A Coaching Power Tool Created by Erica Cote
(Transformational Coach, UNITED STATES)
Inclusion is defined as;
The state of being included. dictionary.com
Exclusion is defined as;
An act or instance of excluding. dictionary.com
When we think of inclusion, it can invoke thoughts of children and their interactions with friends and playground pals. The innocence and enjoyment of taking precedence over all other things. A place of fun, exploration, and learning that creates building blocks for future situations and decisions. A time when seemingly small actions can create a large and lasting impact. Inclusion can look like a little boy asking the new girl to play on the slide with him. But exclusion can be the mirror image of such things, where the little girl is not allowed to play in a group game because she is new.
This seemingly small action can create feelings of inferiority, or implant the idea that not allowing some people to join the group is okay as a practice. It can then become a part of how decisions and perceptions move through to adulthood. What if you knew that the little girl was a different race than the little boy? Or was in a wheelchair? Maybe appeared to be of a different financial class than the little boy? Would these things change the way you viewed the actions, or how they could create lasting memories and impact? This is a simple way to describe the concept of inclusion vs exclusion and how it can seem innocuous but really be a much bigger concern. The impact of leaving this area untapped is anything but small, and attention to it is a must.
Sometimes inclusion or exclusion can happen without the plan for its existence, yet ignoring it simply isn’t an option anymore. Ignorance of the need for inclusion is no longer an excuse, and there is access to support for creating this in just about any space. The possibility of how you can make inclusion more of a standard, a more equitable baseline is normalized and can support business owners in making shifts for good.
How can inclusion and exclusion be a part of life and business?
Inclusion is the act of providing space for people that look, live, love, and exist differently than some to be and feel included. This includes but is not limited to the physical act of being welcomed into places (physical or virtual), being considered when guidelines or rules are built, and the emotional space extended that makes an individual feel welcome, despite being different in some way. This sets the stage for an environment where everyone feels heard and valued as a part of the collective whole and its purpose.
Exclusion is the opposite of these things but can create extensive damage, whether it is a conscious decision or not. Sometimes there is a blatant exclusion in the way that some individuals or groups are treated, or just not addressed as if this is an oversight (even though this “oversight” only provides plausible deniability). A group or organization that will accept anyone, yet not allow them to be a part of the whole through decision making or other such actions is still practising exclusion, even if passively. The lasting results of passively creating an environment that fosters exclusion are extensive and not supportive of the type of environment most businesses desire.
Just as inclusion can create new opportunities to heal divides and create a connection between people or groups that are different, exclusion can reinforce separation and ways of existing that systematically limit entire groups of people. As the need and desire to create connection, empathy, and equity grows the need for inclusion is hard to ignore. And even harder to ignore is the presence of exclusion. Exclusion because of race, gender, sexual orientation, ideology, or any other reason creates barriers. The existence, and hopefully subsequent dismantling of these barriers has become a charge many are taking up in different and increasingly visible ways today through their businesses.
The awareness of the need for intentional inclusion brings many business owners to a place of integrating their personal beliefs, ethics, and values into their organizations for the greater good. Here people have become more aware of how all of these things intersect to increase inclusion and equity. Enlisting a coach to facilitate the integration of inclusionary efforts is a step that moves an idea into action. Here a coach can support their client through how they are striving for inclusion to be a part of the organization, evaluating the why and how, and moving the client to a place of empowerment for action.
This brings the topic of equity to the table. Equity is the opportunity for all to thrive in life in ways that feel good to them across boundaries and identifiers like race, gender, and religion, equally. This includes things like financial opportunities, job access, pay equality, and educational opportunities. Visibility is another example, where being seen and heard allows marginalized groups to have more of a say in things. Equity is a viable piece that can move someone from a space of exclusion to inclusion. This tool can create an integration in ways that give everyone a seat at the table, as well as a voice in the choices and outcomes.
The perspective of Inclusion in Action: How am I being authentic to this value?
