Just as important as name pronunciation is spelling someone’s name correctly, especially since so much of our daily communication is through email, text, or other modes of written messaging. It can be frustrating if your name is “Traci” and everyone around you continues to misspell it as “Tracy”. If someone can’t take the time to spell your name correctly, especially if you’ve been friends or co-workers for some time, the feeling can go beyond simple frustration to disrespect and resentment, and those feeling aren’t good for the health of relationships or organizations.

You may have also noticed some of your friends’ or colleagues’ names use a diacritic (also known as an accent or symbol) to indicate an emphasis on a certain letter or a particular pronunciation. An example is the tilde, an accent (~) placed over the Spanish-based “n” to be pronounced “ny” (as in señor), or the Portuguese “a” or “o” when nasalized (as in São Paulo). In German, an Umlaut (the two dots above a letter) changes the pronunciation of words with the vowels Ä, Ö, and Ü and. As well, the accent “aigu” is used commonly in French over the letter “e” as in the word café.

Guess what? These diacritics are part of the accurate spelling of a person’s name. They are NOT optional and should always be included when you are writing a person’s name, sending them an email, or including their name in a document. However, what’s often easier, and what tends to happen instead, is to write the person’s name leaving the accent or other diacritic out completely. This alteration, in effect, changes the person’s name to better suit the needs of the writer rather than respect the other person’s true name and identity.

Now, some will say that they aren’t doing this out of malice, and that it’s okay to incorrectly write a person’s name because they don’t mean any harm, or that the other person gave them permission to spell their name differently (e.g., it’s okay to use “n” instead of ñ in their name or leave off the accent mark when writing their name). To that, I’d say what a shame to miss an opportunity to get someone’s real name right and, just as an added nudge to the skeptics out there, there are also plenty of names we’ve all figured out over time when we really want to (case in point, the name of any character from Games of Thrones!). In other circumstances, some individuals will change their own given name to a more “Americanized” version (anglicization) or to something easier for others to pronounce and spell (e.g., changing Jorge to George or Joe, or using “G” as a nickname rather than Gustavo) in order to better fit in, minimize their outsider status, or otherwise be more accepted in certain settings. However, saying and spelling someone’s name correctly really does matter. When we don’t get someone’s name right, we’re heading towards exclusion rather than towards a more inclusive culture. When we take the time to get it right, it’s the first step in showing someone that you “see” them and that you value them.

So, next time you are trying to write someone’s name, try these tips:

• Take a moment to double-check the spelling of their name. Check their email signature or other place where it is listed correctly to make sure you use the correct spelling.
• If you notice that their name contains an accent, tilde, or other diacritics, spell it that way. If you don’t know how to find that particular marking on your laptop or other device, you can do a quick Google search for tips.
• For Microsoft Word users as an example, to get the à character, press and hold the Ctrl key, and press the ` key (the tilde key). Then, release both keys and quickly press the A key. Otherwise, under the Insert menu, click Symbol for a list of symbols and special characters.
• AND HERE’S YOUR BEST NAME SPELLING HACK – simply copy and paste their name from their own email signature!

Here’s to all of us taking big and small steps to creating more representative and inclusive spaces! If you have a suggestion or tip for creating inclusive workplaces or other spaces, please reach out to workbetter@adrvantage.com and let us know. We love sharing ideas!

Tara B. Taylor, MPA
Managing Director

The post What’s in a Name? How Saying & Spelling Names Correctly is Critical to Your DEI Efforts appeared first on ADR Vantage, Inc..

Research from the NeuroLeadership Institute reveals that “Brain scientists call our recall of sounds echoic memory, and it lasts for only a handful of seconds. It turns out that if a statement takes less than three seconds to say to yourself or say out loud, it is significantly easier to recall and use. Any time you craft an idea that you want people to remember easily, if the idea can be said out loud in under three seconds, the chances of usage go up dramatically.”

