Contrary to what our eyes tell us, the inverted image we see when we look in a mirror is not an accurate representation of how we look to the world. Now, whether it’s an actual mirror or our internal self-concept, most of us find it difficult to see ourselves in the absolute truth of who we are (e.g., what our frailties are, what we’re capable of, etc.), and for some, that self-image can be more like a fun-house mirror reflection that severely distorts everything from appearance to potential. I think if we actually had a real psychological mirror inside us somewhere, it would best come with a warning that said, "Caution: Images may appear warped (you may not be as good or as bad as you think you are)." And the exact same is true for organizational life, because we bring these frailties with us to work.
This is a sobering conversation, to be sure. In a recent study published in the Journal of Business Ethics, researchers found that CEOs had to be perceived as committed to diversity and inclusion in order for HR managers to actively and effectively implement diversity management practices. They had to do more than simply talk the talk. Interestingly, in yet another study detailing the power of perception, researchers at the University of British Columbia found that hiring committees that don’t believe in gender bias tend to hire fewer women. Our biases play off one another, and anyone without blinders on should see how the social biases that drive this type of gender inequity will also intersect and interlock with race, sexuality, ability and age. In this way, the glass ceiling for some people is supported by glass walls and is set upon a glass floor.
Over the last decade, organizations across all sectors have been launching diversity and inclusion initiatives. Whether these programs were introduced for compliance purposes or with great passion and enthusiasm, over time, too many of them have resulted in what I call “diversity drain.” Siloed approaches, time-limited projects and a dearth of real field expertise ensure that programs aren’t well designed, that senior leaders are often uninterested in shepherding change and that staff are generally disconnected from the benefits and possibilities that real inclusion can bring. Sadly, although the trajectory and fallout from these kinds of engagements with D&I are all too often predictable, we commonly rely on the same old failed/inappropriate/misapplied “best practices.” The list is expansive:
• One-and-done diversity (unconscious bias) trainings.
• Lunch and learn educational sessions.
• The sharing of personal stories in an attempt to build empathy.
• The use of Likert style (1-5, 1-10) surveys that can’t possibly elicit reliable D&I data.
• Ethnic lunches and celebratory events.
• Diverse hiring panels.
• Hiring quotas.
These types of approaches are largely unsuccessful in driving sustainable organizational change precisely because they are surface-level efforts that do little to address social power (i.e., racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism) as the real wellspring of the D&I dilemma. Furthermore, they tend to generate a start-misfire-stop-restart cadence that can have exceedingly negative impacts on the internal D&I brand while also draining morale and damaging organizational culture.
If you’re serious about engaging D&I, you can’t say one thing and do another. You must have a strong internal consistency to your D&I messaging and approach because, as the research suggests, there is invariably a domino effect that hits people powerfully on issues like leadership, integrity and motivation. And if we’re being honest, the effect is more like a tsunami when we’re talking about D&I because below the surface of numbers and quotas, the impelling factors are based on trust, belief and the safety of those who need these initiatives to succeed. What does it say to your people when you claim to be serious about D&I but you:
• Don’t actively systematize it throughout your talent life cycle?
• Implement “check-box” trainings with little to no follow-through or support?
• Place the portfolio in the hands of someone with little to no expertise in the field?
• Use “storytelling” or “conversations” as a pillar of your strategy?
In all seriousness, can you imagine any other area of strategic importance for your company that would rely on storytelling to drive change? Can you think of any other area of organizational significance that looks so little to expertise and instead relies on passion and interest as prerequisites? This haphazard approach to engaging D&I says one of two things about the decision-makers in your organization: Either they don’t understand the problem, or they don’t really care about solving it. These optics matter.
So with all that said, how do you ensure that you position yourselves for success in your D&I journey?
Well, as a starting point, we have to recognize that confidence and passion are a dangerous combination if they aren’t tempered by both humility and objectivity. It’s about looking in that mirror to truly understand who you are as an organization. These three key questions must be answered at the beginning of your D&I journey:
1. What kind of organization are you … really? (Where is your starting point?)
2. What do you really want to accomplish? (Where do you want to end up? What is your vision?)
3. How do you plan to get there? (What are your steps? Why have you chosen these steps? What reason do you have to believe they will work?)
