The Power of Participation
In a celebrity special episode of Why Care?, I had the pleasure of speaking to the inspirational Dr Ranj, an NHS doctor, BAFTA award-winning TV presenter, best-selling author, keynote speaker, radio host and much more. In this insightful and captivating conversation, Dr Ranj shares his journey with inclusion, both through personal anecdotes and experiences from his varied and extensive career. During the conversation, we touched on Dr Ranj’s time on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, where he discusses the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) journey that the show has taken, stating that in order for it to be inclusive it had to develop a “two-way understanding between itself and its audience”.
For me, this statement highlights the contemporary shift of audiences away from being passive receptors of media to active participants, not only in speaking out but also in creating it. This movement directly informs the perception and progress of DEI in our attitudes, media, workplaces and beyond. For more on the BBC’s journey to achieving representation on-screen, listen to my podcast conversation with Nina Goswami.
The idea that viewpoints portrayed in the media often reflect conversations that take place in the world is an important one because it places the power in our hands. Now more than ever before, there has been a noticeable and clear shift in audiences becoming more constructively critical, self-aware and involved. This change is demonstrated clearly in the way we have been reacting to the content we consume. A 2020 study found that large-budget films which did not depict “authentically inclusive representation” were estimated to incur a potential total loss of 20 - 80% of the budget in the opening weekend box office.
On the other hand, media which is diverse, inclusive, and sensitive to existing conversations on DEI is typically well-received. Black Panther, the first blockbuster film featuring a majority Black cast and Black director, was profoundly popular in its release in 2018 and has grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide, surpassing even Titanic to become the third highest-grossing film of all time. This staggering achievement demonstrates the clear message that inclusive media is profitable, constructive and necessary. The same is also true beyond the media and in all aspects of how we engage with one another. On an individual level, we must actively seek out and initiate these conversations, as this is what accelerates positive change.
Many of these conversations take shape or are propelled by social media. It is a great tool for thinking critically as it amplifies typically underrepresented voices and allows us to question things we might have taken as a given. It encourages us to look at topics in a new light or see alternative ‘realities’, and it is this which turns the cogs of progress. Yet, social media is unique in that it both is used by us to ‘influence’ the narratives and ideas portrayed in mainstream media, but also influences our own perceptions due to its highly intelligent algorithms which limit our exposure to alternative viewpoints. In order for us to be exposed to views outside our echo chamber, posts need to have already gained large amounts of reach and engagement to defy the biased algorithms. For more on echo chambers, see my article on Silencing the Echo Chamber and listen to my podcast episode with Sami Ben-Ali.
In effect, this means that there is power in numbers. In order for shows like Strictly to change and, beyond that, in order for our society and workplaces to reflect change, we must intentionally and actively stand together as allies.
Conversations that propel change are vital, but in order to realise them we must actively practise the discomfort that comes with the territory. My new book Beyond Discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it) delves into the art of the constructively uncomfortable conversations that are at the centre of change. You can get your hands on a copy of the book here.
At Avenir, we also offer an Inclusive Leadership Programme, designed to guide leaders through the journey of achieving inclusive leadership.