This is also true for leadership principles, company values, organizational diversity statements, learning and development, and so much more. In our strategic planning and organizational development work with clients at ADR Vantage, we often find that leaders struggle with getting their employees and teams to commit and “live” the core values they’ve worked so hard to craft in their mission and vision statements or strategic planning documents. In fact, when asked, many employees can’t recall the mission statement, values, or strategic goals of the organization they work for. It’s rarely that they don’t care, but rather that those highly detailed, and often wordy, concepts are just too difficult for them to remember. And, if they can’t remember them, how can they put them into action in the workplace?

When it comes to leadership principles and company values, Dr. David Rock, Co-Founder and CEO of the NeuroLeadership Institute, shares that “They only really exist if employees are thinking about them, saying them to themselves, bringing them up in conversation with colleagues. The principles have to get stuck inside their heads like a pop song.”

So how can you and your organization learn to maximize the brain science behind helping individuals more easily recall and act on important concepts?

Start with breaking things down. Take a look at the principles or ideas you want to focus on and see if you can reduce them down to what’s at the core. What is most important and what do you want them to remember? (Tip – take a look at the verbs in your longer mission statements or strategic plans and try to focus on the ones that have the most action connected to them. For example, words like “deliver”, “create”, “innovate” are great to promote action and accountability in your workplace. For example, at our company, we “deliver the best”, “innovate every day”, “create opportunities”, etc.)

Next, involve your managers and employees. Reintroduce them to whatever principles or concepts you want them to remember and act on. Ask them what they think is most important about those ideas and see if you can shorten the ideas to a memorable and meaningful phrase. Phrases like “Safety First”, “Create Clarity”, “Think Big”, or “Deliver Success” can be said in less than three seconds and are more likely to be remembered by employees. These are concepts that can be quickly repeated, easily recalled and used as reminders for everyday workplace decisions. Is what we are doing “delivering success” for the client? Is this project plan “creating clarity” for the team? How does this design idea put “safety first” for the public we serve?

Lastly, make it visible and highlight successes. Once you’ve decided on your three-second concepts (e.g. – At Company XYZ we “Create Clarity. Think Big. Deliver Success.”) make sure they are visible to your employees, your partners and your leadership. Values and principles shouldn’t be hidden in an employee handbook or buried on a website page where no one sees them on a regular basis. One of ADR Vantage’s clients lists their core concepts on the back of everyone’s office key card to make sure they are visible day in and day out for every employee. Think about where you can post and integrate your core concepts and then make sure to acknowledge and celebrate when employees are using the concepts and putting them into action in the workplace. Positive acknowledgment is a terrific way to show employees that living your values and principles is a measure of success for everyone!

Tara B. Taylor, MPA
Managing Director

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“Should” is a devious little word. It seems so useful on its surface, but it complicates communication and impairs relationships whenever it appears.  Take the sentence, “You should have notified me about this.” In this example, the speaker tries to indicate what someone else ought to have done, which is not as helpful as it could be.

“Should” does several sneaky things that encourage ineffective communication. First, when paired with the word “have”, the word “should” situates the conversation in the past, as in, “You should have had the marketing department review the brochure.” In doing so, “should have” steers away from future-focused planning where improvements can be made. If the current situation is unresolved, it would have been more helpful to say that “You need to have marketing review this brochure.” If the damage has already been done, it might be more helpful to plan for the future, as in, “The next time you make a brochure, you need to have marketing review it.” Unfortunately, “should have” does neither and instead keeps the conversation grounded in what has already happened.

Second, “should” attributes blame. Whenever it appears, “should” is a shorthand way of saying what someone ought to have done but didn’t do, as in, “I should have checked for typos.” While it might be important to acknowledge who is responsible for the current situation, blame can feel heavy even when you attribute it to yourself, and especially on its own when it is attributed without a path toward resolution. Rarely does blaming someone or their behavior motivate change or get them to do better next time. Rather, blaming often triggers feelings of regret, helplessness, or defeat when instead, positive change needs to be fueled by a belief that next time can be better.

Third, “should” disguises the fact that the speaker isn’t making their own intentions and sentiments clear. When someone says, “you should have come to me first”, what they really mean is, “I wish you had come to me first”, or “I would like you to come to me first,” or “I’m disappointed that you didn’t follow the protocol of coming to me first.”

