We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Heather Sanders a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Heather, appreciate you joining us today. Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

An organization’s personality or culture must support needful, responsive changes in how they engage and interact with customers, the environment and one another.

Inclusive working and learning environments provide a sense of safety, community, and connectedness within organizational spaces and provide platforms for gathering and sharing in ways that empower stakeholders to share perspectives and ideas and engage in collective planning and thought-partnership.

Organizations that prioritize consistently improving stakeholder experiences through inclusive practices have increased engagement, morale, energy, retention, productivity and fulfilling organizational experiences while contributing to improved culture and efficacy.

I’ll never forget my experience in a lateral-entry teacher training and placement program. The marketed emphasis was improving learning experiences for students of Color, particularly in vulnerable, lower-income communities.

I remember listening to folks who had no experience in these environments try to explain what “these kids” need. One time, I said, “I was one of those kids. I have a perspective about how your approach might have unintended consequences for some students.” I was immediately met with resistance. I was told the processes were well-researched and successful. I remember feeling like my lived-experience had little or no value in that space and I wondered if student experiences and perspectives could ever truly be valued.

After several attempts, I shut down. I disengaged…and eventually I left the organization. If we’re honest, we’ll admit that being an inclusive organization is hard work. What many don’t realize is, not embracing inclusion as an organizational value and practice makes our work exponentially harder. When people don’t feel valued, they’re less motivated to do their best work and, in many cases, they leave. And so, one of the most devastating consequences of a lack of inclusion is the inability to retain talent.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

At 19 years old, while in college, I became the marketing assistant at Scarritt Bennett Center, a former Methodist college for women. It was the first time I had been exposed to an organization that intentionally engaged community members in anti-racism and women’s empowerment education, dialogue, and programming. That experience let me know this type of work was possible…necessary…viable.

This experience inspired me to explore institutional violence and how organizations support or allow identity-based harms in working and learning spaces.

In 2012, my husband, Brian, and I found A Sanders Company, a People + Culture firm specializing in equity-based organizational development and thought partnership; harm-reduction policy and strategy development, executive training and coaching; institutional and interpersonal intervention and meditation; research and data analysis; equity-focused content and curricula creation; public speaking and forum facilitation.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

After a few unpleasant experiences, I decided it wasn’t in my best interest to be vulnerable…especially in work environments. Sharing didn’t always produce favorable outcomes and I adopted practices that reinforced my belief that vulnerability and transparency were signs of weakness.

One day, I was asked, “How’s your business going?” I had a decision to make in that micromoment. Although I had a good relationship with the asker, I had grown accustomed to simply saying, “It’s going well.” An internal voice spoke to me in that micromoment and said, put your pride aside and be honest.

So, I did.

I told her that it was not going well and that I wanted more. I explained exactly what I imagined doing, but I didn’t know how to successfully pivot. After sharing, I was introduced to three business owners who eventually became trusted peers. I think about that moment often and then I thank myself for my bravery. I admire the courage it took to ask for and receive guidance, support, mentorship. I began to understand the importance of effective networking and collaboration.

I now understand that vulnerability is necessary. When earned by the trustworthy, vulnerability is a gateway to powerful networks that increase our professional impact and individual effectiveness.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Smart people learn from their mistakes. Wise people learn from the mistakes of others.

I was an overwhelmed 20-year-old. I had a lot going on in such a short life. I got married, dropped out of college and started a career of underwhelming jobs. It wasn’t until I got pregnant with my oldest daughter that I became determined to finish school. (I knew I needed an education to do the type of work I wanted to do.) I had all three of my children while I finished three degrees and wrote three books.

So, I definitely took the road less traveled. 2-stars. Would not recommend. BUT, it was my journey and I certainly learned a great deal about myself and my capacity to rebound, recover, reset. I know I’m smart, but next time I’ll be wise.

Contact Info:

• Website: asanderscompany.com
• Instagram: @asanderscompany
• Facebook: facebook.com/asandersco
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-heather-sanders/

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