DEI: My Thoughts and An Offer
Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Justice. Belonging. Racism. Sexism. Ableism. Fragility. Whiteness.
All of these terms seem to have lives of their own these days. From my perspective, within the leadership space in particular, they should be top of mind for anyone anywhere. And, I will admit, this list of terms is by no means exhaustive.
Diversity, equity and inclusion are the typical terms that come together for those who are engaged in this work. Generally speaking, the acronym of DEI is broadly understood and most leaders (not all) know that there is something important that needs to be addressed around this topic, even though it feels nebulous at times.
In the wake of fairly recent events, particularly the murder of George Floyd in 2020 in the US, the focus on DEI has ramped up. In other words, for many people, their eyes were opened to situations and circumstances that weren't visible to them before (even though many of us already saw the injustices that suddenly became apparent to others), and a collective cry for justice arose. The challenge these days is that the initial fervour and commitment that was experienced by so many seems to have died down, even though the need for the work has stayed the same (and some might argue that it has actually increased).
As a coach working in the leadership space, DEI work has become a key arm of my business. Not because it's trendy, but rather because:
it's obvious to me that one cannot lead effectively without diving into this work meaningfully,
I've been doing this work informally and unconsciously all my life by virtue of the skin in which I live, and
I know that leaders cannot do this work in isolation.
As I've worked with others to explore issues related to DEI in their workplaces, a few things have become obvious.
Meaningful DEI work is not a "check-box" initiative. In light of this, it can be really hard to engage in this work on an ongoing basis. So many workplace policies, tenets and practices get called into question when looked at through a DEI lens and the work of changing culture can feel overwhelming and consuming -- time consuming, energy consuming, resource consuming.
It's hard to acknowledge and be accountable for the missteps that have been occurring in any workplace historically. I mean, if I didn't make the mistake, should I be held accountable for it? (The answer, to be clear, is "yes" -- and maybe not the way you think).
It can be confronting to look at systemic problems and make the changes necessary to create spaces that are truly inclusive.
As human beings, most of us are so committed to being and doing "good" -- whatever that means for us -- that when our beliefs and methods are challenged, we go to defense or justification (which keeps old patterns and behaviours entrenched) rather than getting curious and acting with humility. We have a hard time separating our behaviours from our being-ness, and rather than correcting "bad" behaviour, we cement ourselves in the belief that we are "good" and nothing needs correcting.
The upshot of all of this is that those who are interested in doing DEI work need to be committed for the long haul, and need to find spaces that allow for some of the really tough conversations that are part and parcel of the DEI landscape. With this in mind, in this post, I'm going to do something I rarely do; I'm going to share a bit of info about an upcoming program that I am co-facilitating with the incredible Louise Pitre (you can look her up, www.louisepitreconsulting.ca).
In "Grappling with the Legacy of Whiteness: A Learning Journey for Leaders Wanting to do DEI Work Meaningfully", Louise and I journey with participants for 6 weeks (structured as 2 weeks on, one week off) via Zoom, exploring a variety of topics that are essential to the DEI landscape. There is a combination of instruction, interaction, reflection and conversation. Participants commit to attending all 6 sessions in order to honour the space of integrity and psychological safety that is core to all DEI work. When we ran the pilot program back in 2021, feedback was that the space we created fostered learning that was simultaneously challenging, revelatory and accessible.
You can learn more about the program here.
Notice that there is an early-bird registration offering; if you sign up by August 31st you will receive a BONUS 60-minute coaching session. Knowing that this work is best done with support, the coaching you receive will assist you in taking the theory into practice in a way that works for you and your leadership space, whatever that may be.
This program deliberately focuses on Whitness as our grappling point; and we know that DEI is about more than race. It's about how dominant culture influences and creates systemic injustice. Whiteness is the specific aspect of dominant culture that we are choosing as our focus, and the content covered can be extrapolated to look at other grappling points.
Folks, if you haven't started doing DEI work as part of your leadership, it's time. At the very least, read a book. There are so many to choose from, and a few that I would recommend include:
"The Wake Up, by Michelle Mijung Kim",
"Me and White Supremacy, by Layla Saad", and
"Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson".
Also, "Deep Diversity, by Shakhil Choudery".
(Like I said, there's a LOT).
Bottom-line: the work of DEI isn't work that is only for SOME people or SOME organizations. It's for everyone, in every space. The work isn't easy; and it is necessary. The longer you put it off, the more challenging it will be to dive into. And although the work is challenging and ongoing, it is the next big thing for all of us to engage in. Will you join in the work?