I have been part of the Colorado Inclusive Economy for the past two years.  It is an organization that is committed to creating a more equitable economy by supporting leaders and CEOs with their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.  I have learned a tremendous amount through this program, and I appreciate the exposure to topics and resources that have helped me gain a better understanding of workplace dynamics when it comes to race, gender, sexual orientation and different beliefs.     

At a recent event we got to hear from keynote speaker Tara Jaye Frank, who worked at Hallmark Cards for twenty-one years in multiple executive roles and now owns a consultancy helping executives and teams with leadership development training and equity strategies.  I found her talk to be both insightful and tangible because it focused on building bridges between people, ideas and opportunity.  She shared that every person at work needs four things:

To Be Seen - In all levels of leadership. In meetings where decisions are being made. On important projects. In marketing and communications.

To Be Respected - For their distinct perspective and ideas. For their results and contributions.  For their expertise and experience. As they envision, lead, create, and make decisions.

To Be Valued - As a person. As a professional. As a business partner with growth potential-with equal pay and equal access to opportunity.

To Be Protected - With psychologically safe spaces - meetings, teams, company cultures, idea funnels and relationships.

One of my top personal core values is Belonging.  I strive to create environments for my family, for my friends, for my team at work and the MIBE community as a whole, where everyone feels worthy of love and belonging.  Where people feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves and can show up authentically without fear of being ostracized or left out.  When I heard Tara talk about these four things, it made sense to me that on a human level it is exactly how we create belonging - See people for who they are, respect them, value them, and protect them.

I realize there are a lot of dynamics at play here when it comes to DEI efforts that go far deeper than my weekly MIBE message.  I’m by no means an expert on the matter, but on a topic that has become so divisive, I appreciate Maya Angelou’s quote; “Do the best you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better.”  The four needs that Tara Jaye Frank shared are not political points, they are human points.  As leaders, we hold access to those four needs and by managing them we have the ability to create incredible work environments for our teams.   If we want to effectively respond to those needs on a personal level though, we must keep an open mind, commit to learning as we go, and be a bit more patient with one another along the way.