Nothing about DEI is a distraction from success or even competency. Instead, it is an investment in creating a future that works for everyone.
When Vice President Kamala Harris took over as the Democratic candidate for president, she was quickly labeled a “DEI hire,” implying that her achievements were due to prioritizing diversity over competence. As a leader of a diverse organization that bridges partisan and racial divides, I can say this argument is deeply flawed. It misunderstands what makes businesses, organizations—and countries—smart, nimble, resilient, and strong.
THE RISE OF DEI INITIATIVES
Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are a popular target for American conservatives. In the wake of the 2020 George Floyd protests, there was new awareness among many civic and business leaders of systemic discrimination within American life. DEI programs proliferated as a result, with the admirable goal of breaking down barriers and making workforces better resemble the U.S. population as a whole.
But it also sparked a backlash. Just as they once lambasted “affirmative action hires,” today’s critics of DEI programs imply that “DEI hires” are less qualified and less effective once on the job. Critics also weave DEI into a grand tapestry of “wokeness,” which they argue is distracting institutions from their chief aims in the interest of political correctness. It often feels like the preoccupation with DEI programs has less to do with their intent or effectiveness and instead, larger worries about American political life.
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY
Critics of DEI operate on a flawed assumption that diversity comes at the cost of success. In reality, diverse perspectives are essential for the success of any organization, whether it’s a startup, a nonprofit, or even a nation. The more diversity you have, especially in leadership, the more successful your organization can be.
Diversity helps in a number of ways:
1. TAPPING INTO GENIUS
No CEO ever complained about having too many talented people on their team. Hiring and retaining talent is a constant struggle. Systemic barriers in education, opportunity, and employment often mean certain communities are overlooked and underrepresented in the workforce.
There are brilliant people in these communities who could make your organization better. So-called “DEI hires” are not less talented—they might simply have lacked the resume-building opportunities that come so easily to others. Making a commitment to seeking out this underrepresented talent is part of building a powerhouse team.
2. AVOIDING BLIND SPOTS
Failed product launches and PR disasters keep leaders up at night. Imagine only employing right-handed workers, and then along comes a left-handed customer who complains that your product is unworkable for them. Wouldn’t it have been easier to avoid that problem with a few lefties on staff?
We should think the same way about diverse life experiences. Some tech companies realized this the hard way, discovering that their best code still produced algorithmic discrimination or, in the most famous examples, simply failed to recognize black faces.
Imagine only employing right-handed workers, and then along comes a left-handed customer who complains that your product is unworkable for them. Wouldn’t it have been easier to avoid that problem with a few lefties on staff?
3. SURFACING UNIQUE SOLUTIONS
At my organization, Dream.Org, the team that works on criminal justice reform is almost entirely composed of people who are formerly incarcerated or impacted by this system. These individuals have firsthand experience with the problems we are trying to solve—just think about how much intense knowledge and deep understanding they bring to every single conversation. They have ideas for solutions and fixes that would never occur to those who never served time behind bars.
Great organizations thrive on innovation, and diverse, personal experiences always enhance that.
MOVING BEYOND CHECKLISTS: CREATING A DEI CULTURE
Diversity cannot just be a checklist item. And having a certain mix of people on staff is not a cure-all. Organizations need diverse leadership (especially at the C-suite level) and a culture that recognizes the power of diversity. And it isn’t easy. You might need to experience some short-term discomfort for long-term gains.
Here are a few actionable steps that we use to go beyond the basics:
1. Start at the top.
Leaders set the tone for the company culture. A siloed DEI program stuck in a corner won’t accomplish much. DEI needs to be prioritized at the highest levels of leadership to influence attitudes, behaviors, and decision-making across the organization. Moreover, using a DEI lens for looking at resource allocation and setting your metrics and goals is a high-level activity that can help shift your culture considerably.
2. Revisit restrictive policies.
Consider changing hiring, management, and promotion practices. Policies like strict education requirements or criminal conviction exclusions, though well-intentioned, may now be outdated and harmful. For example, hiring marketing team members without formal education could help you reach customers who also haven’t attended college. Creating more inclusive policies is a business imperative.
3. Embed DEI in metrics.
DEI goals should be integrated into your organization’s metrics. Instead of just aiming to “increase engagement score by XX%,” for example, specify a particular demographic for improvement or add in “increase engagement score by XX% with no disparities by race and gender.”
THE VALUE OF DEI
I believe our companies, and the country, will benefit from a continuing commitment to DEI programs. Vice President Kamala Harris, in her first interview as the Democratic nominee for president, was asked if she would appoint a Republican to her cabinet. She responded with an unconventional way to support the importance of DEI:
“I have spent my career inviting diversity of opinion. I think it’s important to have people at the table when some of the most important decisions are being made that have different views, different experiences. And I think it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my Cabinet who was a Republican.”
In short, nothing about DEI is a distraction from success or even competency. Instead, it is an investment in creating a future that works for everyone.
This article was originally published by Fast Company on September 20, 2024. You can read the article on the Fast Company website here.
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