What do you do if your executives are resistant to building a diverse and inclusive culture?

As an organisational psychologist, I know that organisations that understand the value of a diverse voice will know that this promotes inclusivity and team growth. The ideas generated by a diverse team give a fresh approach to the problem. The younger employees have inspiring ideas but, at the same time, are learning best practices from their older peers by engaging in these team discussions. Often, older employees resist change and need to take a step back and "unlearn, learn, and relearn." I suggest a diverse perspective, especially with how the workforce is changing and how AI will impact how we do business in the future.

I need to make sure that, both, the organization and the leader understanding of diversity and inclusion are identical then I need to check the reasons behind this resistance and work on resolve them is possible. Finally I should explain the benefits of D&I but if the resistance is still there, some painful decisions need to be taken. At the end of the day, Consequences, is the ultimate tool to spread values.

In my opinion, it is necessary to meet people where they are and take the time to truly understand them. I like proposing a space where we can talk about their resistance with openness and transparency. Let's be clear: I've never met someone who was against inclusion, just people (including executives) who were afraid to stay out of their comfort zone and needed more awareness and education on EDI topics. I think it is also important to remain transparent about the benefits, the costs and the potential risks of this change. The more information and trust we have, the better we can move forward.

Culture flows top down. Founders' Philosophy is key to get the buy-in. Demonstrating merits of having a diverse & inclusive culture helps. Unless it is understood & accepted in the true spirit, all efforts will fall flat. Have clear repercussions laid for non alignment and rewards for alignment.

Training and communication is my suggestion: Many experts believe that training and communication can help in observing the logic behind change efforts and reduce the intensity of resistance to change. This method, of course, assumes that most resistance is due to misinformation or poor communication. If the employees and members of the organization are aware of all the facts and any kind of misunderstanding is eliminated, the amount of resistance will be reduced. To do this, you can discuss with people, issue directives, make fun of them, or prepare and present reports.

Resistance to change almost always stems from fear: - fear of losing what you have (loss aversion) - fear of what is to come (uncertainty intolerance) - fear of loss of control The first step to building a diverse and inclusive culture is to help executives see today's reality in a clear-eyed way. Before change can happen at an organizational level, the executive team needs to feel the need for change viscerally, for themselves. - explore how the team processes opinions now, how diverse are the opinions? - explore successes & failures of the team, are there common threads/ patterns of thinking? - explore strengths & development areas of the team, what kinds of experiences/ perspectives could strengthen the their decision making?

Change can be uncomfortable, so providing safe spaces for exploration without judgment and being open to challenge is critical. Showcasing stories, providing data, linking this work to business performance, ethics, values and to generally doing the right thing by all of your people- so this is good for the business, customers, stakeholders and supply chain- is critical. Being prepared to test, try and move forward, learning as we go is also key as they might be concerned about negative external or internal backlash.

There is nothing more powerful than articulating the negative commercial implications of a mono culture. Unfortunately, HR too often is unprepared to be specific enough to build a compelling case.

Key is understanding what motivates your executives. Understand what they value, and demonstrate the link to a diverse and inclusive culture. Then leverage mechanisms like reverse mentoring to make it real and practical for your executives.

If resistance is rooted in a belief that diversity and inclusion are unfair, this will take time to work through. Education should ideally appeal to intuition (gut), emotion (heart) and logic (head) - through shared stories of lived experience, providing sufficient time for reflection and self-learning.

You can create higher momentum for change when you focus on early adopters, the leaders who are ready to lead the change - identify them early, pilot changes in their team, provide high levels of support to ensure their success and showcase that success story intentionally and organically across the organization. Success breeds success, and soon other leaders will follow suit. Once the majority norm has been established in this way, reluctant leaders will realize they need to get on board. At this point, it is highly advisable to codify the changes by revising performance, reward & recognition systems - to role-model desired behaviors. Seeing errant leaders penalized for not adhering to the revised expectations seals the new culture.

Allyship is key. Delivering changes with a room full of the usual faces is doomed to failure. It's the unusual faces saying 'I believe in this' that has the credibility as they are seen as having nothing to gain.

In addition, start with the closest 30% to get buy in then extend your allies to engage with the next groups adjacent to them. This is important if you have a wide range of readiness amongst your team/organization. It is critical to take the time to build strong foundations in order for authentic and permanent change and internalization. Modeling from Allies is another important aspect - that our behaviors align with what we are advocating.

Encontre as pessoas da alta lideran?a que s?o alinhadas com a vis?o ad iniciativa para que também fa?am parte das conversas de possíveis projetos. Trazer lideran?as de outras empresas que possuem casos de sucesso também ajudam, um café da manh? entre CEOs ajudou em acelerar algumas iniciativas na empresa em que trabalhei.

Social 'pressure' especially from Executives who are influential or charismatic can have a positive effect. Especially if those individuals who are 'on the bus' are able to articulate why D&I is important to them.

Crafting the vision will be a strong influencing point to get the buy in from the leaders for anything. It is easier to convince the leaders once they see the ROI of any intervention. What are the strategic pros and cons of diversity and inclusion need to charted out clearly.

There has to be an over-arching strategy... the why. Everything done underneath this should be contributing to the strategy. One strategy with multiple pillars, workstreams or delivery plans. I've seen strategies with very little strategy or is effectively a delivery plan. Outer pillars should be the cultural requirement such as procedural justice or trauma informed. 1 strategic direction, all plans delivering to the strategy.

