Engaging Leaders
Foster Development of Others
Contribute to the Creation of Healthy Organizations
Recognize micro incivilities to micro aggressions
Communicate Effectively
Build Teams
Engage Others from an EDI-Informed Position
Ivy Lynn Bourgeault, University of Ottawa & Canadian Health Workforce Network
Engage Others, the E in the LEADS Framework, is a key area for EDI-informed leadership. When engaging leaders build teams and foster the development of others, they strive to recognize who they are and are not engaging. Upon that explicit reflection they develop strategies to reach out to under-represented voices. Developing mentoring and sponsorship relationships with emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds, and attending to ongoing succession planning are critical issues. Indeed, these activities must be built into an engaged leaders work day and not off the side of one’s desk. This should not only include horizontal connectivity but also vertical connectivity both within and between disciplines. Effective communication skills must include attention to micro inequities, bias and incivilities, and how they are disproportionately experienced by members of EDI groups, which adds to the emotional labour and burden of certain team members creating an unhealthy work environment for all. By explicitly and actively building psychologically healthy and safe environments, free of violence, harassment and bullying, leaders would build on the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s psychological health and safety standard. Making workplaces more amenable to diverse personal and family circumstances adds to a sense of belonging, and thus to the experience of inclusion. Effective, transparent communication via social media also helps to enable access to those who might otherwise be excluded because of distance, cost, or timing.
In retrospect, Dr. Dennis, who had a fulfilling career, regrets not addressing gender imbalances and their own privilege as a male earlier. They eventually engaged in mentorship and allyship with women, finding it rewarding. They now take satisfaction in women's success but wish they had supported gender diversity earlier in their career.
Talk to your peers and colleagues about sexual harassment and assault and erode the status that some serial harassers continue to enjoy. Do not collaborate with them. Do not invite them to meetings, to seminars. Do not invite them to be a PI on a training grant or to participate in a graduate program.
Men should reach out to women interested in leadership roles, encourage them to apply and offer to serve them as their ally.
Push-Pull Mentoring
This method consists of pushing people ahead of you and pulling people behind you.
Women health leaders tend to lead from who they are and where they are rather than the position they happen to occupy
In the graph presented by Amy C. Edmondson it shows an optimum learning zone is created when there is a culture not of just motivation and accountability but also of psychological safety.
In this powerpoint slide titled ‘Getting Men on Board’ it describes basic strategies of men allyship
Brave Enough MD tweeted on February 19 that one of the responsibilities of a woman leader is to accept backlash.
Michael Bach, CCDP/AP tweeted on June 4 that creating an inclusive work environment requires everyone to play a role
In the quote by Sophie Soklardis, Interim Director of Education at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health states that in a study 74% of male senior business managers cited fear as a barrier to men's support for gender equity.
In the quote by Bill Tholl, founding executive director of the Canadian Health Leadership Network affirms that it is necessary but not sufficient to mentor those that are behind you but also sponsor them. The distinction there is not just to point to doors, but to actually help doors open.
In the quote by Jay Shaw, Scientist, Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care states that he has encountered many scnearios where a more senior man in a position of power actively excluding a younger woman from contributing, or worse. It has been a continuous test of character to determine when and how to intervene.
A post where Shailja emphasizes the importance of recognizing and empowering women. It encourages reading, citing, and crediting women's work, teaching and publishing women's contributions, acknowledging and awarding women's achievements, promoting and supporting women in various fields, listening to and believing women's voices, and ensuring equal pay for women.
In a Facebook post by Ontario Midwives, it states that equal rights for others does not imply diminished rights for you.
In this quote by Candace Brunette-Debassige, Special Advisor of Indigenous Initiatives to the Provost at Western University states that microaggressions need to be disrupted
In this quote by Dr. Josephine Etowa, Professor and Loyer-DaSilva Research Chair, at the University of Ottawa states that there are costs and benefits to leadership if one doesn't act in the face of need.
In this quote by Dr. Savita Dhanvantari, Scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute states that building relationships and trust is important to become a leader.
In this quote by Paulette Senior, CEO and President of the Canadian Women’s Foundation states that one important strategies for Black Women Leaders is to identify allies.
