This document discusses how to collaborate inclusively. It notes that while diverse teams are more likely to create inclusive products due to a variety of perspectives, psychological safety is also needed. Psychological safety exists when people feel safe taking interpersonal risks without repercussions. Key aspects of psychological safety discussed are trust, empathy, purpose, and transparency. The document also suggests questioning assumptions, engaging in open conversations, and experimenting to create an environment where people can safely collaborate.

1. How do we collaborate
inclusively?
Marc Abraham± @MAA1
Online PM Day, 17 September ‘21
± All views expressed in this talk are my own and don’t represent the views of my employer

4. @robinson*

8. Diverse teams are more likely
to create inclusive products …

9. … as they bring a wide variety
of backgrounds + perspectives

10. Diverse teams are more likely
to create inclusive products …

11. @socialcut*

12. Tell me!
Do you see these as diverse teams? Why (not)?

16. @myleon*

17. It depends!

18. 1. 1. Diversity definition
2. 2. Psychological safety

19. 1. Diversity definition

20. The variety within a group of people, with differences in:*
Social identity - E.g. gender, race, ethnicity
Background / personal attributes - E.g. education, mindset
‘Other’ - E.g. location, language, available infrastructure
* Annie Jean-Baptiste, “Building For Everyone”

22. Different perspectives to create inclusive products:*
Apply an inclusive lens
Consider a more diverse customer base
Reduce areas of exclusion
* Annie Jean-Baptiste, “Building For Everyone”

23. Diverse teams are more likely
to create inclusive products …

26. … but

27. “There is an unambiguous and meaningful benefit to
having people from different backgrounds on your team
only when psychological safety exists”*
* Liz Fosslien and Molly West Duffy,”No Hard Feelings”

28. 2. Psychological safety

29. “A shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking”*
* Amy Edmondson,”Building a psychologically safe workplace” (TEDx)

30. @alexisrbrown*

31. @channeytangho*
Fear of collaborating with others
Not feeling empowered
Lack of trust, people posing a threat
Uncertainty about expectations
Ego or hierarchy getting in the way
Inherent bias blocking people out
Feels unsafe to take risks
No room for research or experiments

32. What are we accountable for?
Who makes the decisions?
What are our guardrails?
How can we best challenge?
Do we have a shared language?
How do we live up to our values?
@naomi_august*

33. Creating a psychologically
safe environment

34. What psychological safety is NOT:*
Being ‘nice’
A personality factor
Another word for trust
Lowering performance standards

35. Psychological safety exists in an environment where people are
safe for interpersonal risk taking; people being able to speak up or
challenge without any repercussions

36. Key components
Trust Empathy Purpose Transparency

37. TRUST

38. “So what is trust? We could say that a person or
organisation trusts another when both sides have
reason to expect that neither will take advantage
of the other, and, whenever possible, will even do
things that advance the other’s interests.”
Brigitte Jordan (Xerox)

40. EMPATHY

41. “Leadership is about empathy. It is about having
the ability to relate to and connect with people
for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their
lives.”
Oprah Winfrey

42. “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s
thinking of yourself less.”
C.S. Lewis

43. Tracy
What is Tracy’s professional world like today?
What excites Tracy about her role? What does she dread? Why?
How does Tracy feel about collaborating with you?
@mimithian*
What is Tracy’s world view? What has shaped it?

44. PURPOSE

45. “The bigger the vision, the easier it is to have a goal
driven culture, as each “goal” is simply a step
towards that bigger mission.”
Melanie Perkins (Canva)

46. @mcnoble*
A strong vision feels aspirational, focuses on
a customer need and highlights how your business or
product is going to be different from the competition

47. “To become the world’s number-one destination
for fashion-loving 20-somethings”
(ASOS)
“To create a better everyday life for the many people”
(IKEA)
“To entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe
through the power of unparalleled storytelling (…)”
(Disney)

48. TRANSPARENCY

49. “Radical transparency fosters goodness in so many
ways for the same reasons that bad things are more
likely to take place behind closed doors.”
Ray Dalio (Bridgewater)

50. And …

51. … Try + Learn

52. “When the bosses make the decisions, decisions are made by
politics, persuasion, and PowerPoint. When you make decisions
through experiment, the best idea can prove itself.”
Scott Cook (Intuit)

53. Experimenting
Collate assumptions
Challenge
Assess impact
Challenge
Agree hypothesis
(Dis) Agree and commit
Try, learn, and iterate
@carolinehdz*

54. Where to start (remotely)?

55. Questioning
‘Why?’
‘Big questions’
‘Devil’s Advocate’
‘Wicked Questions’
@art_maltsev* https://amorebeautifulquestion.com/

56. @neonbrand*
Engaging
1:1s
‘Water cooler moments’
Giving + receiving feedback
Checking in
Liberating conversations
‘What do you think?’
Perspective taking

57. Collaborating Inclusively
Having a cognitive diverse team is a great starting point but
offers no guarantees for truly inclusive products
Creating an environment where people can safely take
interpersonal risks
Play our part in such environments by displaying empathy as well
as establishing trust, transparency and shared goals

59. Marc Abraham @MAA1
marcabraham.com
Thank you!
* all images can be found on https://unsplash.com/