What's Changing About DEI?
For most of us, this is a stressful time, as we navigate global conflicts, domestic challenges, difficult conversations in the workplace, and year-end reflections.
We’ve seen the worry on the faces of our clients, and our colleagues, too.
And yet leaders do what they do: keep persevering.
Even when it comes to issues of inclusion.
At IBIS, we’re curious about how leaders approach their goals in DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) and how those approaches evolve over time.
What keeps an organization diverse, inclusive, and thriving – with a resilience based on a complex web of ideas and approaches that emanate from different perspectives, developed by people who feel respected and appreciated at work?
There's nothing easy about it, but it's worth the perseverance.
Over the past few months, we’ve gotten to talk to CEOs, directors and managers about their thoughts on DEI during this turbulent era.
We’ve asked questions like:
What is the biggest DEI challenge facing you today?
What is the biggest opportunity in DEI for you right now?
Where would you most like to experience personal growth?
As people share their reflections, we’re hearing more and more confirmation about the changes in DEI that we've been observing for some time. Here are a few of the headlines:
Passive learning does not engage people on DEI topics. Instead, they want – and need – active participation.
Learning the philosophy around bias can be helpful, but at the end of the day, everyone needs to know about application.
Leaders want concrete plans and tangible tools to deal with the unique challenges of DEI.
Managers and directors want practice with difficult conversations.
Clearly, keeping all learning firmly grounded in the real world is a must for those DEI practitioners working to serve leaders who want to build skills around inclusive leadership.
We also heard that those who work in DEI should continue addressing the system as a whole in order to enact large-scale change. But when it comes to change, everyone wants to know what individuals can do within the scope of their role, too.
It's evident that leaders recognize the abundant opportunities that exist within the DEI world, especially when it comes to developing comprehensive learner journeys within an organization.
A hallmark of today's DEI? People understand that DEI can't be encapsulated in a 'one and done' type training.
It's a journey - one that reveals a multitude of dimensions and takes time to internalize, reflect, and build.
Amid the stress, frustration, and questions, it's with a gratitude perfect for the season that we appreciate how people still experiment with new ways to connect, collaborate and understand one another.
That desire to find ways to collaborate is what means so much about the work we all do together in DEI, from us...to you.
So....what are YOUR answers to these questions? We'd love to hear from you as you experiment, discover, and persevere. Click here to be taken directly to our short survey.
