What does it mean to be a leader during this incredibly difficult and uncertain time? What role can you play? What role should you play? What role are you committed to playing?
I unabashedly believe everyone, no matter their race, gender, sexual preference, religion, or ethnicity deserves equal rights to be included, not discriminated against, to feel safe to be themselves in public, and enjoy the same freedoms no matter the color of their skin. The events of the past few weeks have only highlighted larger and more troubling racism that we've lived with all our lives in America. The question now is, how can we be better? How can we lead better and start to change the narrative? Though I’m clear I don’t know the answers to these questions, I wanted to share a compilation of pieces on how we can at least begin the process of change as leaders, team members, and human beings Before any sort of change can happen, we must first be aware of what needs to change and what’s not working. Shola Richards, TEDx Speaker, Workplace civility expert, does a fantastic job of sharing the reality of racial inequality through his piece, Your Difficult Questions About Race in America, Answered. Many of us aren’t aware of the privileges we have and benefit from every day. Here’s a short Guide to White Privilege that does a great job of highlighting the privileges in an easy to digest set of slides.
Business leaders must consciously and mindfully examine their workplace policies around hiring, promoting, and developing team members, advises Siji Onabanjo; read his full thoughts here. It begins with creating a psychologically safe culture for everyone.
What role are you committed to playing as a leader on your team, with your family, and in your community?
Aaron
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