Meetings are on the rise and as such a focus on inclusion is essential.
Inclusive experiences are necessary in today's world and essential to remember as there is an increased frequency of acknowledging, recognizing, and celebrating cultural events. While it may seem that mastery is a non-issue, evidence suggests we still have much work to do to foster inclusivity. For example, the State of Inclusion in Meetings & Events Report surveyed over 1000 meeting planners, indicating that 40% don't have the right knowledge and resources to plan inclusive experiences. Imagine what those numbers would be for those whose function isn't meeting or event planning. For those still grappling with how to get inclusion right, a refresher on creating inclusive experiences may be helpful, for inclusion is an ongoing activity that requires nurturing and attention to be successful as an inclusive leader. This article will provide two strategies on how leaders can thrive in creating inclusive experiences.
Make a Commitment to Inclusivity
Filling a calendar with programming events is a key activity for many organizations, associations, etc. It's also an effective strategy for celebrating cultural events. However, that is only one of the first steps in building community and connection. Next up is ensuring focus and commitment to fostering inclusion for planned programming. As such, attention to detail is critical here, so assign a dedicated resource to oversee actions to create inclusive experiences for attendees. Ensure that the person designated is experienced; if not, adequate resources are available to support this leader. Examples demonstrating commitment include providing education around pronoun usage, name pronunciation support, a buddy pairing system, and designated spots for newbies/introverts to mix and mingle. The key is to be committed to inclusive action and to follow up with metrics to gauge success and implement corrective actions where needed for future events.
Provide Inclusive Training for Leaders
While the focus may be on event planning, there must be equal focus on training communities on recognizing when inclusion radars are off. Frankly, in-person events are on the rise, and many are so thrilled to be around people again that inclusion can unwittingly become a low priority. Here are some strategies to implement:
- Proactively issue prompts ahead of time that reminds people of the commitment and requirement to be inclusive. Multiple reminders will keep inclusion top of mind.
- Create inclusion instructions for event handouts, signage, or goodie bags.
- Having a plan of action for handling leaders who appear seemingly oblivious to snubbing others in event settings are problematic for leaders and representative organization. Hierarchy dynamics may cause a pause so preliminary planning will be helpful. Be on the lookout if there's an opportunity to lovingly course correct in real-time.
- Refresh skills on authentic inclusion and then model such inclusive behavior when the time calls for it. An example is creating space for others to join conversations instead of keeping a closed door and focusing on known relationships. While this may be comfortable, the approach can give an organization negative marks when leaders' actions stray from commitment to inclusive mission and goals. Hence, taking the extra time to educate leaders on navigating spaces with conversation starters and strategies to course correct for exclusion blunders is pragmatic.
