I Want To Create A Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement. Where Do I Start?
You want to create your organization's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement. You sit at the computer and type your first draft, and freeze. You realize that you do not even know where to start. You are not alone. While it is a "statement," it can determine your organization's culture and future growth.
Who are the people in your organization?
What do you know about the people in your organization? Begin to ask yourself questions such as:
Where do they live?
Are they remote, in the office, or hybrid?
Are they married or single?
What races, cultures, and ethnicities are they a part of?
What causes do they care about?
One mistake many organizations make in conceptualizing a DEI statement is that they do not consider the organization's members. They might know how excellent Frannie is with their accounting analysis or Payton's graphic designs, but knowing the individual vs. their skill set is very different.
Stop, Collaborate, and Listen!
All jokes aside, this step is critical and the most difficult. This step requires a lot of self-restraint, leadership, and listening skills. You cannot create a culture of inclusivity if you do not include the most important people–the members. While many individuals have a top-down process when it comes to decision implementation, diversity, equity, and inclusion needs to be a bottom-up decision. Let your members know what you are trying to accomplish and make time for individuals to schedule a time to speak with you. Based on my experience, these conversations can take an average of 45 minutes.
Why is this the most challenging step? Simply put, you must prepare for someone to call your baby ugly–and you can't get defensive. The point of this discussion is for you to listen and hear authentic feedback from your members. You may ask questions but cannot express your opinion or disagree. Without self-restraint, a conversation with good intentions can quickly become a meeting with the principal.
Gain perspective and do your research.
In this instance, it is okay to be a copycat. Think about other organizations or corporations you admire and have experience with regarding their culture. Do they have a DEI statement, and what does it say? What can you add? While you should never copy and paste, you can begin to use these statements as an outline for writing your statement. With the conversations you have previously had with members of your organization in combination with this research and perspective, you can begin to think about what the ideal culture is for your organization. You can then start visualizing how members interact, speak, and work together.
Rest, reflect, write, read, and review
A quality statement takes time to create. One of the main reasons for this is that you not only need time to digest all of the research, interviews, and perspectives you have encountered, but also you need time to incorporate the culture that your members need and want. Your organization's core values must be present when reading your statement. Before the majority of an organization can believe in the statement, it may need to be revised several times. Be careful to avoid being caught up in the semantics of the statement (i.e., should this be a period or a semi-colon).
Now that you have made it through, you are ready to begin your DEI statement journey. Still, need assistance? Feel free to schedule a meeting with me to discuss your organization and its needs.
