EQUALITY INSIGHTS
Weekly 5 Things editions plus essays and GUIDANCE on inclusive communication
5 Things / 360
A new study from Boston College and the Society of Human Resources Management tells us that 65% of organizations believe DEI is important, yet 63% give little to no resources to DEI. This doesn’t surprise me. In my conversations with organizations, I find many who see DEI as an HR or L&D initiative. In other words, recruitment, and training. There are many DEI actions that can be taken that cost minimal external resources, such as policy changes and building inclusion nudges into process documentation.
5 Things / The DEI PSA
When I’m prepping for a keynote, I love to spend time talking to the client about their DEI goals and current state. Between all these conversations, research for 5 Things, and research for my book, Inclusive 360, I think I figured out the winning formula for meaningful DEI progress: Purpose + Strategy + Accountability (PSA).
5 Things / Justice Sotomayor
This week my partner and I went to seeU.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor talk in Chicago. She answered most of her questions while walking through the audience, shaking hands, and signing books. The Justice approaches her work with an amazing amount of grace and gentleness and sees her greatest work as being a trailblazer for others. She’s written three children’s books and dedicates an astounding amount of time to speak with young people.
5 Things / Comparisonitis
This week, I spent three days (and joyful evenings) with other thought leaders, each working to bring our new keynotes to life with the brilliant team at Heroic Public Speaking. I had a great week and did some fantastic work, but I started to feel a little down on myself once I left. I didn’t feel like writing this morning. Spending three days with other thought leaders can trigger comparisonitis (comparison syndrome). They have how many LinkedIn followers??!!
5 Things / Sparks
This week I delivered a keynote for a client’s internal event and, afterward, joined them for dinner. I spent much of my time in a pleasantly long conversation with a managing partner who, at one point, exclaimed to me, “I mean, can you believe at one point, people held slaves in this country?”