Steve Butler outlines a culture of inclusion where staff are much more willing to celebrate difference, challenge historical ways of working – and there are no macho attitudes to be seen
When I started work in the finance industry, meetings were male dominated, ego-driven, and very macho events, with lots of testosterone. We had a monthly sales meeting, but it was a one-way bureaucratic blast from the top: these are the numbers, this is how you’re going to achieve them. Gladly, times have changed and most of the meetings I attend have a collaborative approach, are more diverse and personal concerns are freely being raised. However, there are occasional meetings where macho attitudes still exist, with men talking over women and where we see patronising mansplaining by the dominate alpha males.
Within my organisation, in an effort to break down any macho attitudes, we now begin meetings with a sign in, where each attendee takes a minute or two to update the others on what’s happening in their life.
Each person gives their personal life, professional life, and wellbeing a score out of ten. It’s an opportunity for them to explain what’s gone well and what problems they’ve had. It’s not compulsory to go into detail, but as time has gone on, everyone has entered into the spirit of it and, although there was some hesitance at first, everyone has fully embraced the approach, not least because it signals that our priority as a business is the welfare of our people.
Starting the meeting with a personal reflection breaks down reserve and sets the tone for the meeting; then, when you reach the business section, people are much more transparent and responsive, and the meeting is far more productive. It also creates better understanding of what other pressures people in the team are dealing with in their lives. This can reduce disagreements and tensions, heading potential rifts off at the pass. Knowing what issues they are facing also gives you insights into how to manage individuals in that team. It has improved team communication and increased openness and understanding.
Forcing reflection
Because it forces reflection, this approach can often lead to changes in business strategies. It flushes out task-related problems and drives collaborations and teamwork: as soon as someone flags up that they are finding part of a task beyond them, others step up and offer to help. It is also a powerful reminder that every business must incorporate continuous development and lifelong learning. That eye-opening experience led directly to another component being added to each meeting: we now take it in turns to select a TED talk to watch together, and then discuss what we’ve learned from it and whether we could apply anything in the business.
Watching a TED talk is learning, but it’s not going off and doing a training course. This practise has helped us to deal with problems that are just starting to bubble up and raises issues that the team has not even considered facilitating time to discuss. It also allows you to come to a collective view on something. Interestingly, it also highlights differences – one person’s ‘greenwashing’ can be important to someone else. Most importantly, though, it’s an opportunity to have a frank dialogue about a topic without it feeling contrived: it’s a third party giving their views and individuals providing their take on them. It’s also revealing to see what TED talks each person selects: rather like the records they’d take with them to a mythical desert island, it says something about them.
We’ve now also got project groups, where the manager actively thinks about conflicts, personal concerns being raised, collective learning and ensuring a collaborative approach. These meetings are super-productive, with everyone providing, and being open to, new ideas. In addition, by sharing failures or problems, and collectively looking for solutions, each person learns from others without points being scored.
How do colleagues feel?
When asked about the changes we have made, Sarah Tolson, Associate Director of Marketing said: ‘Becoming part of the operating committee has broadened my understanding of the business and the challenges faced by colleagues in different roles; I can take this back to my team. On a personal level, I enjoy taking the meetings and feel my point of view is always valued.’
Lindsay Butterworth, Associate Director, Strategic Planning added: ‘I was thrilled when Steve established the Operating Committees, taking a leap forward in gender diversity within the business. Since becoming part of the operating committee, I’ve gained a greater insight into the business, allowing me to contribute confidently to the business strategy and decision-making. Already, I’m seeing huge benefits to the company of allowing a broader involvement and diversity in the management structure.’
Online events
In the spirit of openness, during the national lockdown, as an alternative to a physical staff conference the business hosted a daily one-hour online event over the course of a week attended by the whole business. The objective was to open the conversation about all aspects of diversity and inclusion, with each day focused on a different element of diversity awareness, including gender, mental health, disability, ethnicity, and age. Each hour included a pre-recorded video of someone’s own lived experience, a presentation about the challenges and issues they have faced, and a panel discussion about how different challenges can be overcome.
The week was entirely hosted by staff from within the business, involving 30 different employees over the week (out of a business of 150). Despite the restrictions of Covid-19, the event bought the whole business closer together. Collectively hearing the unedited personal lived experiences of colleagues from a broad cross section of the group meant we all felt the intimacy of their stories and could not fail to empathise with everyone involved.
Feedback from the week was astonishing, with many individuals stating how proud they felt working for a company willing to have these open conversations, how connected they felt to their colleagues and that it had sparked a real passion to embrace an inclusive culture. Participants appreciated the opportunity to have a platform to share their stories and receive acknowledgement from their colleagues about the challenges they have faced. Following the success of the week, the business has continued the interviews and panel discussion in the monthly company presentation, allowing more people to share their stories, covering areas such as working parents, military veterans, LGBTQ+ and returners.
Most importantly it has established a culture of inclusion where staff are much more willing to celebrate difference, challenge historical ways of working and there are no macho attitudes to be seen.
Steve Butler is CEO of Punter Southall Aspire and author of Inclusive Culture: Leading Change Across Organisations and Industries.
