Strategies for Achieving True DEI in Organizations

Leaders' overreliance on "DEI programming" is one of the biggest barriers in the way of real progress toward achieving #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion. Do you know where these events came from? The lunch and learns, cultural heritage celebrations, book clubs, and the like? Historically, these were all events put on by volunteer advocates and activists from marginalized communities who had little to no access to formal power and yet were still trying to carve out spaces for themselves in hostile environments. For leaders to hire figureheads to "manage" these volunteer efforts, refuse to resource them, and then take credit for the meager impact made nonetheless is nothing short of exploitation. If your workplace's "DEI Function" is a single director-level employee with an executive assistant who spends all day trying to coax more and more events out of your employee resource groups? I'm sorry to say that you are part of the problem. Effective DEI work is change management, plain and simple. It's cross-functional by necessity, requiring the ongoing exercise of power by executive leadership across all functions, the guidance and follow-through of middle management, the insight of data analysts and communicators, and the energy and momentum of frontline workers. There is no reality where "optional fill-in-the-blank history month celebrations" organized by overworked volunteers, no matter how many or how flashy, can serve as a substitute. If your workplace actually wants to achieve DEI, resource it like you would any other organization-level goal. 🎯 Hire a C-Level executive responsible for it or add the job responsibility to an existing cross-functional executive (e.g., Chief People Officer) 🎯 Give that leader cross-functional authority, mandate, headcount, and resources to work with other executives and managers across the organization on culture, process, policy, and behavior change 🎯 Set expectations with all other leaders that DEI-related outcomes will be included in their evaluation and responsibility (e.g., every department leader is responsible for their employees' belonging scores and culture of respect in their department). 🎯 Encourage responsible boundary-setting and scoping of volunteer engagement, ensuring that if Employee Resource Groups and DEI Councils/Committees want to put on events, it is because they are energized and supported to do so—not because they feel forced to run on fumes because it's the only way any impact will be made. It's long past time for our workplaces' DEI strategies to modernize away from the volunteer exploitation of "DEI programming" toward genuine organizational transformation. What steps will your leaders take to be a part of this future?

💡 The rollback of #DEI initiatives under the guise of “colorblindness” or “meritocracy” ignores the very real structural barriers that persist. It assumes a level playing field where NONE exists. A vitally important read from Katica Roy: Here’s what leaders must do: ➡️ Commit to closing pay gaps: Black women earn 34% less than white men, amounting to nearly $1 million in lost wages over a lifetime. Companies must eliminate pay inequities and enforce transparent salary practices. ➡️ Diversify leadership pipelines: Analyzing data from Pipeline’s research, we found that the promotion gap for Black women is twice that of all women. Black women must be promoted at equitable rates and given the same access to leadership training and sponsorship as their peers. ➡️ Eliminate bias in performance reviews: Pipeline’s analysis of performance review data reveals that one in three reviews contains bias, which in turn doubles the time it takes for women to receive a promotion. Companies must use inclusive, AI-driven, data-backed performance and potential review processes to reduce bias and increase objectivity. ➡️ Ensure paid leave for Black breadwinner moms: Over 51% of Black households with children are led by breadwinner moms, yet more than one-third lack access to paid sick leave. Providing paid caregiver leave is essential. ➡️ Hold executives accountable: DEI initiatives must be measured and tied to executive performance evaluations and compensation—just like any other business metric. Daisy Auger-Domínguez (she/her/ella) Cate Luzio Dee Poku Spalding Michelle Gadsden-Williams Mita Mallick Ellen McGirt Adaora Udoji

DEI can learn a lot from Emergency Management (EM) But DEI can't become traditional emergency management - it has to be what EM strives to be: strategic, just, and embedded in operations and culture. DEI efforts are often approached in a reactionary way - in response to some trend, public outcry, or internal crisis. This post focuses on how to proactively operationalize plans. But keep in mind that a strategy is the foundation our plans are built upon - it is customer/client-centric and helps us choose to do somethings and not others. With planning, the organization is the focus. I learned this the hard way in my private sector career, 20+ years in federal and local government, and consulting with 100+ clients. POETE is an acronym to help build a capability - it can support more intentional action. POETE stands for: ⒈ Plan 📝: (A) Collaboratively develop plans with stakeholders (especially people closest to the work and closest to impacts); (B) Ensure plans are based on quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis disaggregated by demographic data - statistics need narratives to provide context ⒉ Organize 🧩: Build and strengthen teams and organizational structure to implement the plan - include diverse perspectives from every level of the organization ⒊ Equip 💰: Dedicate resources so teams can implement plans - dedicated position(s), budget, leadership support, and time ⒋ Train & Educate 💡: Ensure that all employees - leadership, managers, and frontline employees - have the necessary training and education to play their respective roles in implementing the plan ⒌ Exercise/Practice ☑️: Practice the newest and prioritized parts of the plan(s) to make sure people can do what is expected of them. Adjust plans, organizing, equipping, and training/education based on outcomes of practicing and practice again. At every part of this continuous transformation process, just practices are critical - HOW we do what we do is often even more important than what we do. This approach can make the implementation of your DEI vision more vibrant than you could have ever imagined.

