Is your organization backing away from its public statements about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)? It’s understandable that executives might waver when faced with backlash or political pressure. Or, they may truly believe that there’s not as much of a need for DEI as there used to be. If you’re wondering whether your organization can abandon its DEI efforts, read on. We’ve compiled the top five reasons it’s safe for you to ignore inclusive leadership in your organization.
1. You’re Not Competing for Talent
You’re not competing for talent. No one has retired or plans to, no one “moves on to other opportunities,” and you aren’t trying to expand your team.
Your employees all look, act, and think just like you, and you never have to worry about misunderstandings that arise from cultural differences. You don’t have multigenerational teams or power imbalances. Maybe you grow your employees in a lab.
Or, you and your leaders all fall within the 2.5 percent of people worldwide who have reached the highest level of intercultural competency. Your leaders can build bridges between conflicting and deeply rooted cultural viewpoints without missing a beat.
Either way, that’s great news, because it’s a tough labor market right now, with unemployment under 5% in the United States, and a workforce that’s more diverse than ever before.
2. Your Culture Is Perfect
Your organization’s culture is perfect. You already know exactly who feels included in your organization, who doesn’t, and why, And that reality is perfectly aligned with your intentions. In fact, you have the data to prove it!
What’s more, all your best performers are actively engaged and have great relationships with their managers. Even though 2 out of every 3 workers in the United States don’t feel engaged at work, those people don’t work for you.
Congratulations on having one less thing to worry about!
3. You’re Not Competing for Dollars
You have all the customers and resources you need. You’re not competing for market share, funding, or attention in the 21st Century.
Otherwise, your customer base or stakeholder pool is entirely monolithic. They all have the same life experience, values, and priorities that you do. They all communicate in exactly the same way, and they never surprise you with their expectations or decisions. In fact, you probably don’t need to advertise or promote your business at all.
Or, your employees already represent and advocate for all the diversity and nuance that exists in the outside world. They feel empowered to speak up about tone-deaf marketing campaigns and have the authority to veto bad decisions before they become public relations disasters.
4. Change Schmange!
Change doesn’t bother you or your employees.
All the change that’s happening in the world has nothing to do with your organization. You’re not going to be pushed around by global economic forces, technological advancement, or government regulation! There’s no need to innovate or adapt. Ever.
Or, you may be facing the same changes as everyone else, but your employees don’t stress out when everything changes all at once. They know from experience that if they take risks or try to innovate, they’ll be celebrated for the attempt, even if they fail. All your problems have already been solved. Well done!
5. Leadership Everywhere, Always
Your employees constantly show up as leaders. They display high levels of emotional intelligence, easily adapt to the changes they face, and maintain a growth mindset.
Your managers all maintain high-performing teams by building robust professional networks, removing bias in the hiring process, playing to employees’ strengths, and actively engaging in 360-degree feedback conversations.
Either you trained them well (and you reinforce the training regularly), or they were born with knowledge and skills they can’t help but express.
But, for Everyone Else…
So, yes, if you have all these things working in your favor, maybe you can ignore inclusive leadership as a focus in the coming year.
But for everyone else, you’ve probably got some work to do. Here’s the good news: You don’t have to do it alone.
Lead at Any Level can help with assessments, advisory services (consulting & coaching), and leadership development programs designed to keep your employees—and keep them engaged—by advancing inclusive leadership throughout your organization.
Let’s talk about your organization’s goals and how we can work together to achieve them!