Here are a few tips to avoid the blame trap that “should” sets up.

• Remove pronouns. If you must describe what ought to have happened, say, “This should have been checked for typos” instead of “you should have checked,” or “I should have checked.” Removing pronouns helps describe what ought to have happened without attributing blame to a specific person.
• Suggest a solution. After removing the pronouns, offer a way that the situation can be rectified. Say, “This should have been checked for typos. In the future, please be sure to double-check everything you submit.”
• Eliminate “should” & acknowledge your own feelings regarding what did or didn’t happen. Good relationships are built on open and honest communication. Even better than simply removing pronouns, try eliminating “should” altogether, and express what you want and how you feel. This is a better approach then generically describing what ought to have happened. Say, “I was annoyed to find so many typos in your report. In the future, I would appreciate it if you will double-check everything you submit.”

Check out our previous entries in this series, here, here, and here. We will continue to highlight Words and Phrases that Transform Conversations on our blog.

Rick Buccheri
Director of Programs

The post Words and Phrases that Transform Conversation IV appeared first on ADR Vantage, Inc..

The nexus between DEI and ADR continues to be explored and ADR Vantage hopes to further our work in this area with future research and events. In the meantime, we welcome you to start to engage in your own thoughts and exploration of how the dimensions of DEI may impact and interact with the practice of ADR.  You can start with this great list of resources that were offered during the session:

Research

• This is the original research that was the focus of the discussion: ADR-DEI research survey and results

Recommended Books:

• Blind Spot by Anthony Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji
• Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice the shapes what we see, Think and Do by Jennifer Eberhardt
• The Person You Mean to Be: How Good People Fight Bias by Dolly Chugh

Recommended Academic Papers:

• Hoffman & Stallworth (2008). Leveling the playing field for workplace neutrals: A proposal for achieving racial and ethnic diversity. Dispute Resolution Journal.
• Jakeman & Clark (2019). The “neutral person”: A paradox-accepting and addressing unconscious bias in mediation. The Advocate.
• Lee (2020). Implicit bias in mediation: Strategies for mediators to engage constructively with “incoming” implicit bias. Harvard Negotiation Law Review.

Recommended Websites & Other Related Resources:

• DEI.extension.org
• Dismantling Racism
• Racial Equity Tools
• Inclusive Language
• Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+)
• Undoing Racism Workshop
• Laws enforced by the EEOC

If you are interested in these topics, make sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and/or Facebook. For more information on this event or future events regarding DEI and ADR, please feel free to contact us at workbetter@adrvantage.com

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In fact, when employees receive appreciation and feel grateful in the workplace, they are more likely to have higher productivity, better communication with their colleagues, less stress, and increased well-being. Beyond the direct workplace benefits, grateful people also tend to exercise more, sleep better and longer, feel less isolated, and even get a boost to their immune system to help in recovering from traumatic life events.

Yet, even with all these potential benefits, we don’t always know exactly how to bring a sense of gratitude to our workplace, beyond just the occasional “thank you”. Elton and Gostick describe this as the “gratitude gap” which happens when we don’t express gratitude as much as we should, diminishing the powerful effect it has on others —both for the giver and the receiver.

So, what can we all do to foster a culture of greater gratitude in our workplaces?

Authors of the recently published book, The Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good recommend these top 5 tips:

1. Start at the top. Employees need to hear “thank you” from the boss first. It’s also helpful to understand how those around you prefer to receive gratitude. Do they like gifts or thank you notes? Do they prefer to be thanked in public or in private? Understanding those preferences can ensure that we are showing gratitude in ways that are most meaningful for those receiving it.

2. Thank the people who never (or very rarely) get thanked. Some employees are naturally more visible than others and receive appreciation more often or more readily than others. So, start thinking about who in your organization doesn’t receive enough kudos or whose contributions are less visible on a day-to-day basis. Make sure to show these individuals gratitude and appreciation for what they bring to your workplace as well.

