The power of spontaneous communities in driving change

I recently had the privilege of hosting a diversity, equity and inclusiveness (DE&I) event with inspiring peers who work around the world along with guest speaker Annabelle Williams. Annabelle is a Paralympic gold medalist, international speaker and sports commentator. She also happens to be a leading voice on DE&I and is creating a movement to change people’s perceptions about their own limitations.

After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, it was incredibly inspiring to be back in a room with other DE&I leaders, with the energy feeling much different than a virtual call. Together, we enjoyed listening to our speaker, sharing challenges and discussing tactics for success. 

One topic we talked about is the power of spontaneous communities, where these kinds of shared experiences are created. One participant told us that what keeps her motivated is leaning on a community of peers working toward similar outcomes. How true that observation felt in adding energy to many tough topics we are all working through in the world at this moment. 

These kinds of in-person connections have been lacking in many of our lives for so long. The World Economic Forum posted that being a part of strong communities is a powerful way for people to build relationships in a faster, more scalable way. And that membership in a community comes with a level of social connection that helps people expedite the formation of meaningful relationships.

In the DE&I space, we talk a lot about the need for sponsors and leaders who can advocate for change, but we seem to talk less about the importance of our everyday community – having a network of peers to motivate and support us along the way.

As DE&I professionals, our successes tend not to be linear. Because we are dealing with humans and culture change, our successes tend to be up and down as they move forward. So, in a world that’s increasingly digital, and a field that can sometimes be characterized by slow progress and setbacks, it feels important that we become more intentional about building peer communities as an ongoing support structure. Especially because the work we’re doing on a day-to-day basis can be highly sensitive and requires continuous courage – and encouragement. 

Today, DE&I is climbing the corporate agenda, but CEO sponsorship and making investments may not be enough. We know change tends to happen one conversation at a time. So, what if we carved out more of those moments where connections happen? I’m invited to a few casual communities and conversations, and they are very valuable to me. 

The other factor to consider is that more people are feeling lonely and disconnected. The EY Belonging Barometer 2.0 surveyed more than 5,000 employees at companies around the world. More than 80% say they have felt or feel lonely at work and nearly half (49%) feel lonelier today than they did before the pandemic. Yet, a Harvard Business Review article, “The Value of Belonging at Work”, describes social belonging as a fundamental human need that’s hardwired into our DNA.  

One way the EY organization is able to promote a sense of belonging is by sharing stories. This is also something we all do naturally when socially networking. We know sharing stories can connect people, inspire them and create behavioral change. That’s because role modeling vulnerability, empathy and self-disclosure can often make it feel safe for others to do the same. 

At the EY organization, we have internal professional networks around the world that are designed to offer safe spaces, promote awareness, as well as advocacy, allyship and collaboration. These networks offer affinity and have become an increasingly important part of how we’re building a more inclusive culture.  

In our busy lives it can be challenging to set aside more time, but this recent peer event was a good reminder to me that being part of a peer community is often not a feeling that can be recreated on the phone or through a computer screen. There’s something uniquely special that happens when we create space to just come together – with no agenda, homework or prep required – when we tell stories that build awareness and empathy and celebrate each other’s wins. The result of those connections can ignite and inspire us to drive further change; it certainly did for me. I invite you to join in and share your voice and insights.

The views reflected in this blog are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the global EY organization or its member firms.