Creating equity with Gracious Space
Gracious Space is a collaborative framework that was created by the Center for Ethical Leadership in the 1990s and has been used at the University of Washington for nearly 20 years. A new book — and a new POD class — pairs this proven model with equity, inclusion and belonging.
Written by veteran POD instructor Patricia Hughes, “Creating Equity with Gracious Space: Applications in Inclusion and Belonging” provides a pathway for using the principles of Gracious Space to foster more inclusive climates in teams and organizations. The book also features examples from over 20 leaders who practice these strategies — including POD’s Ujima Sands and Jeff Leinaweaver — plus tools for immediate use.
In her new book, Pat examines the four key principles of Gracious Space: bring your best spirit, engage in a setting helpful to the situation, invite the ‘stranger’ and new perspectives, and learn together. She connects these principles directly and thoughtfully with equity, inclusion, and belonging, based on her own journey of re-education about our country’s structures and worldviews and an increased need for new ways of communicating and coming together.
“When the events of 2020 started to impact the workplace — discussions about George Floyd’s murder, COVID, vaccinations and working from home — and then political divides exacerbated in January 2021, practitioners from across the country were asking me if they could use Gracious Space in these situations,” recalls Pat. “I said of course, and hurry! Gracious Space is an inherently inclusive and rigorous model for better collaboration, and we need something like this everywhere.”
Some practices described in the book are immediate, such as word choice, agenda-setting or ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table. “Nothing says ‘outsider’ more than literally having to stand aside or sit behind where the actual work is happening,” Pat says.
Other practices are deeper, such as policy and culture change — like examining in-groups and out-groups and raising awareness of the system’s hierarchy and how power is used in decision-making, information sharing and idea generation.
Creating Gracious Space is a strong act of leadership in any system. Using Gracious Space intentionally to create more equitable systems is not simply “soft skills”: it asks us to reflect deeply on our own worldviews and approaches, and find ways to be more inclusive so that we can effect positive change and create more equitable systems for all.
“We leave so much talent on the table by assuming that value or innovation can only be generated by those highest in the hierarchy,” Pat says. “But research has shown that when we hear from more voices, we create better results.”
You can connect with Pat for facilitation and training through POD’s University Consulting Alliance.
“Creating Equity with Gracious Space: Applications in Inclusion and Belonging” is available at Amazon.