Seven Ways You Can Show Respect to Your Diverse Team

espect is profoundly meaningful, but costs nothing to give. Here are ways you can demonstrate (and model) respect for your diverse cow­orkers, regardless of who they are or what their positions are within your organization Respect is profoundly meaningful, but costs nothing to give. Here are ways you can demonstrate (and model) respect for your diverse cow­orkers, regardless of who they are or what their positions are within your organization: 1. Listen without interruption, arguing, or defensiveness. This may be the most important—and easiest—thing you can do. When working with people who are different from you, actively listen­ing to their ideas, feedback, thoughts, or concerns conveys tremendous respect. Give them your full attention and let them finish speaking before you comment or ask a question. 2. Ask questions. Questions are respectful because they encourage someone to share their opinions, ideas, and input. When talking with team members, particularly about difficult subjects such as race or inequity at work, we are often uncomfortable asking questions, because we don’t know where the answer will lead. And we’re uncomfortable with the conversation as a whole, so we sure don’t want to prolong it by asking questions—we just want it over with! But asking questions such as “Can you tell me more about that idea?” or “What are the obstacles we need to identify to address this?” or “What do you think is the best way to proceed?” are not only viable, they also convey that you’re committed. You’re in this, and you’re not afraid to learn more. Continue Reading Article Source: It's Time to Talk about Race at Work: Every Leader's Guide to Making Progress on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by Kelly McDonald In It's Time to Talk about Race at Work, acclaimed speaker and bestselling author Kelly McDonald delivers a much-needed roadmap for business people. This book will help you successfully create a fair and equitable workplace that recognizes diverse talent and fosters productive and constructive conversations in your organization. This book shows you exactly what to do and how to do it so that you can make real progress on diversity and inclusion, regardless of the size of your organization.  For more info and/or to order this book, click here. Also available as an Audiobook and a Kindle edition.