The Executives need to co-create the D&I vision together, rather than being presented with 'the answer'. They need to feel as though they own it and need to be able to articulate it to each other and the wider organisation.

To successfully embed an engagement strategy, you have to have a strong impression of what the goals are and what they will bring about. Motivation depends on this - it's not just the execs who need that vision, it's everyone who is working towards making the dream a reality.

A partir de dados coletados é possivel mostrar o gap da empresa a partir de indicadores populacionais, com isso é possível desenhar uma meta e entender quais caminhos dever?o ser trilhados. Para empresas com gaps muito grandes é dar os primeiros passos de criar uma cultura organizacional onde os colaboradores entendam os assuntos (educa??o), outras empresas já conseguem iniciar projetos já para atacar os numeros, caso a base da cultura da empresa esteja já estruturada para algum dos pilares de diversidade.

People believe in something they can see at work. If the way they work now is working, why do things differently. This needs to be partnered with communication on what's different, and what different means for output and engagement.

Early wins are essential for any major change effort to get traction but if a D&I program only focuses on small pilots it could backfire and be seen as a lot of pain for very little gain.

Pilot programmes that work can't be transitioned to BAU. Business as usual is what has inevitably caused the need for a pilot. Transitioning the pilot to the DNA of the organisation is the successful exit plan. BAU is an oxymoron.

A partir das conversas com lideran?a e com o levantamento dos números é possível identificar areas de oportunidade para projetos pilotos dentro de times com lideran?a aliada. Dependendo do time, cultiura e lideran?a pode ser um piloto de recrutamento para vaga de diversidade, ou um projeto de forma??o de lideran?a aliada. Onde trabalhei, fizemos um projeto piloto com vagas de entrada que n?o tinham urgência de serem preenchida. Novamente a paciencia e a capacidade de ensinar as pessoas envolidas nos novos processos a serem implementados é chave para o sucesso, além de entender que ir?o ocorrer erros e haverá problemas, para isso que serve o piloto, para aprendizagem.

Come?ar com pequenos projetos e com pequenos investimentos podem ser de grande valia, pois seus impactos, desde que mensurados, podem ser grandiosos! A partir do momento que o sucesso é demonstrável, naturalmente as barreiras come?am a ser quebradas, nem sempre na velocidade que esperamos, mas sim, s?o rompidas!

Courageous conversations are key. Otherwise there is a risk of driving the topic underground. Safe conversations where being genuine but clumsy is encouraged. Fear of saying the wrong thing is a conversation killer.

When you begin to embed these habits of good communication, it might feel strange, but the results speak for themselves - this article wouldn't be here if they didn't.

Whatever the topic or issue is that you are dealing with, only an ongoing dialogue will ensure sustained focus. It is like processes, they need to be reviewed regularly to ensure they are still relevant and a help rather than a hindrance. When you have agreed your strategy, it is a question of taking action that delivers this strategy. This requires a lot of communication and a continuous dialogue. Once the initial euphoria of the new way is over, you have to have people in place who can carry the message forward consistently. When I hear comments like "Oh continuous improvement, well we did that 5 years ago" my heart sinks. The supportive, inclusive, and compassionate culture that you want to implement has to be a way of life

Begin by educating executives on the numerous benefits of diversity, including enhanced innovation, problem-solving, and financial performance. Engage in open discussions to understand their concerns and perspectives, addressing any misconceptions or fears they may have about diversity initiatives. Lead by example by showcasing successful diversity initiatives in other industries. Present a compelling business case demonstrating how diversity can directly impact the company's bottom line, such as attracting top talent, expanding into new markets, and enhancing brand reputation. Offer resources such as training programs to help executives and employees understand unconscious bias, cultural competency, and inclusive leadership practices.

Align them with individual and Business risks involved as they resist change using data-backed insights, case studies, and surveys conducted. Leverage Coaching methodology to stimulate self-reflection and resolve internal conflict regarding change. This will also help motivate them and align them purposefully to change.

Identify those areas of diversity and inclusion that they may feel comfortable to commit to. Provide case studies of where a solid diversity and inclusion approach has worked well and the benefits that have been provided to the organisation as a result . More importantly provide case studies of organisation where it had not worked and what those organisations may have done to turn that around. It is important for leaders to see that there programs don’t always work but with commitment they can be improved and can deliver real benefits to those organisations

A diverse and inclusive culture isn't just nice to have; it's essential. Diversity and inclusivity drive innovation, reflect our diverse society, and enhance company performance. If leaders don't see this as fundamental, it's worth questioning whether they are the right fit for their roles. In today’s world, there's little room for debate on the value of diversity and inclusiveness. They are not optional extras but the very foundation of a successful, forward-thinking company. Are your leaders aligned with this essential vision? If not, it might be time for change.

Two things I’d consider. First, start at the top. This has to be a transformative experience for the c-suite. Piloting elsewhere misses the mark when shaping culture. Second, focus on belonging. We all need a sense of belonging and can relate to the experience of not belonging. From a foundation of deep grounding in belonging, expand to inclusion and diversity. There no site-fire recipe, but this would be the direction I’d suggest.

Cultural change is hard and takes time. Inclusion and diversity are about accepting those who are different while considering that they are of the same value as those who are similar. We should tread very carefully when it comes to matters of diversity since people want to be treated equally because of what they bring to the table and not because they are different or belong to a specific group that is being now included.