5 top don’ts
You can quite easily find checklists for equality work, telling you what to do. One thing often missing is highlighting the don’ts, learning from previous mistakes, both from yourself and from others. There might be prestige in this; everyone wants to show their best side and success stories. We find this sometimes counterproductive, and therefore we give you our five top don’ts!
1) Don’t be in a hurry!
Equality work, as all quality work, takes time, and it should not be rushed. Before you start acting, you need to think through why you are doing this (set up goals), how to do it (build long term strategies) and in what context. And this is not a one-person task; you need to make sure all involved parties understand and agree on this! Ok, it might take some time before you get to concrete results, but on the other hand, when you do, it will be so much more efficient!
2) Don’t get stuck in preparing!
Imagine a policymaker showing up on a meeting, speaking warmly of a proposed change to be made, asking for your thoughts and opinions and then... nothing! How would you feel to that “upcoming” work? Acting, changing, improving will induce engagement and reduce opposition into your coworkers. It will also put focus on what your policy documents need, show what is working well and how to enhance that.
3) Don’t be too sure of yourself!
There are no quick fixes or standard solutions! Whatever tool, policy or idea you get, always put it into your own context before you start implementing. You need time for reflecting and analyzing. Or you will end up doing nothing!
4) Don’t be too unsure of yourself!
On the other hand, you will also have to put your foot down and make decisions. You are not writing an academic essay that might end up saying “on the one hand… but on the other hand…”. You need to come to a conclusion on what to do and why, and you need to stand up for that!
5) Don’t forget your coworkers!
It’s all about finding the right balance between thinking and acting. One person alone can’t do that balancing. Start finding allies and building networks for yourself and for every key person in the process. Remember, no person is an island. And no chain is stronger than its weakest link.
Christina Ahlzén, Medida