Businesses back diversity training

I’m glad to see our business leaders advocate for effective Diversity and Inclusion training. Until we are all accepted and embraced, we will not achieve our full potential. #Diversityandinclusion #diversitymatters #diversityequityinclusion

From a personal and professional point of view, the silence on this issue has been deafening. I am thrilled to see other business leaders finally responding to the Executive Order issued on 9/22/2020. (https://lnkd.in/db_TJxE) #sociology #leadership #socialawareness #socialresponsibility #unconsciousbias #implicitbias #bias #leadershipdevelopment #genderbias #diversity #diversityandinclusion #genderequality #leadershipmatters #shyftthestatusquo #shyftstrategies #inclusion The Wall Street Journal

"The executive order, issued on Sept. 22, prohibits federal agencies, companies with federal contracts, and recipients of federal grants from participating in training that 'promotes race or sex-stereotyping or scapegoating.'” What's so problematic about how this executive order is framed according to Khadeeja Safdar and Lauren Weber The Wall Street Journal, is that the language used: "stereotyping" and "scapegoating" undermines the more nuanced diversity & inclusion frameworks utilized to mitigate structural biases embedded within our systems. In the spaces that I operate within, I'm fully aware that I have to carefully couch the D&I initiatives that I advocate for and implement to avoid the perception of them being reflexively accusatory. The bottom line is, structural biases (often under-girded by racist/sexist antiquated beliefs) exist, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the operators within these systems are explicitly/willfully racists/sexists themselves, just that the structures that they operate within are anchored in paradigms that continue to marginalize vast swaths of society in myriad ways. I think this executive order undermines this.

As it mentions in the article, the Executive Order was over reach and should have been focused only on Federal agencies with a suspension to review content. That said, overdoing it on D & I education is tactical and ineffective. I believe in starting the education process with the executive leadership team and the IDI. Every executive is at a different place, and the IDI allows for individual development. It lays a strong foundation for a 4-5 year strategic approach to D & I development and drives meaningful change. These issues are too important and dynamic to “wing it” so be sure to get guidance, seek an outside expert and think through what’s right for your organization. #CEO #Diversityandinclusion