Assessing Diversity & Inclusion Through the Four A's

Last week I attended a Women’s History Month Networking Event at Goldman Sachs. During the event, the audience heard some anecdotes, stories, and advice from the Executive Vice President and Global Head of Human Capital Management, Dane E. Holmes. Holmes discussed his career trajectory, challenges he faced growing up as a person of color in the South, and then the discussion took a somewhat unexpected (and delightful) turn. Much of the conversation focused on diversity in organizations and what companies can do to foster an inclusive workplace. While the conversation was taking place, I found myself taking notes on all the gems that Holmes dropped during his talk. One effective tool that Holmes used to explain the crucial elements of diversity and inclusion is through something termed as the Four A’s of Diversity.

I want to focus on each of the Four A’s, my interpretation of each A, and how I think development of each A can help an organization accomplish their business goals.  

The first A is ACKNOWLEDGE: In order to remedy any workplace issue, organizational leadership must first admit and recognize that the problem exists. If you think of the lack of diversity and inclusion as a substance abuse issue that you want to eradicate, the first step toward “kicking” the unhealthy habit of exclusion and homogeneity is acknowledgement. You must first recognize that a problem exists before you can take any active steps to fix the problem. How can this be done in the workplace? It may be helpful to have a change agent or organizational “influencer” be the diversity and inclusion champion. An organizational leader or employee that is well-liked may have the power to persuade others to see the value and importance of diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The second A is AWARENESS: This sort of ties in with the first A, which is Acknowledgment. In order to create an effective diversity and inclusion program, there must be an awareness and understanding of the problem. After there is an acknowledgment and an admittance that there is a problem, the organization can begin to decipher how exactly the problem can be fixed. Uncertainty, ignorance, or ambiguity regarding the problem will inhibit solutions.

The third A is ACCOUNTABILITY: After you’ve diagnosed the root of the problem, one of the most challenging parts is taking accountability and ownership. This involves an examination of the obstacles that have impeded your diversity and inclusion progression. Is there a lack of buy-in with organizational leadership? Are the policies and procedures that are currently in place inadvertently causing or perpetuating discrimination? Is more focus placed on attracting the diverse talent, with little to no emphasis on how to retain the diverse talent? Is there backlash and hostility when diversity initiatives are implemented? After the problem is diagnosed, prescriptions can be made and solutions will (hopefully) follow.

The fourth A is ADOPTION: After an internal (or external) force has shined a light on the shortcomings of the organizational diversity initiatives, and solutions are clear and understood by all, then adoption must follow. This is the critical piece of any diversity and inclusion program. Diagnosis of the problem should be followed by suggestions for solutions and then a detailed action plan. Without concrete actions being implemented, it’s simply lip service and no positive changes will follow.

What do you think is the most challenging part of this process? Which “A” does your organization excel in and which “A” do you need to become stronger in?