To redefine DEI as “inclusive leadership from every employee, then scale,” consider these 12 strategies: 1. Shift DEI from an HR program to a leadership approach that activates company values through every employee. 2. Shift from perceived intrusions on personal values to showing how inclusive leadership boosts careers and honors individual beliefs. 3. Expand DEI from identity-specific disadvantage to helping every employee navigate their own mix of advantage and disadvantage. 4. Replace perceived unfair preferences in hiring and promotion with data-driven, transparent equity and equality practices. 5. Move from cultural awareness alone to building skills that foster trust and accountability across differences. 6. Reframe DEI from a cost center to a business strategy that delivers Engagement, Opportunity, and Brand value. 7. Equip not just managers, but every employee to lead inclusively—in teams, projects, business, and customer interactions. 8. Modernize DEI from static curriculum to AI-driven learning and knowledge-sharing across colleagues. 9. Move from inconsistent responses to social issues to a unified inclusion narrative grounded in company values and operations. 10. Shift from mandated training to voluntary participation that prepares people to choose inclusive leadership. 11. Evolve Employee Resource Groups to include allies and align them with strategies that build shared leadership. 12. Strengthen DEI from conflict-avoidance to proactive conflict resolution through robust skills, processes, and storytelling. When DEI is redefined this way, we: - Address real DEI challenges with clear responses - Learn with employees as they grow into inclusive leaders - Acknowledge and improve upon past DEI missteps - Build on 40 years of DEI momentum with renewed purpose Disruptive times like these manufacture doors. Inclusive leaders get to open them. Robert Baker, Subha Barry, Dr. Rebecca Baumgartner, ACC, CDE, Josh Bersin, Jennifer Brown, Tracy Burns (she/her), Lara Caimi, Gena Cox, PhD, Tami Erwin, Nick Fennell, Effenus Henderson, Natalie H., Philip Jacobs, PMP, Elise James-DeCruise, Brad Johnson PhD, Asim Khan, Aswin Krishnan, April Lough, Mitch Shepard, Mita Mallick, Keiyania Mann, Elizabeth Nieto, Charles Reader, Cory Schneider, LMFT, SPHR, CDE 🏳️🌈, Nsombi B. Ricketts, Leah Smiley, CDE®, IDC-GGE™, Sheri Crosby Wheeler, Rachel Ann Williams

What some companies think DEI is about: • Hosting events for different ERGs. • Bringing in speakers to talk about important topics. • Celebrating cultural holidays and observances. While these efforts are important and can foster connection and awareness, what DEI is really about goes much deeper. What DEI should focus on: • Addressing the systemic inequalities baked into a company’s processes and procedures. • Examining who gets hired, promoted, or given high-impact projects. • Looking at how performance ratings are determined and whether opportunities are distributed equitably. • Understanding who gets visibility, access to resources, and sponsorship—and who doesn’t. It’s easier to take a performative approach: celebrate events, host speakers, and call it progress. But the harder, more impactful work lies in confronting the uncomfortable truths about how exclusion and inequality show up at every stage of the employee lifecycle—from hiring to alumni. To create equity, you must first admit that inequities exist. To build inclusion, you must acknowledge the ways exclusion happens. This requires a willingness to dig into the micro and macro ways these disparities manifest—especially for employees from marginalized groups. It’s not easy work, but it’s the only way to truly transform workplace systems and create environments where everyone can thrive. It’s time for companies to go beyond the surface and face these realities head-on. That’s where the real change happens. What are your thoughts? Let’s keep this conversation going.

I’ve stayed quiet on an issue that’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Today, another colleague reached out after their DEI role was eliminated, seeking guidance on what to do next. Historically, DEI roles have not served as a direct resource or business driver for East Coast Executives. Our primary focus has always been on diversity recruitment and career strategies. However, many who have commanded these positions are more than just peers—they’ve become trusted friends and valued colleagues over the years. It’s disheartening to see these efforts reduced, but now is the moment for corporate leaders to rethink how to continue pushing the diversity mission forward, even without dedicated DEI roles. Here are three strategies to consider: 1. Embed DEI into Core Business Strategies: DEI should not be a standalone initiative—it must be woven into your company’s business goals. Make diversity, equity, and inclusion integral to decision-making processes, from hiring to product development to leadership appointments. When it’s core to your strategy, it becomes everyone’s responsibility. 2. Empower Leadership Accountability: Without DEI departments, the responsibility to drive diversity efforts needs to sit squarely on the shoulders of your leadership teams. Hold them accountable for creating inclusive environments where diverse talent can thrive. Setting measurable goals and tracking progress can help ensure that DEI remains a priority. 3. Leverage External Expertise: If you no longer have in-house DEI experts, partner with organizations like East Coast Executives to support your recruitment and talent acquisition strategy. We’ve been helping companies create inclusive hiring practices and fostering environments where diverse talent can succeed. You don’t have to do this alone—there are resources available to help you stay on course. To the corporate leaders reading this: Now is the time to act. Don’t let the elimination of roles lead to the elimination of your equity commitment. And to those DEI professionals impacted by these cuts: Know that you are not alone. East Coast Executives is here as a resource to help guide your next steps. Let’s continue this important work, together. #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #Leadership #EastCoastExecutives