Engaging in DEI Culture Change

Problem

After the murder of George Floyd, the CEO of a boutique consulting firm came to me to help them engage more deeply in their diversity, equity, and inclusion work. 

The consultants strongly believed in equal treatment for all, and I was concerned that their similarities as a predominantly white team led to shared blind spots. The experience of the one woman of color on the team validated my hunch that the team wasn’t creating the inclusive environment they thought they had already achieved. Furthermore, their fierce commitment to equality meant that identifying these blind spots and defining development opportunities could destabilize their identity as good people.

A high degree of support was necessary for the team to engage in work that challenged their worldviews, left them better tooled to engage inclusively with their clients, and empowered them to create equitable outcomes internally and externally.

Solution

Because confronting the team’s blind spots around race and other cultural differences was so jarring, we invested time to deeply understand and define how DEI work tied to their business goals. With a clear outcome in mind, we engaged in individual and team coaching sessions to better understand team dynamics, build capacity, and create new ways of working that led to equity rather than equality. 

As a result of our partnership, the organization deepened its capacity to notice and seek out different perspectives. When the opportunity to hire new employees arose, for the first time in their history, they understood the value of looking outside their small network. By designing an entirely new talent attraction, recruiting, and onboarding process, they created a high caliber applicant pool, and they actively sought out culture adds rather than culture fits.

This work is a journey, and the organization looks forward to deepening its capacity to build inclusion and belonging for its new team members. Rather than focusing exclusively on commonalities, they now seek to leverage their new peer’s unique perspectives and expertise to better serve their clients.

Methodology

I began by assessing each individual and the team on the Intercultural Development Inventory. This validated instrument helps people understand their intentions and perceptions on how they navigate cultural similarities and differences. It lets them know where they land on the scale, and like many assessments, there is often a gap in perceived versus actual capacities.

I learned that this team valued the common humanity of all people, and they did this by treating everyone the same. However, by treating everyone the same, they missed differences in how people with varying identities and backgrounds experience what appeared to be equal treatment. 

I led customized individual and team coaching sessions to help each person understand the strengths and limitations of their current mindset. We worked together on learning and reflection opportunities for their development. I intentionally created space for them to do their own work.

While challenging the white team members, I provided support and validation for the woman of color so that she could better understand and navigate her experience of being ignored and talked over. As the capacity of her teammates deepened, they were able to not only hear and believe her experiences of exclusion but to make meaningful behavioral changes to support and protect her. After eighteen months of consulting and coaching, the organization created a workplace culture where she felt seen, heard, and respected for who she was.