Key takeaways:
- Understand intent vs. impact: DEI initiatives require flexibility, clear goals, and patience. Focus on achieving fair outcomes and comprehend the long-term effects of your actions.
- Embrace long-term planning: DEI is a complex space that demands patience and consideration of psychological, leadership, and data aspects. Take a deliberate, long-term approach, factoring in where your company stands and where it aims to go in DEI.
- Turn your commitments into action: Operationalize core values in DEI strategies, defining their meaning in the DEI context. Extend your initiatives beyond the workplace to address broader societal issues, connect with various communities, and break down barriers for a holistic and impactful approach.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts have become a central focus for organizations worldwide. However, the challenge lies not just in making commitments but in ensuring they are genuine, sustainable, and aligned with an organization’s core values and business strategy.
In a recent DEI Board panel discussion on upholding your DEI commitments while navigating uncertain challenges, senior DEI leaders shared insights on how organizations can authentically integrate DEI into their DNA.
Here are the steps they discussed to ensure your efforts create genuine results.
Understand Intent vs. Impact
Kristin Malek, Global Director of Business Diversity at CDW, discussed the importance of distinguishing between intent and impact in DEI initiatives.
“You have to stay flexible,” she said. “This is going to be a strategy or roadmap unlike a lot of others.”
Kristin also underscored the significance of setting clear goals and being open to the possibility of strategies that don’t yield the intended results.
She noted that while many organizations rushed to make commitments in response to the civil unrest in 2020, not all of these efforts were well-thought-out.
Kristin points out that it’s crucial to focus on achieving fair outcomes rather than merely “spending our way to justice” or “hiring our way to justice.”
“You have to be patient enough and understand the multiplier effect of it all,” Kristin said. “Understand the outcomes, because sometimes the behaviors don’t always match the outcomes.”
She provided an example of CDW’s efforts to address the digital divide, emphasizing the importance of understanding the desired outcomes and the multiplier effect of investing in diverse communities.
This patient and holistic approach aims to create a more diverse workforce by providing access to higher education and addressing the lack of broadband access among underprivileged youth.
“You have to be patient enough and understand the multiplier effect of it all. Understand the outcomes, because sometimes the behaviors don’t always match the outcomes.”
– Kristin Malek, Global Director of Business Diversity at CDW
Embrace Long-Term Planning to Make Authentic DEI Commitments
Nashunda Williams, Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at JLL, urged DEI leaders to embrace long-term planning. She emphasized that DEI is a complex space that requires time and patience.
“Hopefully, it will get to a point where you look back and go, ‘It was worth it,’” she said.
She also highlighted that being intentional is not just about setting commitments but also factoring in psychological, leadership, and data aspects.
Nashunda recognizes that there can be a disconnect between where a company is and where employees want it to go regarding DEI.
“You have to factor in where the company is as it relates to where the employees want the company to go, and sometimes there’s a big disconnect,” Nashunda added.
Meaningful change may not be immediately visible to employees, but Nashunda said you need patience and a long-term perspective.
“You have to factor in where the company is as it relates to where the employees want the company to go, and sometimes there’s a big disconnect.”
– Nashunda Williams, Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at JLL
Nashunda believes that, similar to a business plan with a 10-year timeline and incremental steps, DEI initiatives require time and dedication.
“Anybody can throw something out there and say we commit to do this,” Nashunda said. “But I’d rather take my time and go slow to make a long term impact versus catering into the immediacy of some of the issues that are going on today.”
Translating Core Values into Actionable DEI Strategies
Brooke Cartus, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Hard Rock International, spoke about the process of transforming fundamental principles into practical action plans.
“It’s about the operationalization of those values because that’s the side that’s taught,” she said, adding how it’s critical to take time to define what your values truly mean in the context of DEI.
Brooke further emphasized the importance of addressing broader societal issues. DEI initiatives should extend beyond the workplace and have a positive impact on the world.
Brooke shared a powerful example of Hard Rock International’s anti-human trafficking efforts, which may not seem directly related to the hospitality industry but align with their commitment to social responsibility and diversity.
“Whatever we can do to break down those barriers, build the relationships, and then make those connections, that’s what’s going to make a difference.”
– Brooke Cartus, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Hard Rock International
She emphasized the importance of addressing complex issues like human trafficking and connecting with various intersecting communities, such as brown and black youth, LGBTQ+ communities, and more who are often affected.
“Whatever we can do to break down those barriers, build the relationships, and then make those connections, that’s what’s going to make a difference,” Brooke said.
Lean on Your Peers in the DEI Board
Being genuine with your DEI initiatives goes beyond making commitments or ticking boxes. It requires a deep understanding of intent versus impact, a focus on long-term planning, and an unwavering commitment to aligning DEI with your core values and business strategy.
As Kristin, Nashunda, and Brooke discussed, authenticity and patience can lead to meaningful and lasting change in your organization’s DEI efforts.
If you lead DEI at a large organization, you can apply to join your peers in the DEI Board who benchmark their strategies weekly to ensure their efforts drive lasting change for all.
