Active Allies
TL;DR
Effective teamwork through knowledge rather than fear.
- understanding: curiosity about others’ viewpoints
- introspection: know thy own biases
- privilege: acknowledgement of (lack of) unfair advantages
- empathetic communication: use vocabulary & tone to circumvent others’ biases/walls of defence without triggering fear/judgement
- honesty: feeling safe to disagree
- support: sourcing candid feedback
- mentorship: encouraging withdrawn/quiet people to engage
(PS: note that simply “being nice” is neither a means nor an end, and is not mentioned in any of the above advice. Feigning niceness – whilst you rage inside – will result in a nervous breakdown or a homicidal explosion.)