Inclusivity Can’t Be Forced: How to Foster Genuine Connection in the Workplace
Inclusivity Can’t Be Forced: How to Foster Genuine Connection in the Workplace
TLDR: Inclusivity is our natural state. It is blocked by the way we feel about being inclusive. Mindset Mastery shows your people how to remove the blocks (even those who don’t think they have any!) so inclusivity can thrive.
The Limits of Forcing Inclusivity
Inclusivity initiatives are often well-meaning attempts to create more cohesive and collaborative workplaces. Leaders roll out diversity policies, inclusivity training, and team-building exercises, expecting these to resolve tensions and foster connection.
Yet, the results often fall short. Why? Because inclusivity can’t be forced. Inclusivity happens when individuals stop resisting connection by addressing their internal barriers that prevent it.
Resistance to Connection is Internal
True inclusivity isn’t about external policies; it’s about internal openness. Many people resist connection not because they dislike inclusivity but because they feel threatened by it. This resistance stems from unobserved sensations like discomfort, fear, or a perceived loss of control. Unless individuals learn to deactivate these sensations, attempts to enforce inclusivity will remain superficial.
The Mindset Mastery methodology teaches individuals to observe and deactivate these reactive sensations, paving the way for genuine connection.
The Problem with Enforced Inclusivity
Enforcing inclusivity through policies or training sessions often fails to address the root cause of exclusionary behaviours. Here’s why:
Policies Address Symptoms, Not Causes: A policy might mandate equal opportunities, but if individuals feel discomfort around differences, they’ll resist those opportunities.
Training Can Create Backlash: Inclusivity training can sometimes amplify defensiveness if individuals feel criticised or exposed.
Connection Can’t Be Mandated: Genuine connection arises when individuals choose to engage openly, not when they’re compelled to do so.
Inclusivity and the Sensory-Body Feedback Loop
The Sensory-Body Feedback Loop provides a framework for understanding why people resist connection and how they can overcome it:
Cognising: Sensory input is detected (e.g., encountering someone with a different perspective/background or is ‘different’ in some other way).
Recognising: The brain evaluates the input, often overlaying biases or past experiences.
Assessing: The input is categorised as desirable, undesirable, or neutral.
Sensation: A bodily reaction arises (e.g., discomfort, tension, or defensiveness).
Reaction: Unless the sensation is observed and deactivated, it drives exclusionary behaviour.
By becoming aware of the sensations stage, individuals can neutralise their resistance and open themselves to connection.
How to Foster Connection Through Individual Change
The key to driving meaningful connection is to simply remove what is stopping that connection. You can do this through these steps:
Help Individuals Observe Their Sensations: Teach team members to notice the bodily sensations that arise when they encounter differences. Observing these sensations without reacting to them disrupts resistance.
Encourage observation Over Judgement: Guide individuals to replace assumptions with simple observations. For example, instead of reacting defensively to a new perspective, give them the tools to simply observe what is happening inside their brain-body instrument.
Focus on Shared Goals: Connection thrives when people focus on what unites them rather than what divides them. Encourage teams to identify common objectives and values.
Model Openness as a Leader: Leaders who demonstrate openness to all perspectives set a powerful example. When leaders observe their own reactions and engage with curiosity, it inspires others to do the same.
The Ripple Effect of Authentic Connection
When individuals stop resisting connection and embrace inclusivity from within, the effects on culture are profound:
Stronger Collaboration: Teams move beyond superficial cooperation to deeply invested partnerships.
Natural Inclusivity: Inclusivity stops feeling like an obligation and becomes a natural outcome of genuine connection.
A Sense of Belonging: Individuals feel seen, heard, and valued, fostering loyalty and engagement.
Where to from here
If your inclusivity initiatives aren’t delivering the cultural transformation you envision, it’s time to take a different approach. The Mindset Mastery methodology equips individuals to deactivate their internal resistance and build genuine connections.
Let’s discuss how I can help your organisation create a culture of openness and belonging.
