#Belonging – for every #human to have a seat at the table
This week I was honoured to join a really positive space, with Virgin Media and their #Belonging Series. Vic Whitehouse, who is Inclusion Lead and an outstanding #human, chaired a superb panel – across a diverse space, to ask what really matters to people in work and indeed life as a whole. The video below shares some of the amazing #human discussion on the day ⬇️
The focus of the day, was wholly #authentic – there was no ‘ticking the box’ for #diversity and #inclusion, only genuine openness, and a will to think widely and humanly. It tied to the underlying values that the company drives forward. Three key areas of focus underpin the work Vic and her team, and colleagues strive for:
1) Attract and nurture the widest possible talent pool
Making sure diverse talent channels are used for recruitment at all levels, and consistently implement our policy of shortlisting at least one female for every senior position vacancy to address bias in traditionally male-dominated areas of the business
2) Equip and empower our leaders to own and drive inclusion
Through making inclusion a leadership behaviour which is supported through development, measurement and reward it is our intent to make inclusion part of all our people’s everyday business
3) Make inclusion a normal part of what we do and who we are
Our inclusion strategy is being driven by our Executive members and business leaders. We are changing our ways of working and complimenting this by making sure our physical work environments are accessible to all. Inclusion is part of everyone’s remit.
Inclusion and the wider life conversation
When we look at education, we see a system that isn’t always supporting the diversity of our species, because so many are now sitting in a space outside of the main conversation. There’s a societal linear drive towards data and conformity, which serves only those who can get through the eye of the needle. Truthfully, how many of us now would make it through? If businesses and life in the wider and larger sense – post education – are asking for more diversity of thought, and being – surely it makes sense to connect in with that space further and set our students up for success?
I think about the work of Genius Within and Dr Nancy Doyle who recently shared another Forbes piece around the ‘why’ such diversity of thought and being is absolutely necessary:
Survive And Thrive With ADHD Leadership: Everything You Need To Know From A CEO Who’s Been There
Dr Helen Taylor has worked on her theory of Complementary Cognition for over ten years. It’s an essential space to connect into as we step forward into a future that is for the 22nd century, so that we equip ourselves and our fellow people with the whole, human view:
https://www.helentaylor.uk/research
The conversation around inclusion, diversity and human is growing. It’s a critical space to be right now, within business and life, because we need solutions and we need differing ways of being, to understand how to solve issues and problems that we face – together. Virgin’s 100% Human project embodies this, and really does aim to #flipthenarrative…
Moving away from maximizing profits and profitability to focus on how we can help people achieve their highest potential and purpose – which will naturally positively impact the bottom line.
It’s underpinned by the UN Principles for Business and Human Rights as a basic standard; it is both forward and human thinking in it’s scope for change. In essence, the realisation that diversity is key to our survival, both as a people and economically, is accepting that we are and always will be diverse in nature.
So why do we still struggle with this in many spaces? Because we have moved away from the things that we all need – belonging, acceptance, compassion, kindness and humanity. For everyone to have a seat at the table, we need to #flipthenarrative and start being brave and human. Brave like my daughter who owns her own vulnerability every day of the week – who is in the ring, as she is, for who she is, without apology. She doesn’t need our advice and mentoring from the ringside, she needs us to get into the ring and start walking with her, working with her and understanding more about our people. Because when we do that, we begin to see the benefits for everyone, for both the present and the future.
It’s not difficult, it’s what we are all hard wired for as human beings, and it’s time.
Our BELONGING SERIES is back! Today, we're in Birmingham to talk to our people about the power of #belonging, #inclusivity & #breakingdownbarriers. Our awesome panel, Katie Todd, Karen Langley, Dev Mistry & guest Tedx Speaker @elly_chapple are sharing their journeys with us. pic.twitter.com/5BPOG33fho
— Virgin Media Life (@virginmedialife) February 24, 2020
We're building towards a culture of team play where everyone feels they have a sense of belonging. Talking about the impact of being authentic, breaking down barriers, flipping the narrative & more. This is just the start of a broader conversation.#belonging #flipthenarrative pic.twitter.com/NqB9HFVd7S
— Virgin Media Life (@virginmedialife) February 24, 2020