What’s A CEO to Do? –Navigating the shifting landscape of diversity, equity and inclusion for corporate leaders
Recent events have left many senior leaders and CEOs unsettled. The tide has shifted as pressure mounts for racial equity, justice, and inclusion. Diversity has been elevated to center stage. Watch my two minute video here.
A significant number of CEOs are being asked about the commitment of their companies and of their own support for diversity, equity, and social justice.
What should a leader do?
CEOs must understand that stepping to the plate is not a momentary action, but the beginning of a deeper dive into race relations and inclusion. It will require both personal and systemic change. Stakeholders want to know that the leader is committed, that he or she is putting the weight of his or her position behind the needed change, and understands that the time is now.
CEOs must become students of a functional area that many have delegated to a diversity professional buried deep in the HR function, and whose role has been relegated to compliance functions.
Times are changing. Stakeholders are growing restless intolerant to empty promises and a lack of tangible progress.
Sustainable diversity, equity, racial justice, and inclusion efforts are grounded in organizational development change models and must operate at the individual, interpersonal, and enterprise levels. Efforts must address the lack of emotional intelligence, disrespectful and biased behavior, as well as bias in institutional systems and practices. Bias can be found in all these areas.
Sustainable change efforts focus on ownership by and expectations established by the CEO and his or her leadership team. This team must articulate a compelling case that they own, collaborate with stakeholders to evaluate the current state of diversity, and build an evidenced-based framework for addressing the root causes of any inequities in systems, practices, and the culture at work. Sustainable frameworks include objectives, actions, outputs, measures, accountabilities, and outcomes aligned that are aligned enterprise-wide strategic priorities.
In today’s disruptive environment, CEOs must understand that stakeholders are not expecting a well-rehearsed lecture on best practices or excuses, but a well-anchored sustainable change effort. So, the CEO must become students of DEI and consider actions they can take in the following personal leadership development areas:
Case: Get ready to personally articulate your case for why diversity, inclusion, and equity are important to you. You must build a well-grounded understanding of why it matters to you.
Context: Develop better awareness of how circumstances (inside and outside) the organization) and society should shape the way you talk about issues such as racial discrimination, social justice, and inclusion. Become self-aware about your commitment, language, and communications. How is it resonating with others in the organization?
Character: Challenge yourself to be honest, transparent, and consistent in your communications. You must walk the talk, and role model inclusive behavior you expect others. Stakeholders are watching. Practice active listening.
Care: Be empathetic to the plight of others different from you and be aware of the impact of your words, actions, and behaviors on others. Encourage feedback on how you are coming across and on your impact.
Counteraction: Address those who want to stand in the way of diversity progress openly. Enhance your sensing skills and courageously counter the negativity of others who push against change. Address inappropriate or disrespectful behavior at the moment. Assess intent and impact. Dealing with Resistance
Consciousness: Build self-awareness of your behavior and the impact on others and; think clearly and effectively in disruptive situations. Remember you set the tone.
Control: Learn to be an adaptive leader adjusting outcomes and expectations based on changing workplace and societal dynamics. Challenge your team to come with evidence-based vs emotionally driven reactions and logic when making decisions.
Concepts: Deepen knowledge of concepts such as adaptive change and systemic change, equity, belonging, diversity, inclusion, social justice by reading and conversations.
Coaching: Build the pipeline of talent by personally coaching and mentoring diverse talent within my organization.
Compliance: inspect HR systems, policies and practices, and demand that they are free of favoritism and bias.
Diversity and racial justice work is not for the faint of heart. It requires a multi-pronged approach led by leaders who get it. If you would like more information on my work, contact me on my LinkedIn page.
