What are your goals and ambitions at school, university, or work? No matter what field you’re in or where you’re at in your journey, we encourage you to aim high.
What does aiming high mean?
This means setting your sights on a goal that might seem challenging, and then going for it. Aiming high requires focus, dedication, and hard work.
When you aim high, you’ll need to develop your leadership skills and strive to be a role model for others if you want to succeed. And one of the most important things you can do at every stage of your career is to take an inclusive approach to work and study.
Why inclusivity matters
Diversity and inclusion are far more than just buzzwords. They refer to creating a workplace or study environment that is welcoming to everyone and where everyone can reach their potential and thrive as an individual and as part of the team.
In a diverse environment, people of different genders, ages, races, sexual orientations, and backgrounds work together productively. In a truly inclusive environment, everyone’s unique skills and attributes are valued and everyone receives the support they need to achieve their goals.
Here are a few tips to help you cultivate an inclusive approach as you reach for the sky in work or study.
Seek support and insights from a variety of people
Aiming high is something you do for yourself, but you can’t accomplish your goals alone. One of the most important factors is the people around you. Whether they’re peers, teachers or tutors, supervisors, or senior management, you should aim to learn something from everyone you interact with.
It’s important that you don’t just seek out support or insights from people like you. Doing this will give you a limited perspective and might even confirm some of the internal biases we all carry (and often don’t realise we’re carrying!) Learning from a wide variety of people will give you a broader perspective, deepen your knowledge, and introduce you to completely new ways of thinking.
Recognise what you don’t know
We are all the product of our own experiences, characteristics, and backgrounds. This means that nobody knows everything and we cannot always completely understand someone else’s experience. It also means that most of us have some kind of unconscious bias.
Being inclusive isn’t about knowing everything or never making a mistake. Instead, recognise that you don’t always know everything and proactively seek input from other people who come from different backgrounds and contexts. Recognising what you don’t know is half the battle.
Give others a helping hand, too
The people who reach their goals and achieve their potential are usually the people who are supportive and helpful to others. Getting ahead in study or in the workplace isn’t about stepping on other people to get to the top.
If you have a chance to help someone else, always do so. They will remember you fondly, help you out in turn, and put in a good word for you if the opportunity presents itself. Never underestimate the power of a strong reputation and
Speak up for inclusivity
If you can see that something in your team or workplace’s policies isn’t inclusive, or see someone else behaving in a non-inclusive way, you should speak up if you can. Part of being a leader and a high achiever is in standing up for doing things the right way.
This can manifest in all kinds of different ways. For example, if you’re a man and notice that people often speak over the women in your team in meetings, you can say something like “I don’t think Sarah was finished speaking.” If you notice that everyone featured on the marketing materials for your latest campaign is white, you can point it out and ask for more diverse representation to be included. This isn’t about picking faults, but about suggesting ways to make improvements.
In other words, don’t be afraid to talk about inclusion. It’s not a taboo topic, and it makes the workplace better for everyone when we can talk about it.
Join a staff network
Many larger companies and workplaces have staff networks. These might range from informal working groups up to very structured organisations. Joining a network can allow you to get your voice heard, push for more inclusive practices more broadly, and connect with other people who care about the same things.
Joining a staff network is also a great way to give yourself a leg up at work. You’ll meet people, build relationships, learn new things, and even add something to your CV in the process. It’s a win-win!
Treat others how they would like to be treated
Diversity and inclusion mean recognising that everyone is equal, but they do not necessarily mean treating everyone the same. While the golden rule we were taught as children was “treat others how you’d like to be treated,” it’s actually much better to treat them as they would prefer to be treated!
This means not assuming that everyone needs the same things, and not assuming that you know what is best for someone else. As far as possible, ask them their preferences and what they need to thrive in the workplace.
Most importantly, never stop learning
The most successful people are the ones who strive to learn something every day. So as you study your subject or advance at work, don’t forget to keep learning about inclusion, too. Nothing you learn is ever wasted and will help you to maintain an inclusive approach as you reach for your goals.
Good luck!
