Intentional Power

8Be Inclusive: It's a Win for All

Each time Lisen and JeanAnn teach about inclusivity, we ask the students, “So what do you think two white, straight, cis‐gender, married moms who live in suburbia have to do with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging?”

The truth is, they aren't sure. Our answer: “Everything!”

It doesn't matter if you are white, gay, straight, rich, poor, young, old, able‐bodied, Black, immigrant, female, male, parent, single, Latine, trans, a CEO, or a first‐time manager, you cannot be a leader in today's workplace without being 100% committed to hiring and retaining diverse teams of talent, ensuring equity—particularly pay equity—is embedded in your organization's programs and policies, and doing everything in your power to foster inclusive cultures where the rainbow of your employees feel seen, connected, supported, and proud to work for you. This is not a rant; this is a truth.

We're not here to say it's easy. In fact, it is one of the most challenging aspects of being a leader today. But it is essential if you are committed to having triple bottom‐line impact. One of the key problems is that when someone starts talking about diversity or equity or inclusion or even belonging, many leaders start to zone out. Perhaps they think, “This isn't about me” or “This is a waste of time.” Or they aren't directly connecting it to the bottom line. Or, if they're more honest with themselves, they realize they feel blamed or shamed or discomforted in some way. Or, ...