I don't know about you, but sometimes being a DEI practitioner feels a bit like being in the middle of a game of "telephone" where you're stuck between the opinions of top decision-makers and the feedback from lower-level employees. Messages are easily confused, distracted, or mutated across lines of communication, and it's a huge challenge to foster inclusivity when you don't have a clear focus for your diversity and inclusion initiatives.
For the purposes of this post, we'll focus on one end of the metaphorical telephone: leadership. Leadership plays a pivotal role in determining the success--and even the existence--of your DEI initiatives. Not only is that because they are the ones with the authority to make decisions about how resources are allocated, but they also set the precedent for how seriously inclusivity is taken in the organization.
So, here are suggestions for how to make sure your organization consistently inspires greater inclusivity from the top:
Make Diversity and Inclusion a Priority
A recent study by the executive search firm Russell Reynolds found that top diversity officers working in the S&P 500 feel they don’t get the resources they need and that diversity initiatives are last on the list of eight potential corporate priorities. That’s a big disconnect from its second-place ranking on the Roundtable’s statement. If leaders are serious about inclusion, the entire organization needs to understand that it’s a high priority and not merely window dressing.
Establish Metrics to Track Progress
As long as diversity and inclusion (and particularly the latter) are perceived as touchy-feely, progress will be hard. But they shouldn’t be, because they aren’t. In fact, diversity and inclusion can be tangibly measured. For example, leaders can set targets for the representation they’d like to see at all levels, and they can ask that turnover, employee engagement, and other indicators of inclusivity be measured. We don’t rely on anecdotal data in any other facet of business. Why should we when it comes to diversity and inclusion?
Set Standards by Holding Everyone Accountable
Metrics and targets won’t matter if no one is responsible for meeting them. From front-line supervisors to the C-suite, leaders at every level should be accountable for meeting targets. And the accountability should be public. No, I’m not suggesting that companies publicly shame managers who miss their goals. But I am suggesting that diversity and inclusion metrics be included in the annual report, be published online, and be distributed to all employees. Transparency is a hallmark of inclusion, which is one reason why Google and Microsoft are among the companies that publish their inclusion goals and metrics.
If Leaders (and Employees) Fail to Model Inclusivity, Don’t Give Them a Free Pass
No employee—no matter how big a star—should be allowed to behave in ways that are inconsistent with inclusion values. The op salesperson, for example, can’t be allowed to get away with racist jokes or sexual harassment. Nor should any leader be allowed to pass on mentoring others or otherwise sit out on initiatives that his or her peers are expected to support.
Set the Example for Your Entire Organization
As long as we’re talking about not giving anyone a free pass, don’t let yourself off the hook, either. After all, if you don’t care about diversity and inclusion (or don’t seem to care about it), why should anyone else? As Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Starbucks, observed in a Harvard Business Review article, “In order to make great progress [in diversity and inclusion], the CEO needs to take this on as one of those personal initiatives that they’re going to be involved with and personally drive.”
When it Comes to Diversity and Inclusion, Leaders Can’t Just Talk the Talk…
They also need to walk the talk. Fortunately, there are many ways to do so. Some are simple and largely symbolic, like when Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff marched with his employees at a women’s march. Others are more complex and help re-shape a business culture. One of the most profound ways to do so is to assemble a diverse team. That’s not always easy, but there are steps you can take to improve your odds of success. At Starbucks, Johnson refuses to fill leadership positions until he has a diverse slate of candidates to review. And Ellevest CEO Sallie Krawcheck deliberately hires for what she calls “culture add,” not culture fit.
A Leader’s Day-to-Day Actions Can Change Team Dynamics for the Better
As much as hiring matters, there are only so many positions to fill. Ultimately, then, a leader’s day-to-day interaction is the most powerful tool he or she has to set an example and drive change. I’m always looking for examples of what that looks like, and one comes to mind now:
At the Association for Talent Development’s annual conference last year, former President Obama talked about his decision-making process. He described meetings in which cabinet secretaries or other dignitaries sat around a large table, while staff members sat around the perimeter of the room. Obama had a habit of asking those staff members for their insights and opinions, on the theory that they might well tell him something he otherwise wouldn’t hear. In turn, the additional information could lead to a different—and maybe better—decision.
Consider, for a moment, how that sort of outreach from a leader changed the dynamic of those meetings. Now imagine how it could have changed the dynamic outside the meetings—I’m sure no one wanted to be unprepared if he asked a question. By itself, of course, that new, more holistic dynamic won’t get you to full inclusivity. But can you think of a better way to start building momentum?
Learn more about inclusion with our Global Inclusion Course.
