Why You Don’t Deserve An Increase in Your DEI Budget

Leaders constantly tell me they don’t have budget for their inclusion work.

But what if you don’t deserve a budget increase?

Before we get to that.

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This year I’ve spoken to no less than 20 different leaders who wanted to work with us but couldn’t because they “didn’t have the budget”.

Some never had a budget.?

Some had a budget but needed more.?

Some were never given the budget they were promised.?

These are leaders I would love to partner with.?

The experience made me think of an awkward question for you:?

What if you’re in the same situation but you don’t deserve a budget increase??

Today, we’re going to cover 3 things?

- 3 reasons why you don’t deserve a budget increase

- What you can do to avoid this happening to you

- How to use key principles to protect yourself

I talk about this in more detail on the show.?

This may be confronting and you may choose to take this personally.?

I’m on a mission to help a million people like you to make your workplace inclusive.?

I’m your number one trusted advisor.?

I’m here to act in your best interests.?

If I didn’t share this with you, these claims of mine would not be true.?

If you’re finding me for the first time.?

You should know that in a former life I was a chartered accountant.?

This means I understand how and why budgets get created.?

I also understand how they get cut because I was the one doing the cutting.?

Maybe you think your leaders:?

- Don’t care about inclusion.

- Dismiss your inclusion work.?

- Don’t want to spend any money.?

Experience shows me it may be something else too.?

You haven’t shown that you’re responsible

If I gave you $10million dollars to help you on your inclusion journey.?

(You can spend it on anything you want.)?

Would the money be put to good use?

What would you do with it?

When would we know?

Most people I meet who ask for budget increases haven’t done enough with what they’ve got.?This is why they don’t deserve an increase in the eyes of the business.?

Suppose you have zero budget.?

What have you done with what you were given??

They didn’t give you money but did you ask for something else??

I’ve spent 7 years and 368 episodes explaining what you should do instead.?

Each episode has a question.?

Answer that question and you start to progress on your inclusion journey.

Most of what I suggest does not require a budget:?

- Book clubs

- Lunch and learns?

- Leaders time and attention.?

You have a free resource available for you here.?

Suppose you have a budget.?

What did you use it for??

- Raising awareness.?

- Applying for an award

- Unconscious bias training

What was the impact to the business?

If you’re not in the room can they say that giving you a budget was money well spent??

I ask because that is precisely what happens.?

People ask these questions in rooms you are not in.?

If you spent money on Flags, Food and Fun.?

I wouldn’t give you any more money?

And I’m on your side.?

Whether you have a budget or not.?

I suggest you focus on 3 things:?

Delivering measurable results that people care about.?

Using that to build credibility to get more buy in from your colleagues.?

Maintaining momentum with a systematic process.?

This is precisely what we do with our clients.?

This makes you responsible?

Take this free assessment to see how well you’re doing.?

Maybe this isn’t you

Maybe it’s something else.?

You didn’t earn it.?

This is indicative of privilege.

Think of privilege as benefits and advantages.

If you have a privilege, you have benefits and advantages that other people do not.

Not everyone has that advantage?

Not everyone has that benefit.?

I like to distinguish between earned privileges and unearned privileges.

As a society, we seem to be ok with people having earned privileges.?

We are less ok with people having unearned privileges.

I gave myself as an example.?

I introduce myself as Dr. Jonathan.?

That’s a privilege. ?

I earned the right to call myself that.?

I say I’m your number one trusted advisor?

I’m earning the right to say that.?

You get to decide if it’s true.?

Too often the people asking for budget increases haven’t earned it.?

They want credit for something they haven’t done yet.?

They spend their time on:

- Parties and photo opportunities with no results?

- Unconscious bias training with no follow up

- Awareness campaigns with no measures

What kind of a reputation do you think this builds?

It’s better to focus on building a track record of measurable results that people care about.?

(Are you spotting a pattern?)?

This earns you the right to ask for more.

Maybe this isn’t you

Maybe it’s something else.?

It’s not an easy decision for budget holders?

People often misunderstand me when I say this.?

- Instead of guilt trips

- Instead of platitudes

- Instead of shaming

Make it easy for people to say yes

- Say why Inclusion is important in your workplace

- Explain your plan in a way they can understand

- Let them understand you have shared goals

Make it easy for them to say yes.?

Do this to get the support you’re looking for.?

Most DEI work focuses on people outside the organisation.?

This gets you nowhere.

The trick is to focus 100% of your attention on people inside the organisation.

- Explaining why it matters in simple language?

- Focusing on colleagues you want to include?

- Creating an inclusive culture?

Inclusion begins at home.

Make it easier for them to say yes.?

I know this may have been an uncomfortable read.?

If that’s the case.?

Perhaps no one has been honest with you.?

I always want to be honest with you.?

Message me Dr. Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey if you want to discuss this further.?

Have you shared this with a colleague yet?

Think about who needs to know this.

They need a friend like you.

As always

I’m cheering you on.

Dr. Jonathan