Have you ever been afraid to speak up at work for fear of saying the wrong thing? What about being so afraid you might say something offensive to a coworker with diverse identities that you avoid them altogether? Even the most well-intentioned leaders can carry a fear of saying the wrong thing and being “canceled”.
We need more room for error.
Cancel culture has become increasingly popular over the past decade or so. At its core, cancel culture seeks to hold individuals and entities accountable for actions deemed harmful or offensive. Individuals, organizations, and leaders have been deemed “canceled” based on ongoing behaviors, financial contributions, or harmful rhetoric. Yet, as righteous and straightforward as it may seem on the surface, the layers of cancel culture are complex. While it can be an effective tool for calling attention to important social issues and ensuring accountability, it has also been used as a tool to shame individuals before giving them the opportunity for education and repair.
With the rise of cancel culture, people have become afraid of making mistakes - an integral part of the learning process, especially within diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Employees often express concerns about being authentic for fear of being 'canceled' for misspeaking or holding unpopular opinions. A study from Harvard Business Review highlights that employees in fear-based cultures are 50% less likely to bring forward innovative ideas. This apprehension can stifle the conversations that DEI initiatives aim to promote, creating a paradox where the very tool meant to advance social justice inadvertently hinders it.
In some extreme cases, the countermeasure has been to dismantle and ban DEI systems altogether. That can’t be the answer. We are regressing with these recent laws and developments.
So, what are we going to do about it?
As business leaders it is imperative, that we fall in love with the problem, not avoid it.
That’s where Connection Culture comes in. Connection Culture advocates for providing employees with opportunities to learn and repair their mistakes. Rex Wilde, a DEI expert who centers on creating connections within organizations asserts, “Cultures of connection allow us the chance to learn from our mistakes. In fact, when we’re given the opportunity to make mistakes without being ostracized for them, it helps to build an environment of psychological safety which fosters a sense of trust and belonging.”
The workplace of the future, and to be candid – the workplace today needs organizations to incorporate restorative practices. Practices that encourage individuals to acknowledge their mistakes and biases, engage in self-reflection, and participate in meaningful conversations. This is how we foster personal and collective growth by prioritizing understanding over punitive measures.
“Cancel culture, though motivated by a desire for accountability, poses a substantial challenge to DEI initiatives within workplaces” shares Rex. By embracing Connection Culture over Cancel Culture, organization leaders can create environments where employees feel secure in expressing themselves, learning from their missteps, and participating in genuine conversations about diversity and inclusion.
It starts with you.
Building a connection culture should be part of your LeadershipSOPs – your leadership playbook. Some pages of your playbook should include how you'll:
- Model the behavior of open-mindedness
- Show willingness to learn at every opportunity
- Own mistakes or missteps and repairing in real-time
- Encourage healthy conflict and constructive dialogue
- Provide continuous learning in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
- Create an environment where individuals can voice opinions without fear of retribution
- Deploy a feedback look and pulse test that the above SOPs are having the intended impact and tweak
This is how you get intentional and consistent with reinforcing a connecting culture. Intentional leaders can take meaningful steps toward building organizational cultures not steeped in fear but built on the strength of their people and the diverse brilliance they each bring.
It starts with you.
