It Is All About The A...

I admit I do have many secrets that I am choosing to share, but not today. Today, I would like to share with you my perspective around the "A"-accountability.

Accountability in relation to our roles as leaders and non-leaders in creating and building workplaces that move beyond the inclusion of all people, to a system that eradicates the divisive perspectives, habits and behaviours that underserves and marginalizes BIPOC groups and White people. The approach I choose to take is not through fables about a wolf, a bird, or a tree (however, I do think the BEST fables were written by Aesop, a Black man who needs to be celebrated for his genius) but from my experience over the last two decades.

For many of you who are not aware, the "work" I do as a professional is not just about search, recruitment and talent development, it is much deeper. It has taken over two decades to build a mico-platform focused on a macro-goal, to change the culture and the system from within where all people are valued, appreciated and celebrated for their contributions to business success. Basically, what many classify as "the importance of diversity, equity inclusion and a few folks would include belonging." This is correct. However, there is more to it. It is about shifting the narrative, expanding the boundaries, confronting and eradicating mindsets that are laced with negative, stereotypical, and prejudicial biases that marginalize and underserve many People of Colour, Indigenous people and yes, White people too.

This is not about identity politics jargon or Marxist theories or "takedown the heterosexual White man" ideology or any "can we all just get along, we are one human race, we are the world" theories. It is all about the accountability to do better, know better, build better, act better and live better. Period.

I possess a lot of patience, the curiosity to learn and unlearn, the passion to discover and the ability to own my direct style of communication when I see and hear narrow-mindedness being displayed. There are many folks who are the gatekeepers of the status quo and the default culture and system -I include all races and colours, and not just "all white people" (as that is a blatantly false narrative that must stop immediately too)- that continues to create, design and market incorrect narratives when it comes to addressing the elephant in the room. I share this with you as it is all about accountability:

• The accountability to own your responsibility and privilege in unlearning false habits, thoughts and behaviours that continue to divide us.
• The accountability to own your responsibility and privilege in learning new habits, thoughts and behaviours that will bring us together (not just to celebrate our wins in our cultural traditions through sports and entertainment that are one dimensional)
• The accountability to communicate verbally (written or orally) that you not only support anti-racism strategies and solutions but are willing to prioritize and invest time, energy and the financial capital to learn, collaborate and partner
• The accountability to speak and lead from your heart and not from your ego when you are asked directly or indirectly to unpack and confront the false narratives you possess and spew to discredit people for holding the truth
• The accountability to understand and confront false narratives and behaviours that impede any progress and continue to marginalize and underserve BIPOC groups
• The accountability to take ownership to invite "dialogues" (two-way effective communicative styles) that help unpack destructive habits, thoughts and behaviours without the current temperature of Call-out culture and shift to Call-in culture tactics
• The accountability to own patience for others and yourself in the process of unlearning and learning
• The accountability to pause, reflect, unlearn and learn before you "react" to your privilege and entitlement benefits
• The accountability that anti-racist work and solutions are not only circled around "Black versus White" binaries but the solutions are multilayered where all races and colours must do the work-separately and collectively

I have been listening and watching with intent to understand what leaders, non-leaders, DEI experts and departments are doing to address the underbelly of North American society -racism. The brutality of its destruction towards Black and Indigenous families is beyond disgusting and must be confronted and no longer allowed to continue to be hidden by the default culture and system.

With the support and help from my team, we have dialogued with many leaders and non-leaders from academia, commercial real estate and development, private equity, financial services, government, non-profits, non-governmental organizations and community groups to ask them to collaborate with us.

We continue to receive an abundant amount of support and commitment for action by leaders and non-leaders and remain hopeful. I can only share from my experience. You see, over the last few weeks, many leaders have dialogued with me to ask what they can do and I have asked for their leadership help, financial commitment and/or megaphones. I am thankful for the positivity that I have received in their words. I am grateful and I appreciate it A LOT.

