Turbocharging Your DEIA Efforts

Just because everyone says they support increased workplace diversity, it doesn’t mean your efforts will be easy. Here are some practical management strategies to help your initiatives move faster and smoother.

Look for one-size fits all solutions. Outside-the-box one-size-fits-all solutions can seem like innovations rather than compromises. For example, offer paid time off as a bucket—say 30 days—rather than assigned dates. While everyone’s bucket is the same size, each is unique to their individual needs.

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. There’s no requirement every solution be unique, even if every problem is unique. When you find a solution that works, there’s nothing wrong with reusing it in the exact same form or making small adjustments for a custom fit. Similar approaches can demonstrate a consistent vision and help create a new culture.

Delegate the resolution. This isn’t necessarily an abdication or shirking of responsibility. Spreading the task out among a large group of people can be extremely effective in some situations. The classic example is holding a potluck event. That guarantees no one at the event goes without having their own dietary needs met or feels left out.

Anticipate making mistakes. No one said this will be easy. Anticipate you’ll step on a few landmines along the way. When mistakes are made, acknowledge them, apologize and move on to a solution. Don’t look to develop a track record of instant perfection. Instead, look to do the best you can, be open to criticism, and to respond.

It’s never too late to admit mistakes. Taking responsibility for offenses that were not directly engaged in by the current leadership can send a very powerful message. It’s generally advisable not to question someone’s perceptions or to argue about intentions, and it’s never too late to admit a mistake, even if it happened before your time.

Do not presume bigotry. Assuming someone who opposes diversity efforts, or maybe just fails to embrace them, has bad intent, does nothing to help the situation. They may not understand or may be wrapped up in a drama of their own. Take the time to talk through the issue, even if it’s uncomfortable, and you could keep someone from being obstructionist, or turn them from being noncommittal into an ally.

Do not give up on opponents. If there is any potential for opponents to change, wherever their resistance comes from, don’t give up on them, but don’t let them be a roadblock either. Give them an opportunity to be a positive factor, but don’t let them be a negative one. Consider what leverage you have and what leverage they have, in determining how hard to push for acquiescence.

Normalize discussions and encourage dissent. It’s human nature to become more emotional and strident the less often an issue is discussed. The more often you discuss differences, and the more dissent over differences is not just tolerated but encouraged, the more diversity will become normalized. Address diversity decisions as an element in every other decision, and they’re no longer so dramatic because the stakes will not seem as high.

Learn and teach acceptance. Time invested in understanding the points of view of those you think are resisting diversity efforts is well-spent. Move away from reflexive judgments and knee jerk reactions and help others do the same. Differences of opinion are an important and significant element of diversity. Accepting another’s point of view as valid, even if you disagree, is often enough to get cooperation.

Meet people where they are and celebrate small wins. Not everyone is starting at the same place or is going to evolve at the same pace. Support movement in the right direction, even if it is not as sweeping as you’d like. Building a diverse and inclusive workplace is a marathon not a sprint and sometimes a very small step by one person is just as significant as a giant leap from someone else.

Look for proactive small-scale changes. Small, proactive steps can help establish a tone and culture. Follow the SMART approach: make sure your team’s finite proactive efforts are specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-based. When employees begin to proactively look for small differences that need to be addressed you can rest assured your organization is on its way toward institutionalizing diversity.

Expand participation through division. It is not the responsibility of your diverse employees to take on the implementation of your initiatives. To obtain organizational-wide support and input, divide the work to be completed into smaller segments and extend the invitation to participate to new groups across the organization. The input of people who are different will naturally be included as the smaller issues are combined without forcing anyone to serve as the sole representative of those who share a particular characteristic.

Creating and implementing a DEIA initiative is a significant undertaking, but using even a few of these strategies will assist your organization is moving forward in the right direction.?

?Lori B. Rassas HR Consultant / DEIA Facilitator www.lorirassas.com

If you are looking for a peek inside the minds of your employees as you share your plans, be sure to check out my book It's About You ?Too, which is now available.?You can also feel free to reach out to me to discuss how I can help your organization with its DEIA efforts.

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