All in Moment (AIM)A team practice that enables all voices
to be heard and valued in team meetings

Developed by the EY Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusiveness Center
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What makes an inclusive team experience?
For many of us, it starts with being on a team where our voices are truly heard and valued. On these teams:
Each person feels
welcomed and understood.

Different perspectives aresought out.

The status quo ischallenged whenperspectives are missing.

It’s safe to sharediffering views.

Many teams work hard at building this, but sometimes, when working across differences — such as ranks, working styles,
cultural backgrounds, functions or in a hybrid work environment — we can face team dynamics that make it challenging foreveryone to voice their perspective.
For example, a small number of team members may control or speak most often in conversations (such as more seniorcolleagues, native speakers, those attending in person vs. virtually, etc.), or team members may dismiss or not proactively
seek out views shaped by different identities, backgrounds or experiences. When this happens, people can feel likeoutsiders, and valuable perspectives could be missing from teams’ work. This may be even more likely during times ofchange and uncertainty when insider-outsider dynamics are at their highest, and some are questioning if they really belong.
Creating a more inclusive team experience takes an intentional
effort to ensure all views are heard, and each person feels
comfortable to share their perspectives. When teams surface
these different perspectives, they can leverage them in decisionmaking, which further improves the team experience,
performance and outcomes.

Individual impact

Organizational impact• Motivation• Performance• Physical + mentalhealth• Innovation• Performance• Quality

All in Moment (AIM): small actions with big impact
One simple way that EY teams create a more inclusive experience is by pausing
for an “All in Moment” (AIM) in team meetings. AIM is a flexible practice thattakes five minutes or less, where teams build small, yet powerful, prompts andnudges* into meetings that quickly create an environment where all views areheard and valued.
For example, teams may pause to give those who speak less often theopportunity to share their input first or pause to consider if any perspectives are
missing near the end of a discussion.
When teams practice AIM, they remove barriers in team meetings so that each
person can share their views. This is a meaningful way to create better, more
equitable team experiences and uplift social equity in our day-to-day.

How to make AIM a regular practice in team meetings —it takes just three simple decisions:
How often to practice AIM?

1
Page
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Commit to a regular cadence
based on how often yourteam meets.

ForinAllEYMomentinternal(AIM)use only

2

Who will ensure AIM isplanned and takes place?
Consider rotating thisresponsibility among teammembers.

Teams that practice AIM:►

Have more effective meetings►Improve team performanceand productivity►

Create more equitable
experiences so each person
can thrive►

Cultivate a sense of belonging
in times of uncertainty

How to practice AIM?

3

Pick a prompt or nudge eachtime your team plans topractice AIM (see page 2 forexamples).

*Nudges = reinforcements that can positively influence behaviorHow to practice AIM: example prompts and nudges
There are many ways to practice AIM, and teams are encouraged to try different approaches. Provided below are a few
examples from EY teams to get started and spark further thinking on how to practice AIM.

To create an environment where all voices are heard and valued by:
Making each person feel
welcomedand understood

Asking for different
perspectives

Making it safe to sharediffering views

Challenging the statusquo when perspectives
are missing

Try the following in team meetings
Spark a conversation

Invite more voices

Share a reminder

Reflect on teamdiscussions

at the start of a discussion(approx. 5 min.)throughout a discussion(no extra time neededon agenda)

at the start of a discussion(no extra time neededon agenda)

near the end of a discussion(approx. 5 min.)

Prompt those who may Remind your team:Consider with yourshare
lessoften
toteam:“We need to hear from
“What do you need from theeveryone
togettotherightteam to contribute yourshare first:“Have we heard from
Ask your team:

best?” (For example,
preferred meeting times,
connecting via call insteadof email)“What is the most importantbehavior team members
can demonstrate inmeetings to make you feelvalued?”
Tip: You could try this when:•Your team is new or you
have new teammates.

solution.”(perhaps junior levels, thoseusing captions, such as those whoare deaf or hard of hearing, etc.) “Let’s thank team members“Let’s hear from these 1-2
team members to get us
started and then open it up
to others.”

when they share differing
views. These help us
consider different
perspectives and improve
our work.”Important: Give advance noticeto these team members thatyou will call on them or provide
alternative ways for them toshare their input for the next
meeting (e.g., email).

Tip: You could try this when:•Your team is shaping
deliverables for customers
or stakeholders.

everyone who wants tospeak?”“What would someone whodoesn’t agree with us say?”“What perspectives wouldsomeone outside of thismeeting share?”Tip: You could try this when:•Only a few colleagues
have spoken or nodiffering views are shared.

Tip: You could try this when:•Teammates are sharing input
or aligning on next steps.

Further tips to bring AIM to your team
When practicing AIM for the first time:

When practicing AIM in subsequent meetings:

Set the foundation to make AIM a standing part of yourmeetings going forward. Put time on your agenda to:•Try different ways to practice AIM, choosing from theabove examples or creating one of your own.

••

Consider which prompt or nudge might be best based on
meeting duration and topic, current team challenges, etc.

•Empower all team members to pause for and lead an AIMat any point in the meeting when it may be helpful.

•Check in with your team to discuss how the practice isgoing and how it could be improved.

••

Share clear expectations — what AIM is, why it isimportant and how often it will be practiced.
Practice AIM — choose one of the above examples.
Check in — ask team members to share in a few words
the positive impact AIM had in the meeting.

Page
Page22All in Moment (AIM)Practicing AIM is an important step toward more
inclusive teams. What’s next?
AIM creates a more inclusive experience by enabling all to share their views. But AIM alone won’t fully makeeveryone feel like insiders or lead to the best team outcomes.

As a next step, decision-makers need to bring the views surfaced via AIM into teamdecisions by:•

Setting the expectation that many views need to be considered to avoid assumptions and biases and makebetter decisions•

Intentionally incorporating differing views when making decisions — even if it feels uncomfortable•

Sticking with the decisions made in meetings, and if circumstances require decisions to change, consulting andbeing transparent with everyone on the team

Additional ways to make an impact for greater social equity
Visit ey.com/socialequity for these tips, tools and resources:•Watch the Uplift social equity films featuring EY
colleagues who share authentic and powerful stories
from their lived experiences – in their own words – toraise awareness and inspire social equity action andchange.

•Building awareness of inequities and understanding ourcolleagues' experiences is the first step toward creating
a more inclusive and equitable work environment.

•Have a conversation with those who have differentbackgrounds and perspectives than you – leading withcuriosity and empathy to build greater understanding
and trust. For example, ask, “What can we do to bettersupport each other’s unique needs?”•Learn more. View additional resources to support yourefforts to further uplift social equity, such as throughcreating a strong sense of belonging for all andsponsoring across differences.

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