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7/24/2021 Topic: Week 7: Inclusify, Part 2

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This is a graded discussion: 100 points possible due Jul 23

Week 7: Inclusify, Part 2 Peter Ronayne

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"It's a journey to really understand the many ways that race and gender affect our world.

There's always deeper and deeper levels of discovery and understanding around diversity and inclusion."

1. Which of the "profiles" explored in the second half of Inclusify best speak to you and your role/approach? Which of that type's characteristics best capture you ,and how might they connect with/be amplified by your personality traits?

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

Original forum posts should be a minimum of 500 words long. Successful forum posts draw explicitly, consistently, and thoughtfully on the week's material.

The two responses to colleagues should be at least 150 words each.

Main post is due Friday by 11:55pm; responses to colleagues/me are due Sunday by 11:55pm.

Forum grading rubric:

Criteria Your Score

Synthesis /40

Participation /30

Written Communication/30

Total /100

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(https:// Adam Black (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1101) Monday

This week's reading through the second half of the book IncluesifyI identified that the profile optimist speaks the closest to me and my role/approach. Now being an optimist is a positive trait but also can be a negative one too. As Johnson (2020), states "optimists sees value in uniqueness and belonging but is not committed to actively creating change and so maintains the status quo through inertia (p.xvii)." As healthcare clinicians, we sometimes express how we want to make a change in the healthcare organization, but no matter how small, we fail to take any action. I do have a very positive outlook for the future evolution of my industry, but I need to start acting on my positive ideas; as I mentioned in my last week's post, I scored low for the trait change on the Workplace Big Five Profile™. An optimist can score similar to this in that they find sound justification for continuing the same practices through to the future (Johnson 2020). For optimists, they do not want to change the way procedures have been done not because they don't believe in change; they just don't want to change practices because they assume that enough has already been done and problems will work themselves out on their own (Johnson 2020). With this low change score and being best compared with an optimist, I tend to maintain the status quo and need to do better in taking progressive action.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

Specific leadership strategies to help me become an Incluesifyer as an optimist is being more public about my commitment to championing uniqueness and belonging (Johnson 2020). Sometimes, when people share pride or difficulties about themselves, I'm hesitant to show support or stand with them. I'm not sure why I do this because, most of the time, I support their stance. To be a leader and an Incluesifyer, I need to be public and take a stance. I will start this by first not being hesitant to show support or take a stance with others. Another leadership strategy that will help me as an optimist is putting positivity into practice (Johnson 2020). I

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need to show support of other people's opinions and skills by inviting others to weekly work meetings.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

Through my inclusify exploration, I learned that this is the future leadership skill but needs to be understood today (Johnson 2020). Humans have two basic drives being unique and wanting to belong, meaning we want to stand out as our own individuals but fit into a group (Johnson 2020). This idea of achieving these needs is critical for employees to experience inclusion at work (Johnson 2020). This basic building block of understanding about diversity and inclusion helped me better understand strategies to accomplish this. Diversity/uniqueness needs to be celebrated while all being open-minded to provide a sense of belonging and an overall inclusive environment.

References

Johnson, S. K. (2020). Inclusify: The Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams. HarperCollins Publishers.

(http Krista Gillispie (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/376) Thursday

L Reply

Adam,

It sounds like you have a solid plan and strategy for what to work on for yourself. It is good you can recognize what you think you need to change. A lot of people would struggle to admit their weaknesses. However, I think the best leader will always admit their weakness because no one is perfect after all. The need for humans to feel included is a real thing. I like that this book focused on that a lot.

I found myself in the category of an optimist as well. I don't mind change, but I like to see how things play out first before I change things. I have always kind of been that way. I see it as a positive but it can also be looked at as a negative. I need to work more on adapting to changes that come. I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this.

Great post,

Krista G.

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(http Teresa Ryan (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/249) Thursday

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Adam,

I feel like i identified with a little of each except maybe the white knight, though I am aware from the reading how it may appear that way to others. I appreciate your honesty about optimist because I feel like if anything that is my strongest comparison as well. I do agree with change, and actually welcome it most of the time. I like routine, but I also enjoy problems which I tend to start looking for solutions, just not immediately. I think that is where the "they just don't want to change practices because they assume that enough has already been done and problems will work themselves out on their own" comes into play. While I do not assume things will "just work out" I also don't bail as soon as it is not working, I guess is more my point or position.

I agree that the future is all about inclusifying. I found this read to be very helpful to open my mind even more. There is always room to grow, especially when you can admit you have faults.

Great post,

Teresa

(https:// Pamela Witt (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/147) Tuesday

I would venture to say that I might be guilty of being an Optimist and a little of a team player. Johnson's description of an optimist, the sentiment is there, the talk is there and the motivation but there is a lack for a much needed additional push towards inclusion and diversification. Optimist's folly is the tendency to believe that enough has already been done and that the diversity and inclusion wheels are already turning and moving in a positive direction towards change and although change towards inclusion has increased in the past decades, there is still much work ahead as statistics show in regards to women CEO's, women/minorities seating on

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boards and holding positions of power. That percentage is still very low when compared to that of white heterosexual males.

The team player comes from not having received any "special treatment" and having worked hard and earn merit being a ethnic minority and a woman so I would expect all women for example to work just as hard if not harder than me and I guess that would be ok if the diversity and inclusion playing field was levelled but it is not (Johnson's unconscious bias lesson #1). It's not about lowering standards for women/minorities, it is more about being fair and unbiased. I have found with the recent diversity trend trend people telling me that I only achieved this or that because I am Hispanic or because I am woman and it makes me feel as though I am being rewarded for nothing but I have to remind myself how hard I work day in and day out.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

FLY IN FRONT OF THE RADAR (SUPPORT): be open about the commitment to embrace uniqueness and belonging and put it to practice organically and constantly. it is an ongoing process and it cannot be taken for granted hoping we will get somewhere by inertia. That extra push needs to be presnt all the time.

PUT POSITIVITY INTO PRACTICE (MOTIVATE): "People who work in more diverse and inclusive environments are more engaged, committed, collaborative, and satisfied with their jobs. (Johnson, p. 200)". Embracing different cultures, points of view and giving credit to people is something I keep very present and try to practice daily.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

I was not aware of the term and concept of Inclusify/inclusifyer and after reading the book, I am aware of diversity and inclusion practices based on all differences: cultural, racial, gender, religious, etc. Additionally, being aware of pre-conceived concepts, stereotypes and biases that we all carry with us unconsciously and like Johnson states in her ABC's of breaking bias: Admit it, Block it and Count it, I plan to put those in practice while keeping present the three lessons to get on the path of becoming a complete inclusifyer: the playing field is not levelled, systems ca create inequality and we live in a post #MeToo world.

(http Krista Gillispie (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/376) M

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Thursday

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Pamela,

I too said that I may fall into a couple of different catorgies. I think people should be awarded for their hard work and not get hired simply because they are women or of a different culture. Don't get me wrong diversity is super important to have in a work environment, but I think sometimes people get too wrapped up in what race, gender, etc. they are that they forget to look a all the qualities a person has. I was unaware of the term as well, but as you mentioned we all carry stereotypes with us. I am glad this book brought some clarity on these subjects and gave some suggestions on how to improve. I loved the takeaway lessons you learned and it's great to have an understanding that all that does indeed occur.

Nice post,

Krista G.

(http Alexandra Howard (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1059) Yesterday

L Reply

Hi Pam!

I felt like optimist and team player were closest to me too. I picked optimist to only choose one.

I related to your feeling sometimes you may be treated a certain way due to your Hispanic or female and having to brush it off. I've felt often like I have to prove myself in my role so others see my value. I spend time thinking what if others think I'm only here because I'm female, and kill myself working many times harder than male counterparts. That and pushing back on traditional female roles. For me that's been customer service and relational tasks whether with customers or staff. When theres a task that requires a conversation my manager and director often say - you're so good with people, etc can you handle X. Lately I've been pushing back occasionally offering to coach a different manager to help them fine tune their people skills. Then offering to learn more or take on a traditional male task like helping with managing our fleet of vehicles or working on complex service problems with the technicians.

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(https:// Jagdeesh Bhattal (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1090) Wednesday

1. Which of the "profiles" explored in the second half of Inclusify best speak to you and your role/approach? Which of that type's characteristics best capture you, and how might they connect with/be amplified by your personality traits?

