Recently, Emmalotte has immersed herself in the Tiny Habits method by Stanford professor BJ Fogg. Her certification training yielded a key insight: you can integrate inclusive behavior into your routine by developing… habits. And that’s great because building a good team where everyone can thrive and contribute often comes down to how you interact with each other in the small moments.
We are also happy to share five tips with you to work on developing inclusive habits:
#1 Make what you want to change very small.
Often, when we think about wanting to be more inclusive, we see it in ‘all-or-nothing’ terms. Instead, try to find small, meaningful habits that fit you and what you want to achieve, and make sure they fit into your daily routine. For example, resolve to ask for the opinion of a colleague who has said little at the end of each meeting. Or decide that after you have given feedback, you also ask for feedback from your colleague. If you make a habit small and carry it out very consistently, it becomes a fixed part of your daily routine. This can also create motivation to work on even more or other related things. This way, it only takes a little effort and attention each day to build and maintain your good habits.
#2 Discover what motivates you.
Imposing behavior on yourself or others is not effective for achieving sustainable behavioral change. So within the theme of inclusion, explore where your personal focus and interests lie and choose habits that are feasible for you. For example, you might find it too challenging right now to stand up for someone who is regularly interrupted, but you naturally enjoy connecting with your colleagues. Consider starting with a habit that is more in line with what you already do, such as focusing on what you have in common with others during your usual lunch break, instead of highlighting the differences. Such an approach can eventually give you the confidence to take on other challenges.
#3 Not being bound by limiting identities.
People often tell themselves that they are not someone who ‘…’. For example, some do not see themselves as social or view themselves as conflict-averse. This ensures that habits that do not match this self-image, this self-imposed identity, are not fully embraced by the brain. In psychology, we call this cognitive dissonance: you unconsciously want your ideas about yourself to match how you act. Consider the effect it can have if you ignite a new inclusive identity within yourself. If you genuinely believe that you are an ‘engaged colleague’ or an ‘ally’ for minorities, then you will act accordingly. And with your new habits, you cultivate a piece of that new identity.
#4 You change best by feeling good.
Did you know that a habit especially sticks when it makes you feel good? That good feeling ensures that the behavior secures a permanent spot in your brain. Therefore, we encourage you to celebrate your successes, no matter how small. To magnify them. So, make it a habit to acknowledge and celebrate the successful execution of your inclusive habits. This way, with the help of the feeling of success—not to be confused with its size—you can increase your confidence and motivation to continue with your new habits.
#5 Bonus: Take these tips with you when you want to help others.
If you want to inspire colleagues to develop inclusive habits as well, it’s valuable to apply these tips in your approach. Take Tip 2 (Help people to do what motivates them) and Tip 4 (People change best when they feel good) as your basic principles. Encourage colleagues to come up with their own ways to work on inclusion, instead of imposing behavior. And celebrate each other’s successes together. It’s crucial to support each other and to feel good while striving for more inclusion. You can also help colleagues by employing Tip 1 (Make it small) and Tip 3 (Adopt new identities). Explain that by making habits smaller, they are executable every day. You can also contribute to forming inclusive identities with targeted compliments like: ‘It’s great how engaged you are with me!’, ‘You always know so well what’s going on with everyone’ or ‘I admire how you stand up for what is needed’.
We hope these tips will help you turn big plans for inclusion into everyday behavior.