How to be Inclusive Nonverbally

<p><em>You can include and exclude people nonverbally &mdash; often inadvertently! Here are seven ways to avoid excluding others.</em></p> <p>&ldquo;Now that we&rsquo;re back in the office part-time, I love seeing everyone interacting again,&rdquo; a coaching client told me. &ldquo;But a few people who were hired remotely during the pandemic still hang back. One newer employee said everyone knows each other already and she doesn&rsquo;t feel included. I know the team isn&rsquo;t&nbsp;<em>trying</em>&nbsp;to exclude her, but I can see how she might feel that way. What can we do?&rdquo;</p> <p>Inclusiveness rarely happens automatically. By definition, if some people are &ldquo;included,&rdquo; others are excluded. For example, your company or team culture automatically excludes people who don&rsquo;t work at your company or on your team. And that&rsquo;s fine. You want to create a shared identity. Culture is a good thing! But often, even the people you&nbsp;<em>want</em>&nbsp;to feel included, don&rsquo;t.</p> <p>Excluding happens easily.&nbsp;<strong>Including often takes intention.</strong></p> <p>I&rsquo;m not referring to enacting policies that provide equal access for marginalized groups. That&rsquo;s a huge, important topic, yet beyond my expertise. I&rsquo;m talking about everyday nuts-and-bolts communication skills (or lack thereof) that can subtly &mdash; and often unintentionally &mdash; make people feel like they do or don&rsquo;t belong. When you&rsquo;re in a group setting, especially if you&rsquo;re a leader or addressing the group as a whole, a few minor adjustments can make a big difference.&nbsp;<strong>Create a more receptive and accessible atmosphere with these simple communication tips:</strong></p> <p><a href="https://rachelforte.medium.com/how-to-be-inclusive-nonverbally-e049962db070"><strong>Click Here</strong></a></p>