3. Aim for quality, not quantity. We can’t mandate that people show gratitude at work but, the goal should be to “create qualitative, spontaneous and voluntary expressions of gratitude” whenever possible. Gratitude is most impactful when the receiver feels it is authentic and it is tied to the specific way they like to be shown appreciation. So, take the time to include details in your acts of gratitude as much as possible.

4. Provide many opportunities for gratitude. The more formal and informal opportunities there are to show gratitude, the more it will start to become part of your organization’s overall culture. Try starting a “Gratitude Wall” in the office, or a virtual version, where employees can post notes of thanks and other accolades for one another that are visible to the whole organization. You could also offer regular time and space in meetings for employees to give shout-outs to recognize one another and special achievements. Something as simple as keeping a stack of blank thank-you notes in your desk drawer or saving an electronic thank-you card template in a desktop folder make it easy to send a grateful message any time you want. Any way you can make showing gratitude more of the norm will go a long way to embedding a gratitude mindset for everyone in your organization.

5. In the wake of a crisis, take time for thanksgiving. In times of transition, uncertainty, and change, (which the last two years have certainly been!) “cultivating gratitude and making it a policy and a practice make people more resilient to stress.” In fact, in those circumstances, it is crucial to focus on gratitude to help everyone see beyond the immediate challenges and vision a better future.

Other ideas you might want to try include:

• Setting a regular reminder on your phone or calendar to reach out and personally thank someone for something they’ve done
• Offering words of thanks and appreciation at unexpected times
• Gifting a gratitude journal to your employees, teams, or special project partners
• Send a handwritten card of thanks rather than an email
• Post a note of thanks to someone in your company newsletter or other communications
• Start your next meeting with an icebreaker question such as, “What’s the thing you are most thankful for this week?” or “What’s the best thing that has happened to you since we last spoke?”
• Take turns in meetings giving thanks to one person, in particular, for their contributions to the week, the month, or a recent project

From our families to yours, all of us at ADR Vantage wish you a warm season of gratitude with your family and friends and we thank you for staying connected with us. We also recognize the complicated history of the Thanksgiving holiday and the atrocities committed against Indigenous Peoples and their lands. We encourage all non-Native people to educate themselves and their families on the real history of the holiday.

The post Don’t Get Caught in the Gratitude Gap: 5 Tips for Building a Culture of Appreciation at Work appeared first on ADR Vantage, Inc..

Data collection through employee assessments and surveys, as well as focus group discussions and individual employee interviews, all help to paint the picture of where your organization stands related to DEI. The Gartner Inclusion Index is an example of another tool to include that allows a quick pulse check-in with just seven (7) questions to get a holistic view of inclusion from your workforce. After much research, 45 employee experience questions, and over 10,000 employee surveys, the Index distilled down seven core concepts that best represent elements of inclusion that can help organizations to take a more holistic view of their employees’ experiences at work.

1. Fair treatment: Employees at my organization who help the organization achieve its strategic objectives are rewarded and recognized fairly.
2. Integrating differences: Employees at my organization respect and value each other’s opinions.
3. Decision making: Members of my team fairly consider ideas and suggestions offered by other team members.
4. Psychological safety: I feel welcome to express my true feelings at work.
5. Trust: Communication we receive from the organization is honest and open.
6. Belonging: People in my organization care about me.
7. Diversity: Managers at my organization are as diverse as the broader workforce.

“To put it simply: The greater the degree to which employees agree with these statements”, the more likely the organization has a truly inclusive environment.

As with any pulse survey, the Gartner Inclusion Index reflects employee experiences at a given moment and can certainly fluctuate over time for a variety of reasons. However, leaders can utilize their employee responses to the Index to set a baseline measurement of the inclusion experience in their workplace that can be compared over time for consistency and opportunities for improvement. Responses to the Index questions can also reveal gaps or differences in experiences across the diversity of individuals within the workforce and can also help leaders to identify areas for future progress.

As the focus on DEI for organizations continues to grow across the globe, there is also a growing demand for solutions and strategies that offer accountability and can successfully measure for impact. Employee feedback is one sure way to stay connected to the experiences of your workforce and to gather meaningful data to inform your leadership approach and strategic planning for organizational DEI efforts. The Gartner Inclusion Index offers one quick and approachable method to consider adding to your efforts and to best understand the day-to-day inclusion experience of your employees.

