3 Reasons Why Mark Cuban Is Right About DEI

In several recent tweets, Mark Cuban weighed in on the DEI debate that has been gaining traction. One of the tweets included a response Cuban made to Elon Musk about the power of DEI to strengthen the talent pool. “DEI does not mean you don’t hire on merit,” Cuban wrote. “Of course you hire based on merit. Diversity – means you expand the possible pool of candidates as widely as you can. Once you have identified the candidates, you HIRE THE PERSON YOU BELIEVE IS THE BEST.” As expected, many naysayers offered empty arguments and critiques of Cuban’s perspective. This article explores Cuban’s claims in more detail and highlights how DEI (when done right) can positively impact an organization.

1. Strengthens the talent pool. Every organization must find quality candidates to fill open positions. A persistent DEI issue that companies across industries face is the struggle to find the best talent for open roles. Developing specific systems to eliminate bias in the hiring process can ensure that trivial aspects of an individual’s background, like their age, name, race, or gender, don’t impact their likelihood of being hired. DEI practices like anonymizing resumes , utilizing rubrics and scorecards, and implementing structured interviews are all strategies that can decrease bias in the hiring process and are likely to increase the chances of individuals from underrepresented populations getting hired.

Systemic inequities persist in organizations and institutions for many reasons. Within higher education, for example, many students are granted admission into elite institutions not because of merit or talent but because of their privilege and the access that their wealth (or rather their family’s wealth) grants them, which trickles down to who gets hired for what jobs. Within many industries, there’s a “good ol’ boys club” that subconsciously keeps women and non-white communities out. By incorporating DEI into the hiring and recruitment process, organizations can increase the chances of hiring the best, brightest, and most talented people for the job.

2. Goes beyond checkboxes and quotas. In a separate tweet Cuban, who is the part owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, wrote a response to the question of whether the Dallas Mavericks team as a whole reflects the demographics of America: “If you understand the value of DEI, it’s not in checklists and quotas, it’s in understanding how to best compete as a company.” A popular myth about DEI is that it’s simply about check-the-box diversity and performative measures. Effective DEI programs must be specific, targeting the unique issues a company is facing, and must also include accountability measures to ensure success. DEI efforts shouldn’t solely fall on the shoulders of a DEI manager or chief diversity officer; that’s often a recipe for disaster .

Impactful DEI programs go beyond checkboxes and quotas; racial diversity for the sake of checking a box doesn’t work and can lead to tokenization . It should also be noted that racial quotas are illegal in the U.S. and have been illegal since a 1978 U.S. Supreme Court decision . Implementing DEI measures during moments of crisis is often counterproductive because it’s usually done without the thought and deep analysis required to address and resolve a specific issue. If your organization is called out for racial bias and discrimination, for example, implementing a training session to remedy the issue probably won’t be effective—Starbucks learned this lesson after a 2018 incident led to public scrutiny with the company deciding to introduce a half-day bias training . Racism cannot be “trained” away; baking DEI into the fabric of all company policies and practices ensures it’s embedded into the business and will increase the likelihood of DEI success.

3. Increases competitive advantage. In several tweets , Cuban explained why DEI increases a company’s competitive advantage. Dissenters have argued that all things DEI and “woke” will lead a company to “go broke,” but research may prove otherwise. McKinsey research has shown time and time again that when companies prioritize racial/ethnic diversity and gender diversity, it often leads to greater performance and profitability.

As a seasoned entrepreneur with keen business acumen, Cuban speaks from his extensive experience about the power of prioritizing DEI. The U.S. will be more racially and ethnically diverse in the future, becoming a reflection of the rest of the world. Younger generations want to work for companies that prioritize and value DEI. Failing to commit to DEI means there will be less interest in working for your company and may lead to consumer hesitance to support your products. Despite growing anti-DEI sentiments, it's imperative to understand that jumping ship when it comes to your DEI objectives means your organization will not be sustainable in the future.

This article was originally published in Forbes .

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