“Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice and belonging is having that voice be heard.” – Liz Fosslien***
Are diversity and inclusion efforts really necessary? If you answered yes, the logical question that follows is, why?
Diversity and Inclusion efforts (usually referred to as programs or initiatives) are the collective efforts of an organization or group that includes programs, policies and other actions aimed at building and maintaining an environment that is free of bias and that provides equal opportunities for advancement for people of all backgrounds.
With the definition before us, we can evaluate this content from the same starting point. Now, are these efforts, these initiatives necessary?
I have found that different people will provide different answers to that question. That difference in answers is usually dependent upon how exposed people are to the realities of others who may or may not look like themselves, or it is dependent upon the opinions that have been formed by the experiences, conversations and history of the individuals asked.
When starting diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts, it is very important to understand what the leadership and change agents (those committed to actively leading and facilitating change in the organization or environment) will be up against. This needs to be understood on the way in not after the fact, lest they be blind sighted when non supporters rise up against the work that is being done. The goal of D&I leaders as well as change agents is to meet people where they are and bring them to a point of neutrality, then support. If you really work at it you might actually get a change agent out of it. If we start initiatives and do work in this area, we have to be realistic enough to know, everyone is not a fan. In most cases it is because of a lack of understanding and sometimes it is actually a lack of acceptance of difference to the point of a refusal to do so. An organization that truly embraces diversity should understand that this might require taking a strong enough stand to the extent that they might have to show some people the door. I am seasoned enough to know that every organization and every leader that embarks on the road to D&I change, will not complete the journey. Some are only willing to start the process as long as they do not have to make any changes that result in a real shake up of the status quo or a change that might have an effect on them personally.
Awareness is Essential
The important thing is that those who are assigned the accountability for the work, should do so with their eyes wide open and their dance shoes on. This is not a waltz. This is not salsa. This is not hip hop. It is a cornucopia of dance that takes place at a pace that at times is way too slow and occasionally but rarely too fast. You dance with different partners and end up in different rooms at different times, surprised to find out you were expected to salsa in the hip hop room but you were busy doing a Jazz dance in a room where everyone only knew how to waltz. What does all that mean? Be versatile. Be prepared. Enjoy the dance. Like learning a new dance, you end up gaining fresh knowledge, exercising your skills and having fun in the process. It’s worth it but you definitely have to stay on your toes so you are ready for whatever comes your way.
Start Up Conversations
I remember conversations that would arise when introducing the subject to small work groups, leadership groups and executives. Every level is filled with the politically correct, which are those who are careful to say and do what society says is acceptable for fear of offending the political sensibilities of others. Such behaviors are not centered on what is right only what is acceptable to others. Though people were often good intentioned, it is only a matter of time before their true thoughts are revealed. Sometimes it is laughable, sometimes sad and sometimes offensive. Aside from those who were truly defined by their isms (those whose thinking was shaped by racism, sexism, ageism etc.) some of the perspectives were eye opening springboards of preparation for future presentations and content. Here are just a few that are likely to surface in the earlier days of one’s D&I efforts and may reappear throughout. Overall, the diversity practitioner needs to be prepared to educate everyone on the need and the value of diversity efforts.
1. Getting Stuck on Stats
I remember the first time a team of us presented some basic demographics and a preliminary roll out of the organization’s diversity plans. The demographics included national, local and organizational along racial, ethnic and gender differences. Some of the leaders in the room had questions and comments, others were quiet, probably taking it in and trying to digest what it meant for them. One leader who was not ever, heavily engaged in anything anyone presented was suddenly full of questions. He wanted to know where we got the numbers from, how we knew they were accurate and how we would determine any reasonable use for the data. Since I had put much of the data together, you can imagine how nervous this made me. I had to question myself…quickly… to determine whether or not I had done everything correctly. After the initial fear and shock wore off, I wanted to lunge at him. I knew this man. I knew that after this meeting he would walk out the door and not give two seconds thought to the information that was shared yet here he was hurling questions at this group in a way that insinuated that our data was unfounded. “Where did we get the data?” Uhh, the U.S. Census Bureau… the organization’s HR and IT data bases…and a few well known diversity data sources that you would know nothing about! Where else would we have collected this data? Honestly I could have lunged at him but that would only have justified his opposition. And please know I am not the only person on our team who felt offended by his challenges. There were at least two executives who participated in the presentation and we all fell two seconds shy of grabbing him by the neck! Herein lies one of the many challenges faced in the world of D&I, in the early as well as the latter days… the urge to grab someone by the neck. It wasn’t the first time nor was it the last; and I think I can go as far as to say I mastered the art of showing kindness and diplomacy with such individuals.