For more information or questions regarding our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practice at ADR Vantage, contact us at workbetter@adrvantage.com

Tara Taylor, MPA
Managing Director

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At ADR Vantage, we help people work better together by improving communication and collaborative decision-making at the intersection of multiple fields of practice. Our team includes over 160 professional practitioners who are experts in the fields of Conflict Management, Organization Effectiveness, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)[i]. When the theories and practices of one field are applied to another, they highlight opportunities for greater development and lead to more comprehensive and effective approaches to organizational challenges.

Inspired by the outpouring of calls for social justice and events throughout 2020 that further illuminated long-standing systemic inequities in the United States, ADR Vantage partnered with Dr. Yunzi (Rae) Tan, Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Science Program in Negotiations and Conflict Management at the University of Baltimore, to explore the relationship between diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the practice of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) from the practitioner’s perspective.

Specifically, we created and conducted a survey focused on the connections between DEI and ADR, an area of practice that spans both Conflict Management and Organization Effectiveness. Through the survey, we hoped to better understand practitioners’ experiences in which DEI factors or issues might have played a role. Additionally, we wanted to uncover their personal reflections, observations, and insights about DEI-related issues in the practice of ADR.

159 people from among ADR Vantage’s broader roster of professional ADR practitioners were invited to participate in this survey. 43 people completed the survey (27% response rate), and on average, had 24 years of overall ADR experience. While the data collected in this survey is limited to those who self-selected to participate, their responses do present insightful perspectives that warrant further consideration and the need for possible future research. The ADR-DEI Survey questions can be found at the end of this article.

We highlight five key findings below:

1. Inherent tensions between recognizing supporting DEI and the practice of ADR

Within the practice of ADR, the principles of impartiality and neutrality are of utmost importance. To simplify both concepts, neutrality means that the ADR practitioner does not take sides or favor one person at the expense of another, and impartiality means that the practitioner does not advocate for specific solutions, but instead assists people in making decisions for themselves.

The survey revealed that there are underlying tensions in how ADR practitioners navigate between supporting DEI values and practicing the principles of neutrality and impartiality in the ADR process. For example, some practitioners considered whether, and  how, their own implicit or unconscious biases might have influenced their ability to maintain neutrality and/or impartiality during the ADR process. Others noted that their own personal characteristics or their clients’ identities might have shaped the parties’ interactions and outcomes.

“I always am conscious that participants might perceive my allegiance to one side or another based on similarities between my visible demographics and those of one or more participants. Additionally, I acknowledge that due to unconscious biases, in practice, my own neutrality might not be as immutable as I believe and hope it to be.” – Participant 10

Several respondents also observed structural or systemic issues that might be maintaining or reinforcing norms of exclusion, oppression, and marginalization within the ADR profession and the field more broadly. Such issues include the persistent lack of practitioners of color on ADR rosters and the absence of DEI language and guidance in existing ADR ethical standards and practice guidelines.

“The fact is that the [ADR] standards were created, in large measure, by privileged people (myself included). I’m not certain how those standards, well-intended and thoughtfully constructed, might not meet the interests and concerns of those who have a different cultural, racial, and economic background to mine.” – Participant 35

2. Greater awareness of DEI dynamics and challenges among ADR practitioners and clients

Many ADR practitioners described that they perceive greater awareness around issues involving diversity, (in)equity, and inclusion, either within themselves or among their clients.

 “Clients have been more explicit about issues of race, racism, and inequities at the mediation table.” – Participant 8

Some of these comments also pointed to a degree of “discovery” or “awakening” about one’s identity, biases, privilege, and “limited perspectives.”

 “I will say that these [recent] events have impacted my thinking on the impact of both real and perceived institutional racism has on how parties and their counsel approach, participate in and evaluate their experiences in ADR.” – Participant 27

Many (or some) described a heightened sense of curiosity and eagerness to better understand and examine how structural forces of inequity, justice, and privilege influence and shape their ADR practice.

