Creating a Culture of Inclusion event recap: Systems Thinking, Accountability and ‘Healthy Disruptions’ with Marcia Bruno-Todd
The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City Inc. recently collaborated in the creation of the Creating a Culture of Inclusion event series, which began in October of 2020.
The first event welcomed keynote speaker Marcia Bruno-Todd to share her expertise as a bridge-builder in diversity and inclusion efforts. Marcia is the Director of Programs & Community Impact for Leadership Tulsa. She supports the direction and implementation of Leadership Tulsa programming and workshops to connect leaders with service opportunities that contribute to a thriving community for all. She has experience working with both non-profits and businesses with diversity and inclusion strategies and consults on developing authentic community partnerships. Forbes Women, among other publications, has featured her for the dedicated work she’s done in to promote inclusion.
Marcia opened the first Culture of Inclusion event by encouraging individuals to accept the session as an opportunity to learn, reflect, and think about the ways they support diversity and inclusion within their individual lives and organizations.
She introduced the 3 main points she would cover during the event for building an inclusive work culture, which were:
- Systems Thinking
- Accountability
- “Healthy Disruptions”
What is systems thinking?
The concept of systems thinking encourages a broad and interconnected approach to considering issues. Systems thinking promotes a holistic understanding of the relationships that work together to form issues and/or solutions.
“It’s the relationships themselves that are really perpetuating equity gaps.” said Marcia.
Systems thinking helps find patterns in how we work and identify what is creating predictable inequities. When looking at a problem through a systems thinking approach, you don’t just see the isolated issue, you can see how it connects to a bigger picture.
To dive deeper into this concept, consider checking out one of Marcia’s suggested resources: Systems Thinking and Race: John A. Powell and the Kirwan Institute
Accountability’s role in building an inclusive workplace
Establishing diversity and inclusion goals and maintaining continuous communication within your organization helps shift mindsets and gives indicators to employees that your commitment is sincere. Marcia encourages leadership to step up and act as an example for the rest of employees to follow. Nothing will change within an organizational culture if goals are not consistently revisited and addressed.
How do you hold your organization accountable? What measures are in place to ensure you are meeting your goals?
The importance of “Healthy Disruptions”
Marcia’s final key point focused on what she calls “healthy disruptions.” In her experience, many individuals play “devil’s advocate” when they want to question a belief or assumption. In her opinion, “We won’t be successful unless we elevate and pressure test all of the biases and assumptions we have. So instead, reframe that lens to be a healthy disruptor.” Questioning beliefs, inviting curiosity, and encouraging individuals to see ideas from a new perspective does not need to be associated with the negative connotations.
Marcia helped clarify and cultivate an awareness of what healthy disruption should not do: “Healthy disruption does not shame because people do not grow through shame…We are all going to process the world differently…healthy disruption shouldn’t police or demean you for processing something differently…It is not something that closes connection or breaks connection. It is meant to open connection and strengthen relationships.”
On the contrary, she provided 5 bullet points to describe how healthy disruptions should function. Healthy disruptions can be:
- Wise decisions and echo chamber preventors
- Pressure testers of ideas
- Exposers of unintended equity implications (positive or negative)
- Creative problem-solving initiatives
- Promoters of open connection
An example of a healthy disruption in action
Following Marcia’s presentation, participants were placed into breakout sessions to discuss their personal experiences with healthy disruption and accountability. When the group returned to the main room, Marcia invited individuals to share stories with the larger group.
One participant, J.D. Baker, told the audience about a time when one of his colleagues was using the term “hearing impaired” to describe deaf individuals. He decided to let his colleague know that the inclusive terminology to reference the Deaf community is "deaf or hard of hearing." Using “hearing impaired” to describe people implies a sense of brokenness, which can be frustrating and harmful for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who strive to live full and healthy lives.
Using appropriate language plays a large role in creating diverse and inclusive spaces. It can be difficult at times because correct terms change. When we kindly share with our colleagues the knowledge we have, we better serve our community and move forward stronger.
Setting your organization up for success
If you have a goal of creating a more diverse and inclusive culture, ensure your efforts foster an environment where implicit beliefs can become explicit through open communication.
Marcia suggested that when dealing with misunderstandings or more difficult conversations, “Instead of jumping to our initial response, which is defensiveness…what we should do in that moment is just take a pause and lean in with curiosity and ask, ‘Let’s explore this issue together.’”
It is helpful to ask questions beginning with what, how, and why when you want to better understand where others are coming from.
Marcia urged participants to continue working with colleagues and investing in their organization’s growth. “Trust doesn’t happen overnight, and trust is established differently for different people.”
As the presentation came to a close, Marcia emphasized the importance of remaining curious, accepting feedback, and acting on that feedback to ensure your organization meets its goals in becoming a healthy and safe space for everyone.
Additional Resources
Catalyst.org-Flip the Script: Create Connections, Not Conflict In Tough Conversations
Radical Candor: Learn to create a culture of feedback, build a cohesive team and achieve great results. Radical Candor helps you love your work and the people you work with. by author Kim Scott
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