Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Dummies

Chapter 21

Ten Things Underrepresented Talent Wish Leaders Knew

IN THIS CHAPTER

Treating people as unique individuals

Being authentic in your DEI efforts

Building an organization where everyone across all dimensions of diversity feels included and can do their best work involves knowing what (and what not) to do and say. This chapter looks at ten of the most common pieces of feedback from diverse workers around the world — people who’ve been discriminated against, felt marginalized, and/or historically felt unheard, unvalued, or like they didn’t belong. Sadly, these issues still occur today.

If you show or have shown any of the behaviors in the following sections, you’re not alone. What will separate you is your willingness to look at the people in your organization from a different lens and be open to feedback, change, and new ways of leading a diverse workforce. What do you need to change? What do you need to start doing, stop doing, or do less of? And what are you doing well that you can continue doing or do at a higher level?

Everyone Has Different Needs in the Workplace

Though individuals with shared diversity attributes may share the same ethnicity, culture, language, and ...