Secondly , they are able to navigate injustice or misbehaviour but also reflect on their own behaviour . And thirdly , know the responsibilities of a leader and work environment to foster an inclusive space , where everyone feels heard , seen , and valued . This pretty much sums up the essence of diversity , equity and inclusion in organisations , and ever since I ’ m expanding my perspective on this topic . I just recently started to give a BESTraining in Implicit Bias-Put The Spotlight On You Blind Spots .”
What do you consider the most positive and challenging aspect of working in a diverse environment ?
“ I honestly believe it ’ s always a gateway for personal and professional development . And it ’ s a constant cycle of exploration , which makes it very exciting and interesting for me . Yet , it can be very confrontational , about one ’ s own behaviour , biases and prejudice that come to the surface sometimes . And I think this is the biggest challenge for diverse working groups .. It needs a lot of self-reflection , compassion for oneself and courage to be vulnerable and open up on your own biases .”
Do you maybe have a personal story about diversity & inclusion that you want to share ?
“ Well , I have experienced many times exclusion and had to deal with micro-aggressions due to my cultural background . But I also constantly reflect on my own prejudice and biases . Just recently , I assumed , while teaching in a classroom , that students don ’ t prepare the study materials because they live a wild party life . A student said : “ I don ’ t party during the week , I work .” And I just brushed it off and continued my monologue . But at that moment , I already felt so bad that I acted upon that typical stereotype and I was very much aware of my misbehavior . It was evident to me that I owed the student an apology , and that ’ s what I did . I had a moment where I could connect with the student and understand his standpoint . These uncomfortable encounters start with that feeling of shame which is very counterproductive but guilt with the combination of vulnerability can help us to make a positive change in our behaviour . I see myself as a work in progress and I will always be a work in progress , and that is okay . No one can always get everything right , but at least we can commit to pushing ourselves to listen and behave with the intention to learn , engage and stay in discomfort , because there is growth through the mess , right ?”
I SEE MYSELF AS A WORK IN PROGRESS AND I WILL ALWAYS BE A WORK IN PROGRESS , AND THAT IS OKAY .
We had a lovely time talking with Ilay and now know a lot more about diversity & inclusion . We hope you also learned something and got inspired to take a look at yourself and your own behaviour and how you can maybe change some things to make the world a better place for everyone !