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Black History Month provides a welcome invitation to revisit the LifeBound definition of inclusive coaching: “Inclusive coaching is for all and meets each coachee where they are. It engages the whole person, inclusive of cultural and/or gender identity, race, religion, age, stage, ability, and ethnicity. The inclusive coach promotes access and equity by working to set aside bias, remove barriers, and communicate with respect.” Celebrating heritage, culture and identity as we do in February for Black History Month, Asian Pacific Islanders in May, Hispanic Heritage in September, and Native American leaders in November, among others, creates awareness and appreciation of the rich fabric that is woven from the threads of all of the diverse members of a student body and college community.
Inclusive coaching means engaging a student inclusive of, rather than “regardless of,” their complex identity. Identity, perspective, and experience are folded into the unique individual, that whole person whom a coach addresses in their work. Inclusive coaches have the opportunity to help learners understand and appreciate the many ways in which they identify, and learn from others whose history and background may be different.
Internalized messaging directed at identity can interfere with a person’s ability to learn and think to the best of their capability. Dr. Claude Steele is one of the pioneers who began to illuminate cognitive interference with his groundbreaking research on stereotype threat. In this 2023 discussion with organizational psychologist Dr. Adam Grant, he refers to the stereotype threat interference as “churn,” the mental load taken up by worrying if one is fulfilling a negative stereotype. Not only does this reduce the amount of cognitive energy available for learning, it also activates the amygdala to address threat, diverting resources from the frontal cortex and hampering its ability to perform effectively on, say, a calculus exam.
An inclusive academic coach has the opportunity to help a learner unpack, examine, and address those barriers and hindrances in several ways, including:
- Asking questions that help students identify any “churn” or inner questioning of their ability based on a stereotype-related negative perception
- Inviting students to dis-identify with exam and assignment results and explore specific and local attributions for their performance
- Encouraging students to identify strengths in other domains, reducing negative self-messaging and increasing cognitive energy available to tackle tougher domains
- Giving students an opportunity to identify and implement actions that provide evidence to support accurate and specific affirmations
Students who receive inclusive coaching have the opportunity to maximize their capabilities, learn and work with people from a variety of backgrounds and identities, and take our nation and our world forward in positive and productive ways. Celebrating Black History month is a reminder to value the heritage that each person brings and that we can all, collectively, celebrate.
For those looking to deepen their understanding of inclusive coaching, LifeBound's self-paced training offers a full module on both unconscious bias and cultural competence, providing practical strategies to help coaches create truly equitable and empowering learning environments. Sign up today to strengthen your coaching skills and make a lasting impact!
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