Some leaders…lay persons, in an effort to hold people to the facts and figures, will demand justification for moving forward or continuing with diversity and inclusion efforts. Those demands call for the numbers and statistical business proof for venturing down that road. The way to prepare for such individuals is:
A.) Make sure you have solid support from the top in your organization. If it is not the President/CEO it should be someone right under him or her with a documented dotted line connection to the person at the top. If they are not fully committed, the efforts are more than likely going to fail because you have little or no back up. Everyone above you has to be all in.
B.) Have your i’s dotted and your t’s crossed. Make sure your information is accurate and relevant to what you are putting out. Check it and check it again and rehearse the information using graphs or other visuals to drive your point home.
C.) Anticipate a participant in your audience like this whenever you present, discuss or facilitate D&I content.
2. Supposing Someone Else Should Do Something (Not Taking Ownership in the Change Process)
I was presenting in depth information to a room full of executives. We had several thought provoking activities and riveting data to grab their attention. It worked. They were captivated by the information being presented. The exercises were designed to provoke action. We could tell by the looks on their faces they were compelled to do something and were looking to us to share ideas on what that something could be. Before anyone could say anything, one well intended person exclaimed, that the information was truly compelling and added, “Somebody needs to do something!” Ever heard a record scratch in the middle of a great musical crescendo? That was how his statement sounded amongst the many comments and thoughts swirling around the energy charged room. I think he was nervous but incited to act at the same time and those words slipped out before he realized what he was saying.
What needed to be clear to everyone in the room was that leadership must take responsibility for the change that needs to happen in any organization. If the leadership is not fighting for change when change is necessary, they are helping to create the need for it. The people who needed to do something were the people in the room – the leaders. If such groups miss the message that they are responsible for D&I change, there won’t be any. It is not the responsibility of a diversity practitioner or diversity leader to change an organization, it’s the leadership; and the head of that organization has to be front and center in those change efforts. In this work, one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch!
3. Assuming D&I Means They Will Lose Something
D&I efforts are often presented in a way that makes people think that there are winners and losers. The thought for some becomes, if they win, we lose; if you win, I lose. The key is to recognize that the inclusion part of diversity and inclusion requires an understanding that inclusion means everyone is included. The challenge for the diversity practitioner is to ensure words are spoken, change agents are trained and messages are consistently sent that say, we are all a part of this work and we will all reap the rewards.
4. The Fear that White Guys are Excluded from Inclusion
There is much fear out there from people who think that diversity is affirmative action and those programs are responsible for taking food from one group’s mouths and putting it into the mouths of others. Many have infused fear into white men making them feel that diversity is another way to oust them out of the American pie. This way of thinking contradicts the reality that there is enough to go around. It is imperative that diversity always be inclusive even when specific actions are focused on specific groups. There must be a clear explanation of how we celebrate and honor every race, gender, ethnicity, people with different abilities and more and that the goal is to create opportunity and eliminate discrimination and bias on all fronts. It also helps to explain how white men can and are active participants in the inclusion efforts. Their voice is needed as well as their participation. In healthcare I had an advantage when talking about the white male inclusion factor because men are usually a minority in most healthcare organizations, I also pointed out the age factor when the men I was talking to were over the age of 40. I usually saw them light up and take interest when I pointed out these dimensions of diversity. It made them see themselves as more than just a white male. Another plus is to recruit strong advocates to your pool of change agents. It helps to have a diverse group of change agents that includes white males, who help promote the efforts you plan and implement.
5. The Mistaken Assumption that I’m OK but You’re Not
To enlighten those who are continually pointing a finger at others while exonerating themselves, one must be attentive to their language and try to grab their attention with some of the difficult conversations that are necessary for growth. These are the people who might say sexism is a terrible thing and they won’t stand for it, then turn around and make a sexist joke or if it’s a man, might demand that his assistant go get him a cup of coffee. When called on it, they insist this is their norm, they have done nothing wrong and they cannot understand why you would even bring that up. Create the space to have more than one difficult dialogue with this person without causing embarrassment, so they can learn from their own mistakes. I would say make sure you have their trust so this can be possible but I have to say that one very important ingredient in D&I work is that you are able to build and maintain trust with others quickly and easily. If nothing else, send them to this website and let them read their way to enlightenment (LOL).
Closing Thoughts
Recent events in history have made it clear that people want change. It’s time for change to happen. Where it may have appeared that diversity and inclusion efforts were becoming more and more dormant and in some organizations, were dying out, this work is again on the rise. This is not the first time efforts began to rise then fall but the fact that they keep surfacing and resurfacing tells us something. More and more organizations see the need, once again, to make improvements but they are also taking more aggressive actions to make a statement to the world that this is where they stand and what they believe. That is progress. As we ride this wave again, helping people understand the importance of preparation will only help. No matter how excited people become, there will still be those who get stuck on stats, who think someone else should do something, that they will lose something, that white guys are excluded or that everyone else is messed up, not them. Just be prepared. They need to be addressed just as much as anyone else and no matter how you want to avoid them, they will show up!