Also, sadly to share that I have dialogued with leaders and non-leaders who indicated to me directly (via emails, direct messages on LinkedIn and phone calls):

"You should approach with caution addressing diversity and colour because your business will suffer, stop being political, just focus on your job you will regret it, your business will suffer because you are distracted, you are too loud and need to stop talking, you are doing too much just focus on search, you are too confrontational, Do you realize it is not about diversity but to work hard/show up and about your values, stop talking about race and colour there are bigger things to focus, what do you know you are just a recruiter, we don't need your help we know what we are doing, stop talking about diversity-it's about business, it is not about diversity or equity it is about your value system, it is not in our budget right now and we are looking into complimentary solutions, you are too direct and make people uncomfortable, you have to be patient change happens in time stop demanding things, Indigenous people are looking for handouts they get a lot already, Indigenous people are aways complaining, learn our Canadian culture, Canada is not racist-we are a multicultural society, what about my son and daughter they are having a hard time too, white males are the victims now they need support, my white son is suffering and being blamed, Black people need to be like other racialized people, I don't see colour and we shouldn't talk about colour, what about White people we matter too, you coloured people need to be thankful that you are living in Canada, Black people need to obey the laws and respect authority, you are not Black so why do you care-stay in your lane, he must have done something to get in trouble, she has a loud mouth and is a troublemaker, we are working on doing something with our HR teams and they don't need help, we have a lot of diversity in our company just look around so stop talking about it, We are in Toronto everyone is diverse, we are creating a diversity committee and we don't need help so stop asking us, this is not about race and colour it is about you holding on to grudges, you will be ignored and we will shut you down... " and the comments go on and on. Please know that these comments are not from so-called trolls but from people who are employed in our workplaces.

The comments have hurt, distracted and at times made me pause and question my integrity, methods, and my being. I am not nor will I ever reveal the people who have shared and continue to share destructive words/thoughts/perspectives with me; as I do not believe in the Call-out culture. However, more importantly, I am learning to take their words to fuel me to push through and move forward; as the purpose is greater than me or my ego.

Yes, I have lost a few business opportunities and relationships with people (White and BIPOC groups) whom I thought were invested in equity but revealed their true colours and their egos. What I know is I embrace my lessons learned, my mistakes, my achievements and more importantly the reason I started Matrix.

I share this information with you because since I could walk and speak, as a Brown person, I have always believed and walked proudly that Black Lives Matter. When the Black Lives Matter term and movement formalized in 2013 by three Black women, there were many default culture gatekeepers willfully discrediting Black Lives Matter and the women and men who were part of the movement (and it still continues today). I ask you to do your research on the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement before you pass any judgement and once you understand to show your support not just with a tagline or hashtag but with action.

I will always use my voice, mind, heart and platform to address, speak and action solutions-that work- for anti-racism (Anti-Black, Anti-Indigenous, Anti-East Asian, Anti-Brown and Anti-PoC) and anti-White behaviours (not racism because anti-white racism does not exist) directed at White people (please do not get it twisted, I am not tolerant towards white fragility or white guilt or white bullying through microaggressive behaviours, thoughts or perspectives).

So, my firm is ready to reveal how we are embracing our accountability as leaders in talent management and workplace strategy. We continue to build partnerships and take a collaborative approach with everything we do. We continue to support and stand in solidarity with the Black community, not only in words but with actions that include financial distribution. Our statement is below.

On June 17, 2020, we are releasing the first part of a five-part series to address the elephant in the room head-on: An Anti-Racism Roadmap for Everyday Actions. Our five-part series is all about collaboration and partnerships. We are collectively working with a variety of associations, organizations, foundations and workplace strategists to action solutions that work.

I forewarn you, it requires you to:

My ask is for you to subscribe to our Company page and send us an email: [email protected] and share it with your network-In Canada, the USA and globally too.

I recommend you purchase and read one or all of the following books too (knowledge is powerful):

• Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality by Bob Joseph
• Women, Race and Class by Angela Davis
• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
• Race and Ethnicity in Canada A Critical Introduction by Vic Satzewich and Nikolaos Liodakis
• North of the Color Line by Sarah-Jane Mathieu

I appreciate you listening/reading and please do share my message with your circles that You Hold The Power to do better, now.

Peace and in gratitude, Chandran