I realized I don’t need to know why something exists to acknowledge that it’s there. Similarly, I don’t need to understand how someone developed their woldview to accept that it exists. And I don’t need the social context and psychological frameworks that led to someone else’s identity to believe that their identity is real.

When you meet someone new, accept them for who they are. Accept that their experiences, opinions, and talents are theirs and theirs alone. Once you’ve mastered accepting what is, you’ll be amazed at how much more quickly you can move to understanding.

Inclusive Networking Requires Respect

Respect is the next essential tool for inclusive behaviors. My favorite definition of respect comes from my kids’ karate dojo:

respect, verb, to feel or show polite or courteous responses to the wishes or judgments of others

You’ll notice that there is no mention of agreement. No requirement exists to give the person money for their cause. On the other hand, there’s no room there for hostility. You can disagree, just be polite about it. That’s it. Easy peasy. Right?

Let’s work with some concrete examples to make it real.

  • You probably know how to spell and pronounce your CEO’s first and last name.
  • Imagine an executive at your company expressed a strong political view after hours. She asks for your opinion, which is in contrast to hers. You would likely find a diplomatic response, and you would do so quickly.
  • When your boss presents during a meeting, you don’t roll your eyes, scroll through Facebook, or interrupt her. (At least, I hope you don’t.)
  • You’re aware that your most important client is allergic to shellfish, so you avoid taking him to seafood restaurants when you’re in town.

You’re polite and considerate when you have to be. But can you say that about everyone you work with? Watch your behaviors for a few weeks and see if you treat everyone with real respect. If not, you’re going to limit your ability to engage in inclusive networking. Do some deep reflection on your biases, assumptions, and intentions. Then think about the impact you might be having on the people around you.

Empathy: Your #LifeGoals for Inclusive Networking

The ultimate tool for inclusive networking is empathy. Once you’ve mastered acceptance and started practicing universal respect, it’s time to level up.

Empathy is the ability to understand how someone else is feeling, and then to adapt your own behavior accordingly. If you’re thinking, “WHOA. That’s awfully touchy-feely,” you may be right. But that doesn’t make it unimportant. In fact, it’s an easy way to set yourself apart as a great leader in a hypermasculine or otherwise toxic work environment.

Perhaps you think having empathy is like having a sixth sense. The truth is, empathy is a skill that can be developed over time. Start small, by naming your own feelings as you have them. Over time, build up the courage to ask others how they’re feeling. For example, you might say, “I heard your presentation went really well this morning. That must make you feel proud of your work.” It feels weird at first, but the feedback you’ll get (watch for verbal and nonverbal cues) will make you want to continue. Pretty soon, people will be coming to you for advice because you’re so good at understanding them! When this happens, you’ll know your inclusive networking efforts are truly paying off: you’ve become a mentor!

If you want to dive into this topic further, I highly recommend Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradbury and Jean Graves. The book includes a self-assessment to help you target your efforts where you need the most help.

Gender Identity: A Primer for People Who Just Don’t Get It

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Author’s note: This article is adapted from my book, Network Beyond Bias.

Gender identity conversations used to leave me confused and uncomfortable. I had nevertheless tried to raise my children (both boys at that time) with a conscious rejection of traditional gender stereotypes. For example, my oldest son got dolls for Christmas when he asked for them. My youngest son didn’t get dolls because he never asked for them. Dinner conversations included frank discussions about how boys and girls are sometimes treated differently. We have always talked openly about love being what makes a family, regardless of who lives in or outside of someone’s household. And we even talked about how hard it must be for someone to feel like a boy on the inside and look like a girl on the outside, or vice versa.

And yet, despite my ability to mostly say the right words, I still struggled to understand the concepts of transgender and nonbinary. Finally, I had an epiphany that it isn’t my job to understand or validate someone else’s identity. My responsibility involves accepting people as they are and respecting each person’s unique experience. I was, at long last, on a path of being a genuine ally to the trans and nonbinary community.

My journey toward being a vocal trans ally started with a Facebook post just last year, shortly after I attended a gala for the Human Rights Campaign in Boston:

“I’ve never been around very many out transgender people. Tonight I met several of them. I want you to know…you can’t “tell” who they are. And even if you can, be respectful. These folks have faced more hardship than most of us can imagine… Please, for the love of humanity, just be a decent person…. Seriously, if a 40-year-old woman from Southern Indiana can work this out…So. Can. You.”

Since that time, I’ve worked to educate myself on the issues transgender and nonbinary individuals face. The statistics are heartbreaking.

Gender Identity Issues: By the Numbers

  • There are an estimated 1.4 million transgender adults in the United States (source: UCLA Williams Institute). While there are no official records, independent studies have estimated anywhere from 2,150 to 15,500 of transgender individuals serve in the U.S. armed forces (source: Politifact).
  • Only twenty states and the District of Columbia protect trans people from discrimination in employment (source: Human Rights Campaign (HRC)) and housing (source: HRC). This means that in 30 states, trans people have no legal remedy if they are fired or evicted because they are trans. Perhaps that explains why trans women are four times more likely to live in extreme poverty (less than $10,000 annually) than the general population (source: Movement Advancement Project).
  • Only sixteen states and D.C. recognize violence targeting trans people as a hate crime (source: HRC). Yet, 2016 saw a record number of trans people murdered, and the number is already higher in 2017 (source: HRC).
  • More than 40% of trans people will attempt suicide in their lifetime, and those rates increase when trans people also suffer disadvantages due to race, education, income, homelessness, or being victims of violence (source: UCLA). Nonbinary people have the highest rates of suicide and attempted suicide (source: Michaela Mendelsohn, TransCanWork.org).

gender expression

Gender Identity Terminology

For those unfamiliar with gender identity concepts, here’s a quick vocabulary lesson.

