From the Archives | An Inclusive Table: Commit to These 3 Things to Create Inclusive Discussions at Work

Victoria Welborn, then Senior Program Officer at the National Democratic Institute, wrote a piece for GenderAvenger in 2018 outlining three things people can do to create inclusive discussions at work. She encouraged readers to “commit to questioning whether women are being equally represented in meetings and other avenues for information sharing, decision-making, and networking (email chains, non-party planning committees, Slack channels, happy hours, etc.).”

As people begin their return to offices and other workplaces, especially many of the women whose careers were impacted by the pandemic, it seems like an important time to revisit Welborn’s ideas and ensure women are part of the workplace conversations happening at every level. Keep in mind that even though women may be seated at that conference room table, they may not have as much opportunity to speak as the men. It’s a good thing GenderAvenger has a solution.

Read Victoria Welborn’s article below…

It is almost impossible to ignore the symbolism represented by the U.S. Capitol’s neoclassical architecture. The sturdy Roman columns remind the world of America’s epic commitment to our republic, Michelangeloesque murals of our nation’s founding quietly observe from overhead, and soft marble floors gently slope under the feet of 300+ years of democracy at work. Comparatively, I’ve spent a blink of time working in the Capitol, and most recently as the Creative Director for a Member of House leadership.

Next time you are in a meeting, look around and ask, “Is there enough representation around this table for this conversation to be inclusive?”

One day, my direct supervisor tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to attend a communications strategy meeting in her place. I was eager for the opportunity. Walking into one of the ornate meeting rooms in the Capitol building, I took a seat around an enormous mahogany table with about twenty senior leadership communications staffers — some of the most influential communicators in Washington, D.C. I was not only one of the youngest staffers present, but, in the manner of true antiquity, I was also only one of a small handful of women around that table.