5 Executive Blindspots that Sabotage DEI Success (Part 2 of 5)

Being overly-focused on diversity, and under-focused on inclusion. 

A recent McKinsey study found that “39% of all respondents say they have turned down or decided not to pursue a job because of perceived lack of inclusion at the organization.” That is a big number, especially considering the amount of time that leaders spend combing over resumes and interviewing candidates. For many millennial and Gen Z employees and job seekers, DEI in the workplace is not a preference, it is a requirement.

It is wonderful to see companies pouring more attention into attracting, hiring, and retaining diverse talent. Some companies are even proactively investing in diversifying the pipeline of the future by funding inner-city schools to close the budget gaps, providing mentoring opportunities in STEM for students who would not normally have access, reaching deeper into communities of color to provide internship opportunities, increasing recruiting efforts at HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges & Universities), or funding things like coding schools for women who have been out of the workforce. The list goes on! These are all important areas of focus. There is no denying that. However, one of the biggest predictors of a company’s ability to attract, hire, and retain diverse talent is the level of inclusion and the health of the culture.

I heard a powerful story recently from a black female attorney, who worked at a nearly all-white law firm early in her career. She would often be pulled into interview loops to show that the company was “diverse” and to speak to her experience working there. She shared that depending on the day, and how she was feeling, she would sometimes lean over the desk and quietly issue a warning to the prospective hire, “I’m going to be honest with you. This place is not great. I do not recommend it.” This story stopped me in my tracks. I thought of all the leaders who pull women or people of color into interview loops, assuming that they are having a positive experience of the work environment—without assessing or asking about the degree to which they feel valued, heard, respected, and positive about their workplace. 

Diversity, simply defined, is counting heads. Inclusion is making heads count. Inclusion is the degree to which people feel valued, respected, unleashed to contribute their talents, and a sense of belonging. One of my favorite friends and fellow DEI leaders, Amelia Ransom, summed it up perfectly in a recent conversation we had. She quipped, “Companies want 31 flavors of ice cream, but they don’t have a freezer to keep it cold.” Bingo.

The bottom line is this: we all have a job when it comes to building the habits & behaviors of inclusion, but we do not have the same job. C-level leaders have a unique set of strategic and personal levers that only they can pull. The same is true for HR departments, recruiting teams, managers up and down the organization, and every individual contributor. It is high time that organizations invest in ongoing development to help all of us work better across human complexities and aid employees in building effective habits—not just awareness of the issues.