My Big Why

I am not much of a poster to be honest but since becoming a freelance consultant and trainer all of three months ago, well it’s been an exciting baptism of fire. I have been employed since the age of 15 - we didn’t have a lot and money was scarce so employment whatever it was always felt like stability and safety. The thought of freelancing would make me well nauseous and yet it was the one thing I wanted to do. And now that I am doing it, it’s exciting but also oh my gosh - I have my own voice and now how do I use it, how do I pitch it? What’s my brand?? Honestly, I feel like how I imagine someone would feel after fasting for days finding a buffet laid out in front of them - yep going wild - I could be anything and do anything!

Honestly, I haven't figured it out fully yet and I am loving exploring it all What’s and How’s etc. 

However, there is one thing I am absolutely sure about and that is my WHY. Why I have chosen this route is because it is important to me to contribute towards a world that is inclusive, integrative, accommodating and psychologically safe in a meaningful and authentic way. WHY? Because I know what it feels like to be othered, being told that I am valued and wanted but actions say otherwise. I know what it feels like to be encouraged to give feedback and influence policy, process and practice and then nothing. I know what it feels like to want to contribute and then become fearful that it might make others uncomfortable even though its been my lived experience. I know what it feels like to want to challenge things that aren’t right but afraid of what the implications on me might be – and believe me when I say being able to pay bills, feed my child and ensure we have a roof over our head, so must not risk that - can be a powerful motivator to silence many including myself. 

My lived experiences combined with my professional experiences leads me to starting with workplaces, well when I say start, I mean starting my freelance career because technically I started in this area roughly 8. 5 years ago, when I joined the Blue Light Programme run by Mind, the Time to Change Employers programme and then as Minds Workplace Wellbeing Training and Consultancy Manager.  And there is still so much to do.

I hear it a lot these days where Employers and organisations are wanting to be inclusive to help people fulfil their potential. The reality is though that Organisations / employers/ workplaces It is not enough for organisations to say they want to harness potential and be inclusive without the infrastructure strategy and policies and support in place and that transformation has to start from the Values of the organisation – its very mode of governance has to be about:

1. Inclusion Safety

2. Learner safety

3. Contributor safety

4. Challenger safety

For me it’s not about being invited to table and being accepted or told I belong. It's actually the willingness to be influenced that's key and that means influencing strategy policy, governance.

Here’s the thing though, culture doesn’t change overnight it evolves over time no matter what. Therefore, any wellbeing, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and or inclusive strategies to be effective have to be about supporting that existing culture to evolve and transform into a culture that is willing to be influenced by different ideas, different experiences, different innovations, a culture that is integrative and collaborative and supportive. A culture that is authentically psychologically safe.

No workplace is the same, even two from the same industry. It is important that every workplace looks internally to see where their culture is at, do people feel safe within the workplace, do they feel they can influence the culture. If employers can’t confidently and evidentially say employees feel safe in a meaningful and authentic way trusting that their contributions will be valued, acknowledged and utilised then dear employers now is the time to do something about it by talking to people like … well me!