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7 DEI tactics guaranteed to make you look ridiculous. Number 4 is my favourite. 1 - Creating a DEI committee. With no power, no budget, and no impact. 2 - Being "multi award winning".?? When you’ve got no results. 3 - Announcing a “commitment to DEI”. Based around social events. 4 - Launching an employee resource group. And calling it a strategy. 5 - Paying for unconscious bias training. And thinking your job is done. 6 - Talking about the business case for diversity. But not YOUR own one. 7 - Constantly talking about your lived experience. But not your expertise. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking activity = progress. I’ve seen these mistakes for years, and they don’t work. There’s a better way, I promise. What’s your experience with this?
This reads like a Checklist for some places I know! I'd like to offer #8 - Volun-telling a POC middle manager to co-lead the DEI committee because there were none in senior leadership to do it. ??
All of these are all performative when companies can just open their excel spreadsheet see who is underpaid and make the changes they need to become a little bit more equitable. ??
????♀? I understand why it happens Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey - but the superficiality of it all can't be missed - surely? Some food and and an awareness day just isn't going to cut it!
AMEN!!!! 100% agree with you Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey. They are all my favorites for all the wrong reasons:-) DEI without teeth and sadly all the things that make it open to being withdrawn and being blasted as rubbish. Interesting to see some of the big four who advocated for it for their client base to do (ahem $$$$$ ) now pulling it...I can't think why $$$$$$$$:)#JustSaying:-)
Jonathan, this hits home! DEI committees can be valuable—but only when they’re given real authority, resources, and leadership support. Too often, they’re formed as a symbolic gesture with no clear decision-making power, leaving passionate employees frustrated and disillusioned. If a DEI committee is just there to plan cultural potlucks or draft statements with no follow-through, it’s not a strategy—it’s a distraction. Real impact happens when organizations treat DEI like any other business priority—with clear goals, accountability, and leadership commitment. Companies should be embedding DEI into policies, leadership decisions, and everyday business practices. That’s when change sticks.
Haha years ago this was the actual Blueprint
Ha— I love the list! We also talk about this in IDC’s credentialing program— how to distinguish between busy work (like attending lots of meetings), strategic activities (like building relationships with stakeholders), and measurable projects (like calculating trainings impact on loss prevention efforts when non-white customers are falsely accused of theft).
Don't get me started about how I think #7 is partially why we are where we are...
Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey I’m going with number 5!
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1 周PS. I got this image from How to Raise Awareness of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion https://www.wikihow.com/Raise-Awareness-of-Diversity,-Equality,-and-Inclusion