As social issues related to inequalities and inequities re-emerge near the top of our national conversation, many business leaders are appropriately trying to leverage their influence to make a difference. However, you must first lead yourself well before you can lead others.
Going a step further, we should lead our organizations well before our organizations attempt to influence and lead our communities. For most organizations, this should start with building a diverse and inclusive culture.
In this episode, I’ll be talking about how building a diverse team helps us build a stronger business, and I will be joined by Dethra U. Giles, CEO of ExecuPrep — an HR consultancy — to help us create organizations that leverage our team members’ differences as an advantage.
Diversity and inclusion are related, but they’re not the same thing. Diversity is the act of having a variety of people on your team. Inclusion takes it a step further by fostering an environment with processes that nurture, leverage and celebrate these differences for the improvement of the organization.
As Dethra describes it, diversity is like a produce section with lots of different fruits in one place, but inclusion is more like a fruit salad, where each individual fruit maintains its flavor and works cohesively together for a better end.
Remember, almost everyone in your organization has been told race, religion and politics have no place in the workplace even if they affect it. Also, most conversations associated with these topics are tense and divisive so people will be nervous about opening up.
By owning and vocalizing the discomfort, you’ll help others overcome their discomfort as well.
Public, official conversations about ethnic, gender or generational diversity in your organization are likely rare, which means no one internally will be an expert.
Expect missteps, listen carefully and empathetically, communicate and apologize openly, course correct quickly, and keep moving forward. Don’t let perfection prevent progress in your organization.
As you do this work, the organization’s or specific leaders’ past behaviors will be called into question by your team and likely by you. (Some of your past behaviors may even be discussed.)
Ways in which diversity and inclusion have been prevented will be exposed. While it may be disheartening to hear, this is why you’re doing what you’re doing. You’ll want to defend or explain your behaviors.
Resist the urge. Rather, listen to learn.
If you don’t understand, ask clarifying questions like, ‘What would you have liked me or the organization to do differently? What specifically about that situation affected you negatively?’
It’s possible that you unknowingly offended someone, your well-meaning behavior had unintended consequences, or you simply were unaware of something that happened in the organization. Regardless, you’re building credibility in the future by how you handle things today. Grow from where you are.
Our focus is turning conversations into commitments and commitments into outcomes. Without a plan of action, all of your efforts will not only be wasted, but they’ll have the potential to undermine your team’s belief in your sincerity, which could affect their trust in you.
To effectively take action, follow these best practices:
Here are also some questions for you and your team.
How well does your organization’s board, leadership team and staff reflect the diversity of your current customer base? What about the customer base you hope to serve in the future?
What’s it like working for your organization if you’re not the majority — as it relates to gender, age, ethnicity/race, religion and political affiliation?
BELAY has committed to doing five things within our organization to promote ethnic and racial diversity, inclusion, and equity. What are three things you believe you could do to improve diversity and inclusion in your organization?