Musings on how to achieve genuine diversity

In terms of inclusion and diversity, I take a more holistic approach. While I don’t disagree with specific celebrations such as Black History Month, I believe they should be viewed holistically as part of American history. I believe celebrating diversity should be genuine and integrated into how we go through our lives daily and not just during such holidays. Instilling true diversity means not treating it separately. It all boils down to inherent integration, meaning that if you identify as a black female businesswoman, you should have opportunities to speak about business, industry knowledge, or management as much as gender and ethnicity. Balancing the need for visibility and the risk of labeling differences is hard, I know, but that is why we ought to find the right balance here.

Of course, expressing your commitment toward diversity will take a different form whether you are a company or an individual. Companies make strong statements about diversity and inclusion, advocating for it publicly and integrating it into their culture. It is expected of them today. On an individual level, I find one-on-one conversations to be the most genuine. That is when you get to know the person. It is the place where people can ask; "Is it offensive?" Together, you break the ice, smash barriers, and express curiosity more comfortably. If I showed up to work with pink hair, I'd expect people to ask me about it, to show curiosity as to why I've dyed it that way. I wouldn't expect them not to say a word and then celebrate my pink hair once a year because it's different. There is nothing wrong with being curious; on the contrary! You see a lot of buzzwords now as many companies claim to put this or that extra effort into their DEI strategy.

I am a nurturer who loves closely connected human relationships, whether in my personal life or professional. When you earn the trust of your clients and they start to see you as a dependable advisor, and your team as an extension of theirs, it is a wonderful reward. To me, it's all about making real connections so when I talk with clients, for instance, I always note the little personal things they share to remember them and offer better support. Of course, it's about doing business together but at the end of the day, we're all humans and those little things matter. I think being friendly and human at work can even bring you more business.

As human beings, we're born to be curious. There should be no "normal" and "different from". We should all feel free to ask questions and be encouraged to explore the unfamiliar. Most of the time, our biggest obstacle lies in our deep-rooted assumptions, and only exposure can overcome that. Exposure to what we are not used to is fundamental and is, perhaps, what we still need to push in our society today.

A column by Prena Khan, Account Strategy Director & Leader of the BIPOC Community at Criteo.