Reader of the month Lisa Ward
Our reader of the month is Lisa Ward, an experienced HR manager from Ontario, Canada. She joined us as a reader a few months ago via Ontario Health and Lisa has volunteered to share some insights to her experience.
“First let me say I was amazed by how impactful it was to be able to engage with Human ‘books’ – individuals from all over the world who are willing to share their unique life experiences and perspectives in an open, safe and authentic way.”
At times uncomfortable
Lisa Ward from Ontario, Canada is our Reader of the month.
The learning experience Lisa participated in was one of our popular “Readers Corner”. A format created to handle large groups of readers online.
“I love that in the Human Library, you are an active (and at times uncomfortable) participant asking questions of people you would otherwise never have met. You are impacted on an emotional level by their life stories, and it ignites a yearning to connect more as you come face-to-face with your biases and witness how a simple conversation can teach you so much about others and yourself.”
Lisa considers it a strength to the model, that all participants, books and readers, are engaged in creating the space. And each space has the potential to yield clear and tangible outcomes. Compared to the typical DEI webinar where you passively review PowerPoint slides as an anonymous participant and congratulate yourself for how much of the content you already knew.
Powerful feedback
The reactions were immediate and enthusiastic.
“The two hours just flew by and seconds later, my phone was abuzz with texts from others who felt equally impressed and thankful for their experiences with their ‘books’.
“That was so powerful”. “I laughed and cried”. “Can we debrief about this now?!”
“I considered myself an open-minded person but now I realize how much more I have to learn”. “I have goosebumps!” “Thank you so much for this opportunity”.
Taking it home
After the experience, it was clear to Lisa that they needed to book a session for their entire staff and volunteer team. Realizing that the Human Library is a powerful method to support their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion organizational strategy.
“As an HR Leader, I was interested in hearing directly from the books on things organizations (workplaces, education, healthcare) could’ve had in place to improve their experiences and minimize the harm they suffered. I received some tangible suggestions for how I could implement positive change, and received confirmation that the real magic happens when we have listening systems in place as people know their individual needs best – they just need a safe, compassionate place to articulate them. “
Tons of experience
Lisa believes inclusion should be in everybody’s job description and that Human Resources professionals should play a pivotal role in ensuring people are heard and that their needs are validated, understood and met.
“I have participated in a ton of professional development throughout my 30+ years in HR, and I experience the Human Library as a fantastic way to impactfully engage a large number of people in a two-hour window in living the fundamentals of diversity and inclusion.”
