Inclusive Conversations: Fostering Equity, Empathy, and Belonging across Differences

by Mary-Frances Winters

In today's workplace, conversations about diversity are vital but filled with potential pitfalls--award-winning consultant Mary-Frances Winters provides specific, tactical, and compassionate approaches for dialoguing across difference.

Whether leaders like it or not, employees are talking and thinking about issues like race, religion, and politics, which impact their levels of productivity, engagement, and psychological safety. Simply forbidding these conversations is just sweeping a problem under the rug. Award-winning diversity and inclusion consultant Mary-Frances Winters has been leading workshops on what she calls Bold, Inclusive Conversations for years. She offers specific dialogue techniques to foster greater understanding across diversity:
- Identifying words, phrases and topics that can be triggering to some groups and avoiding or reframing them to open dialogue rather than shut it down
- Dealing with the "fragility" of dominant groups--the extreme reluctance to engage with the concerns of nondominant groups
- Addressing the fatigue historically marginalized groups feel from constantly explaining their experience
- Understanding the difference between dialogue and debate
This is a comprehensive guide for leaders who want to create brave spaces for dialogue and facilitate discussions on potentially polarizing topics.

Genres: Nonfiction, Leadership, Business, Social Justice, Workplace, Personal Development, Professional Development

192 pages, Paperback

First published July 28, 2020

About the author

Mary-Frances Winters is the founder and president of The Winters Group, Inc., a 36-year old global diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm. She is a passionate advocate for justice and equity; a provocateur not afraid to have the difficult conversations. Mary-Frances has over three decades of experience working with corporate leaders in support of enhancing their understanding of what it is like to be the “other.”

Ms. Winters is a master strategist with experience in strategic planning, change management, diversity, organization development, training and facilitation, systems thinking and qualitative and quantitative research methods. She has extensive experience in working with senior leadership teams to drive organizational change.

Mary-Frances Winters has served on national not-for profit, corporate and university boards. Among her many awards and distinctions, she was named a diversity pioneer by Profiles in Diversity Journal in August 2007 and received the Winds of Change award from the Forum on Workplace Inclusion in 2016. Ms. Winters was also featured in Forbes’ June 2016 publication, which honored some of the DC Metro area’s most powerful women. In November 2019, she was named by Forbes as one of 10 trailblazers in diversity and inclusion. She has served as a torch bearer for the Olympics and has previously been recognized as an Athena Award winner from the Chamber of Commerce for her contributions to women and the community.

Reviews

[Noémie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a good book for people who are starting their “Inclusion Journey.” It’s quite straightforward, provides good examples and practical reflections. Nothing new for EDI experts or specialists but still a good reminder.

[Angi Mathews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book hard to start. I tried listening to the audio book which is usually how I consume books, however, this book reads more like a text book and once I wrapped my head around that and read the paper copy of the book, it went much better for me. There were some excellent points and things I hadn’t thought about before. I am going to want to use this as reference in the future.

[Jite · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me a while to finish mostly because I think there was a mismatch between what I thought it was going to be and what it was. It’s not that this wasn’t a helpful book that discusses how to do DEI work. I think if that’s what you pick it up for as a manager or an executive trying to reconcile the role of DEI in your organization, you may get a lot more utility out of it than I did. I think the main issue is that this is written with the premise that you’re a minority in a mainly white, corporate, male institution and you’re trying to bring people to the table to behave with more humanity and recognition of privilege. There are certainly practices that you can take outside that setting and try to apply in other contexts, but this is definitely a book more for those working in DEI within large corporations rather than it is one for building a broader society with more inclusive conversations without pandering to bigotry and erasure. I liked it’s approach in general, the content just wasn’t necessarily for me. Would recommend to someone working in corporate DEI.

[Maija Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! As a professional in the DE&I field I will be utilizing these timeless strategies to help facilitate inclusive conversations and foster inclusive teams where there is psychological safety to do so. I love the idea of having a shared framework (and therefore shared language) for everyone on a team to use and the specific scripts/examples Mary-Frances uses to address micro aggressions and micro assaults.

[Nanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful framework. Helpful tips and reflection questions at the end of each chapter.

[Anne Wisniewski Vogt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book in how to create safe spaces, learn about your bias & triggers. Lots of information for those willing to learn.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really helpful and accessible framework for starting or improving your communication skills to create and promote psychologically safe and brave, inclusive spaces. I approached this read from the lens of higher ed but it could be used widely in corporate, non-profit, educational, community, or close interpersonal spaces. One note is that the first few chapters refer to "we'll discuss this later in the book" which was a bit frustrating. The text could absolutely be expanded but my general feeling is that this text was written to be accessible and - short. As someone who wanted more depth on some topics, that was my perspective. However, as a co-read or community read at an organization, department, etc. this was the perfect length with valuable examples and really well formulated discussion questions at the end of each chapter. 4.5

[Dale Sabo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for book club for on my iPhone. Prefer a physical book. Interesting perspective. I have my doubts about the likelihood of open and honest conversations on difficult topics at work.

People will be cautious in expressing themselves for the perfectly reasonable concerns of having little to gain and much to lose. For example, the significant prospect of offending fellow employees regardless of their specific opinion.

[Gabie Dufrene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this so much! I would recommend this to literally every one. I’m always wanting to learn more in this space and Mary-Frances Winters teaches in a way that is not only extremely thoughtful but also allowed me to be introspective into my own identity! She talked about many aspects of race and gender in a way that I may not have approached them before. Wow wow wow, couldn’t recommend this enough.

[Andrew Shanks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for work book club they are doing company wide. It gave me a lot to think about and absolutely will be reading more. I wrote down all the titles mentioned and will be reading them this year.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource and coaching on inclusive conversations in the work place and anywhere.

[Doug Wells · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts are excellent, parts formulaic and less thought-provoking. All in all a good book to create opportunities for conversation and dialogue.

[Brenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and incredibly helpful in providing actions organizations and individuals can take to build more inclusive culture/discussions. Highly recommend!

[Melissa Hebert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good education, poorly written.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very thorough and includes some helpful ideas and some less so.

[Danielle Pavliv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent DEI book. Highly recommend with lots of practical tips and strategies.

[Judi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent information for understanding how to be more inclusive along with many questions for reflection and usable tips.

[Tammy Rima · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a class at work but I enjoyed it. It was a solid DEI read with some good tips.

[Ryk Good · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're familiar with this subject then you'll find yourself nodding in agreement, but it's still a nice refresher course to anyone looking to solidify agreements for inclusion in the workplace.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worthwhile read but still challenging to implement

[Carlie Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had a lot of practical advice that I could follow as a DEI practitioner. I do think it was oversimplified, however.

[Becky Osborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a valuable tool and definitely a must read for literally everyone!

[Tait · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the pacing of this book! It is a really good resource for those of us who are in DEI work full-time!

[Des · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great starter information and great profiles on different forms of allyship. It does get repetitive though, but I guess for someone who is new to this, having this really nailed in is good for them.

[Rebecca Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear and practical guide to opening up conversations about race in the workplace.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good outline of topics worthy of much deeper discussion. Without that deeper work, I feel like there aren't many people who'd be able to put inclusive conversations into practice.

[Victoria Rempel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important and concise introduction to DEI (diversity, equity & inclusion) and inclusive conversations. I appreciated the explicit nature of this read, including the actionable suggestions to foster change on the individual level.

[Charles McGonigal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, clear explanations and advice, but it doesn't quite cross the bridge to how to handle people who are either not-well-meaning or committed to a different perspective on these issues.