Making Valuable Connections

Fostering a mindset that values diversity, equity, and inclusion

By Susan Langlois

Cultivating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at camp is an investment that pays great dividends in meeting campers’ and staff members’ challenges, helping everyone earn a sense of accomplishment and building a community where everyone feels valued.

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It can be a different challenge, though, if some people believe controlling group membership is the key to success. 

For many camp leaders, DEI is more than helping people feel welcome and building systems that afford equitable opportunities for every person in an organization. This is an essential part of ensuring everyone in a community embraces individual differences. However, how can camp leaders ensure there is universal appreciation for the benefits and the necessity of DEI?

The first step to cultivate is an awareness of how limiting and discouraging it is when a leader dictates that everyone follows “the one-and-only approach.” DEI brings in multiple perspectives in order to identify the challenge and to weigh which approach has the best chance of meeting the challenge. 

Well-Rounded Decisions

A concrete example of embracing multiple perspectives can be observed in seasoned golfers. They have learned that, before hitting a putt, it is important to read the slope and speed of a green from at least two vantage points. Also, expert putters don’t only rely on their eyes to correctly judge the force and direction needed to hole a putt. They can also use their feet to judge the slope of the green. Golfers can also add to their data if they take a practice swing to feel the grain of the grass. If the grass gives some resistance, the golf ball will need more force to reach the hole. Another way to determine the slope of the green is to look for any ragged edge around the hole. Expert golfers know that the golf ball will tend to roll toward the rough side of the hole. 

The point of this example is that by using an intentional approach, decision makers can gain more perspectives, and the more information a leader can gain the better to make a good decision. Once this approach is truly appreciated, it can energize human beings to seek people with different experiences and orientations to be part of a team’s decision-making. Think about decisions you’ve made in meeting a challenge or solving a problem. How intentional was your approach? It might be faster to use only your own perspective before deciding, but what variables might have you missed? Also, when more people (from different backgrounds and experiences) are involved, they feel respected and have more buy-in in implementing a final decision.

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Getting To Know Teammates

The latest DEI research notes that the more the appreciation of DEI’s value, success can be built by tapping into people’s natural curiosity, and trusted people will work together in teams. Training sessions can be provided to help people communicate and connect by sharing each other’s stories. A team of two people can ask each other seven questions in an interview format over 30 minutes:

1. What were the top three factors that helped you decide to attend this camp?

2. Who is your hero and what did this person do to earn your respect?

3. If you could re-live your very best day, which one would it be, and why?

4. If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be and how do you think it might have changed who you are today?

5. What is an accomplishment of which you are most proud?

6. The $10-million question: What would you do with your time if there was no pressure of having to make a salary to meet your basic needs? An answer should not be about how to spend the $10 million, but what one would do to find purpose, satisfaction, and enjoyment in life.

7. The original question: Now that you know some of your partner’s story, what else would you like to know?

Note: This exercise can also build listening skills and understanding what people value.

As a follow-up in the same session or at the next training session, this exercise can be done with the same partner, or may be written as a short reflection. 

When was the first time you realized the following:

1. Your birth order

2. Your religion

3. Your socioeconomic status

4. Your sex (and/or gender identification)

5. Your awareness of having a particular skill

6. Your awareness that you had to work harder than other people in your family, camp cabin, or classroom in order to master a sport, a musical instrument, etc.

7. Your recognition that you could help someone who was struggling?

When it comes to DEI, providing opportunities for people to build on their natural curiosity and trust for the members of their group before they take on a challenge is the key.

Susan Langlois has more than 30 years of experience as a college professor, athletic administrator, camp director, and sport-facilities design consultant. She is a graduate of Springfield College and the University of New Hampshire. She is currently the Dean of Arts & Sciences at Rivier University in Nashua, N.H. Reach her at slanglois@rivier.edu.