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What To Do When Your Manager Thinks Diversity And Inclusion Is A Waste Of Time

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One of the most important aspects of diversity and inclusion is getting buy-in from organizational leadership. Organizational leaders must believe that diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives will be effective and make a difference within the organization. If you are in charge of being the change agent within your company and sparking diversity and inclusion initiatives, how can you show leaders the value of D&I? How would you respond to an executive that says, “I just don’t think the money (being spent on D&I initiatives/training) is worth the investment?”

  1. Share research that demonstrates the objective and direct value of D&I initiatives. There is a wealth of studies that indicate that an increase in organizational diversity leads to greater performance and profits. One of the difficulties with explaining the value of diversity and inclusion is being able to measure the effectiveness of D&I programs. It is not as clear-cut as showing A+B will equal C. Sometimes A+B=AB or A+B =Q. There are tools that have been developed to measure organizational diversity, so these should be utilized when trying to A) assess the current diversity climate of the organization, and B) evaluate how effective the interventions actually were. As the change agent and diversity champion within your organization, you should also be well-versed in the research and have a clear understanding of how diversity and inclusion initiatives can positively impact an organization.

There should be a detailed plan regarding how these D&I initiatives will be implemented. It is great to have ideas and be passionate and excited but it is also important to have a clear understanding of how these initiatives are going to be implemented.

  1. Be prepared for resistance. Conversations about racial inequity, the gender pay-gap, LGBTQ rights, etc. can be quite uncomfortable. It’s like the pink elephant in the room that everyone sees but no one wants to acknowledge. Difficult conversations about the need for D&I initiatives in your organization can spark defensiveness, anger, and opposition. When D&I training is implemented, it is important to include every individual in the discussion. Diversity has become somewhat of a dirty word, drawing ire and mixed emotions from employees. For the training to be effective, fingers should not be pointed at a particular group but rather the focus should be on strategies to help each individual realize their own biases and how these biases can be overcome in order to foster a more equitable workplace for everyone.
  2. Use other organizations as case studies within your organization. In the last few years, there have been a plethora of organizations that have experienced D&I issues and this is a great opportunity for learning and evaluation. Analyze the missteps of companies like Starbucks, Abercrombie & Fitch, Chick-Fil-a and Cracker Barrel in order to develop a training model within your organization. Each of these mistakes can be an opportunity for learning and growth.

Sometimes it can be challenging to get people on board with issues that are not directly relevant to them. In order to get buy-in from senior leaders within the organization, it is important to demonstrate how D&I can positively impact the organization, how exactly the initiatives and goals will be implemented, and how other companies have been negatively impacted by neglecting D&I.

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