Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are three interrelated values that have always been important for the well-being of an organization and its members, but it's only in recent years that these have received mainstream and widespread attention. Many companies are trying to implement DEI initiatives, but these programs sometimes end up unsuccessful, due to misaligned priorities and ineffective methods.
Anthony Moore, principal and CEO of Paradigm Group Consultants, says that organizations must take a top-down approach in adopting DEI principles, as having the entire leadership on board is necessary for cultural change to permeate throughout the organization. Each organization has different needs and are in different stages of diversity, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach. However, the common denominator is that leadership must be at the forefront of adopting DEI principles.
“A lot of times, companies will hire diversity trainers to come in, and they train the frontline employees before the executives. But we believe that leadership sets the tone, so we begin with the CEO and their direct reports. In order for an organization to have the desired DEI awareness and outcomes, we have to start with the senior management team and have them understand the definitions of diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as their role in it, what's expected of them, and how and why change needs to happen.”
Moore says executives are the ones who know an organization's landscape and its state from a DEI standpoint, as well as have the greatest impact in implementations. That's why if the executives are not participating in the company's DEI initiative alongside everyone else, the training will end up wasted, and the organization will be like a football team without a coach.
“A top-down approach makes sure that the executive team not only has an understanding, but also has marching orders from the CEO on how to cascade the process to make every single employee understand the importance of diversity. Because this also seeps over into how employees treat customers.”
Part of Paradigm's DEI training involves focus group discussions with both management and employees to determine their needs. It also encourages the creation of affinity groups – which are groups where members have a common identity characteristic (e.g. women, LGBTQ+, or BIPOC) – and talking to them to know their specific concerns. The leadership can then examine these concerns and determine any exposures or areas they've missed, and take corresponding measures to remedy them.
According to Moore, most organizations think DEI is just having people of varied backgrounds (age, gender, ethnicity, etc.) working together in one organization. While this is a good start, many times, it has not been implemented as a process that leads to greater camaraderie and a sense of belonging to the organization.
“How can you have everyone value the individual diversity of each and every person? It's not just about what we can see physically, but also what we value personally as a professional and as a colleague, and how the organization can benefit from the skills each one brings. People tend to focus on the surface characteristics and place people into those categories. For example, someone might be categorized as a white male, and it ends at that. Organizations don't think about how to bring out the best in him, and how he can bring out the best in others. Other parts of him and his background are ignored, such as his being a father, or someone who went back to school to obtain a degree. There are many different layered types of diversity that go beyond what we can see physically and, unfortunately, these are being ignored.”
Paradigm Group Consultants provides holistic diversity programs to organizations, beginning with assessing the client's diversity needs, followed by creating a bespoke strategy to create genuine culture change within an organization. Paradigm is composed of experienced consultants and trainers that partner with client's staff to create a program that improves DEI and encourages employee engagement and innovation. As a change management firm, Paradigm believes that an organization's level of diversity affects everything – including its structure, corporate culture, and individual employee performance.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion is about seeing and harnessing the value in every person, creating an environment that allows them to bring their whole self to work, and providing opportunities for everyone to grow within the organization,” Moore says.
Media Contact:
Name: Anthony Moore
Email: [email protected]