At the beginning of chapter 8, the sub-group “team player” is identified. I can admit that I identified as a group separate from my racial and ethnic group often. But I think that there is a misconception that just because people are of the same race, religion, gender, etc. that it is automatically helpful. While it is true immigrants and, in the U.S., cultural groups have an easier time when they are amongst their own. This is more to do with ease of access to goods and services than any guaranteed hand-up attitude. Cultural groups and racial groups still have the same inner conflicts as white Americans do, so it is not guaranteed that being amongst one’s own is helpful. In my case finding like-minded successful individuals were more identifying to me as opposed to my “own” people. But when it comes to food, I totally went for the ethnic cuisines . “Design for Dissension” – I have heard variants of this before. Toyota openly encouraged conflict on their teams. The idea was that if someone cared so much about the details of a taillight, you ended up with a better product at the end of the process (this is simplified). I believe that as a leader of a group it is my responsibility to include everyone’s input, otherwise why have them on the team. I won’t go into lengthy lectures on different strategies for different personalities, but one solution doesn’t fit everyone. But ultimately having everyone’s opinion even though it is dissenting is still good. The caveat is to negate dissension and conflict when it is negative or not productive.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

It is common practice to send out meeting information prior to the meeting so that everyone has a chance to think about the agenda. This has the added benefit of minimizing the A- personalities and bringing the B’s out. If everyone receives the information which requires thought and discussion on the spot, the default is the quiet person stays quiet and contemplative, while the loud person thinks out loud. So, by giving everyone a chance to digest in their own time, they are more willing to contribute. I fully support the strategy of critiquing ideas even if they are the right ones. This just makes the idea stronger and more thought out, and more resistant to obstacles, and pushback down the road. The opposition strategy is not new, this is what the parliamentary idea of government was supposed to be built on. The opposition is supposed to find faults so that we can fix the faults.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

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My biggest takeaway from this is the active actions that need to be taken. There is prep work done prior to a meeting. Doing a few things more to be an inclusifyer is not that much of a struggle. I think that it is a difficult question to answer so quickly. I need to look at my future group involvement and see how I can have an effect in the different environments that I am in. One thing I have noticed as a person who needs to be included is that even though my idea might be good, if it is different from the norm, then it is usually met with silence, and eventually ignored, unless I push hard, and then guess what kind of reputation one gets. Before when talking about D, E, I, we knew we needed it to be better socially. But now studies have consistently shown that it has a net positive outcome. I confess I have not seen or read the studies myself, and I will eventually do that, but I am trusting the reference. That empirical support is important to any attempts I make to creating a welcoming environment. The question I have is in the environment that I am in, am I looking at specific needs of the group or at a larger societal issue. I firmly believe that the more accurate definition of what we are talking about is the diversity of paradigm =, thoughts, and ideas. Simply being dark-skinned doesn’t make me creative or beneficial. It is the fact that I am likely from another place and have had different experiences and perspectives. But would not a white guy that lived in India his whole life also represent that. In the short term, I just want my definition of a person. Long-term, and to have a larger impact on the broader society, then different peoples, race, orientation, etc. are more important.

(https:// Teresa Ryan (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/249) Wednesday

1. Which of the "profiles" explored in the second half of Inclusify best speak to you and your role/approach? Which of that type's characteristics best capture you, and how might they connect with/be amplified by your personality traits?

I am really shocked I am only partially a team player. I always thought this was a good term, but in the book it is clear it can be very restrictive and exclusive to be this way. I do not feel like I fit in any of these boxes on their own.

Team player: On one side of the coin, my worse boss so far has been a woman. She was absolutely a team player. I related to the “if you have ever said, ‘my worst boss was a woman’, has a little team player in her.” And also from Johnson’s script about women comparing women, at times I do expect more from women because I want them to light the world on fire like I feel I have to do to be recognized in a predominant “man’s world” and profession. However, my worse (female) boss, while she hired all women, it was always young, right out of school, single moms, in other words, needed and relied on her. And she felt empowered by it. She was not kind to women who showed confidence and t heir own mind. If you could not play

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into her power trip, she would fire you on the spot. I couldn’t tell you how many times I came into work and there a new empty cubicle. She defiantly reminded me of what Johnson’s image she painted saying these folks tend to think you are more of a career vs. family and they instead indentify with majority (white men) and do not want to associate the negative that comes with their own groups. In defense of team players all around, myself, partially included, women have always needed to compete with one another in addition to men. And typically we are fighting for odds that are not in our favor to begin with. On a happier note, my best boss has also been a woman.

I don’t think I relate to a White Knight as that tends to be someone who is doing something, not out of a kindness, but rather to be the hero.

Shepherd – Being Transparent With Your Flock. Relatable is that I support all the minorities as well and do not hold “biased expectations.”

The perception is that they only help those like them. I do notice the stigma of groups of the same, and that it is not fair, but not the all white groups. And I see white men who think that way.

Shepherds do need to make sure they are supporting all followers, not just those like them. This is not me at all. I have never liked cliques for the simple fact there was no way you’d fit in as someone different. I do however admittedly feel no remorse for white men feeling left out of the new inclusion culture. So this is perhaps some shepherd tenancies as well as team player.

Optimist seems to be the closest for me. “Positivity without action does not get results,” Johnson writes. Relatable here is that I try to see the best in people and expect things to happen.

However, they do tend to want to make a change but do not know where to start. I must say, this does not describe me as an optimist. I am always ready to have a solution or work with my team on one. I also relate to wanting to belong to the organizations success as well.

Typically don’t want change just because they are against change but it is because they assume enough was done and naturally will get better on its own. I can see this as my view. Sometimes I consider it just not panicking at first. Which may be a different version of what seem to think, is that, I am against changing because I do not have a knee jerk reaction.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

I definitely will try and work on being more inclusive by listening and asking questions. I tend to think those are my easiest ways to approach matters, but at times I slack. I also need to practice patience and hurdles of trust.

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3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

This book has opened my mind to how, even though I find I am approachable and inclusive in so many ways, there is still a room for improvement. It is hard to walk in someone else's shoes and it is uncomfortable at times, but it is necessary. It is also very important to make sure we can support our minority groups in more than just what makes them different, but also what makes them the same. Giving them permission to have their own individualism amongst all. I have felt very supported as a woman as well by this book, and the empowerment and validation I found in it.

(http Slava Akerman (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1145) Thursday

L Reply

Hey Teresa,

It is interesting to read that your boss was power-driven in that sense. I can see an ego- driven individual does that but in the end, it gets to be very overwhelming. When you have to babysit every move of that individual with no trust at all. That boss was probably a lonely person who was seeking meaning in her job. By creating fear and intimidation in the workplace she was able to satisfy her need for power. It is a shame because, in the end, she will be the one to suffer and probably get noticed by the bad turnover rate for her department, not to mention the bad reviews people are leaving on their exit. Also, to think about it she probably had an ego grab on the hiring situation and didn’t give two thoughts about inclusivity. Well, I am glad to hear that everything worked out. I do not think you are alone in the listing part we can all be better in it. I do believe in the approach that people will make mistakes and all you can do is sit back and see them fix them. Because when you find yourself always have to hold their hand their will never thrive.

Great post thank you,

Slava

(https:// Alex Morrison (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/142) Thursday

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Culture Crusader - When hiring or building a team, I have always gone with “one in the hand is worth two in the bush” and would pick someone I have successfully worked with in the past over the unknown. Johnson brings up a valid point about groupthink and how like minds come up with like solutions. The reason I’ve worked well with many of those folks in the past is because we found a new chemistry with different ideas. There was diversity in our thoughts and opinions, but now our experience wires have crossed and now we both hold a common experience. The magic happened, a repeat will only be as good (trait of an Optimist as well) as last time, and we need to make new connections within the team if we want to continue to move forward and innovate.

White Knight - Last year I hired a woman on my team, and she became the third woman in a 40 person department at my office. I’m trying to think of a less diverse industry than finance, but it’s not coming to mind. My boss told me when I began training her to “treat her with white gloves”. I know he didn’t mean she was soft or weak, and his intention was to remind me that she is the lone woman on my team of six and to be cognizant of that. He wasn’t wrong, and I’m sure that’s what I did. That said, I’m sure I hadn’t done her any favors. I have found myself on several occasions biting my tongue and mentioning mistakes she’d made as “it happens to everyone”. Although true, looking back I would not have treated the men on my team the same way. The difference was subtle, and I’m only seeing this in retrospect, but there were likely some hard truths that would have helped her develop quicker and would have been less likely to repeat those mistakes.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

Empower - I Have been able to empower my team by giving each member different but equally weighted projects to work on, where we meet weekly and go around the table to give progress, any hurdles, and answer any questions from the entire team on their work. When the entire team is in the room and part of the same discussion, they can all feel the same level of accountability to bring solid work to the table. This also allows me to give the same type and level of feedback for each member to ensure I’m not treating anyone differently. I make sure to take my turn in the middle to explain whatever project I’m working on as well. If I go first or last, it seems my project is more important and gives the wrong impression as to what I’m trying to accomplish.

