2020 feels like an important turning point for humanity and perhaps a point at which we need to rethink our relationship with the planet and each other
By Rita Symons
After 12 weeks of a changed reality due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, US, on 25 May 2020, at the hands of the police, sparked a worldwide response and an increased profile for the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
From a personal point of view, having spent a large part of my life in denial about the impact racism has had on me, I have been drawn into the work of inclusion and had been feeling a dichotomy of hope and weariness. It is not difficult to understand why for so many those feelings have turned to rage. But while anger may be righteous, where does it get us?
We remain in a polarised, entrenched position where protest is directly countered by the far right, communication becomes impossible and the process of dehumanisation spirals. For me, the realisation is shocking that a large part of society has no understanding of systemic racism and the fact that modern society is designed to benefit white people in every aspect of life.
As a coach I strongly believe change happens one conversation at a time and it is only by having conversations across the boundaries that we can hope to change the deep inequity that exists in society. There is increasing evidence that inter-group dialogue, finding our common humanity, reduces ‘othering’ and promotes respect.
Those in the #BlackLivesMatter movement talk of the concept of ‘healing justice’ and their practice is based on a lot of what we would recognise in coaching: grounding, resilience and restoration. This comes from a place of love, not hate and is about redressing balance, moving beyond trauma-based responses.
So what do we collectively need to do to address this and what part can coaches play?
Most of us as coaches would say we want to create a space where every individual we work with can be the best version of themselves. We have a deep responsibility to understand what this really means for people of colour.
Allyship is a word that signifies action. It is not enough to empathise, we need to act where we see inequality, however uncomfortable this may be. Many of us are noticing that there is a shift in balance post-pandemic where organisations are more focused on purpose and adding social value and less focused on profit.
As coaches there is an opportunity for us to shift the paradigm of discussion and an interesting ensuing dilemma. We always talk of coaching as being ‘non directive’. Is it time for us to get off the fence and focus on how society needs to shift to thrive in a sustainable way?
So I invite coaches to reconsider your coaching practice and ask some hard questions.
What can you do in the organisations you work with to actively address inequality? What do you need to learn to be better prepared to coach for inclusion? And what can we collectively do as a profession to play a bigger part in banishing hate?
From a personal perspective, in the words of Martin Luther King, “I have decided to stick with love; hate is too big a burden to bear.”
- Rita Symons is a coach and leadership consultant, working mainly in the NHS, and is currently president of EMCC UK. She writes here in a personal capacity