We embody the foundation of psychological safety by taking deliberate actions in two key areas: communication and trust. We emphasize open and transparent communication, encouraging team members to share their thoughts, concerns, and ideas without hesitation. We have established regular check-ins, which create space for meaningful dialogue and ensure everyone’s voice is heard. We understand individuals may need space and time in their healing and unlearning journey to show up to work within RCLLC. We do our best to honor this journey by leading with trust from day one. We understand that we can cultivate trust by respecting and upholding healthy boundaries, celebrating vulnerability, and leaning into all team members’ diverse knowledge and lived experiences. We feel this also strengthens our bonds with each other along with unleashing collective potential, ultimately leading us all toward success. As we grow we will continue to commit to maintaining and enhancing psychological safety by continuing to participate in team-wide educational opportunities that promote empathy, trauma-informed practices, and progressive ways to resolve conflict when it arises.

We define unlearning as deconstructing the harmful practices, biases, and assumptions that have historically perpetuated inequality. At RCLLC, we recognize the vital importance of lived experience in the journey toward dismantling white supremacy practices in the workplace. The journey of unlearning begins with onboarding; it is not an immediate transformative revelation but more a practice that incorporates grace, self-reflection, and critical thinking. There is no correct way to unlearn—it will show up differently for each individual. We want to ensure that the practice of unlearning moves away from the extractive, harmful, oppressive ways we have been forced to exist, and toward a place where we can consistently step into our power.

For us, celebration is the opportunity for staff to come together, in person as well as virtually, to acknowledge both team and individual accomplishments. We understand the magnitude of the work our team members are carrying and celebration allows us to intentionally pause from our daily responsibilities and recognize team accomplishments. This includes the closing of projects, our annual holiday gathering, and our generous time-off policies. Team members are celebrated on their work anniversaries, through RCLLC swag items/gifts, etc. RCLLC appreciates the amount of work individuals are doing, and believes providing them the recognition they deserve is equally important. 

Reflection for us is defined as the deep contemplation of our actions, decisions, and their interconnectedness with the natural world and our community, guided by our respect for the balance and harmony for all life. This allows us to pause and think about how our actions impact the world around us—not just in the immediate, but for generations to come. Our commitment to internal reflection extends to every aspect of our work, especially when we embark on new projects. We understand that taking the time to reflect, both individually and collectively, allows us to refine our ideas, uncover hidden opportunities and blind spots, and identify potential challenges before they arise. We accomplish this by prioritizing one-on-one check-ins, incorporating a grounding phase with new clients/projects, internal quarterly reports, and closure of projects. This deliberate introspection helps us grow as individuals and as a team, fostering a culture of continuously seeing each other where we are. By embracing this reflective mindset, we empower ourselves to make informed decisions that align with our values, benefit our stakeholders, and contribute positively to the world we inhabit.

Similarly, as an Indigenous-owned company, we illustrate self-care through our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Through this work, conversations can be heavy, work may be intense, and personal lives happen; however, we see our colleagues as human and we believe they need to take care of themselves in the best way that they see fit. We encourage individuals to take breaks when needed, allocate time in work calendars to pick up children, check in with one another, incorporate healthy boundaries with colleagues and clients, and take time off with autonomy. Ultimately, we cannot control individuals’ self-care but we try to give everyone the resources they need to practice a strong work/life balance.