Clean up Office Housework - Disclaimer, this is not something I have the ability to improve, but there are two women in my office that keep getting handed the tasks nobody else wants to deal with to the extent that they have both moved departments in new roles that are specifically designed to do all the crap nobody else wants to. Now we’re not talking about

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birthday parties and cleaning up the conference room, but many remedial, redundant, or at the very least, unfulfilling tasks. The worst part of this is that one of them had a pretty significant role within the department (not on my team), but was limited because she needed the flexibility to take care of her child when she needed to. That should be a baseline flexibility in this day and age. I leave work when I need to take care of my kids, but I too feel that b/c many men in my office have wives who don’t work so they don’t have to deal with these issues. It’s sad to see, and probably the reason there are only three women left in the department.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

I think the most impactful message I took away from Inclusify was regarding the ‘team player’. Like most others in this class, because I don’t have a degree, I feel like I’ve had to work 1.5x as hard as everyone else just to feel like I deserved to be where I was for my entire career thus far (20+ years). I understand this is a weak comparison to any woman or person of color who doesn’t have control over the way they are treated, I’m only attempting to find common ground to where I can empathize with that feeling of sitting in a conference room where everyone is chatting about something that includes everyone in the room but me. At that moment, I can either pretend I know how fun college was, or sit there quietly staring at my hands. When everyone knows I can’t relate, I’m either the silent outcast, or worse off they’d wonder why I’m jumping into the conversation since I have nothing authentic to contribute. Like I said, this is a stretch here but being that I’m the only one in my 150 employee firm without a degree in Washington DC where “where did you go to school” is a conversation starter (and stopper for me), I also feel like the odd man out most of the time, and I can't truly be myself with any confidence. I digress.

Because of this chip on my shoulder, I tend to put a higher weight on soft skills when I’m hiring. This I have always thought of as a good thing that I am able to see past the accolades, and take on an “I can teach this stuff to anyone” mentality. The problem here is that the ‘team player’ in me is now missing important soft skills on paper. For example “Graduated Magna Cum Laude George Washington University” should be telling me “I am able to take on a challenge as an individual and within a group and see it through to completion.” I should be lining up to hire someone like this, rather than someone who I quickly connect with and are easy to talk to and understand. Great interviewers are great for sales positions, but what about introverts who, once able to open up, bring an incredible amount of wisdom and work ethic to a team. I had not really had to look at myself in the mirror and see the other side of being that team player. And although I have a diverse team on paper, I’m starting to see the commonality in their personalities and why I hired them. Diverse on paper can still lead to the same level of groupthink that hurts the overall productivity and success of the team.

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(http Jagdeesh Bhattal (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1090) Thursday

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Alex,

wow - very insightful. My first comment to you is do not diminish your struggles. I think the better way to look at it, is that your struggles are your own and they are real. The empathic thing to do is not diminish or dismiss others' struggles. At a societal level, they may have more visiblity, and that is ok, but it doesn't take away from an individual's struggles. I agree with you, I might not interject into a conversation with POC's or other minority groups, and relate your anecdotes, but still real my man. I think the struggle I am having with this discussion is the specific instance. I know to be a good and contributing member of society that I should always be looking to be an inclusifyer. But what if my organization has a specific need in the short term, for example, a sales guy analogy. Well, I am not going to hire for the sake of inclusifying, but rather for the sake of the task at hand. Not every problem can be solved by diversity, especially the low task-oriented issues. Agreed strategy, vision, bug picture stuff is almost always. It is astounding how as well-meaning people we make mistakes. When Hillary Clinton was running, I abhorred her policy history and stances. (everyone relax, I am the farthest thing from right-wing in this country :)) And I kept arguing with people that she should not be elected simply on gender, but on policy merit. I have to say after this class I am rethinking my arguments. Not saying I am totally wrong, but I do need to rethink mine why. I feel that anyone who doesn't check themselves after this class is missing out.

Insightful and thoughtful as ever my friend.

Deesh

(https:// Krista Gillispie (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/376) Thursday

In reading the second part of Inclusify it has occurred to me that I may fall in a little bit in a couple categories. If I am being honest, I have never liked being named as part of any

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category, but I feel I would fall more into the Optimist category with tendencies of a team player. I do care a lot about uniqueness, and I am a supporter of diversity. I think different cultures can bring a lot of new ideas to the table. In the book, it mentioned change and how optimist wants change but don’t want to be the first ones to do it. For my personality, I struggle with this because I like to see how things play out first. I tend to lead with the old saying as well “If something isn’t broke don’t fix it.” However, I know there is always room to make improvements.

I have some tendencies of a team player as well. Within my Workplace Big 5 test, one of my categories said I prefer to work alone than with others because that’s the type of environment I’m currently used to. Inclusify said that team player “feel the need to distance themselves from other women to fit in.” I feel like this describes me well. I am all for helping the next person in line that is struggling, but it does not have to be a woman. I don’t place people like that in my mind. If they are a hard worker and are trustworthy, I will help them. I guess you could say (according to this book) that I subconsciously don’t help women. I am not really sure. I certainly do not feel that way, but perhaps I do. I have certainly hard struggled to get to where I am at now and I am still struggling to beat the odds. So it that mindset I also feel like I fall into the team player category as well.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

One thing that I can do for future leadership strategies, be more open in my need to feel like I belong and that I am appreciated at my current organization. “Optimists at one point or another in their career knew how important belonging is to an organization’s success.” (Johnson, pg. 191). I am at this stage right now in my career, so it’s very relevant to my current situation. I want to be able to motivate my organization to grow in diversity. We are in a rural community, so it is harder, however, not impossible with technology these days. As mentioned in the book, I want to have achievable goals to be “accountable” for those goals. I also want to empower everyone as individuals and bring out their strengths to help make them and the department successful.

I want to try and ask questions about feeling included in an organization. I think people work harder if they feel included and appreciated. I want to learn more about diverse work cultures and seeing how we can take that to the next level at my organization.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

This book has taught me a lot about myself. That I may be doing things subconsciously and I didn’t even recognize it. While as I mended before, I don’t like being put into a category, it makes you understand your leadership styles and how to make improvements upon them and I can respect that. I learned a lot about the need people have to feel included and how

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important that is to achieve. Opening up my own mind and exploring more possibilities from different cultures can improve an organization's success together. I think “walking in someone else’s shoes,” is also a valid thing to think about and will serve me better as a future leader.

(http Slava Akerman (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1145) Thursday

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Krista

Great read, thank you for that. I do see what you mean by not belonging to any category and leading as an optimist team player. It is very important to know your place with the team and if it's not up to par you have to do anything to change it. Because when leaders let things slide and do not address them it can lead to a much bigger problem for themselves and the organization. The phrase “If something isn’t broke don’t fix it.” That is right on, but as a new manager you have to find better ways to do things, that is what will make you be noticed. Like you said there is always room for improvement for better policies and standard work procedures. One of them can be the issue of inclusivity of the workplace and diversity in the workplace. But this should not be done by pushing people to positions they cannot handle.

Slava

(http Adam Black (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1101) Thursday

Krista,

I, too, decide to label myself as an optimist. I tend to stick to the same procedures that I know works but realize this does not justify the opportunity to discover new, better ways of performing an action. Doing something because it’s always been that way is not a good reason to keep on doing it. For myself, I need to be more progressive and force myself to listen to different opinions and take this advice to heart and consider new ways of performing tasks. It is our human nature to stay comfortable and avoid conflict of the unknown. But we need to realize this is a negative action enforce ourselves to step out of

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our comfort zones and try and learn new things. I think being an optimist is good; we just need to stay positive and try to diverse ourselves into new methods. Keep learning and stay positive. Great post!

(http Alexandra Howard (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1059) Yesterday

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Hi Krista!

I related to feeling I was part of multiple groups.

What you wrote about being a team player i related to as well. It was hard for me to determine if I've helped women or not. We'd all like to believe that we help everyone. I smiled when the author wrote that if you're a female and essentially you're most hated boss was a female, you've got a little team player in you. I definitely think my most hated boss was a female. Personally I think my industry is so heavily filled with males, that it super amplifies females competing or feeling the need to compete.

