“Accessibility is being able to get in the building. Diversity is getting invited to the table. Inclusion is having a voice at the table. Belonging is having your voice heard at the table!” 

Speaking up is a balancing act for Elizabeth Asefa. There are times where you as an individual may feel more empowered to express something on behalf of yourself or a colleague and times where fear can override that freedom, particularly at work. When it comes to fear, there are 3 aspects that a person works through before speaking up: Individual - “Will I be taken as an expert?”, “I don’t even want to talk about this right now,”; Work- “Will this affect my career prospects?”, “Will there be backlash?”; and Potential Labels - “I don’t want to come across as overly sensitive or emotional.” 

To relieve some of the pressure of speaking up, we should remember that there is a “collective opportunity”, where you can find where you have the space and the additional power. Some ways to include this: 

• Showing it’s a safe space- “I wanted to check in. How are you feeling?” “What do you do to unwind on the weekend?” 

• Show interest in another’s culture- “Do you have a particularly meaningful holiday or celebration in your culture?” “Are there parts of your identity or background you’d like to express more at work?” 

Most importantly, you should always connect and respect your colleagues; embrace them. We all are not just one thing and giving people the space and support to express themselves will allow for everyone to feel like they belong. 

Written by Helen Silverman, Learning Technologies Administrator Harvard Business School    

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