“Khaleǐdoscope®”. With an ‘h’!? And what’s with that funny accent over the ‘i’? It was a daring move, especially for the daughter of two French teachers. So, deed. I rarely do things at random. Yes, but then… why? Why this name? Here I’ll explain the whys and wherefores, the origins of the project and the significance of this perfectly fitting name.
Remember that new classmate from a war-torn country who took weeks to make friends? And that friend who nobody wanted to play with after she spilt a pan of boiling water on her hand? And the one whose face was covered in pimples? And that other girl who had been brought up by her grandmother since her parents died? Who didn’t speak like us and used words from another age?
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been very sensitive to the phenomenon of exclusion. I’ve always been the person who would hold out a hand, who would send a kind smile, who would make room on the bench. As time has gone by, my sensitivity has become even more acute.
FROM RH TO HUMAN
Studying human resources has taught me that, as long as we are accepted as we are, as long as we feel free to be ourselves, we can develop our full potential. So all we need to do is offer each other this feeling of inclusion, and we can become the best versions of ourselves?
I’ve always been convinced that we can all make a difference, at our own level. I devoted my dissertation in Human Resources Management to inclusive leadership. I decided to turn it into a practical tool that would convey my message of openness and deep respect for human beings in all their facets.
BACK TO BASICS
So I went back to my roots: the playground and games, which exclude those who are left out or, on the contrary, bring people together and give rise to friendships.
Khaleǐdoscope® takes the form of a board game.
THE CONCEPT
Khaleǐdoscope® is essentially based on two packs of cards: a set of scenarios directly inspired by everyday life and a set of resolutely inclusive behaviours.
INCLUSIVE BEHAVIOURS?
In my dissertation, I defined an ‘inclusive leader’ as someone who is able to attract and motivate people from different backgrounds, of all genders and generations, from different cultures and with different personalities. Inclusive leaders value diversity and understand the mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion through human differences.
This dynamic and collaborative style of leadership fosters better relationships between leaders and their colleagues in diverse teams. Why is it so important to have a team whose members have diverse profiles you might ask? As Katherine W. Phillips , being surrounded by people who are different from ourselves makes us more creative, more attentive and more committed to our work. Research by Alison Reynolds and David Lewis shows that the more cognitive differences there are between team members, i.e. the more differently they approach complex situations, the better they will perform. Given the difficulty of the business challenges we face, it is vital to have the best performing teams. This is precisely where the profession of faith meets the strategy, and where openness to diversity and the promotion of inclusion take on their full importance.
BASICALLY, IS INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP ONLY FOR MANAGERS?
Well, not exactly. Etymologically, a leader is someone who shows the way, as opposed to a manager, who is a manager. The leader knows what needs to be done, whereas the manager knows how to do it properly. We can all be leaders. Peter Northouse defines leadership as a process in which an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. Leadership does not therefore require a specific hierarchical function, but consists of influencing people, uniting them around a common goal, convincing them that they can achieve it and motivating them to do so.
BUT WHAT MAKES A LEADER “INCLUSIVE”?
To answer this question, I combined the different approaches that exist, namely the literature perspective, the consultancy perspective and finally the field perspective. I came to the conclusion that what makes an “inclusive leader” is the ability to adopt 9 behaviours. Not all at once, don’t worry! No, what makes an inclusive leader is that, in every situation of exclusion, he/she will adopt a behaviour that will make you feel included, accepted, valued and recognised, just as you are.
WHAT ARE THESE 9 INCLUSIVE BEHAVIOURS?
- Kindness: I highlight successes instead of punishing failures. “OK, we lost a game, but more importantly we understood our mistakes, which means we can improve for the next game.”
- Humility: I’m modest, I admit my mistakes and I create space for others to contribute. I don’t have all the solutions, I don’t have all the answers. I know this and I ask the right people for help.
- Empathy: I understand how people feel, what motivates them and what they need. Be careful here not to fall into the trap of unconscious bias.Don’t presuppose, but make sure you ask questions, question the other person to find out what’s going on.”You’ve had an accident.
OK, I want to be there for you. What exactly are the consequences of your condition? Do you need help (or not)?” - Empowerment: I encourage others to take responsibility for their actions. “I give you this responsibility. I’m giving you the tools to carry out your mission”, but I won’t do it for you once I’ve given it to you.
- Equity: I offer everyone equal opportunities. If I offer language courses, for example, I check beforehand exactly what each person’s needs are.
- Stimulation: I encourage others to grow and become a better version of themselves. I encourage them to take on challenges that will make them grow and excel.
- Courage: I act according to my convictions and principles, even when this means taking a personal risk.If I hear a racist joke around me, I make it clear that I don’t like it.I make it known that I’m not amused, but not at all.
- Proactivity: I’m a champion of change. I take proactive initiatives to strengthen inclusion. I don’t wait for a problem to arise, I anticipate it. For example, I think about providing access to my establishment for people with reduced mobility, without waiting for the need to arise.
- Versatility: I know how to adapt and I’m open to other ways of working. We all excel in one area or another. But that doesn’t mean that any other way of doing things is necessarily bad.
SO WHY ‘KHALEǏDOSCOPE®’?
I’ll come to that. With all the possible combinations of situations and behaviours, the “Khaleǐdoscope®” game is a kaleidoscope of all the situations of exclusion and the solutions that can be found. Look closely, the name “Khaleǐdoscope®” includes all the 1st letters of the 9 behaviours in English. No, no, don’t thank me. It’s a gift.
There’s still that funny accent on the “i” … let’s just say that you’ll have to be very flexible to find out what it means!
Would you like to know more? I promise, I’ll tell you all about the dice and the pawns… another day. In the meantime, feel free to surf to www.inclusivegames.eu for more information.