Your last question I related to as well! I found myself needing to open up to possibilities I wouldn't have thought of or entertained before. It was a great book to read!

(http Lindsay Lancaster (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/372) Yesterday

Hi Krista!

Great discussion post! Identifying with a few of the leadership approaches that Johnson identified is not a bad thing! As she discussed the "folly" of each style, there were definitely some strengths to each that could be spun into a positive, useful way to lead. I agree that sometimes "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" is applicable. I sometimes have that mindset too. I have to remind myself that my definition of "broke" is different than others. What may not be "broken" to me, may be "broken" to someone else. I would hate, as someone that is trying to "inclusify" to ignore someone's discomfort or angst in a setting that I am responsible for leading.

One of the ways I learned from Inclusify to avoid that is to do "check-ins" with employees. As Johnson mentions on page 175, a woman in a leadership role that she interviews decided to give this a try, "She told all of her subordinates that she was going to do a

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check-in... she asked each person to give her feedback. 'Tell me one thing you would want more of in the office, less of, and what should we continue doing exactly the same'. (Johnson, 2020). This is such a valuable strategy where employees have the freedom to actually pinpoint something they "want more of"/"want less of" in their environment. And it also tells the subordinates that their opinions, feelings, etc. are valued. This is a great way to find out if something "is broken" to someone, if check-ins are performed regularly (for instance, every month) then if something is identified as "broken", then this can be solved relatively quickly before someone gets burnt out, uncomfortable, or quits.

(https:// Slava Akerman (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1145) Thursday

Which of the "profiles" explored in the second half of Inclusify best speak to you and your role/approach? Which of that type's characteristics best capture you ,and how might they connect with/be amplified by your personality traits?

I do see myself as a team player in my own organization. A team player of course would mean slightly different to one in contrast to the other. As with every corporate office you always have office politics and strict rules that one must follow in order to be successful. So, it is true that a positive team player has to find a specific avenue on how to be accepted and be a part of a team. Then one must work office politics to keep himself in that group. Which means we must sometimes lie to be a part of a team. But I see it as contributing to the greater good, by working with the people and the team, in the end, the whole office will be better. As a leader, I have to find those political avenues for me to follow especially when starting a new job. One thing that I like to do is stepping into my employee’s shoes and walking with them a bit. That eventually will grant me the title of a team player. I do see the integrated office with people from different backgrounds and different groups coming together to succeed which can describe me as a cultural crusader I guess. I always encourage a more diverse workforce because, in the end, we will push each other to be better through ideas, experiences, and motivation. Another thing that I notice happens a lot is that the same groups of individuals form teams and groups to feel more belong, which sometimes defeats the purpose of a diverse workforce.

Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

I’m new to the organization I work for right now and it is definitely difficult to translate past experience to a new place. But I can tell with certainty that it is not my first time doing that, so I know that my strategies work. Like I mentioned earlier I like to start by positioning myself as a

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team player with my employees. I like to be a leader that is down in the trenches and leads by example. So that when they are asked to do something, they know it’s nothing I haven’t done before. I like to be a mentor and empower my employees to do the best and be the best, not to mention to be inclusive to anybody new like they did for me. By giving those tools they will feel empowered and motivated to do what is needed. I also like when my employees are aware that there is a sense of accountability on their part as well as my own. I'm the type of leader who isn't scared to admit when he was wrong and ask for forgiveness.

How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

The book was defiantly insightful and very comprehensive on the topic of leadership and inclusivity. The book opened my eyes a bit wider to today's reality, social push, and new ideas. I definitely learned how I can be more open to new experiences with inclusivity. In general, I never gave a sound thought when looking at inclusivity but I’m more aware of Inclusify and how things need to be to improve the overall experience for individuals. Prior to reading the book, I can't say I was aware of the term “Inclusify” I know that I never gave it a second thought because not much changed in my approach to the subject since I read the book.

(http Adam Black (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1101) Thursday

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Slava,

I completely agree that sometimes people form groups with individuals who are like themselves. This absolutely defeats the purpose of a diverse work environment and the positive effects it can provide. I think this is because humans, by nature, want to feel comfortable. They want people to share the same opinions they do in order to make themselves feel justified in their views. We need to recognize this unconscious action and interact with those who are different from us and share different perspectives. Also, I think you can be a team player without lying about your opinions. At least for myself, I respect an individual or leader more when they’re not afraid to share their opinions instead of just trying to fit into the crowd. This will help with diversity, too, in that if people don’t feel psychologically safe to share what makes them different, more perspectives will never be introduced. Great post!

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(http John Napotnik (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1050) Yesterday

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Slava,

First of all, congratulations on the new job!

Your point about stepping into your employees' shoes was excellent. I try to practice empathy with my team members as well. Additionally, I think Johnson is arguing that empathy is a crucial part of the equation to become an inclusifier, because it forces us to confront our implicit biases when we are considering how other people feel in certain situations.

Your point on people forming groups or cliques defeating the point of diversity is also valid. In my last job, I had 200 part time employees and 8 full-time employees. I noticed at work functions that people from specific demographics tended to be drawn to each other, and it was somewhat disheartening to see because I do want my work environment to be inclusive. However, I think that there are actions we can take to curb that behavior with our staff teams, including intentional ice breakers, and breaking into small groups that intentionally put people from different backgrounds together.

Great thoughts!

John

(https:// Kimberly Brenneman (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/2693) Thursday

1. Which of the "profiles" explored in the second half of Inclusify best speak to you and your role/approach? Which of that type's characteristics best capture you, and how might they connect with/be amplified by your personality traits?

Inclusify categorizes leaders with several labels. As a personality the book describes as an Optimist (thinks diversity is important but hasn't taken many actions to support it), my nature of endurance-driven loyalty completely identifies with this. I have a consistent habit of achieving longevity in most roles and hope for the best outcome- with time. This profile did not imply an offensive tone and instead realizes that you must guide people along the intellectual trail you want them to take to shape minds. This approach offers less encouragement on diversity and inclusion because it's the right thing to do and instead promotes its business advantages.

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The following descriptions are directly from the book, and best describe me and my typical optimist behavior.

"Optimists can move into becoming Inclusifyers by being more public with their commitment to champion uniqueness and belonging." (P. 194) And, "the difference between an Optimist and an Inclusifyer is "pretty basic. Fundamentally, it's just actually talking about it." (P. 181) Point taken. I should absolutely be more vocal regarding my opinion on relevant matters. While this position could become uncomfortable due to the current climate, advocating for what's right is crucial for any change to occur. "Optimists naively assume that enough has already been done and things will naturally get better on their own." (P. 180)

"People get comfortable when they suspect things are working, and Optimists lack the proactive intention and motivation to initiate real change unless something triggers them." (P. 179) I am also guilty of this. After observing a situation over time, I am usually confident that something drastic will happen due to mismanagement or crisis. However, I am almost always disappointed when the repetition resumes. "The reality is that the 'It will fix itself over time' mentality doesn't work if every generation and every subsequent leader says 'It will fix itself over time.' (P. 192)

We have to exercise small steps, which is the Optimist's thinking. It can take decades to make real change. Only someone not affected by biases could be satisfied, anticipating to feel included and welcomed. If anyone wants to wait 170 years for equality (how long the World Economic Forum estimates until we reach gender parity), relax and stay optimistic. But if we want real change in this lifetime, we need to take action. The 'inclusifier' is the leader who brings people together and encourages uniqueness by creating an essential and valued environment. "The Optimist is the leader who's somewhat stuck in the middle. Most care about uniqueness, believe in diversity, worry about belonging, and basically hoped the change would happen without taking any definite steps. Perhaps it will happen if we wait 170 years, but we could likely move that timeline up slightly by taking concrete action." Well said.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most, and how/where will you try them?

As referenced above, patience is no longer a virtue. Kidding aside, waiting is futile to change unless real action is taken. Being an armchair quarterback is less than ideal when contending with professional problems surrounding colleagues. That being said, the acquisition of instant gratification is almost unrealistic to expect in my field, and with 26k employees vying for different solutions to various issues. However, to truly inclusify others, proactive measures should be considered to be recognized and affected positively and equally. Anything less is not conducive to change.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to your deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

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I have certainly developed a more comprehensive understanding of the many layers of personalities and how they connect within group settings to achieve goals.