“Since the summer, the murder of George Floyd, I have taken a deep dive into educating myself. My friends and I (all White) formed a book club to read books related to racism and to explore ourselves through this lens.” – Participant 17

3. Need and desire of practitioners to enhance their own DEI understanding and skills in ADR training and continuing education

81% of the ADR practitioners conveyed a strong interest in enhancing their understanding around DEI issues in their practice.

“ADR facilitators have to be willing to get uncomfortable themselves and examine our own biases and assumptions and feel ready to facilitate these uncomfortable and difficult conversations. We have to not hide behind the cloak of neutrality or even impartiality if/when it simply reinforces the status quo. Or, at minimum, admit that this is what we’re doing.” – Participant 26

They also expressed a shared desire for more DEI content, resources, and opportunities offered in ADR training and continuing education to develop or strengthen their DEI skills and competencies.

 “…ADR professionals would benefit greatly from education/training in unconscious bias, racial discrimination/justice, pay inequity. Not that we as ADR professionals should form an opinion or come into a mediation loaded with sense of injustice, but to wake up, become aware where many of us (myself included) are a bit blind.” – Participant 17

“I think ADR training should be expanded on being mindful of systemic inequities, social justice issues, demographics, and socio-economic statuses of everyone.” – Participant 20

4. Need to integrate DEI considerations into ADR standards and structures

Many practitioners also highlighted the need to better integrate DEI considerations into existing ADR standards, guidelines, policies, programs, and practices. Such considerations might involve including guidance around cross-cultural competence and bias awareness in existing ADR standards and guidelines, recruiting more ADR practitioners of color and expanding their access to ADR opportunities in the field, and ensuring greater diversity among those who create and administer ADR policies and programs.

“Recruit minority neutrals.” – Participant 31

 “…[T]he ethical guidelines cover the importance of neutrality but could be improved by using specific language related to cultural competence and implicit bias.” – Participant 7

 “ADR programs should have practitioner rosters that are equally as diverse as the populations they serve.” – Participant 10

“State offices of the courts that have ADR commissions need to require DEI training when approving trainers of ADR. And mediators need bias training to maintain their listings of approved mediators.” – Participant 44

5. Creating and seeking opportunities for DEI education and dialogue in ADR practice

Several respondents described their own active efforts at creating opportunities to either better educate themselves about DEI or to engage in DEI-related discussions with their clients as part of their ADR practice. Others sought out existing information and resources about DEI, including books, articles, podcasts, programs, online courses, and web-based content and initiatives offered in other contexts beyond the ADR field. Some also worked on deepening their DEI understanding by having direct interactions and conversations with people different from themselves.

“I believe one thing that will be helpful is lots of exposure – discussions, readings to broaden my understanding; then learning from and contributing where I can to best practices for DEI in CR.” – Participant 36

 “First, locate people in the profession who are unlike ourselves, who are unfamiliar to us, and seek their counsel. Be curious, demonstrate a genuine interest in learning more.” – Participant 35

At ADR Vantage, we are committed to assisting organizations in their efforts to create more collaborative processes and more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces. Research and the expertise of our practitioners continue to inform and strengthen each area of our practice. In the coming months, ADR Vantage plans to host a panel of DEI and ADR experts to discuss these survey findings and to offer strategies for reinforcing DEI values in our work. We look forward to sharing more updates and insights soon

ADR-DEI Survey 

Online survey conducted in December 2020.

1. Please briefly describe your professional background, journey, and experiences as an ADR practitioner.

2. In your own words, please describe how you define these three terms: diversity, equity, and inclusion.

3. Given your definitions of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), how, if at all, do these issues come into play with your ADR practice?

4. In what ways, if any, have your own and/or your participants’ demographic and socio-cultural identities influenced the ADR process or outcomes?

5. In light of recent events around systemic inequities and social justice, how, if at all, have these events/issues related to your ADR practice?

6. In your view, what are some gaps, if any, in ADR training and education (related to DEI) that should be addressed to improve/enhance ADR practice?

