The ambiguous and ambitious pursuit that everyone is talking about

It's not very often that organizations find themselves in a place where the roadmap for an Executive Team priority is unclear.

Organizations have become experts at bracing themselves for risk mitigation and compliance and in fact we have to thank this focus for many routine tasks we unwillingly submit ourselves to daily (compliance training being everyone’s favourite - you agree)? Besides this, when there is a strategic priority, usually there is clarity for how it will be cascaded within the organization. With the exception of COVID-19 and knee jerk reactions that are necessary every now and then, driving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) enterprise-wide is seemingly one of the most ambiguous yet ambitious goals for most, if not all organizations today.

The growth of this growing acronym, DEI, happened overnight in many ways, and none of us were prepared. Just like with COVID-19 this is ever-evolving. Here’s a rough timeline:

1990 - diversity means complying with regulations

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2000 - diversity is helpful - research starts to spotlight this theme. Organizations start to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

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2005 - economy growing, businesses flourishing and now expanding to global locations, organizations realize the need to work across cultures (mostly through costly mistakes)

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2010 - diversity now the focus of most organizations (quota or target based)?

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2015 - unconscious bias is the way to go (with a training course on every LMS)

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2018 - something is still not working; enter the word inclusion

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2020 - nobody saw everyone working from home; enter (forced) remote working, political upheaval, social unrest, medical emergencies and the collective realization that things need to change

2021 - following the I comes before D conversation, we continue to add equity, justice and wellbeing to this ever-expanding acronym

2022 - what lies ahead and how must we prepare?

DEI is a topic that is so new, most of us didn’t grow up learning about it. However, we now find ourselves having to ensure that this strategic priority is strongly executed. What does it take and how can we get there? Here, I will share a few heartfelt thoughts -?using no jargon or evidence-based research (there’s enough out there already):

It is a journey. Say this over and over again - to yourself if you are driving DEI or to your stakeholders who are asking for ‘results’. I for one, am results-driven and want to see change at the flick of a switch but acknowledge this involves mindset and behavioural change and it is not going to happen overnight.

It takes a village. No, DEI is not an HR initiative. It takes every single person in an organisation to contribute towards rethinking everyday actions, raising their antennae when things seem amiss and proactively and intentionally creating an inclusive workplace. We are all “Accountable” on this RACI chart.

We are all learning. There are some organizations that seem to have it together, but they have only been on the road longer and have learnt through experience, often the hard way. For meaningful change to happen, organizations need to come together to support each other rather than compete.

You embody DEI within and outside of your organisation. DEI is not a learning course or KPI within the organisation. It means looking at your circle of influence even personally, understanding and speaking up for those that need your support (your spouse, a friend who doesn’t seem ok, an elderly neighbour, a child with ADHD, etc.), especially today when ‘work’ means sitting in your bedroom in front of your laptop and home is what lies beyond your work desk.

Whether you are new to this topic or are a seasoned expert, let’s keep the ambition alive. Reach out and ask for help. Collaborate. We can do this, just not alone. Here I will do my part by sharing this free 28-day Inclusion Journal - to help you in your own journey towards creating a world where everyone belongs.