TWCHG Newsletter: Vol. II, Issue. 11
Diversity. The word itself has nine letters, yet these days its connotation is akin to that of some four-letter words. And that truly should not be the case.
Merriam-Webster defines diversity as “the condition of having or being comprised of differing elements: variety.” Diversity, then, is what creates works of art—a variety of hues and textures combining in unique ways to illicit an emotional response. Diversity, plus the genuine inclusion of diverse talent, fuels innovation in our companies—innovation that drives revenue, customer loyalty, and sustainability. Without diversity, there’s limited ingenuity, less breakthrough innovation, fewer new ways to look at, dissect, and solve old issues. And because diversity is what the majority of GenZ and Millennial talent look for when deciding where to work, the lack of diversity at an organization may equate to a lean or less desirable talent pipeline. Numerous studies from Deloitte, McKinsey, Monster, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and hundreds of others have all come to the same conclusion: diversity is great for business. Then why is diversity so hard to solve for? The answer is simple: Because we are not as intentional about it as we should be.
We make diversifying our teams and companies more complex than is warranted. We say finding qualified diverse talent is too hard. We even say the talent just isn’t there. Some of us even try to attach labels like “quotas” or “reverse racism” to our attempts at diversifying our organizations. (Insert four-letter word connotation here.) Diversifying talent isn’t any of that. What it IS is us ensuring everyone has equal access to opportunities to join our company and grow along with us. Everyone—especially underrepresented talent.
According to the DEI experts we interviewed for The Waymakers book and the clients we have successfully helped along their own Waymaking journeys, there are a few primary levers you can pull to accelerate and sustain your efforts to attract the top-tier, diverse talent you want and need.
GATEKEEPER TRAINING
Talent gatekeepers are defined as anyone who recruits, selects, develops, or promotes talent. These are the people who have to see people unbiased, position unbiased, select unbiased, and reward unbiased. Train them to recognize and deconstruct bias wherever they find it—even and especially within themselves.
INTENTIONAL DIVERSE PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT
Ensuring our organizations are successfully recruiting and developing all talent—and especially diverse talent—for future needs requires a thoughtful and multifaceted approach. Investing in early talent programs and building mutually beneficial relationships with targeted communities, schools, and organizations such as HBCUs or member organizations that boast large percentages of diverse talent are just the beginning. Your existing diverse talent also needs nurturing. Identify the “unusual suspects” with aspiration and potential and invest in them. Focus on recent results during succession planning and plan more time for discussion to avoid the bias trap. Intentionally discuss the aspirations and results of people along various dimensions of diversity. When necessary, challenge peer assumptions in talent conversations and share performance perceptions back with the talent to provide transparency and spur professional development as well as reputation management.
GOALS, METRICS AND REWARDS
Measure what you treasure. Determine what great looks like for your organization or team. Then measure the proof points associated with your vision. Measure leading signs of progress like the number of people trained, diverse representation in succession plans, mentorship programs, and so on as ways to sense movement on your goals. Measure and track outcomes like promotion and retention rates to evaluate success. Please note that increasing diversity on your team or in your company does not equate to hiring or promoting anyone who is not qualified. Setting goals for diversity means you are ensuring all people—including those on spectrums of difference—have every opportunity to develop, acquire new skills, grow, and thrive in your organization.
Training and holding accountable talent gatekeepers. Intentionally creating diverse talent pipelines. Measuring and tracking talent lifecycle outcomes. These efforts can help you create a more diverse organization and attract the new talent you need to drive success. Increasing diversity is an important part of any equity journey. Diversity matters not only to the vitality of your business but also to the well-being of your culture and the talent that compromises it. Transparency around your diversity efforts signals hope and possibility for those who do not represent the majority in your organization and tells potential employees they would be welcome at your company and can succeed in partnership with you.
Diversity is not a four-letter word. With intentional efforts, it is not hard to achieve. And it IS great for business. If you need help successfully attracting and developing diverse talent, reach out to us. We can show you the way.
