The Acacia Company

Imagine: Your organization is getting the ball rolling on building strategies and structures around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Perhaps some initiatives have already been proven successful and the intention now is to solidify and expand this impact. However, your organization isn’t entirely sure how to gain momentum and thoughtfully create and execute a DEI strategy. Many people in your team have expressed their excitement and relief for these initiatives but you’ve also noticed some hesitancy. Some people have said they are unsure about what to think and uncertain about what these initiatives will do. A handful of people have even expressed resentment and are distrusting that these efforts will change anything. There are likely many different perspectives and experiences at this stage. For example, your employees may be asking questions like: ? These trainings/events have been helpful, but what else is my company going to do about this? ? Should DEI be talked about at work? ? Why don’t more people in my organization know about DEI? ? Does this mean we can’t joke around anymore? ? How can I share and be honest about my experience and needs without fear of losing my job? ? How can I be supportive in the best way possible, without seeming condescending, given my privilege? ? Will I ever be able to bring my full-self to work? ? How can I learn about this and talk to my coworkers without potentially offending them? Does this experience sound familiar? It is common in the early stages of DEI implementation to ask these questions.” Here are 5 ways to incorporate DEI within your team environment: 1. Utilize anonymity to create space for more honest input in your process 2. Gauge your team’s current level of psychological safety 3. Include the majority and the margins 4. Have a formal process in place that everyone agrees to hold each other accountable 5. Create a culture of continuous learning Read the full article by The Acacia Company here: https://lnkd.in/gF8v69xS #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #DEI #Accountability #Trust #TeamBuilding

What are you doing to ensure continued buy-in and ownership of your vision and strategic plans? What about accountability? Many organizations are not intentional about this critical step between planning and execution and without it, there is a greater chance to lose momentum with your plans and not accomplish your goals. Read this article to learn methods for taking accountability into account from the beginning. What It’s All About: Ensuring equitable distribution of roles and responsibilities for the execution of the strategy and building in methods for accountability and sustainability from the start.

- Looking to kickstart a DEI committee? The Acacia Company shares essential advice on securing leadership support and focusing on impactful activities! - Hailey Mensik reports in WorkLife that Walmart's new office campus features onsite childcare, addressing staff's top concerns and supporting parents as they return to the office. Browse the full content and subscribe to receive our DEI newsletter every other Tuesday: https://lnkd.in/gpmpgiWN #DEI #Aleria #DEINewsletter #DEIbacklash #MeasuringInclusion Cc: Paolo Gaudiano

Keep your communications simple and clear. Resist the urge to overcomplicate. Read on to learn more about equity in communications.

In pursuit of workplace equity and driving meaningful change in organizations, there are several things that can hold change agents back. DEI committees can be a powerful way to achieve your DEI goals, so we wanted to offer a blueprint for committees to optimize their potential. We've identified 5 key areas that are critical to DEI committee success: 1. Structure 2. Commitment 3. Member Experience 4. Strategy 5. Knowledge Within each of these areas, there are several levers that committees can work with to level up each of the areas. It can be difficult to know where to start and what to prioritize and this assessment and report aim to offer some guidance. Take our free 15 min assessment today and learn what may be holding your committee back or hindering your progress: https://lnkd.in/gGBa4hpg

We are hosting a webinar on Nov 13th: From Idea to Impact: How to Lead an Influential DEI Committee. There's still time to register. See you there!

On the road to workplace equity, DEI committees can be a powerful way to drive meaningful and transformative change. DEI committees can help focus DEI efforts across the organization, increase capacity for implementing DEI initiatives, uncover gaps and an honest understanding of the current state of DEI, set strategic direction for DEI, serve as an accountability structure for achieving DEI vision and goals, act as the bridge between executive leadership and staff, and more. But what can get in the way? There are a few key areas that, if left unchecked, could prevent committees from achieving their goals: structure, commitment, member experience, strategy, and knowledge. Which area could benefit from some more focused attention in your committee? To learn more, register for our upcoming webinar on Nov 13th at 11am CT: https://lnkd.in/gwBNRbza

Hey nonprofit teams! Did you know your free C4G membership offers WAY MORE than a nonprofit consultant directory? We have Articles, Videos, On-Demand Resources, Webinars, partner discounts, and more to support you. For example, when you browse our Articles library and filter for DEI-related posts, you’ll find insights from our consultants through articles like: ?? How to Navigate the Early Days of DEI Implementation, by Natalie Rodgers ?? An Interview on Emotional Inclusivity, by Dr. Bre Gentile ?? Why Nonprofits Should Include Salaries in Job Descriptions, by Jenni Getzy Check out DEI-driven Articles and more from our community: https://lnkd.in/dhWbTNi6 #nonprofit #nonprofits #nonprofitorg #nonprofitorgs #nonprofitorganization #nonprofitorganizations #nonprofitleader #nonprofitleaders #nonprofitleadership #nonprofitwork #nonprofitsector #nonprofitdei

"When organizations analyze data, it may be easy to gravitate toward the majority figure and use that perspective to frame the way forward. Organizations might assume that since it is the largest figure, it should be placed above others. This bias could lead organizations to sometimes forget about the 30%, or 15%, or even the 3% – the margins. If our intention is to be inclusive of all people in our organization, we must pay equal attention to every piece of input." Check out the article to learn more about the nuances of inclusive and equitable data collection in strategic planning.

There are many reasons why it might be the right time to start a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee. Sometimes, internal or external events create pressure and lead us to look for ways to take action toward workplace equity within our organization. In other cases, we may notice organizational shifts or growth as a signal that it is time to create structures around DEI. And other times, it is simply a matter of the right group of people coming together at the right time. While the reasons for forming a DEI Committee can vary, the early-stage barriers of DEI Committees are quite similar. Read this article to look deeper into three common barriers that early-stage DEI Committees face and specific steps for overcoming them. Barrier?#1: Not knowing where to start Barrier?#2: Lacking support and/or resources from leadership Barrier?#3: Lack of focus Which barrier resonates most with your committee? Join our webinar on November 13th to learn more about how to move beyond these barriers and lead an influential DEI committee. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gwBNRbza