Faith at Work
Yesterday, I enjoyed catching up with some old colleagues and making some new friends in a virtual café for Fellows of the Association for Coaching.
There was an instant blend of warmth, trust, and camaraderie.
Our shared values and collective openness allowed us to learn and grow together.
The smiles, the attentive nods, the laughter, and the genuine curious interest in one another’s thoughts created a strong sense of belonging.
Some topics for our breakout rooms were suggested and off we went to share our thoughts.
I suggested a current topic at the forefront of my mind “faith friendly workplaces”.
What followed in the next 35 minutes was one of the most insightful and powerful coaching conversations I’ve ever had.
I am truly thankful for Tom Hennessy for his intuitive and penetrating questioning skills.
From the outset, he tuned into my thinking as I shared my experiences of an event I’d attended the day before.
Religious Freedom
At that event, I’d engaged with a diverse group of leaders, advocates, and thinkers who were passionate about the intersection of religious freedom and business.
Hosted by Louise Bailey of OVO, the gathering highlighted the vital role that workplaces play in fostering an environment where faith can be expressed openly and respectfully.
Brian J. Grim of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation, shared his perspective on how recognising and respecting employees’ faith identities can enrich any workplace culture.
His stories underscored the importance of seeing faith as an integral part of diversity, just as important as race, gender, or any other characteristic.
The event also reminded me that creating faith-friendly workplaces wasn’t just about accommodating faith; it’s about empowering individuals to bring their whole selves to work.
Further, it’s about creating an environment where people feel seen, heard, and valued, not despite their faith but because of the richness it adds to who they are.
As I further reflected upon the conversations at the event, I realised how closely they align with the work I’m passionate about.
Coaching, after all, is about creating safe spaces for people to explore and grow.
If workplaces can become those safe spaces, where faith is acknowledged and respected, it could transform not just individual lives but entire organisational cultures.
Now, I have my work cut out as I consider how to bring my learning and coaching knowledge to this vital cause.
How can we foster workplaces that embrace faith as part of diversity?
It’s a challenge I’m eager to explore, and one I invite you to consider too.
