DAY#1 What do elephants and the military have in common?
Elizabeth Tuleja, Ph.D., ACC
Founder, The Intercultural Leader Institute - Empowering leaders to manage the tough conversations with people who think, act, and believe differently / Fulbright Scholar to China
In this mini-series, I will argue (and introduce different elephants): We don't need MORE DEI programs - we need BETTER ones. Find out why! https://lnkd.in/ggWFc7gM
"Um…Uh…Diversity…Yeah…Um…Uh…"
When asked how he would handle gender advisers if he were selected as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Christopher Grady (US Navy), the man who would take over the#2 position in the US military, mumbled, sputtered, and “ummed” his way through 40 seconds of painful blather.[1]?
Honor, expertise, and years of leadership capability didn’t prepare this decorated commander to respond to the underlying complexities denoted in the charged question confidently.?Unfortunately, very few know how to answer such a question about diversity. It’s too hot to touch, hence the hemming and hawing.
This question of “What to do about diversity, equity, and inclusion?” has been around for decades, and it’s not going away. For example, if we look at DEI in the US Military, in 1981, Sikh Americans pressed for wearing their articles of faith[2]; in 1993, the “don’t ask; don’t tell” became procedural for gays and lesbians[3], and by 2013 women were officially able to serve in combat[iv].
But how much progress have we REALLY made during this time?
For example, a 2016 Congressional Research Report that appeared in the Naval History and Heritage Command publication spent 54 pages explaining the complexity of implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies within the military.?Its conclusion ended with a question: “Are diversity and equal opportunity initiatives needed in the military?”
You think?!?It took 26,195 words to get to this conclusion: “As Congress continues in its historic role of oversight, these are among the issues it will likely face as it establishes the ongoing standards for the U.S. Armed Forces of the 21st century.”
Diversity has always been with us – however, incidents during the last couple of years have brought it out the open, along with peoples’ raw emotions. The elephant in the room must be dealt with.
The tipping point pushing the USA over the edge in May 2020 was the horrific death of George Floyd – a cumulative outcry against long-term submerged systemic policies that have been easier to ignore than address. Critical incidents regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and politics have become the new norm as our nation struggles with basic civility, let alone being able to tackle the problems.
领英推荐
In this mini-series, I will argue: We don't need MORE DEI programs - we need BETTER ones.
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Tomorrow, Day 2, I will address some of the pitfalls of DEI training programs.
FIND OUT MORE: https://lnkd.in/eec5mBGV
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