Harriet was strategic, cunning and functioned with nerves of steel. Each trip was a covert operation that ran at great risk. She was the conductor who ran the ground game expertly. Under threat of death and with a $40,000 bounty on her head, she ran the dangerous routes many times.
Without Martin Luther King, Jr., I would have no knowledge of the fullness of you or even what it feels like to have met your acquaintance. Without the blood, sweat and tears that MLK shed and his repudiation of state-sanctioned terrorism of Black people, our paths would have never crossed in the ways that we have come to know each other. The bread that we have had the good fortune and God’s favor to break together at work and in friendship would have never been tasted.
As we enter 2020, the narratives and behaviors of fear, distrust, misunderstanding and polarization are permeating every element of our society; from our communities to the workplace. Today’s cultural and political environment is as divisive as it has ever been in our history. Perhaps one of the most obvious topics wrought with fear and misunderstanding is race. The dynamics, complexities and implications of race are interwoven into the fabric of our communities, organizations and institutions. Yet, the widespread implications of such dynamics are not only infrequently discussed, but often dismissed and denied. We have a choice. We can succumb to divisive dynamics or seize this opportunity for bold, courageous and transformational leadership. We do have a choice. Diversity is Realty Undeniably, our global and societal demographics have changed and will continue to change significantly. Diversity numbers are rising and by 2045 people of color are projected to be the majority not only in the U.S., but across the world. This will be the “New Normal.” This “New Normal” will require organizations and businesses to abandon their historic, comfortable, status quo approaches and strategies to effectively engage, utilize and benefit from this different marketplace and societal reality. As a result of these dramatic demographic shifts, we’ve already seen significant changes in the way business is done. Diversity is no longer the obligatory politically correct term cavalierly stated to appear woke, but is the driver of social and economic reality. Tools of Change Coaching has historically been at the forefront of helping leaders address the challenges of organizational change and effectiveness. One of the most successful tools in the arena of leadership development is coaching. Given the dramatic cultural shifts occurring globally, and the impact it is having on people at every level, coaching is an even more vital element in the leadership development and organizational effectiveness toolkit. While organizations and businesses are preparing for and adapting to the impact and realities of the “New Normal,” are coaches readying themselves to properly address the needs of our clients as they face these new challenges? Coaching with Cultural Competence Similar to organizations and businesses operating in this “New Normal” reality, coaches cannot continue serving leaders using the same tools, models, approaches and mind sets of yesterday. The key to effectively operating in our “New Normal” world is to coach with cultural competency. At its very essence, coaching is about partnering with clients to inspire them to maximize their personal and professional potential. Coaches encourage and embolden their clients to become the experts of themselves; producing the solutions and strategies that bring them satisfaction and fulfillment. Therefore, it is fundamental that coaches become culturally competent, meaning they are aware of and understand the distinctions of difference, and can skillfully integrate those understandings in service to maximizing the development of their coachees. So, what is cultural competency? Cultural competency is not a destination to reach or a class one takes to be deemed certified in and the learning is complete. It is a process of on-going learning that invites self-awareness and assessment of biases, stereotypes, and perspectives held of others as well as, increasing awareness of the contexts and lived experiences of others who are different from us culturally. A Culturally Competent Coach is one who: Leadership coaches have a uniquely powerful and influential position to affect positive change in the lives of people and shift their ability to improve and grow. In today’s “New Normal,” leveraging one’s cultural competence is essential for personal and organizational success.
When I look at this picture I see them for who they are, who they’re becoming, their beliefs, wants, desires, funny moments, conflicts and crunch times of togetherness in some really tough moments. The night we took this picture was a dream for us: our first mother-son, father- daughter dance, complete with a fancy dinner and all the trimmings. When I look at this picture I feel the moment. It’s as pungent, warm and snuggle-worthy as fresh laundry straight out of the dryer. I’ve been in corporate America for years now and boy how I’ve invested in getting to know you and you, me. Relationships have been borne out of countless conversations before the meeting, after the meeting, on Webex, behind closed doors, at lunch, coffee and in teambuilding events. We’ve been in the trenches of work together. I know first-hand how having work relationships has made work better, challenges surmountable and life at work richer, fuller somehow. In these moments, I feel like you see me for me and that we’ve gotten beyond the skin, titles and functional areas we’re in. I know and embrace the you you’ve shown me. I think of many of you as my Sisters-and-Brothers-from-Other-Mothers. It’s time to take our work friend kinship/relationship to another level, a new normal. My world is filled with African American men, young and old, corporate and working class, executives and cleaning staff. Mustached, clean-shaven, suits, jeans, erudite,streetwise, even some in earrings. They are my family, the husbands, brothers and sons of my ‘Momtourage’ mothers group, school chums, Boy Scout Troop 242, church members and friends. My world transforms into a cornucopia of brown hues when I leave the office. Every one of them are loved and valued. It’s important that my husband, son and dad make it home safely each day. That a chance encounter with an officer doesn’t result in me living without them. It’s important that your family and friends make it home safely each day. I know how much your family and friends mean to you. My world may be colored differently than yours yet our desires for a great life are largely the same. So today, I’m embarking on a new normal, sharing more of me with you in my heart’s deepest desire for you to see the dimensions and breadth of African Americans more comprehensively. We talk about everything else that’s available for public consumption-let’s add what’s on the news about African Americans and the police to our conversation. I believe you are just and have the horsepower and empathy to help dream up a new normal for America. Join me. Better yet, share the load and initiate a dialogue about this topic. It’s already front and center on my mind. Let’s lead and light a way forward.