Shannon, a business owner, is very clear on her business being a vessel to support WOC (women of colour). As a white woman, she is clear on the privilege and advantages she has easy access to and chooses to use this platform to create more equity whenever possible. This has increasingly become more of a must and less of a choice as her boundaries around these values become a non-negotiable. Shannon regularly speaks at events and mentors upcoming entrepreneurs while making a concerted effort to operate from a place of inclusion. This includes events and conferences she attends, as well as those that she chooses to lend her voice to. She has been a part of many events, and as her actions on her values increased she’s had to withdraw her support due to the lack of inclusion and diversity. Shannon chooses carefully what to continue to support, so as she began to look into the lineup for a conference she had participated in for years she had a rude awakening.
This conference normally had a very diverse lineup but because of some challenges on the end of the organizer, there was a severe lack of diversity. When she discovered this, Shannon felt very conflicted with staying on as a speaker. It felt like such direct conflict with her core values. It didn’t feel aligned with her way of operating and supporting others that didn’t look like her or providing an opportunity for others to see how they could move to a more inclusive place in their businesses. Yet she also felt like pulling out as a speaker was not professional at such a late point with no replacement available. The desire to be involved in an event that was diverse and inclusive of the type of business she was trying to build was not something she was willing to compromise on. Realizing the deficit, and deciding whether to stay involved in the event out of obligation or bow out from the contradictions with her values and ethics created an extremely difficult choice for her.
Shannon had seen first-hand what can exist when intentionality meets efforts to create an environment of inclusion. Diversity facilitates this goal in a way that she had seen work time and time again. In intended ways, and some desirable yet unexpected ways. Diversity creates an environment for growth mindset expansion that can empower everyone. But a space that is exclusionary of any forms of diversity (age, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc) deliberately or by default, is not one that Shannon wanted to add her voice to. In speaking with her coach and sharing her concerns and predicament, another possible option was presented for consideration.
Shannon’s coach inquired with some questions that made Shannon dig a little deeper and discover additional options she could consider.
- How have you chosen to support your values in other situations?
- What is the worst thing that could happen here?
- How do you feel about your current choices?
- How can you model the change you want to see?
This brought light to the situation that started to uncover other possibilities. Asking Shannon how she felt about her choices initially made her feel like she only had one choice to assess. Then she got quiet and thought more about it, and she then began to see that she had another choice right in front of her. Shannon thought about ways she had previously been involved in events that were inclusive and diverse. How she watched others she knew and respected make choices to support their values.
This prompted her to consider the one initial choice she thought she had, and then it’s mirror image as a second choice. Shannon saw another way she could participate AND maintain her ethical boundaries. By stepping into spaces that felt less inclusive and addressing the disparities there. Here she could speak to how it could be of everyone’s benefit in creating a less exclusionary space.
Shannon hadn’t even considered this and found it an interesting step she could take to speak up about what she was seeing happening, whether the exclusions were intentional or not. Speaking up about the lack of inclusion and how things could be done differently for the benefit of all became a way she could honour her commitment, as well as her beliefs. The opportunity to use her voice as a conduit for change made the situation seem like more of a gift and no longer a curse.
Choosing to look at the situation as more of an AND instead of an EITHER OR choice made a big difference for Shannon, and as an unexpected benefit. It prompted the conversation around how to make a situation useful, even when it isn’t optimal on the surface. All those that watched how she executed her choice felt the inspiration behind her actions. Deciding to participate AND use the platform to speak up for change made a difference in how she felt, and subsequently acted. Seeing exclusion presented an opportunity to present inclusion as an option and a more desirable mindset shift.
The apprehension of the choice created what initially felt like no choice at all for Shannon. Remaining as a part of the event and feeling ethically conflicted, or stepping out and feeling unreliable. The reality of what happened was an opportunity to step up versus step back in the face of difficulty, and to examine the situation objectively to seek additional options. The confidence of feeling as if you have viable choices that are ethically sound for you can change the entire emotion around the event, which Shannon found out first hand.
- When have you experienced exclusion?
- Where does inclusion show up in your business?
- How can you embody your beliefs, ethics, and values?