Is one word diluting your DEI vision and results?

Originally posted on LinkedIn

Your organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statement is an important part of promoting a shared vision and commitment. Beyond communicating intentions, well-crafted declarations can help focus your DEI strategies, decisions, actions, and responsibilities to generate meaningful outcomes. They can also inform how you’ll measure success.

But one word routinely dilutes many DEI commitments and impedes change: Feel.

As illustrated in the examples below, it’s common to see organizations focus their aspirations on creating an organization where all feel included. Specifically, many DEI visions and pledges call for an environment where workers…

  • “feel empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work”

  • “feel empowered to share their experiences and ideas”

  • “feel respected and included” or “feel valued and appreciated”

  • “feel safe, invincible, and equipped to thrive”

Feelings matter. It is important for all employees to feel included, to feel comfortable being themselves at work, to feel free to express their ideas and perspectives, and to feel valued for who they are and what they contribute.

At the same time, DEI visions and objectives must be about more than feelings.

As an analogy, consider the difference between feeling safe and actually being safe. We feel safe when we don’t anticipate threats. But we are safe when we don’t experience them. And we are all familiar with unexpectedly getting injured when we were feeling perfectly safe. Perceptions matter in safety, but so do the systems and practices that either protect or expose us to physical, mental, or emotional harm. The same is true with DEI.

As Alison Maitland and I explain in INdivisible, actual inclusion is about feelings plus the behaviours and actions of leaders, managers, and co-workers. Just as critically, DEI is also about the structures and processes that guide how work is done, how decisions are made, how experiences are cultivated, how people are held accountable for results, and how customers, suppliers and communities are treated. Ultimately, it’s about outcomes.

On its own, a focus on feelings in DEI will not:

  • Challenge an organization to examine how structures and processes systematically limit opportunities

  • Draw attention to how behaviours stifle contributions and performance

  • Guard against performative DEI and ensure real change with significant outcomes

Simply, an emphasis on feelings will not drive the transformation necessary to create an organization where a full mix of employees are valued and included, are able to be themselves at work, and are given the opportunity to have a voice that matters. This type of change demands that organizations start with DEI statements and commitments focused on ensuring that all workers:

  • “are empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work”

  • “are empowered to share their experiences and ideas”

  • “are respected and included” or “are valued and appreciated”

  • “are safe, invincible, and equipped to thrive”

Replace feel with are in your DEI statements and pledges. Certainly, we can’t let preoccupation with wordsmithing get in the way of doing the actual work required to achieve DEI outcomes. However, this single revision can drive a potent shift by elevating the stakes.

Achieving an organization that truly works for a full mix of people demands bold aspirations, comprehensive strategies, and diligent work. It requires holistic change to establish structures and behaviours ensuring that all individuals not only feel included, but also are included with tangible, consistent reminders that they are vital to the organization and its “Collective Superpower.” This shift demonstrates to stakeholders that an organization’s DEI pledges are meaningful and authentic. And it positions an organization to achieve lasting results with DEI.

Will you change one word to make a big difference?

Rebekah Steele