Additionally, if you, your team, or members of your organization need DEI training, coaching, a keynote speaker, or consulting on any of the processes I share in this book, or want to obtain a certificate in DEI, you can access information on my website at www.drshirleydavis.com. You can also access a number of free resources as well.
Where to Go from Here
I hope reading this book make you more informed and inspired to become an inclusive leader. I hope that it answers questions you have, clears up any confusion about DEI, and gives you a greater appreciation for the complexity and necessity of this work.
This book isn’t linear, so how to move forward depends on you and where you are. But Chapters 1 and 2 will get you off to a great start; they set the foundation for really understanding DEI. Feel free to use the Table of Contents to skip around and use the book to meet you right where you are. One day you may need to know how to establish a DEI Council. If so, go to Chapter 14. Another day you may need to know how your organization goes about hiring a more diverse talent. Head over to Chapter 9. And when you want to know how to articulate the business case for DEI refer to Chapter 4.
You’re not expected to become a DEI expert. There are those of us who hold that title. Nor do you have to hold a DEI title in order for you to do great DEI work in your organization. I do hope you sharpen your skills and apply what you read here so you can help those experts help you. Take the time to internalize the information. Be honest with yourself, but also cut yourself some slack. Realize that DEI is a learning process and a journey, and you won’t get it right overnight. Make a commitment to change some behaviors and attitudes along the way that you know could be wreaking havoc on an employee’s experience. Strive to be that leader that everyone wants to do their best work for because they feel valued, respected, and included.
Part 1
Getting Started with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
IN THIS PART …
Examine how diversity, equity, and inclusion have evolved from a nice-to-do and compliance-driven activity to being a key driver for achieving a competitive advantage. Explore common terminology and the multiple dimensions of DEI.
Uncover the changing workforce demographics and their effects in the workplace.
Recognize the skills and competencies that every leader should have in order to lead the new generation of talent.
Describe the business case for DEI and the many benefits it offers in the workplace.
Identify the benefits and logistics of hiring a chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer.
Chapter 1
Understanding the Fundamentals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
IN THIS CHAPTER
If you chose to pick up this book, chances are you realize that the workforce is changing, and if you want to remain relevant, competitive, and successful, you and your organization must change too. By now, you’ve seen or heard how the demographic shifts have already reshaped the workplace, and you recognize that as a leader you must embrace and value diversity more readily, adopt new ways of thinking and working with people who are different from you, and assess your own attitudes and behaviors that can impede workers’ experiences. Likewise, organizations recognize that they must foster the kind of work environment that attracts top talent and creates a safe, respectful, and inclusive culture where all talent can succeed and where people want to stay.
This is not a passing fad. The work of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has been evolving over the past 40 years and continues to expand today in terminology, practices, strategies, and its effects. As such, no one can tout that they know everything there is to know about DEI. I have been in this work for more than 30 years, and I’m still learning new things today. What I can surmise from my experience is that every leader is at a different stage and phase of this work. I’ve met people who have been on the journey as long as I have and still feel ill-equipped. They’ve had stops and starts along the way but need to go deeper. I’ve met some who just recently started their journey (as a result of the George Floyd murder), and they ask the question, “Why didn’t I see this before?” referring to the history of inequities, social injustice, and the many aspects of diversity. I’ve met people who have been advocating and practicing this work for decades and still believe there is a long way to go. And yes, I still meet people who don’t see the value of DEI work and believe that it’s a distraction in the workplace, and that they have no role to play in implementing it. And this is part of the journey as well. We all see the world differently based on our own upbringing, experiences, beliefs, and values. What’s interesting is that I also work with organizations and clients whom I find at these exact phases and stages too.
Re-Shifting the Focus to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Work
I write this book at a time when the world is facing some of the most unprecedented and disruptive events in modern history. Throughout 2020 and 2021, life as the world knew it changed dramatically because of the COVID-19 global pandemic. In early 2020, in a matter of weeks and with little time to prepare, schools were forced to shut down, sending millions of kids home to learn entirely virtually. Businesses were required to close offices and send employees home to work; many companies went out of business permanently, leaving millions of people without a paycheck. All public modes of transportation, such as air travel, transit railway systems, taxis, and rideshares, experienced record-low ridership. And the list goes on. Daily life had been upended in ways that were unexpected and unlike anything people had ever experienced.
You may ask “What does this global pandemic have to do with diversity, equity, and inclusion?”
A lot. Contrary to earlier assertions that COVID-19 was the great equalizer, it turned out to be the great revealer. It exposed and exacerbated longstanding and widespread disparities and inequities in healthcare, education, employment, and socioeconomics. Here are just a few examples:
When the world had to shelter in place and work from home, those most affected with job loss were essential workers (Black and brown people, and women) whose jobs couldn’t be performed remotely (for example, workers in restaurants and hotels, bus