​First published 2019, edited and amended 2023

​What is courageous inclusion?
Real inclusion takes courage, and it takes heart.  It requires an ability to understand societal inequality, its impact (both positive and negative) on yourself, based on aspects of your identity and personality, as well as that of others. However, the prize is worth the effort, individuals can be their whole, authentic selves and achieve their true potential, and organisations can truly benefit from team interactions where “the whole is other than the sum of its parts” (Kafka).

​Read more to discover the Courageous Inclusion model and how it can transform your organisation. ​

From the archives: July 2020
​​The recent increase in visibility of the Black Lives Matter movement and awareness of racism in our societies has led to a corresponding increase in awareness of racism in our organisations alongside increased dissatisfaction (and no doubt grievances and tribunals to come) from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour). This has resulted in organisations scrabbling to make statements of support then begin to back them up.  The go-to actions include an old favourite - unconscious bias training. However, evidence suggests unconscious bias training it doesn’t eliminate bias, indeed it can even backfire and increase bias (e.g. ‘it’s okay to be racist because that’s how the human brain works’). Indeed, we could also argue – what now is still unconscious?  I’m sure there’s a lot, and we also have lots of conscious awareness to process.
​  https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/7926-diversity-and-inclusion-report-revised_tcm18-65334.pdf

As a business psychologist I understand brain functioning and how bias can be ‘hard wired’ into how we process information and make decisions.  However, it has never been my solution for diversity and inclusion training because there is no evidence that understanding these processes or improves people’s ability to be inclusive of diversity.  ​ Read more to discover what really makes a difference in D&I training. 

From the archives: June 2013
 
One of the most common challenges I’m asked to help with is translating corporate values into employee behaviours.  Often values are created and communicated, maybe even measured via employee surveys but somehow they don’t create a change in employee behaviours.  So how can you make a difference?

1. Link values to business strategy 
2. Work with the CEO and board
3. ​Work with employees
4. Create measures
5. Communicate

From the archives: November 2012
 
Change is Simple!
Okay so we all know that’s not always the case and I’m being deliberately provocative to catch your attention so how about, Change can be simple…?  Based on my knowledge and experience, change in organisations can be achieved effectively and without resistance if you engage with its people and the organisational context.  Here are some tips you can use to do this.

• Act strategically.   Ensure everything you do is aligned with the organisational strategy, taking into account the external environment and senior leaders’ plans for its future direction.
• Be positive.  Members of an organisation often tell you all about the things that are going ‘wrong’ and have gone ‘wrong’ in the past.  This roots them in a perpetual loop of negativity and creates inertia around any change initiative.  Using positive psychology techniques (e.g. strengths development and appreciative inquiry) can enable organisations to appreciate all that is great about them and use this to improve.