7. In your view, what are some gaps, if any, in the ethical guidelines, standards, and/or practice norms (related to DEI) that should be addressed to improve/enhance ADR practice?

8. What are some resources, if any, that might help you better navigate issues relating to DEI in your ADR practice?

9. What suggestions, if any, do you have for conflict resolution researchers/scholars that could help bridge gaps (related to DEI) between existing ADR theory/research and practice?

10. What other comments or thoughts, if any, would you like to share with us regarding the topic of DEI when it comes to ADR theory, research, and/or practice?

Author’s Note:  These findings, and the featured quotes, are only a subset of the survey results, and a more detailed report of the survey research is currently being prepared for future publication. If you have questions about the survey, please reach out to either ADR Vantage (workbetter@adrvantage.com), or to Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Science Program in Negotiations and Conflict Management at the University of Baltimore, Dr. Yunzi “Rae” Tan (rtan@ubalt.edu).

[i] ADR Vantage has adopted the phrasing of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) that aligns with the recent Presidential Executive Order Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Government.  Although ADR Vantage has a long history of incorporating accessibility into its definitions and services related to DEI, the ADR-DEI survey referenced in this summary report predates the introduction of Executive Order phrasing.  In this document we refer to DEI as it relates to the survey and its findings and refer to DEIA when speaking generally about the subject.

The post Navigating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in ADR Practice appeared first on ADR Vantage, Inc..

Knowing this, how can you and your organization set the stage for positive workplace conversations that will help employees re-connect with one another as so many of us are “returning to work”?

Tip # 1 – Acknowledge the Moment. It can be really helpful to simply acknowledge that the impacts of the pandemic, continued acts of racial and social injustice, forced shifts in childcare and schooling, and an increase in remote work have been different for everyone. Some employees may be thrilled to return to a busy office space where they can join colleagues at their favorite lunch spot again or simply stop by a co-worker’s office for a mid-morning catch up. While other employees will certainly feel the strain and anxiety of returning to in-person meetings and close-quarter offices while the world is still figuring out what “safe” workplaces look like.

Tip # 2 – Check in & Ask for Input. Just like you checked in with employees and colleagues back at the start of the pandemic, now is another great time to check in and see how others are feeling about returning to work and to ask what they may need that is different from their past ways of working. So many news stories right now are focusing on “returning to work” but it’s really a “return to the office” that’s happening. For many employees, their life situation may have changed significantly over the past 18 months now will be the time to re-envision their role and what resources they will need to deliver their best work in the future.

Tip # 3 – Be Patient. Change can happen fast but adjusting to change can take much longer. Just because mask mandates are lifting in some areas and offices are re-opening, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone is fully on board yet. Some employees may have lost family members and support systems due to the pandemic. Some parents and caretakers are still navigating limited school and summer camp options and continue to have to balance work, home and appropriate child care. Still there are others who will need the time and mental space to transition from whatever their version of a remote work environment looked like at home, to what their returning office setting will be like with their own concerns related to office health and safety. For all those reasons – be patient.

Tip # 4 – Offer Opportunities to Reset & Reconnect. Even though many organizations were able to pivot their business with virtual meetings rooms, remote client engagements and other online options, there will likely still be a need to intentionally reset workplace expectations and relationships. Offer formal and informal ways for employees, colleagues, clients and others to reconnect with one another and re-establish their relationships.

We’ve all been through quite a lot in the last year plus. The best gift we can give one another as we transition to this next phase is grace. Grace to care for one another’s needs. Grace to remember we all transition at a different pace. Grace to hand in there together as we move forward to a brighter future.

Tara B Taylor, MPA
Managing Director

The post The Gift of Grace appeared first on ADR Vantage, Inc..

How could someone suffer paradox?

I remember it well.

I was in the initial weeks of completing my certification program to administer the Key Polarity Indicator, or KPI. (I would eventually become part of the first cohort of practitioners ever certified to administer this innovative instrument.)

I was drawn to better understand polarities due to my extensive study of Bernie Mayer’s book – The Conflict Paradox: Seven Dilemmas at the Core of Disputes. (My interview with him is just below.)

This was ground breaking thinking.

