Impactful Inclusion Toolkit

ACTIVITY 19Invest in the Success of Others

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

—Martin Luther King Jr.

***

As more organizations focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, leaders are setting goals to not only diversify the workforce as a whole but also its leadership ranks. The journey is fraught with pitfalls when they expect to achieve these goals while maintaining existing practices. Looking around your organization, you may notice that the bulk of employees of difference are at entry-level ranks, a few may have achieved middle manager positions, and there are little to no Black or Brown people at the most senior levels. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made it illegal for employers in the United States to discriminate based on race. Despite legislation forbidding racial discrimination and overt acts of prejudice, systemic inequalities remain, and racist attitudes have become more subtle, while some in the dominant culture doubt that racism still exists—after all, we elected a Black president. However, leaders cite a multitude of reasons for their mostly homogenous workforces. The ones I hear most often include, “People of color don't apply,” “We can't find qualified diverse candidates,” and “I hire only the best person for the job,” signaling that the bar is lowered for diverse applicants. A post from CNN.com shares, “Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf has ...