Questions to foster more inclusive spaces

You may have heard the saying, “A good leader manages expectations, not people.” While there may be truth to that, you may have also heard that leaders often spend much of their time managing personalities. Regardless of how you view it, coworkers, colleagues, direct reports and any other peers, have needs that require you to dig below the surface to better foster relationships.

Making reference to psychologist Abraham Maslow’s (1943) paper, “A Theory of Human Motivation”, the five fundamental needs include: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization.

As a communications practitioner, often aiming to connect with people in a way that is intentional and organic in nature (without it feeling forced), I have recently reflected on critical questions that may be beneficial to ask yourself and others to build comradery and better places to work and learn.

From the physiological perspective, like myself, if I’m feeling anxious or stressed, it often results in a loss of appetite. This is abundantly evident when trying to disconnect from the work and unwind for the day, yet, can’t always seem to bring myself to a complete place of peace, ruminating about the past or all the work that needs to be completed in the future. Where would I be if someone I worked with asked me questions that made me feel more included and valued, even when the work may be going haywire? Maybe I’d be a few pounds heavier (in all the right places) and less likely to emotionally bring my work home.

From the perspective of safety, I’m wired to keep a lot “close to the chest” in the workplace, especially as a woman of color, often times operating under the authority that workplaces and educational institutions, have historically not been “safe spaces” for people that look like me. So how do we remedy that if we are all doing our part to foster more inclusive spaces? It starts with a conversation. Develop important questions that show your team that while there is no magic pill to cure workplace anxiety, your actions as a leader (either by title or example) demonstrates your commitment to creating a space in which people may not necessarily bring all of themselves to work, but can bring their valuable cultural capital to the space.

From the perspective of love and belonging, being intentional with the type of comradery-building questions you are asking your team enhances the sense of connection that validates their experiences and how those lessons show up in their work. Understanding these elements can make a world of difference when those workflow misunderstandings arise.

From the perspective of esteem, I would say this need works in tandem with love and belonging, as it is an opportunity to rally around and honor the unique perspectives of your teammates. When people feel that some of their positive (and not so positive) experiences have added value to where they earn an honest living, it’s a motivation booster that all they’ve gone through was not all vein. It promotes a healthy space in which people naturally share more, because there’s hope that it may support the organization’s bottom line.  Now, a powerful shift happens. People feel they not only belong from the achievements of their organizational deliverables, but also in a way that boldly includes some of their philosophies acquired outside of the organization.

Collectively, these “assets of the people,” so to speak, promote Maslow’s final need of self-actualization, which is the desire to become the most that one can be. Although the emphasis is on self, this is an exceptional reflective point for leaders. A good leader taps into the strengths of their counterparts and colleagues and develops spaces in which individual growth is occurring on every level, not merely specific to the organization, but in ways that these inclusive strategies are transferrable and deeply embedded wherever they may go next in order to promote inclusion.

Considering these needs, here are some starter questions to ask your peers as a means to intentionally craft more inclusive spaces:

1. What strategies can I implement to ensure your thoughts and perspectives are considered?

2. Are there any workplace policies or practices that you feel unintentionally excludes your or any other group?

3. What would you consider your workplace superpower?

4. How do you prefer being acknowledged or given recognition, if any?

5. When workplace disagreements occur, what is the best way I can engage with you to come to a solution?

6. Are there skillsets you have that I am unaware of that we could immediately implement to promote more inclusive spaces?

7. What do you need in order for you to feel safe enough to bring cultural capital to work (culture e.g.: sports, race, motherhood, fatherhood, specific expertise)?

   
   

These questions, in essence, support all of our inherent needs and promote a more inclusive and equitable environment that we can all thrive in.

Dr. Alexis Thrower