At the beginning of a new year, many are thinking about ways to improve themselves and their lives – maybe that means an extra weekly trip to the gym, reading more often, or keeping your home office organized. Making a change for the better is always a good thing, but at the start of 2022, RALIANCE would like to encourage our readers – particularly leaders at companies and organizations – to think about how they can contribute to cultural change that will have an impact beyond their individual lives.
We call this a “culture change resolution,” one that focuses on creating environments that prioritize equity and inclusion. Here are a few questions to ask yourself this new year to help you get started on your resolution:
• What social justice issue matters most to me? Our society is rife with inequality, making it hard to know where to focus your energy. Trying to think about the types of injustice that most deeply offend your moral sense – whether it’s economic inequality, sexism, racism, or something else – is a good way to identify where your passion resides.
• Where do I have the most potential to effect change? Caring about an issue is one thing but making a difference is another. Are you a small business owner who can unilaterally devise new policies? Are you an HR representative or another employee who has the ear of a corporation’s leadership team? Identifying strengths and specific opportunities can help you focus on a culture change resolution that’s possible for you to advance over time.
• How can I collaborate with others to achieve culture change? There are really two sides to this question. The first is about whether you can recruit others to join your culture change resolution. Change can’t be achieved alone, so you’ll need to bring people along for the journey. The second is about your ability to align with people who have related goals. You may hear the term “intersectional” used a lot in the context of social justice. Here’s an example of what that term means in practice: You might be focused on fighting sexism, but to achieve your goals, you’ll need to seek opportunities to collaborate with people focused on related, overlapping issues, such as prejudice against the LGBTQ+ community.
A culture change resolution requires patience and collaboration – as well as the determination to try again if one of your efforts fails. Though the push to create culture change can be challenging, it doesn’t have to be lonely. The RALIANCE team is always here and ready to support your goals as we enter 2022. Happy New Year!
RALIANCE provides consulting, assessment, and employee development services to help build more equitable workplace cultures and create environments free from sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse. We stand ready to support your organization’s goals – contact us today at info@raliance.org to get started.