“You are here to make a difference, to either improve the world or worsen it. And whether or not you consciously choose to, you will accomplish one or the other.”

—Richelle E. Goodrich

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Our environments have a tremendous influence on us and can impact just about every decision we make. Aside from DNA and upbringing, our environment informs the way we think, who we associate with, our likes and dislikes, and, more important, how we interact with one another. Consider a work culture that embraces the LGBTQ community. Such an environment signals that they can be their authentic selves, can fully engage, and will be supported in the face of harassment or discrimination. An environment that is intolerant of LGBTQ individuals begats intolerance and is an open invitation for others to display bias and homophobic tendencies signaling to conform to heterogeneous norms or else. In both scenarios, actions are influenced by the environment, bias, and stereotypical beliefs. But let's just say that in that intolerant situation, there are one to two individuals who model inclusive behaviors toward LGBTQ co-workers. They can influence change for those with an open mind to learn and make a conscious choice to be influenced. Harvard Business Review describes influence as:

The people whom we are most influenced by tend to be those who are very similar to the way we are. That's our comfort zone. Whenever we seek guidance, search for fresh ideas, or want to gripe about something, we tend to seek those who think like we do, come from the same background, and share similar work-life experiences. They fuel or reinforce our biased positions and preconceived notions. Nothing feels better than feeling heard, understood, and validated by the people we rely on for acceptance and socialization. Our sphere of influencers conditions us to expect alignment with our perceptions and worldview such that when a disconnect occurs, we become defensive or discount their opposing point of view. When conversations venture down an unexpected path, the default is to argue that our perspective is the right perspective. While we know that a different point of view isn't a bad thing, it's not necessarily what we need or want to hear at the time. It goes against the grain and perhaps reveals an aspect of ourselves that we're not ready to face. However, ignoring them is a missed opportunity for learning and growth.

One sunny Saturday afternoon, while having lunch with close friends, I started a bitch session. Work life had been insane for weeks, and I needed to vent. I was feeling attacked as the only Black woman on the team. It felt really good letting it all out, unencumbered by political correctness and in the comfort of knowing that I was letting it all hang out in a circle of trust. My friends range in age, social status, and race, and we are very supportive of one another. They listened intently as we ordered another round of martinis. They chimed in from time to time with emotional reactions of, “Oh no!” “Really?” and “Girl pleeezzzz.” As the conversation continued, the better I felt. One friend was just as shocked and appalled by the circumstances as I was. Another encouraged me with her philosophy of “trouble don't last always” and advised that I meditate to manage the stress and start looking for another job if it continued. But one friend, turned the tables when she asked me more questions and helped me realize my accountability in the situation. I actually became a little offended. How was any of this my fault? As much as I hate to admit it, her perspective was valid. She helped me see that there were things that I could have done differently, that I had made unfounded assumptions, and that I needed to consider the perspectives of the colleagues involved during those challenging weeks at work. It didn't mean that race wasn't a contributing factor as that's always a possibility, but I needed to be more strategic in my approach with the co-workers. I grew from her advice and continue to apply those lessons to this day. While the echo chamber was comforting, what occurred outside it was better for me in the long term.

The company we keep can have a positive or negative influence on how we build inclusive environments. The great thing is that we get to choose our influencers. As we strive to be more inclusive, we must continuously evaluate who and what informs our thinking, how well they are serving our goals, and paying attention to which voices are missing. Influencers can come from anywhere. In addition to friends, family, and co-workers, they may be historical or religious figures, or other individuals we've never met but either inspire us to be better versions of ourselves or, worse, reinforce our fears and/or racist, sexist, and stereotypical views. Our inclusion journey requires stepping outside the echo chamber and to not only seek diverse perspectives but to allow them in for further unbiased exploration and the possibility of adoption should they support our ambitions. With this in mind, reflecting on those who have affected the person we are today, we can make more conscious decisions about which influences we want to continue having in our lives. We've seen how a single individual can influence the masses. Consider Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., who inspired civil rights and freedom movements, or Ibram X. Kendi, who is leading the charge on antiracism. By the same token, we've seen others like Adolf Hitler and Donald J. Trump who influence the masses with messages of bigotry and hate, which defend or justify systems of inequity. We can't negate the power of influence and its effect on shaping our societies, global political systems, and the workplace. Allowing ourselves to learn from and be influenced by others helps us to either exclude or include people of difference. Champions of inclusion seek influencers who help us become better allies, mentors, coaches, sponsors, and supporters of historically marginalized groups overall; in doing so, we give back by influencing others. We have the power to change old belief systems and be changed in the process.

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• PsychologyToday.com: “How to Use Power, Influence, and Persuasion for Good,” reviewed by Craig B. Barkacs: www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/power-and-influence/202101/how-use-power-influence-and-persuasion-good
• PsychologyToday.com: “The Importance Of Good Influences,” by Alex Lickerman: www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/the-importance-good-influences#:~:text=The%20more%20good%20influences%20with%20which%20we%20surround,created%2C%20which%20will%20also%20add%20to%20our%20happiness
• Forbes.com: “9 Core Behaviors Of People Who Positively Impact The World,” by Kathy Caprino: www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2014/06/02/9-core-behaviors-of-people-who-positively-impact-the-world/?sh=407c4bb46b41

Sources Cited