I realized then that it wasn’t and either/or situation – a both/and mindset was necessary to deal with conflict and become a more effective leader!

This discovery then lead me to the work of Barry Johnson and his focus on Polarity Management. Through my ongoing study of leadership coaching, I came across Kelly Lewis and Brian Emerson’s Key Polarity Indicator, or KPI, instrument. Lewis and Emerson spent years in study of polarities with Barry Johnson which led to their own innovations and insights.

Namely, the concept of suffering paradox. For example, a company is in the midst of completing a reorg and is trying to determine if all decisions will be centralized at Headquarters, or if it will be decentralized to their regional offices. (The polarity of centralized decision-making :: localized decision-making is a variation of the group :: individual decision-making polarity.) In his article Alleviating The Suffering Of Paradox By Mapping Polarities, Emerson provides the following description:

“The process of Suffering Paradox begins when a group experiences a paradoxical situation and moves forward without some sort of sensemaking tool to map the polarity. That is, they approach the polarity as any other problematic situation. In these instances, it seems people in the group can begin Preferencing one pole over the other and then Attaching themselves to it. In order to make themselves right, they begin looking for ways to make the Other pole, and the people who prefer it, wrong. This leads to an Either/Or-ing mindset that creates a Destructive Tension impacting results, communication, morale, and relationships.”

So, returning to our example of the company reorg. We now find factions within the organization rallying around each polarity that then results in labeling the opposing faction as the true source of their problems -and thus conflict ensues. They aren’t in the midst of an intractable conflict.

They are fully suffering paradox.

If unaddressed, both sides will soon double-down on their arguments and become entrenched in their beliefs. No number of committees, consultants, or resources can address this dynamic without the proper mindset.

I share this concept with you friend, as a means of, hopefully, preventing you and those that you care for from unduly suffering it.

Polarities are constants.

They remain immutable.

We cannot avoid them or deny their influence on our lives.

What we can do, is embrace a both/and mindset.

Seek out and deepen our knowledge of how suffering paradox may be manifesting in our lives and workplace.

Acknowledge that polarities are better navigated than denied.

And enjoy the ride….

Stephen Kotev, MS, ACC
Leadership Coach, Educator and Conflict Resolution Consultant

Reposted with permission from Stephen Kotev. To learn more about Stephen and to follow his blog, visit https://www.stephenkotev.com/

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If you are looking for a new approach to bringing creative energy to a task or team assignment, check out the Six Hats Technique, originally described in the book of the same title by Edward de Bono. This technique can help to generate more ideas than you would have typically had if you if you just looked at one or two perspectives.

White Hat:  Use an objective perspective. What are the known facts? The white hat also analyzes past data and trends to help determine what it may mean for the present situation.

Yellow Hat:  Uses a positive perspective. What’s good about this idea? The yellow hat thinks through what will happen if everything goes according to plan.

Black Hat: Uses a negative perspective. What’s bad about this idea? The black hat asks what could go wrong and anticipates shortcoming and problems.

Blue Hat:  Uses a parameters perspective. What’s the end goal and how do we stay focused on the problem at hand? The blue hat keeps everyone on task, reigns in conversations that get off topic and sets parameters for the overall discussion.

Green Hat:  Uses a creative perspective? What haven’t we thought of? The green hat puts no parameters or limitations on the conversation, on resources or on the possibilities. The green hat encourages boundless ideas, alternatives and new ways of seeing a problem.

Red Hat:  Uses an emotional perspective. What’s your gut reaction? The red hat thinks of what people’s reactions will be to an idea or decision. The red hat examines intuition, first impressions, and overall emotional connections.

For more on the Six Hats Technique, check out this article.

Author’s Note: In reviewing the Six Hats Technique, we did notice the alignment of the white hat description with what is generally considered good and “objective” while the black hat description was characterized as negative. We recognize that language conveys meaning and the traditional equating of the color white with “good” images and the color black with “bad” or negative images is problematic. We invite all writers to examine the way language may intentionally and unintentionally include or exclude individuals and groups of individuals.

Tara B. Taylor, MPA
Managing Director

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