Reimagine Inclusion

Conclusion: Now That We Have Debunked 13 Myths, Here's What Comes Next.

As the book comes to a close, let's address how we can stay committed to DEI efforts for the long‐term. Once we have done the work of debunking these 13 myths, we need to ensure we don't lose momentum in our journey to be more inclusive leaders and build more inclusive organizations. Let's consider the following two questions:

1. How Will Your Organization Stay Committed to Your DEI Efforts Long Term?

While the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion work belongs to all of us, you also need a leader who can help oversee your efforts. If you are serious about this work, you need to have a Chief Diversity Officer. If you are a smaller organization growing and scaling, you need someone spearheading this work. Again, if you are going to appoint people to a DEI council or committee, ensure other things are being taken off their plates and that being part of this council becomes part of their core job responsibilities.

Whether you are hiring someone for the first time, or are reimagining the current DEI structure, here are six questions you should ask yourself to ensure you are setting up the individual and your organization for success:

Why Now?

We have discussed that many organizations feel pressure from employees, customers, investors, and suppliers to get serious about DEI. But what, specifically, has changed for your company? Why are you now ready to hire a CDO when you weren't a year or three years ...