(https:// Dennis Wilson (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/2706) Yesterday

In Stephanie K. Johnson’s, “Inclusify,” she describes several leadership traits that could hinder a person’s ability to promote belonging, uniqueness, and inclusiveness. These traits are the Meritocracy Manager, Culture Crusader, Team Players, White Knight, Shepherds, and Optimist. In each of these traits there are both positive and negative benefits. For instance, a Meritocracy Manager promotes/awards team members based on their performance ability, which could motivate some employees that are competitive. However, there are others that may not be awarded even though they are an above average performer. Just not the best. Though, it is also important to note, a person could exhibit one or multiple traits Dr. Johnson describes.

For example, when I look at the traits and apply them to my leadership style, the one that resonates with me the most is the Team Player. Certainly, as Dr. Johnson points out, Team Player could be a subset of the Culture Crusader. However, in my case, I wholeheartedly believe I am in the Team Player box. I’m in the Team Player box because I consistently strive for an effective workplace. I do this by constantly checking with team members to make sure they are content with how work is being distributed and have any opinions on how to improve the workflow process. On top of this, I tend to hold others accountable to the same standards that I place on myself. If one person is not pulling their weight, it frustrates me. Not because I’m not succeeding as a supervisor/team lead, it’s because the team in overall is suffering from the person’s inadequacies. Moreover, I tend to try to fit in with everyone verse associating myself with a particular group. For instance, in the workplace, I recognize race, gender, etc., but I don’t associate myself with people because of it. For me, the workplace has generally been about contribution to the team.

Although, even though I believe that my leadership trait closely aligns with Team Player, I often find myself being the Optimist or White Knight at times. In particular, I have often come to the aid of a female co-worker because women are often over looked for promotions, etc. In the past, I’ve gone to leadership and told them they should put in certain women for awards because I believed they weren’t being considered, when in fact, they were. My perception of societal issues regarding gender played a big part in my wanting leadership to select a woman over a man. I don’t think this is a bad thing at all. Though, I do need to be conscious that I could be causing others to feel like they do not belong or their uniqueness is not appreciated.

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Moving forward, I will continue being me; however, I will first think how the traits listed in Inclusify could be affecting my decision making. This can be done by bouncing scenarios off people you trust (e.g., peer, spouse, parent or sibling) since there is nothing wrong with constructive criticism or feedback. Also, as Dr. Johnson points out, I can also throw out ideas and get feedback from the team as a gauge.

At any rate, it is important to utilize the leadership traits in a manner that will promote belonging and uniqueness amongst your team. To do this, it will take patience, time, and communication to make sure I’m extracting the best parts of the leadership traits I want to express. There is nothing wrong with being any of the traits Dr. Johnson mentions as long as you are using them in a manner that promotes a cohesive team and environment conducive to belonging and uniqueness. This is why I believe "Inclusify" is so impactful. Dr. Johnson is not telling you that you need to make abrasive changes today. However, she is providing you with the tools to recognize what could be a hindrance to your team’s success.

At the end of the day, Dr. Johnson’s, “Inclusify,” was an outstanding read. Through her teachings, I’ve picked up on a few tools to strengthen my understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion. As previously mentioned, mainly through learning the different traits mentioned and recognizing the ones that apply to me. Also, with practice, I should be able to recognize these traits in my team members and leadership. I may not be able to change them, but, at least I will be prepared to maneuver the uncharted seas. For me specifically, "Inclusify" provided detailed perspectives of individual traits so I could better understand why there are challenges with diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This resulted in my recognizing that although I consider myself accepting of all no matter race, sex, gender, etc., I could still be leading in a manner that is not absolutely inclusive. Inadvertently, I could be not promoting a sense of belonging and uniqueness amongst my team by having biases regarding others behaviors. "Inclusify" has shown me that I have a problem with judging people’s behaviors based on my own biases of how I believe people should behave. This stance is not fair because everyone is unique and approaches tasks/situations different. For this very reason, I have to be open minded to this. You cannot assume someone should behave or respond in a certain matter just because you demand it for yourself. Without a doubt, that would contradict the very foundation of being inclusive. And, I do not want to be that guy.

(https:// Alexandra Howard (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1059) Yesterday

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In the second half I most identified with the optimist. When I read "optimists see the best in people and generally expect good things to happen" I related. However, I also related to not doing much to change things, being complacent on a team building level. I thought about my trying to keep the peace and encourage others to see the good in everyone. I understood how being an optimist isn't always great. I could see how my optimistic/cheerful disposition could amplify this and generally pushing for everyone to get along all the time. It's good to have differences as long as we can listen to each other and work through them when they're work related - and sometimes those differences could stumble onto a great idea.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

I thought on the goal setting strategy this week. We're in the process of setting up interviews for open positions and this week have been discussing diversity goals with my boss who is scheduling the interviews. So we've looked at our current staff, number of open positions and will revisit after interviews are conducted but I want us to keep diversity as a key factor. We also discussed merit being relative. So I think this will be interesting once interviews happen and once decisions are made. Also it discussed putting positivity into practice. This is right up my alley and I was happy that I already do it. Participating in in a group at work dedicated to women in our company and another group promoting diversity and inclusion interestingly enough. However, I’m in these groups which are great but I haven’t promoted them enough in my CT bubble. They’re national groups. Within my bubble there are 2 females including myself and of around 20 staff, 3 are people of color and they’re all in one of the six offices across the state. So we have a long way to go within my direct space.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

I think its been interesting looking at myself and the experiences that have helped me despite being a female. Even the white knight section I read through remembering situations where I was the female being treated that way. So I guess just seeing myself in many of the situations

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discussed throughout the book has been interesting. I've tried to be open minded to really see where I can improve. When I saw how optimism and feeling things will get better on their own isn't good - it makes complete sense. I just hadn't thought about it that way. It took me a minute to open up though. I found myself reading saying to myself, well I don’t do that. Then would think on it and realize I do. I’ve even talked about this with my boss and some of my staff. My boss is I think more a culture crusader.

(http John Napotnik (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1050) Yesterday

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Hi Alexandra,

From working together in Hulburt's class, I think you are definitely an optimist! The Optimist also resonated with me and your point about an optimistic/cheerful disposition seeking harmony can actually be counter inclusive is right on. I found that when comparing the Big 5 results, mine were pretty in line with how Johnson described Optimists.

At the Y, we also put a heavy emphasis on the traditional understanding merit when we are hiring. Johnson's thoughts on changing the definition to consider life experiences and unequitable circumstances really made me want to evaluate our criteria posted on job sites like Indeed or LinkedIn. The issue I am currently facing with this is in my new Y in Savannah, our CEO is old school and believe applicants have to meet certain merit-based criteria to even be considered for a position. Luckily, he only has 4 more years until his retirement, and I will be a thorn in his side on these issues.

Great post!

John

(https:// Lindsay Lancaster (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/372) Yesterday

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The profile that I most identify with is the Shepherd. Being in a setting that is predominantly females, it would probably be difficult for me to accept a male in a work environment with me. Working with special needs children, in a school setting, it requires a nurturing personality. Maternal, even. So I may question a male's presence and ability to provide that empathy that a student, their family, and teachers need. While the therapy world is known for warm, calming personalities, as mentioned in Inclusify some male traits just don't harbor those views. That's not to say that those males don't exist but I definitely need to be more open-minded in my field of allowing males to tap into these skills, traits, and roles as well. I need to eliminate my biases that males can't be nurturing, warm, and paternal.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

One of the suggestions stated I thought was very powerful, and it's a strategy that can be used for any leadership style (in my opinion) is "anyone who feels as thought he or she is not getting enough support at work can join the (amplification) sessions. People can voice their concerns, such as ' can not get a word in at meetings' or 'The boss never listens to me,' and other people will agree to help. It seems like a small thing but when you are in a meeting and say 'I don't think anyone is listening to me,' it sounds weak. But when a colleague interjects and says, "I want to hear what Andreas has to say on this topic," it does not sound weak at all." (Johnson, 2020, pg. 168-169). The use of amplification sessions and network, Johnson states, goes back to Barack Obama's tenure and ladies on his staff had trouble interjecting their ideas. So they relied on each other to echo each other's statements and "reattributing comments". This is such a poignant strategy and wonderful teamwork on the ladies part to remain relevant in a male-dominated meeting.

Being a woman in a leadership role will likely be an up-river situation. There will always be those that are skeptical of your abilities, qualifications, and recognitions. Another strategy that Johnson recommends is "knowing that even facts can be questioned, you need to find a way to communicate your information to a skeptic, rather than to people you think are open to your views. This means exploring both sides of every argument, presenting the counterfactual argument, sharing every data source, and presenting the details on how the data were collected. And even then there will be people who refuse to believe you" (Johnson, 2020, 170- 171). Its discouraging that it might take some extra work to essentially play devil's advocate for the skills/opinions/ideas that your advocating for, but to gain people's loyalty it might be necessary.

