Increasing diversity means increasing differences: Is your organization prepared?
Diversity:
1/ many different types of people included in something; a range of different people.
2/ many different ideas or opinions.
Does your organization have a strategy for facilitating and supporting respectful communication across diversity?
Across North America, and other geographic areas, the call and move to “increase diversity” and “improve inclusion” plus “enable equity” — often referred to as EDI, or DIE, or…
Justice + other 3 for the silly JEDI acronym…
The original impetus for many of these initiatives was class action lawsuits (written about these in other stories)… and these are still risk management strategies.
Many of these initiatives are now also ‘social license’ type efforts.
Thus, they are: “Look at our policy” initiatives.
Job postings, DIE offices and officers, and government mandates are popping up like prairie gophers in early summer.
With increased diversity in any workplace or community, this means a parallel rise in diversity of perspectives.
Diversity of perspectives, life experiences, perceptions, and even languages — means many viewpoints and ways-of-being.
These are important — critical. Look at nature. Diversity is essential.
Yet, how many organizations, as they seek to implement their latest diversity policy, have also increased efforts to navigate, manage, facilitate, and support increases in diverse perspectives and viewpoints?
Diverse viewpoints, combined with planning and decision-making in any institution increases friction, heat, tension, and other important elements of organizations, communities, and institutions.
Look no further than democratic governments, and political party systems. Democracies are not built upon viewpoints agreeing.
Some friction and heat is absolutely required.
But, does your organization rely on the newly minted ‘Diversity, Inclusion and Equity’ (DIE) office to manage the heat, friction and disagreements that arise?
When complaints of racism, or sexism, or age-ism arise- does your org turn to EDI offices, and/or HR?
Or, to an Indigenous team?
This is most likely the wrong approach. And will wear the folks down that are most likely increasing your diversity numbers.
As diversity increases, for example in higher education or healthcare, or a business — and it will (just look at low birth rates in Canada, the US, Europe, etc.) — so will tensions and disagreements due to differing perspectives.
Organizations and individuals will require far more training, education and experience in respectful communication across these differences. If not, then an organization will be spending a lot of time and resources navigating conflict resolution and complaints processes.
Training, ongoing, is also needed in respectful facilitation of difference. And, respectful navigation of complaints.
How is this looking in your organization?
Is it ready for the combustion?
Are there initiatives, plans, and dedicated teams or individuals, that can manage the coming wildfires?
Some combustion is absolutely necessary — it helps to boil potatoes for example — but too much creates an inferno and people ‘burn out’ and ‘meltdown’.
Then organizations are dealing with a different set of issues.
A well-prepared group of individuals or team is essential to facilitating across differences, and training across differences. And, it shouldn’t be the same team tasked with increasing diversity in an organization.
Thoughts? Experiences?
Examples of organizations that are leading out on these types of initiatives? Leave a comment. Send me a note.
