I came out 24 years ago this month. Notwithstanding the support of friends, family members, and teachers, I never imagined back in 2000 that I’d be married with two children and working in a progressive ecosystem that is not only accepting, but celebratory.
But in the last quarter century (time flies!), I’ve realized that fully embracing the entire queer community is a lifelong journey. There’s a moral imperative to observe, learn, and grow as it evolves. And the habits we build from doing this have implications for our everyday lives—including how we lead and engage at work.
CEOs generally focus on creating and growing category-defining products for their users. I’d argue, however, that the most successful CEOs also treat their companies as products for their teams. In that spirit, and in honor of Pride Month, here are three best practices that transcend queer allyship and effective leadership:
Stay Curious
Given the queer community’s continuous evolution, proactive and ongoing education is critical, regardless of your identity or lived experience. Similarly, People and HR constructs are changing at a rapid pace; relying on outdated tropes risks poor cultural and performance outcomes.
The companies that adapted to the pandemic most adeptly were curious about meeting the moment, learning from others and staying determined to foster cohesiveness in an uncharted new world.
Those days may be behind us, but change remains constant. Leaders invariably benefit from staying curious about how to adapt to it, and, by doing so, continue finding better ways of doing things.
Meet People Where They Are
I still bristle at memories of well-intentioned friends trying to coax me out of the closet before I felt ready. Relatedly, in past People leadership roles, I’ve tried to implement “best practices” (e.g. OKRs, biannual reviews, and the list goes on) before fellow leaders were on board and the business was ready.
In spite of my best intentions, this caused friction that wasn’t productive for anyone. In all settings, listening without forcing an agenda is crucial. Yet while it’s critical to read the room, it remains equally important to challenge one another’s thinking when warranted.
Effective leaders listen, meet teams where they are, and bring people on the journey together–even when it means disagreeing and committing. This can avert a “whiplash” reaction to change, instead creating broad support for what lies ahead.
Always Be Empathetic
Empathy may feel like a buzzword, but it’s also a muscle that needs to be built and maintained. Most challenging scenarios arise from people with different styles and value systems trying to work together without taking time to understand one another. Whether interacting with someone whose lived experience is unfamiliar or navigating a tough situation at work, the inherent value of trying to make sense of one others’ emotions and perspectives is irreplaceable.
You won’t necessarily be able to walk a mile in their shoes, but the effort itself goes a long way.
Moving Forward
Whether you work with us on an executive coaching, advisory, or fractional basis, Luminary People Advisors is committed to infusing these principles into everything we do and helping our clients sustain them. Book a free consultation with the button below to learn more.
Wishing you all a Happy Pride!