Reading that portion of the book reminded me of something my mom used to tell me growing up (in Georgia, hence the peach analogy): "You may be the sweetest, juiciest peach on the tree but there is always going to be someone that doesn't like peaches". There will always be people that don't like you, whether you are a woman, POC, WOC, LGBT, and/or disabled. It is

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disheartening that there are people out there that will doubt you, but it will have nothing to do with you.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

This book was INCREDIBLE! I'm left speechless in good and bad ways. Johnson was able to identify so many different leadership styles, which I can imagine was difficult to do. The statistics and quotes that resonated with me and shocked me:

"For every dollar of wealth held by white people in the United States, black families have 5 cents. Hispanic people have 6 cents" (Johnson, 2020, pg. 39).

"Kids who have to pay their own way through college might take longer to finish school, but that says nothing about their intelligence or performance; it just means that they faced headwinds... And you need to recognize that sometimes people have to take an indirect flight path because of unexpected turbulence, so they might have taken longer or taken a less traditional route to arrive at the same location. But sometimes those people are the best ones for the job". (Johnson, 2020, pg. 34-36).

"...Researchers hired confederates (actors who are in on the study) to apply for 340 jobs in New York. The confederates were Latino, black, and white. The experimenters created fake resumes that were all identical in quality. The confederates, who received interview training to standardize their behavior, went for actual job interviews and the experimenters measured their success in obtaining a second interview or job offer... Black applicants were half as likely to receive a callback or job offer, thought they were equally as qualified as the white applicants. Furthermore, black and Latino applicants with no criminal records fared no better than white applicants just released from prison. This means that the status loss of just being nonwhite is similar to that of being a convicted criminal". (Johnson, 2020, pg. 47-48). MIND BLOWING.

"...try and focus on women's competence when describing them. To check yourself, you can re-say (or rewrite) a comment about a woman using a man's name. For example, if you say, 'Stephanie is a real joy to have around,' try saying it again as, 'Steven is a real joy to have around.' If it sounds strange, then consider revising the content" (Johnson, 2020, pg. 135).

There are so many things that I have tabbed and underlined in the book for future references. This book was so eye-opening to me and the challenges that minorities face in work environments. I recognize that I have been generally gifted with less challenges than others, but I will rally for those that don't deserve those hardships in workplace setting or life, in general. "On some level we all want to be accepted by others- so much so that social exclusion causes the same areas of your brain to light up that physical pain does" (Johnson, 2020, pg.1). Reading this caused me pain, thinking of others feeling pain from exclusivity and

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isolation provokes pain and empathy in me that I will always go out of my way to make others feel welcome, included, and part of my team.

Johnson, S. (2020). Inclusify. HarperCollins, New York. NY.

(https:// Molly Fanney (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/2752) Yesterday

In the second half of “Inclusify,” Stephanie Johnson outlines the characteristics of Team Players, White Knights, Shepherds and Optimist leadership profiles. Out of these, I most identified with the Shepherds. I most easily and comfortably identify with women and have a strong desire to support them in the workplace. Teamwork between female employees is very important to me not only because I identify as a woman, but because I am very empathetic to those that face discrimination, especially based on traits that they cannot control. It has become very important for me to check the privilege that I have and take thoughtful action to support and uplift those that do not. Considering this, I see how it is very easy to be a Shepherd and work against the driving motivation behind encouraging diversity and inclusion by stereotyping and ostracizing white men. I certainly do this with the women that I work with. I am usually the loudest proponent of the antimale agenda in my office, probably because I am the youngest and most politically progressive employee, but my tangents also fall on agreeable, empathetic ears. I do not work with any men so this chapter made me seriously consider several things. First, I wondered if the openness with which I share my views about the patriarchy would get me in trouble if I had male colleagues or a male boss. I honestly do not think that I would feel comfortable if this were the case. What occurred to me is that I am aware of the unprofessional quality of this kind of discourse as well as the potential negative impact it would have on a male ally if they were sitting in on the conversation. I still do not think that there is anything wrong with sharing difficult experiences with the people (in my case other women) that can truly understand what you went through. In fact, I think it can foster closeness and trust between coworkers and teammates and perhaps even open up dialogue that would otherwise be difficult to share about. On the other hand, I fully realize that in a different setting, I would need to take a very different approach as a leader. Johnson outlines the solution to a Shepherd’s leadership woes. The motivation to uplift those who have been treated as less- then or were not given the same innate privileges as white men is good. It just does not serve the purpose of creating the most effective and successful team. It also will not succeed in destroying the patriarchy or even changing a single person’s mind if your views threaten theirs. It is especially counterintuitive if the result is making a bunch of white men you work with angry enough to look for another job. I like to put a lot thought into the decisions I make and I believe

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that the way you choose to lead requires a lot of thought. My ability to methodically plan and consider outcomes would be very helpful in executing an inclusive work environment, even one that included men.

The greatest lesson for me to come of reading “Inclusify” is that to be an Inclusifyer, a leader has to be intentional. While I did not identify as an optimist, I thought the chapters on this profile were some of the most impactful for me. To make the change necessary to create the best team possible, more than openness and good intention are required.

(https:// John Napotnik (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1050) Yesterday

1. 1. Which of the "profiles" explored in the second half of Inclusify best speak to you and your role/approach? Which of that type's characteristics best capture you, and how might they connect with/be amplified by your personality traits?

Of the profiles explored in the second half of Iclusify, I reluctantly believe I may be an Optimist.I do care about uniqueness and belonging, and I am optimistic that it happens naturally over time. In previous roles, I have intentionally changed policies or added Board Members or staff to create change and inclusivity for my organizations; however, I have left it at that point, and have not made it a part of my daily considerations. The book says that optimists tend to settle in because they believe things are working the way they are. My folly is that I tend to focus on something, like creating a Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity committee for my Board, but once the individuals have been recruited, I turned over the process to them and progress stalled.

Additionally, before I left my last Y, I really celebrated the fact that my board and our staff team represented our community demographically and ethnically by percentage. But the book points out that simply achieving diversity does not mean the work is done.

This is in line with my Big 5 score as it showed that I am more optimistic, but had lower scores for drive, organization, and mechanicalness. Knowing this, I can make adjustments to daily choose equity over equality and aim for inclusion, as the book points out.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

One of the strategies for the Optimist is to fly in front of the radar, or to be more public with their commitment to championing uniqueness and belonging. Also in line with my Big 5 profile, I scored lower on taking charge and higher on accommodation, so being the forefront leader championing inclusion will be more challenging for me. However, I do have

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staff who work on my teams who are advocates for inclusion and I believe leaders and their followers can learn from each other. I will proactively work with those advocates to learn how to be more in front of the radar.

The other strategy Johnson lists is to increase goal setting and accountability. Her focus is on specific and measurable steps that individuals and companies can take to heighten their awareness and incorporate more inclusive policies. She lists the example of how for a specific company, every time a white male is hired they need to write a justification of why a woman or a person of color was not hired. I observed a different approach in Roanoke where an executive for Advance Auto informed me that they cannot hire employees unless they have at least three diverse candidates. I think that my organization, the YMCA, could benefit from a policy like the second one I mentioned in which we set goals and hold ourselves accountable to revisit our hiring and onboarding processes.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

Reading Inclusify paired with gaining and understanding of my Big 5 results has helped me realize my blind spots as well as the traits I can exploit to become an inclusifier. Johnson does a great job simplifying the complexity of different personality types so that we can compare and contrast ourselves against them. I would say that I have some characteristics of some of the other personalities that she listed, but the Big 5 results helped me to hone in on what areas I need to improve including exhibiting more drive and holding myself and my teams accountable to make this a daily process for our work.

(https:// Lauren Irvine (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1058) Yesterday

1. Which of the "profiles" explored in the second half of Inclusify best speak to you and your role/approach? Which of that type's characteristics best capture you, and how might they connect with/be amplified by your personality traits?

