Master relationships in an ever-changing world
Your brain plays tricks on you and makes you think people who seem different are threats. That is rarely true.
You’re probably hearing women call on others to smash the patriarchy. You see minorities demand that white people dismantle racist institutions. You’re starting to think maybe there’s some truth to the allegations that systems designed by white men with unconscious, implicit biases are limited, even in New York. Or maybe you have been told you have to accept diversity in the workplace to avoid getting fired.
Even those who see the limitations of traditional systems:
- Aren’t always sure where to begin,
- Say the wrong things, or
- Say nothing out of fear of repercussions.
This can make already stressful workplaces even more chaotic, especially when managers try to ignore the conflicts. They hide out and hope the issues will resolve on their own, when diversity training and professional development could resolve a lot of the conflicts.
They won’t. Instead, ignored conflicts regarding diversity in the workplace will often escalate to illegal discrimination, harassment, and hostile work environments that cause good employees to leave–and sue.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Through diversity training and other professional development, we can all build skill in discussing emotionally-charged issues and in resolving the related conflicts. We have to risk talking about the issues that make us uncomfortable. Only with practice will we improve.
Using my training in employment law, human resources, and ethno-religious mediation, I facilitate diversity training workshops that create space for:
- Open dialogue
- Deep healing, and
- Effective action toward unity in workplaces and other communities.
Has a recent movement opened conversations you’re afraid to have?
Are you so afraid of saying the wrong thing that you’d rather learn privately?
(This is a start, but remember that you’ll need to practice to improve your conversations. If you want to practice, I can coach you.)