[If I have misstated any of the following, please correct me! I am a well-meaning, but sometimes still-clumsy ally.]

  • Assigned gender – the gender initially proclaimed at an individual’s birth (typically male, female, or intersex)
  • Gender identity – the gender with which an individual identifies (typically male, female, or nonbinary)
  • Gender expression – the way an individual presents their gender identity (typically masculine, feminine, or androgynous)
  • Cisgender – someone whose gender identity matches the gender they were assigned at birth
    Avoid using the terms “normal,” “real man,” or “real woman” to describe cisgender people. The term “privileged” is acceptable, however (wink!).
  • Transgender, or trans – someone whose gender identity differs from the gender they were assigned at birth
    Avoid using the terms “transsexual” or “cross-dressing” to describe trans people.
  • Gender confirmation – a complicated and lengthy medical process whereby a person’s physicality is altered to match their gender identity
    Avoid using the term “sex change.”
  • Transition – the process of changing one’s gender identity and/or gender expression, regardless of whether one undertakes the gender confirmation process
    Avoid using the term “sex change.”
  • Gender fluidity – the notion that a person’s gender identity or gender expression is not fixed
  • Gender nonconforming –a catch-all term for gender-fluid and nonbinary individuals, and sometimes for individuals who choose a gender expression that violates societal norms
  • Genderqueer – a term more often used by young, gender nonconforming people, and particularly people of color; this term carries an additional connotation of political activism
    Avoid describing someone as “queer” (adjective) unless you know for sure an individual self-describes that way. Never use the word “queer” as a noun.

Allow people to self-describe

Questions to Avoid

  • If you’re not male or female, then what are you? Just as some people are more feminine or more masculine or neither or both, and just as some people are taller or shorter or somewhere in between, many people experience their gender along a continuum.
    Try instead, “What are your pronouns?”
  • How do you know? / Are you sure? / What if you’re wrong? Any time a person is facing a tremendous amount of resistance to be themselves, assume that they know what they’re talking about. They’ve done more research, had more conversations, and spent more sleepless nights trying to work this out than you can imagine.
    Try instead, “How can I support you?”
  • What’s your real name? / What did you look like before? / Any questions about biology, physiology, or emotional trauma.
    Try instead, “It’s a pleasure meeting you.”
  • Have you had the surgery? There’s not just one surgery, and surgical procedures are only a fraction of what’s involved in a medical transition. Most important, though, is that what’s going on under another person’s undergarments is almost never any of your business.
    Try instead, literally anything else.

Ways to Show Respect to Individuals

  • Use each individual’s name, and ensure you are pronouncing it correctly. Ask as many times as you need to get it right.
  • Use each individual’s pronouns. This can be tricky, especially if the pronouns are new to you. If you mess up, apologize and try again. When in doubt, ask. You are also usually safe using they / them / their.
  • Keep in mind that some people may present themselves differently depending on the context. For example, one nonbinary individual I know (pronouns: ve, vim, vir) presents as female and uses vir legal name and the pronouns she/her/hers at work, because ve fears the repercussions of being out professionally. The same individual presents as nonbinary and uses a masculine name in vir personal life. Take your cues from the individual, and ask if you’re unsure.
  • Never, ever, ever use “it” to refer to a person, and never, ever, ever make someone’s identity the subject of ridicule, whether they can hear you or not. Dehumanizing people is never respectful, never appropriate, and never inclusive. You will only live to regret having been an ignorant, disrespectful jerk. I know, because I used to be an ignorant, disrespectful jerk. I’ve since evolved into a slightly less ignorant, regretful jerk, but it’s a start.
  • Do not “out” anyone as trans or nonbinary. Use each person’s name and pronouns, and leave it at that. Remember, for many trans and nonbinary individuals, being outed can threaten their safety, their income, their housing situation, and their health.

Respect everyone and be an ally

Disrupt the Gender Binary

  • Introduce your pronouns when you introduce yourself. For example, when I meet someone new, I could say, “Hi, I’m Amy C. Waninger. My pronouns are she, her, and hers.” Specifying your pronouns helps normalize differences and helps to challenge assumptions that people may have.
  • At networking events, put your pronouns on your name tag. “My Name Is” stickers are boring anyway, and now you have a built-in conversation starter.
  • Update your social network profiles (such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn) and your email signature to include your pronouns.
  • Ask people for their pronouns, particularly if you have already shared your own. Don’t assume, based on someone’s appearance, that you know what pronouns they use.
  • Avoid stereotyping behaviors, inanimate objects, or emotions as “girly,” “manly,” “feminine,” or “masculine.” Avoid chastising children for showing an interest in something traditionally associated with a different gender. Don’t use “like a girl” as a criticism or “for a girl” as a compliment.

Become an Active Ally

  • If you are in charge of computer systems, paper forms, or other registration / identification processes, allow individuals to self-identify beyond the traditional labels of “male” and “female.” Include options such as nonbinary, transgender, or simply “other” so that everyone feels they can answer the question honestly. Bonus points if you can provide space for the individual to list their pronouns!
  • Educate yourself by reading memoirs by or biographies and articles about trans people. Some accessible trans authors and icons I’ve learned about include: Jennifer Finney Boylan (author and professor), Laverne Cox (actor, producer, and activist), Martine Rothblatt (lawyer, author, entrepreneur), and Vivienne Ming (scientist & entrepreneur).  Yes, these are all trans women. Check out this more exhaustive list of trans role models to find trans men and nonbinary individuals.
  • Speak up if you witness someone being disrespectful. Your example and presence can go a long way toward helping someone feel safe and toward helping someone else question their own prejudices.

More Resources