Is DEI the Right Step for Your Workplace?
How Will DEI Affect Your Team?
On Episode 35 of Why Care?, I had the pleasure of speaking to the founder of Compelling Culture and author of the recently-published book Conscious Inclusion, Catherine Garrod. The episode offered a wealth of new information and thought-provoking ideas, including an alternative to the terms ‘majority’ and ‘minority’ groups and a personal story of shocking sexual abuse from a delivery driver, which illustrates so clearly that organisations need to be more active in taking accountability and action.
Towards the end of the episode, Catherine explains that leaders can sometimes feel overwhelmed and pressured when faced with the task of addressing equity within their organisation and the role that employees can play in mitigating these concerns. This sparked my thoughts on how workplace relationships are impacted by new DEI initiatives, the challenges that may arise, and how to work through them constructively.
Could DEI initiatives negatively impact your team?
Asking yourself how implementing new DEI initiatives might impact your team dynamics and relationships is not unusual. Some of your concerns might include:
How will the DEI initiative affect your credibility as a fair and equitable leader?
Would tensions among team members arise in the process?
Will there be pushback from team members who feel negatively impacted by the DEI work?
How can you turn these challenges into strengths?
Though these concerns are common, it would be more helpful to reframe them to shift the focus on how everyone can benefit and utilise them as opportunities for growth. Let’s reconstruct and address each point.
From: How will the process affect your credibility as a fair and equitable leader?
To: I can leverage DEI to enhance my leadership abilities.
Showing vulnerability and being open about past mistakes whilst (importantly) demonstrating an active effort towards improvement, will increase trust from your team members. Acknowledging your own imperfections demonstrates authenticity, making you more relatable and approachable, as highlighted in this 2018 study by Ohio State University. When team members see their leaders or colleagues openly admit their mistakes, it humanises them and fosters a culture of empathy and understanding.
From: Would tensions among team members arise in the process?
To: I can use DEI to enhance relationships among team members.
Working to create an inclusive team and organisational culture is an opportunity to foster stronger bonds between colleagues, even if it does highlight and forefront any underlying tensions amongst the team. In fact, it is not despite this but because of it. As in any relationship, team bonds are strengthened once people have shared their feelings and issues have been confronted and constructively overcome. This creates a psychologically safe work environment where good intentions and authenticity are established.
In order to cultivate such an environment, leaders should encourage active listening, validate concerns, lead by example, recognise and appreciate the efforts of the team, and follow through with the decisions made (to demonstrate accountability).
From: Will there be pushback from team members who feel negatively impacted?
To: I can show that DEI work is for the benefit of all.
A common misconception about DEI work is that it is about making more space for underrepresented groups at the expense of overrepresented groups. This can lead to pushback and resistance from some team members, and you may worry about its impact on the relationships within your team.
Within my work, I have found that more often than not, those who hold the strongest reservations often become the strongest advocates. This is because the initial resistance stems from a desire for equity and a fear that DEI disadvantages overrepresented groups, so facilitating a deeper understanding that DEI is about inclusion for and appreciation of all is critical.
This can be achieved by involving those from overrepresented groups in the dialogue, education, and implementation of DEI initiatives, as their active participation can help bridge gaps in understanding and foster a sense of shared ownership in creating a more inclusive workplace. For more information on this, see my article The Dominant Other.
How can Avenir help?
Having reservations about introducing DEI conversations and initiatives into the organisation is common. My upcoming book, Beyond Discomfort: Why Inclusive Leadership is so Hard (and what you can do about it), offers guidance to leaders in walking the DEI path and provides a roadmap on navigating the inevitable emotions experienced. Beyond Discomfort is out in March 2024 and is available to pre-order on Amazon.
We believe that addressing DEI within your organisation does not have to be an overwhelming and daunting prospect. Our Inclusive Leadership Programme is designed to guide you through the process and equip you with the knowledge and skills to navigate DEI challenges effectively. We tailor the program to your specific needs and concerns, empowering you to bring out the very best in your team and the relationships within it.