Shepherd best captures me out of the options in the second half. “Shepherds are the female or POC correlates of White Knights. They support women, POC, WOC, and LGBTQ…” I am a strong female that will always support and stand up for other women, POC, and LGBTQ for diversity and inclusion. Wanting to support other women, POC, and LGBTQ is different than white men wanting to hire only white men because there are so few women/ minorities at the top of organizations. I resonate with “A shepherd’s weakness most often rests in not spending enough effort in managing others’ impressions.” There is a negative bias towards people that are allies or support women, POC, and LGBTQ. While I am nowhere near a white man hater, I

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actually want them to be a part of my team rather than be in charge of it, where we can be equals.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

I will try to choose equity over equality. The difference between equality and equity must be emphasized. Although both promote fairness, equality achieves this through treating everyone the same regardless of need, while equity achieves this through treating people differently dependent on need. However, this different treatment may be the key to reaching equality. Fairness through equality would mean giving all students the same level of support. However, those who need more support beyond this initial level to succeed would therefore not have equal opportunities to those who do not. Fairness through equity means giving students varying, perhaps unequal, but proportionate levels of support. This would then mean that those who need and receive the extra support would go onto have the same, equal opportunities as those who did not.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

Finding ways to effectively lead diversity efforts is a major challenge for today’s leaders, and prioritizing diversity is beneficial to all businesses. We all need to understand unconscious bias that we can relate to and learn how it impacts decisions and behavior. Unconscious biases are our tendency to judge or classify others through characteristics that are not valid – for example, thinking that men are better at math, or someone with an uncommon name is more likely to speak English as a second language. We all should learn to build strategies to overcome unconscious bias. Workplace diversity does not happen on its own. It has to be cultivated by addressing unconscious bias in the organization. Studies show that bias in the workplace has severe repercussions on organizations and the well-being of their employees. Nearly half of Black and Latina women working in science, for example, report that they’ve been mistaken for custodial or administrative staff while at work.

(https:// Daniel Lepore (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1683) Yesterday

Week 7 - Inclusify Part 2 - Dan Lepore

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I saw bits of myself and my behaviors in a few explored profiles, but the optimist resonated with me the most. I always see the good in people and situations, and I expect everyone will just do the right thing. This attitude transcends my work life and is one of my core characteristics. I have a fatal flaw that requires constant work to overcome if I want to be an inclusifyer: I assume people have similar ethics as me, that they delineate positive and negative actions in the same manner as me, but they do not. When I turn the lens to my inclusion effort, my actions matched with many described in the optimist profile. For example, I work diligently to make team members feel comfortable. It is important that everyone feels they can voice concerns to me and always offer an open door. I have a very diverse staff, and I am proud of the relationships I have with everyone. My optimistic tendencies drive me to assume that by simply putting everyone together, they will somehow see what I see in each of them and connect with each other in the same way I do with them individually. Not surprisingly, they do not. I am not taking intentional actions to create inclusion within the group. I am doing so only between individuals and me. Also, in some ways, I could be characterized as the “white knight” profile too. Until re-reading what I wrote above, I hadn’t realized how my open-door policy creates an environment where I can solve problems instead of the environment I want, which is a team that works together to problem solve. These revelations are hard for me to admit to myself, but this self-reflection process creates an opportunity to change.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

Inclusion, belonging, and emotional safety are important to me, but I imagine my team doesn’t know to what extent since I do not talk about them in a broad audience. The first leadership strategy I will implement is to hold regular all-hands conversations about inclusion, what it means to me, and why it is important. I must eliminate the expectation that my individual conversations will organically permeate the entire team, and I must intentionally converse about these topics in group settings. I will use my extraversion personality trait to foster conversations within the group, and I will openly celebrate our diversity. By doing so, I hope to form an environment where people feel comfortable sharing and speaking up in front of the group. I hope to create a stronger sense of belonging and a sense of safety within the group; I hope to expand the safe space I created between the individual and me into the group.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

The two most valuable lessons I take away from the inclusify material are the definition of inclusion and the need to continually create opportunities to examine the drivers of both my actions and the actions of others. The shift from diversity in terms of numbers to diversity coupled with belonging is the catalyst to harness the value of a diverse workforce. Uncovering unconscious biases and openly discussing them is the work we must do to change behavior.

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When we openly cherish diversity and each individual’s uniqueness, we create a safe space for people to perform their best. I want this to be my work environment, and it can be achieved if I take intentional action.

(https:// Svetla Jacques (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1052) Yesterday

1. Which of the "profiles" explored in the second half of Inclusify best speak to you and your role/approach? Which of that type's characteristics best capture you, and how might they connect with/be amplified by your personality traits?

I looked at the prompts before I started reading the second section of the book. As I was reading, I was trying to see which profile I identify with the most, but truthfully, I think I am some combination of a “Team Player”, “White Knight”, “Shepherd” , and the “Optimist.” With each example, I thought “oh, I have done this”, or “oh I see how I might have been like that.” I think because my journeys, both personally, and professionally, have not been straight forward as I have had the chance to experience various work environments and levels of positions, I have had the opportunity to work with various types of people. I think I may identify more with the “optimist” now than when I was younger, but again, that may just be an effect of growing and learning – you see more, you experience more, and you know more. I would like to believe that I am generally inclusive and empathetic person, but as I read the chapters, I understood how I may not have always reacted properly to certain groups of people. I did believe that treating “everyone the same” is fair, but I also did not know about systemic bias and implicit racism. I also believed that if you work hard, you can achieve what you want, and mostly because I started with very little, so I may have had the psychological bias projection that Johnson references in Chapter 9. What I failed to account for are those barriers that are different for different people, even if they look alike. I still struggle with that sometimes when it comes to my daughters, I may be harder on them by comparing my life journey to theirs, but that is not fair to them either. At the same time, those life struggles I have experienced have taught me to 100% support other women, and that may make me a “shepherd”. At the office, I have often been a “white knight” also because of these experiences, and I have often sent moms home to be with their children, while I stayed because I thought I was being empathetic. Nevertheless, in the past seven-eight years I have definitely been the “optimist” at the office. I realize now that I may not exactly be addressing the actual issues. Here is where “fair” again comes into play – it means different things to different people. I need to remember not to treat everyone equally but treat everyone justly.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

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The leadership strategy that shouted at me the loudest is the Shepherd’s Hear the Bleat (Empathy). This is so important, especially today, when so many people are trying to get heard, we need to make sure we don’t exclude those who are not speaking or have already been heard. It is so important that we include everyone into the conversation (not equally, but justly). And so, while I will still continue to support women, women of color, LGBTQ, minorities in general, I will also ask questions and hear what men, and specifically white men at the office are struggling with.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

This book was wonderful and insightful. It really made me question myself and my behavior towards others. I do want to be an Inclusifyer and this book has provided great tools. It is good to check ourselves occasionally, as we sometimes may get too comfortable in a too familiar spaces and work environments. Johnson provided compelling examples of how to lead people, not boss them, to see people not to oversee them.

(https:// Paul Roberts (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1051) Yesterday

I think that I fall within the White Knight and Optimist categories. I have single moms that work me and though we do not work late (8-6 are our hours of operations) I try and accommodate them more than others. They have to handle pickup, lunches, snacks, and work as we are currently remote. Sure they may have help from family but they have a level of stress being the only parent in the house. I set this up during are schedule changes and adjustments so that we as a team talk about constraints for specific times that one may need off or lunch, etc. Not to be biased but to build the team to communicate about their struggles and issues, which has helped me create a very open and communicative team but also one of trust and team work. I think that my White Knight style has helped foster a relationship that many of my staff have never had and one that I think that works well. Sure, that is against the grain of what the book provides as an example but I also think that it depends on the nature of your work, how the team determines the needs and then work together to meet the needs. The other is being an Optimist. I strive to make sure that my team knows what value they bring to the organization and to the success of our group. During my meetings and 1:1 sessions we discuss the value they bring as a group and then individually – outlining successes and newly learned

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opportunities from me and them. To me these are two things that have helped me be as successful as I am when it comes to leadership – my team has my back and I, theirs.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

My type is heavy to the left and I think that is interesting as while I can see how this makes sense based on how I like to work – be an expert, can shift working in groups to alone but prefer alone, play devils advocate but just want to see the group win, and being flexible. To me this fits me pretty well but when it comes down to being the complete opposite I can be that too, my team will confirm. However, one that I think hits the mark based on my profile and the previous question is that I am one for negotiation and am an accommodator. Rarely in business is there a super clear black or white answer – schedule, business decisions, or process changes – but I do see how I am constantly negotiating and compromising to meet the needs and goals of the business. With this I think that I am able to empower my team to make decisions on their own and be there to help mentor and provide guidance when needed.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

I thought that the book was wonderful in how it explained but also provided insights and examples to make this relevant. Many times these types of books can seem preachy but not in this case. I felt that sure it could have a bias of the examples and scenarios to meet the layout of the book but it was done in a way that showed you how to be better by showing how situations, actions, language, and intent was given and received. This has caused me to take a step back and re-evaluate how I lead – what can I change to be better but also what am I doing that is successful, what is it that my team wants and needs to be so as well. Everyone is unique and as a leader you have multiple goals – success of the business and meeting your company goals but also meeting the personal and people goals. Being valued, engaged, empowered, and accepted are keys components to have and this book helped point out how simple conversations can have heavy reactions but with small changes most can become an inclusifier and stronger leader.

