According to a British study, 75% of the speaking time in meetings is captured by men. Hierarchical conformism, majority biases and stereotypes are all obstacles to parity in a mixed environment.

So how can we go beyond them to lead truly inclusive meetings? Patrick Scharnitzky, expert in Diversity and Inclusion, Associate Director at Alternego and speaker at the Eve and Octave Programs , gives us the keys to achieving this successfully.

1/ Overcoming majority biases to avoid self-censorship

When leading a mixed meeting , it is crucial to " ensure that 'majority biases' do not influence the listening of different opinions," explains Patrick Scharnitzky. These biases lead us, unconsciously and sometimes wrongly, to " consider that rare or radical ideas are probably false". However, as the expert points out, " disruptive opinions must be heard and respected, even if they are uncommon." Ignoring these minority voices carries a double risk: missing a source of enrichment, but also pushing some people to self-censorship.

2/ Thwarting conformist biases for a better balance of power dynamics

The manager often indirectly embodies a role model for the teams. " When a manager leads a meeting and speaks first, it risks creating an almost automatic conformity bias among employees," warns Patrick Scharnitzky, giving them the implicit impression that they have to give an opinion similar to the one. " This bias can hinder the possibility of expressing a different opinion." The manager must be aware of his/her position of power in order to avoid disproportionately influencing debates or using it to encourage adversarial debates.

3/ Ensure the balance of speeches to maximize collective speech

In addition, Patrick Scharnitzky reminds us of the importance of " not letting certain members monopolize the floor. The role of the manager is to make sure that no one is forgotten during a round table and to make sure that the whole group talks" during the meeting. It must intervene if necessary to regulate the dynamic. This implies " tempering the dominant, but also reassuring the more discreet people," continues the expert. Sometimes, a simple gesture, such as talking to the shy ones after the meeting to encourage them, can be a game-changer and build trust within the team and avoid metastereotypes, those ideas we have about what others think of us."

4/ Remain vigilant against microaggressions

Patrick Scharnitzky insists on the importance of " tactfully managing the conflicts and microaggressions that can occur during a mixed meeting. Behaviors like a mocking smile at your neighbor may seem insignificant, but they are often very destabilizing for the person speaking out," he explains. 

In these situations, constructive intervention is essential. For example, " if an employee is responding to his messages while a woman is speaking, a remark like: 'Bernard, listen carefully, it's important that we are all well concentrated' is preferable to: ' Because it's Brigitte who is speaking, you should listen.'   The objective is to affirm a collective standard of respect, without taking the risk of creating discomfort by attributing a sexist intention, which could be unfounded ."

Finally, it is crucial to keep in mind that " the role of the manager is neither to moralize nor to intervene as a ' saviour ' for the people targeted," concludes Patrick Scharnitzky. Simply because this is not necessarily what they want! So it's up to you to make inclusion at the heart of your meetings.