The Culture of Respect Working Agreements
Organizational culture is often colloquially defined as “the way we do things around here.” One of the reasons The Culture of Respect is able to create a safe space for participants is that we operate under a set of shared community expectations that we refer to as Working Agreements.
The Working Agreements create an atmosphere of trust and self-governance that enables the types of discussions that make the experience so valuable. They also set the boundaries of how we operate within the course.
These are the twelve Working Agreements that all participants in The Culture of Respect are asked to agree to:
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The 12 Working Agreements
Confidentiality. The foundation of our trust-building in The Culture of Respect is our commitment to confidentiality. We need to know that the risks we take and the experiences we share can be done so in confidence.
Use “I” statements. It is important when sharing our voice to make sure we are framing things in the context of our own experience and perspective. The goal here is to avoid speaking on behalf of all people who share an identity with you, and instead focusing on your own experience possessing that identity.
Share air time / Use your voice. No one is ever forced to share, but we strongly encourage each person to contribute their voice when appropriate. Also, since our experience is dependent on people using their voice, be mindful to share air time and hold space for others to express themselves.
Listen. People could use their voice in The Culture of Respect to share the most transformative knowledge, but if no one is listening then those gifts will be lost. Push yourself to genuinely listen and engage with the experiences of others, and be mindful of ways you can demonstrate that active listening, such as nodding your head, making eye contact, or following up with people to let them know how what they shared had an impact on you.
Take care of yourself. The work we do in The Culture of Respect can be both cognitively and emotionally exhausting. Be mindful of your reactions, responses, and needs and be careful to practice self-care in the moment and throughout the journey.
It’s okay to make mistakes. In The Culture of Respect we believe it is okay to “show up messy.” Diversity and inclusion work is not about arriving at a destination, it is a lifelong journey.
Take risks. Authentic conversations on systems of oppression are either really hard, or hardly real. Our Working Agreements are designed to create a safe place where people feel they can take risks in sharing their experience. It is these risks that will enable our capacity to empathize with others to expand, and our understanding of the importance of allyship to be solidified.
Start and end on time. Our team of facilitators commits to doing our best to start and end each session on time. This accordingly involves participants arriving prior to the start of class so we can promptly begin our agenda and not repeat critical information for people who are arriving late.
Respect the structure of the class. The Culture of Respect is grounded in sound pedagogical theory connected to experiential learning as well as scholarship in oppression studies. Sessions are designed to both preserve the goals of the learning experience and to foster a safe space where your well-being is the priority.
Leave your personal stuff at the door. We all have lives outside of this course: careers, families, relationships, and problems. To the best of your ability, please strive to be fully present during our sessions.
Expect unfinished business. We are not going to solve Racism or Sexism or Classism during our time together in The Culture of Respect. Indeed, it can be natural to leave a session feeling unresolved or uncertain. There will no doubt be unfinished business at the end of our journey, but we also pledge that if you buy in to this experience you will be a different and better person by its conclusion.
Have fun. It’s true that we’re going to be engaging with challenging topics and emotions in The Culture of Respect—it’s also true that we’re going to have fun together along the way.
We not only use our working agreements to create a safe, supportive atmosphere within the course, we apply these agreements to our work together as an organization. When someone takes some time away to care for their physical or mental health, we thank them for “taking care of yourself.” We take risks and make mistakes together.
Many of our participants and facilitators even use these agreements in their work or at home!
Which of these Working Agreements are you already familiar with? Did any of them surprise you? Do you live by these “rules” in your everyday life? Continue the Conversation by sharing a comment!