How to get an organization ready for the next place in its racial equity journey | S1, Ep 4

It’s been my experience that each new stage of an organization’s racial equity journey requires something new and different. If you are leading diversity, equity, and inclusion inside your organization and are finding yourself constantly frustrated, it could be that your organization has hit a readiness gap. By that I mean, it’s progressed to a new growth stage that it isn’t quite ready for yet. If DEI leads can embrace that readiness needs shift, then moving an organization from one stage to another may result in less friction and more flow.

Here is a glance at this episode…

[8:31] Your organization needs a clear equity why with a supporting framework. You need to adopt an organizational framework that explains how your organization sees the world and its work. Your framework should include a historical and place-based analysis that names structural racism, how your work disrupts it, and your connection to the community.

[9:26] The path leading to the next phase in an organization’s journey will be traveled using adaptive strategies. There is an entire body of literature on adaptive leadership. Adopting racial equity as a practice requires change. It is an adaptive challenge in that it “requires new learning, innovation, and new behavior.” Often, technical solutions are used to respond to adaptive challenges. The short-term fix for an adaptive question can feel like performative box checking. Get clear on the why.

[12:07] Accountability is key. Accountability starts with each person. By looking inward, I mean managers, directors, and those with decision-making power need to actively examine their behavior and shift where needed. If your organization has declared itself to be anti-racist, then do the internal work that statement requires. Be who you say you are. The staff of color are not responsible for holding the organization accountable to its equity commitments.

[16:55] Set aside the necessary time for staff to do the work. Time for reading, reflection, and time to practice, are all crucial things, mainly when we’re asking people to learn something new or to prepare to learn something new.

[17:30] Review prior commitments. Chances are, whenever your organizational or company values were created, the people who work there now probably didn’t create them.

[18.24] Pivot without penalty. Borrowed from Adam Grant’s book, Think Again, create an organizational culture where innovation is encouraged versus when someone raises a new idea or a new suggestion for doing something differently, there’s an unspoken penalty for raising an issue or a new idea.

Equity journeys are rarely linear. There are bends in the road as well as stops and starts along the way.

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

How to Identify Your Organization’s Racial Equity Stage

Racial Equity Readiness Signs: Growth Requires Checks Along the Way

The Racial Equity Impact Analysis Tool 

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant

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