All right, let's get started, welcome to module two everyone. And just between you and me, as I build each module, it feels like each is like a season of a television show. That you binge watch, and that DE&I is the main character that you tune into, to see each week. So you can catch up on what crazy storylines DE&I is going to entangle with next. Well, if that's the case, the adventure DE&I is going to entangle with in module two, is its origin story. It's all about character development, so that you have a better idea of the foundational principles of our hero. By foundational principles I mean the key concepts of DE&I, and the way that they interact and build on one another. So each week, we will tackle a new concept and I'll suggest ways for you to use it in your strategic vision. Along this journey, I want to make sure that you don't fall into some of the same traps I discussed in module one. So use this intro, as a way to help prepare you for our conversation to start. To start, one of the interesting trends that I'm seeing at my organization, is the proliferation of book clubs. While book clubs or circles have always been around, I've never been approached by so many newly formed circles, that are specifically tackling social justice issues like I am now. These clubs have been tackling difficult subjects like, mass incarceration, fragility, or identity, race, or other hot topics, like othering. Othering is when a person makes assumptions, or perceives or treats those who are viewed as being a part of an out group, differently versus those who are seen as being part of the in group. Think of othering as being an us versus them with the in group being the us, and the out group being the them. These concepts in these books are timely, and poses a great prompt, for the group to explore the negative effects of othering or, how to be a better ally. Or how to be less fragile, or racist, or an advocate for social and racial justice in their own lives. So when people contact me about these discussion circles, they often seek advice about how to manage them. And what they should do, to maximize the impact of their discussion. And I usually say three things one, discover, meaning process what you've learned and how it made you feel to learn it. Two, relate, meaning explore how what you've learned touches or connects to your real life. And last three, commit, how are you going to use what you've learned, to influence positive change in your own life? Said another way now that you know this stuff, how are you going to make the world a better place? But notice from a DE&I perspective, there may be something missing if you only rely on that approach. While most people see these activities as helpful, for their own individual growth. It is not clear how these activities connect to a larger strategic, or tactical purpose that helps the organization reach its goals. For example, for a person who has been a victim of an ISM, An ISM being any mistreatment motivated by an assignment given to that person at birth, such as their race or sex. They didn't choose it, it was assigned to them, yes, these exercises or circles are validating and cathartic in many ways. Even for those who haven't experienced such mistreatment, these activities allow them to work through their own stuff, and perhaps be better allies. And while I want people to be better, and empowered to do better, effective DE&I must always connect to a larger purpose beyond people being less fragile. Or less of an -ist, such as racist, sexist ableist, you get it, an -ist. So when it comes to exploring the -isms and other similar concepts in the workplace, think of ways to connect the activity to something bigger than just yourself. Connect it to an organizational purpose beyond just general awareness. Think, once we master this concept, this is what I want my employees to do, with the information that I just taught them. Be clear in that expectation, so that performing empathy exercises is not just about exploring a concept. It's about changing behavior and the way we make decisions for our employees, for our workplace, so that we can be who we ultimately want to be. We want to make decisions that are inclusive of everyone, without othering or us versus them, because there is only an us, that's the deliverable. And with that intro out of the way, let's get to work.
