A bright light has been shining lately on gender bias and its many negative manifestations – sexual harassment, gender discrimination, the wage gap, the leadership gap and gender inequality. Everyday new articles and new research provide more information on these topics. The #METOO movement, in particular, has recently brought worldwide attention to the prevalence of sexual harassment experienced by women, and shown how hidden it has been for decades.

When I began writing my book Understanding Gender at Work three years ago, one of my primary goals was to increase awareness about gender inequality, blind spots and bias. Now, as more and more people become aware of unconscious gender bias and recognize the inequity it causes, the next challenge is being able to move from awareness into action.

The #METOO movement provides a powerful and dramatic example of moving from awareness to action in lightning speed. The movement was started late last year by women bravely coming forward and individually shining a light on sexual harassment and assault in the entertainment and media industries. The light rapidly became a floodlight, and from this awareness arose the #TIMESUP movement.

Time’s Up Now, an organization that was created out of the #TIMESUP movement, aims to address systemic inequality and injustice in the workplace that has kept underrepresented groups from reaching their full potential. It has teamed up with leading advocates to improve laws, employment agreements and corporate policies. It also provides a legal defense fund for women who are victims of sexual assault. This is an amazing and inspiring example of moving from awareness to action in record time!

So how can each of us, once we are aware of blind spots and bias, begin to move beyond bias and into action for change? One avenue is to create a culture of inclusion in the workplace so that everyone feels included.  Ways that individuals can personally foster inclusion include:

• having respectful discussions with people who are different to better understand their perspective;
• talking to diverse colleagues about their experiences of exclusion;
• paying attention and being sensitive to the subtle ways people may be excluded;
• building trust with people who are different; and
• making it clear you think inclusion is important, especially when you have influence in your organization.

In my blog “Leading with Hearts and Minds for Diversity”, I highlighted the marvelous suggestions made by Simon Moutter, who concluded that an organization can only truly become inclusive, and thus diverse, by using both heart and mind. Creating a culture of inclusion involves using personal values (heart) and implementing policies to encourage diversity (head).  The teachings of feminine gender culture, which focus on the importance of collaboration and relationships, provide these types of values.

We need everyone’s help in this creation. Leaders and gatekeepers in organizations are key; by making their views known on the importance of inclusion and leading by example, they send a potent message to others in the organization. Specifically, leaders can ensure:

• the people around them are diverse;
• the people they promote and select for important projects are diverse;
• they champion or mentor people who differ from them; and
• they accept that creating an inclusive and safe environment is their responsivity.

These are just a few suggested actions that can be taken to create a culture of inclusion. These actions require a collaborative mindset as well as an understanding of how to deal with personal, organizational, and societal gender biases. In a subsequent blog I will discuss the knowledge, styles and skills that are important for creating an inclusive environment.