Hermeti Balarin’s Post

D&I Tip of the Day: DEI has been a business strategy for more than 40 years, which means Diversity executives are not "culture warriors." Don't make your stakeholders (i.e., employees, customers, students, Board members, investors, etc.) choose which side of the "culture war" they will fight. The culture war is someone else's battle. When referencing DEI, use broader and more inclusive language, not political terms. The business imperative is to equip staff to work together well and ensure your organization serves your customers/students/patients better than the competition. Forcing your stakeholders to choose a side in a polarized system (i.e., liberal/conservative, left/right, Christian/everyone else) will surely disrupt your business goals so don't be afraid to create distance between DEI and the culture war.

It is disheartening to witness how DEI has become a mere business façade, reduced to a checkbox without any substantial or scientifically grounded impact on eradicating outdated and offensive prejudices against individuals who do not belong to the majority group in power. After reading the article, I feel frustrated observing companies, their leaders, and even their DEI hires disregarding the use of science in fields such as humanities, sociology, social anthropology, psychology, philosophy, genetics and phylogenetics to train their staff and leaders. They are still tumbling around a riddle of DEI without any real substance. Instead of striving to understand and approach people as simple as individuals, valuing their skills, talents, and experiences it seems even The Wall Street Journal still struggles understanding and gives place to an article which subordinates a focus on superficial attributes, personal beliefs, or cultural backgrounds of people. The truth is, of course this issue is not limited to the Western world; it prevails in underdeveloped minds worldwide. The paradox arises when we compare DEI efforts in "developed" Western countries to the approach they have taken with democracy, human rights, freedom, and technological advancements, as it doesn't quite add up. Leaders should be striving to become more open-minded and inclusive, extending their acceptance to their "outsiders" instead of taking on the kind hunter-gatherer chief activities of including other tribes. Unfortunately, if leaders continue to approach DEI in a primitive and underdeveloped manner, the DEI efforts will continue to fail. In companies where natural and social sciences is ignored, and the human genome is not recognized as a diverse blend of characteristics, but rather as merely categorized by the amount of melanin or markers determining appearances, we will never be able to overcome racism, prejudice, or truly foster a civilized work environment. Its time to change DEI with People… #DEIReloaded #Motivation #Personaldevelopment #Jobinterviews #Sustainability #Personalbranding #Education #Productivity #Sales #Socialentrepreneurship #Fundraising #Culture #CulturalChange #Business #Networking #Hiring #Health #Inspiration #Management #HumanResources #DigitalMarketing #Technology #Creativity #FutureDEI #Futurism #Entrepreneurship #Career #Markets #SocialMedia #SocialNetworking #Economy #EmpathicLeadership #GreatLeaders #HumanityFirst #Ngo

Building an anti-racist work culture is not a one-time event, but rather a continuous journey that requires commitment and effort from all levels of the organization. It is crucial to listen, learn, and adapt strategies to create an inclusive and supportive workplace for everyone. Leaders should model anti-racist behavior and communicate the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice. To achieve this, interactive training on unconscious bias, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the impacts of systemic racism on individuals and communities should be mandatory. Harvard Business Review's article "How to Build an Anti-Racist Company" provides valuable insights on creating an anti-racist workplace. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gePhXR4i #DiversityandInclusion #AntiRacism #WorkplaceCulture #DisruptingBias #BiasInterupters

Chatting with a colleague recently on the topic of inclusion. We were agreed that a lot of people are tired of talking about ED&I. It’s too hard, too triggering, unattainable, pointless or something else. Also the term ‘woke’ gets a bad rap and I feel allyship should be given more oxygen. I shared examples of how I’d navigated challenging spaces in the name of inclusion, he reflected and said, “you demonstrated growth mindset (GM) in the way that you approached that”. I like to call it tenacity, it just sounds more fun. But it made me think. GM is corporate speak, it’s something that still takes effort but feels much less invasive or divisive. It’s doable and admired in business. But GM requires more brain energy where ED&I demands more heart, (which is also where our allies show themselves because they’ve made that connection) – applying the principles of GM from a heartset and values base.  It still takes effort, continuous learning and a different set of questions to focus on the thing that needs to shift. I feel robust and practical conversations around GM as a mechanism to create real inclusion and grow diversity, can be more easily had; with less shame, fragility or fear of getting ‘it’ wrong.   It’s only words right? Agreed, but here we are. So let’s change the words and take the GM conversations you might be having now, to a different level. #Alliesineveryroom

Those of you that know me, know my commitment to #DEI and if you know me, my opinion is that DEI is terribly misunderstood, so this article doesn't really surprise me. Most executive supporters of DEI are still blind to its value and hence why most programs fall below expectations. Yes, you do reduce your legal and compliance risks, and yes, it feels good to believe you're not consciously or unconsciously prejudiced. But you're still missing the mark on DEI's value: DEI programs are about building your leadership skills to improve your company's profitability. Top quartile firms for exec-level gender are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability than 4th quartile firms. A similar stat for ethnic diversity is 36%! (McKinsey) Lean into understanding diverse employees. Learn their strengths and empathetically listen to their points of view. Be willing to create a culture that makes strategic decisions based on the voices of employees that represent your clients....that is strategic wisdom, and that's your job as the #CEO. Do it, not just because it's the right thing to do; do it so you can build better products, processes, and teams....and increase #profits. Thanks Theodora Lau for sharing this article.

Shared space is my favorite space, and we all have a role in creating more #IntentionallyInclusive conversations and experiences. Check out my new post on how DEI is "Everyone Work" and share how you excel or plan to improve the way you show up for others in future engagements. https://lnkd.in/dUhw-bXZ #Inclusivecommunication #DEI #InclusiveInsight #ListenBetter

Chief Diversity Officers feeling left out? Find out why top companies like Netflix and Disney are facing DEI challenges! 😮 Get the full scoop on Fortune's latest article. #DEIJobs #DiversityChallenges #FortuneInsights

This article appeared recently in the WSJ. Its title is "The Rise and Fall of the Chief Diversity Officer". While it is disappointing that many organizations and their Chief DEI officers were not able to achieve success, at the same time, it is understandable. David Kenny, chief executive of Nielsen, the media-ratings company, who personally took on the role of Chief Diversity Officer, is quoted in this article. His view of the failure of DEI officers and their initiatives is, "People are more resistant to company-backed efforts to advance diversity when they are worried about their own jobs." I suggest a new way to think about the issue of diversity and to turn these results around. Lead with Inclusion, not Diversity. Inclusion overcomes resistance by enabling employees at all levels of the organization to be a part of the solution. Inclusion aligns the diversity of thought, ideas, experiences, and insights from all employees. When our ideas are used to solve a problem, we are much more willing to do whatever it takes to achieve success. One of the greatest problem solvers of our time, Albert Einstein, was successful because he believed that "the significant problems we face cannot be solved with the thinking that created them." He brought a diverse way of thinking to all of his research. His mindset is what enabled his success. I suggest it is time to change our thinking and develop a "Mindset For Success" to overcome this and any problem we face. For more insights and information on making this change, go to www.Mindset4Success.org https://lnkd.in/gBw2VkWS

❗️Diversity is easy and everybody has some. It also looks good in various reports. Inclusive leadership, however, is much more difficult. 🔽 This article explains the issue.