Psychological Safety, Inclusion, Belonging

Moxxim’s Jen Mein joined Jan Keck and others in a conversation about fostering psychological safety, inclusion, and belonging in online experiences. Though not a comprehensive list, here are 10 tips from Jen. Please share in the comments what you do as a host to ensure people feel welcomed and like they belong. Or share what you have experienced as a participant to feel that way.

1. In the invitation, confirmation, and reminder, I am clear about the purpose and what to expect.
2. I am mindful of the photos, quotes, and other content that I use to ensure they are representative of multiple social identities.
3. I use the language of, "I invite you..." rather than "Do this.."
4. I share community agreements. Agreements often include that we will hold space for silence or silence is part of the conversation, we can always pass with dignity, and together we know more.
5. I acknowledge the current context. Violence, trauma, or significant change in our environment has an impact on how we show up. Name it, accept it, feel it and invite each other to show up in whatever capacity is possible or feels right at the time.
6. I model and invite everyone to include their gender pronouns as they rename themselves in Zoom or introduce themselves.
7. At the top of an engagement, I structure unofficial start activities and ways for people to check-in as a way to engage, connect, be seen and be heard. I greet people by name and read chat comments aloud.
8. I create space for participant contributions, less talking head moments and more wisdom sharing. I often host moments for collective sense-making where participants are documenting their ideas, insights, questions in co-created spaces like Google slides, Google docs, Jamboard, etc.
9. I host online engagements with at least one other person to ensure one of us can always be fully present to participants and their needs, mindful of challenges and barriers to access that technology can amplify.
10. On occasion, I create poetry from what participants share or create graphic recordings as a way to honor and reflect back what I have witnessed from a group.