Some years ago, my colleague Kylie Pollock taught me a lesson about inclusion that left me speechless.
Essentially, Kylie taught me that when I prance around the office and declare to all that it’s coffee time and I gather everyone to meander to the coffee shop across the road, perhaps I was not considering the fact that many of my colleagues might not be able to afford that coffee.
Kylie advised me gently and in the kindest way possible that some people were on a budget – and when I invited them to coffee,
- They didn’t know how to say no to me
- They were embarrassed that this was not part of their weekly budget, but felt peer pressured to come along and buy a coffee
And when I reflected on this, I realised that I lived in a very privileged bubble. And I was not being inclusive when I assumed everyone could afford coffee.
It’s true that people could have said that they didn’t want coffee but were happy to come for a walk – but human beings are complex, and shame can be a powerful behavioural factor.
So friends, next time you want to go for coffee, declare to all that you are going for the walk only – and invite people to join. Add that some are getting coffee.
That way, no one feels pressured to buy coffee (which they may not be able to afford).
By the way, it’s $4.50 for a cup of coffee in Gadigal country (Sydney). What is the world coming to?
#leadership #inclusion #respect