(https:// Chanthang Ney Oliver (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1010) Yesterday

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I think the profile that best resembles me is the optimist leader. I am very much the optimist and I always hold out hope that people are inherently good and that situations can always be worse than they end up. I do try to maintain my optimism throughout the day but the “positivity without action” is where I need improvement. Optimism can only get you so far, but it requires consistency to and discipline to create change. The idea that people will eventually become inclusifiers and that it’s a natural process is nice, but people need to be active participants in the movement of change. For example, when implanting a new policy at work, I trust the staff to follow the protocol but if they never see me doing the same, I’m hindering the acceptance process. A little bit of stretch in the sense of inclusify, but how can leaders be effective if they aren’t practicing the message they’re preaching. I’ve learned that acceptance of change will eventually happen, but it happens much quicker when people participate in the change to set example and promote inclusion.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

The leadership strategies that resonate most with me is the supportive and accountable behavior. I try to be supportive of all things, in my personal life and in the workplace but I can further challenge myself. It’s that uncomfortable feeling of pushing my own boundaries that I need to listen to. Creating a diverse and inclusive environment is a constant and active process and it’s important to exhibit that in my actions. I understand that an important step is to make a more public commitment to championing uniqueness and belonging.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

I’ve learned that I’m on the track to being an inclusifier but I’ve also learned that I still have much more to do. I can’t just believe in inclusify, but that I really need to be consistent in my approach. I also understand the difference between equality and equity in terms in inclusify. I always thought equality was synonymous with fairness but I see that that’s not the case. In many cases being treated equitably is fairer than being treated equally. I also need to make a conscious effort to be more aware of my actions and identify the things like reverse discrimination.

(https:// Robert Brown (https://hooslearning.instructure.com/courses/1731/users/1085) Yesterday

1. Which of the "profiles" explored in the second half of Inclusify best speak to you and your role/approach? Which of that type's characteristics best capture you, and how might they connect with/be amplified by your personality traits?

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Continuing with her highly adept and insightful reflections on the intersectionality of leadership and DEI matters within the workplace, the second half of Johnson’s Inclusify proposes an interesting taxonomy of four (4) distinct personality profiles—Team Player, White Knight, Shepherd and Optimist—by which Johnson challenges the reader to judge themselves and critically examine their own leadership tendencies when it comes to the cause of diversity/inclusion. The personality profiles that Johnson outlines within Inclusify are not merely observational constructs, but indeed, seemed aimed to compel the reader to engage in a critical self-assessment of their own leadership traits. To that end, when asked which of Johnson’s profiles I can “best relate” to, I sense the true question that is (or should) be asked is, “what poor leadership tendencies, as profiled by Johnson, are you guilty of…?”

When examining my own lived experiences and personality traits against the schema that Johnson presents, no single profile fits my personality wholesale—however, I do find commonalities (and empathy) with the profiles/dilemmas of “Team Players” and “Optimists.”

The notion of the "Team Player," as defined here by Johnson, is admittedly tricky. Johnson’s re-working of the term does not align with its common, and typically positive, connotations— i.e., someone who puts his or her team over themselves for the success of the collective. First, there is the definitional distinction, for purposes of Johnson's analysis, that “Team Players” are members of minority, historically underrepresented or socially marginalized groups (e.g., women, POC, LGBTQ communities) (at least as I interpret the text) – and that the idea of a "Team Player" is codified by the dynamics at play between such marginalized individuals vs. the majority/dominant groups with which they so often find themselves surrounded. Johnson’s expressly provides that her concept of a Team Player applies to members of such minority groups that have “persevered despite a tough road in their careers, and second, they don’t identify much with their own group, say a typical black man, a typical a typical gay or disable person. Instead, they tend to identify with the majority group—white men” (Johnson, p. 100). Essentially, Johnson’s idea of a “Team Player” is a minority or marginalized individual who distances themselves from their membership identity group in order to find favor (and avoid perceived distinction) within the workplace from the default majority group of able-bodied, heterosexual, white men.

At first blush and in simpler terms, Johnson’s idea of a “Team Player” seemed to run quite close to more common (and certainly uncomplimentary) label of a “sell-out.” However, when we examine this further, I think the idea of a “Team Player” per Johnson’s rubric is perhaps better understood or approached as a dilemma, rather than a profile per se, that such individuals face in the workplace—at least in my experience. When I say that I find commonality with the label of “Team Player,” I do so somewhat regretfully, since I see it as more of a tendency that may give into due to the pressures that so often accompany being a minority in the workplace. Despite my strong affinity for my racial identity, and all of the unique, wonderful and myriad history/people/traditions that are a part of that identity

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experience, I also understand and have likely given into pressures (real or perceived) to fully assimilate within the dominant group.

I also sometimes guilty of being, as Johnson describes, “The Optimist.” While as I strongly believe in the benefits of diversity, even as a member of a minority group, I can sometimes fall short in my active efforts to push further on diversity initiatives (in the sense that I feel I can always be “doing more” to advance such causes or leverage my leadership position in an organization to such aims). I suppose we can all find ourselves taking comfort in our convictions about diversity, equity and equality, when continued and innovative action on such convictions is key to the achievement of such goals. As Johnson notes about Optimists turned Inclusifyers, “[t]hey knew how important belonging is to an organization’s success. They even recognized the importance of eliciting employees’ uniqueness…The only thin they were missing was the intentionality to make it happen” (p. 191).

Johnson’s notion of the Optimist, and the leadership strategies that she offers for such individuals, recognizes the complacency that can sometimes befall even the best-intentioned individuals, and calls upon us to continually find ways to translate our aspirations into execution. I have been guilty of such complacency, falling short of the more perfected label of “Inclusifyer” to which Johnson believes we should aspire.

2. Which specific leadership strategies for your type/profile resonate most and how/where will you try them?

I am always trying to find ways to improve my efforts in championing diversity and equality, both within and outside of the workplace, and already practice several of Johnson’s leadership strategies for the personality profiles that fit me. In terms of being an Optimist, I can say that I have recently made more pronounced efforts to “fly in front of the radar” and be more vocal, proactive and public in my efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. As the owner of two (2) small businesses, I have taken great pride in my ability to make public statements about my and my companies’ position on issues of social justice, including racial equality, police brutality, women’s rights, and inclusionary LGBTQ policies. I have also been ready and willing to devote company resources, including both money and human capital, to join protest events, support fundraisers or aid other public initiatives in support of such causes. On a smaller scale (though I think it can also apply to broader DEI or social justice efforts) I think the idea of setting “SMART” goals with regard to diversity and inclusion within one’s organization is also key. As Johnson suggests, it creates accountability and realistic expectations that go beyond casual or lofty notions about the benefits of diversity.

As for the tendency to sometimes be a “Team Player,” I think it is important to find a balance between preserving your individual identity as a member of a minority or underrepresented group, finding acceptance with the dominant group and doing your part, as a leader, to “make a path” for others like you within the workplace. If you are a successful woman, minority or LGBTQ-identifying individual within your organization, for example, you should remain

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empathetic to the struggles that those similar to you may experience as they attempt to climb the proverbial ladder of career advancement. In your position, such individuals should also find ways to encourage those within the dominant group to show similar empathy to members of minority or historically marginalized groups.

3. How/what has the Inclusify exploration most contributed to you deepening your level of understanding and awareness around diversity and inclusion?

I found Inclusify to be an excellent read. This should not be taken as anything less than complimentary, but I personally found Johnson’s opinions, research and propositions about the intersection of leadership and diversity more relatable, than revelatory—which actually made the reading all that much more meaningful to me. The fact that I could match so many of my own experiences to several of the anecdotal dilemmas Johnson highlighted under the various leadership profiles she presented made me feel not so alone in the challenges, internally and externally, that I have faced as minority—and minority leader—in the workplace. That relatability also made the solutions offered to such challenges seem all that much more realistic and within reach, compelling me to put such care into action immediately within my own life and career pursuits.