 Common DEI Archetypes - A quick reference guide for leaders to identify common DEI behaviors regarding organizational power dynamics. #wickedthemovie #DEI
Use the popular movie Wicked directed by John M. Chu as a springboard to open hard conversations about power imbalance within your organization by comparing and contrasting performative versus impactful DEI behaviors.
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 The four Black icons for this post feature intersectional identities (trans women, elderly entrepreneur, Black incarcerated youth, and Black person with disabilities/diversabilities) to break our minds free and prevent us from becoming complacent with the usual Black History Month favorites such as Rosa Parks, MLK Jr, and Harriet Tubman. #CantStopWontStop
 Numerous organizations have adopted the title “global DEI” as they pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work in an effort to create positive impacts, in reality this performative approach to DEI remains surface level while failing to address root issues of domestic systemic inequity. Let’s go back to DEI 101 basics and establish a foundational common understanding. Too often DEI professionals are running on self righteous fumes as they advocate for only one group of minorities such as advocating for a specific race or exclusively LGBTQPIA+ interests. In order to achieve success in DEI work, we must remember that DEI is about empowering the intersectionality of multiple minority identities simultaneously, both marginalized and dominant group members. For the record and please quote me, the purpose of DEI is to increase access for marginalized groups through the equitable support from both dominant group members and marginalized group members. The million dollar question is, why are organizations pursuing global DEI when they have yet to achieve domestic DEI impactfuly? “The purpose of DEI is to increase access for marginalized groups through equitable support.”
Leadership Empathy: Do you accept and not understand OR do you actually understand and not accept?7/24/2024  I was sitting in LAX during a four hour layover. My autistic brain immediately sought a cozy space where I could minimize the amount of stimulus around me. I found a lovely dimly lit corner at PF Chang's with a small table and two padded chairs in a warm dark chocolate color. The best part was the noise cover provided by the screen and there were no other people! As I removed my ear plugs and began to intentionally set out my things, a couple sat down next to me.
The man happily began a loud conversation on speaker phone with his family in Texas. I remained hoping that the phone conversation would be short and I could enjoy my sensory safe haven. Within five minutes the man had grossly oversimplified stereotypes into racist comments by comparing cheap Mexican mystery meat in “tack-o’s” to cat and dog meat consumed by Chinese people. Fifteen minutes into the conversation he volunteered himself to preach the “gospel of Jesus our lord and savior” to the bedside of a family member with cancer. At the twenty minute mark, I got up to find another spot free of audio stimulation and space taking. The Texan said a handful of things that I could have taken offense to, but I chose to engage my empathy skills instead of engaging with him. I was provided with a unique opportunity to observe and learn from a stranger who was broadcasting his identity on high volume. This allowed me to better understand this stranger’s values and beliefs while exercising my tolerance to take in information that I did not agree with. This skill translates into professional organizations when we engage with co-workers or leaders whom we do not agree with, but need to work with despite our personal disagreements.  Image three pieces of paper left to right, color photo of Montag Hall, Stanford Bell Tower, pencil sketch of a student with the eyes scribbled out. On May 31, 2024 the Stanford Daily published the article ‘Not a place of belonging’: discrimination allegations plague Stanford admission office 1. describing the public and harmful disconnect between Stanford’s DEI philosophy and actionable DEI items. One key component mentioned was Stanford’s continuous lack of DEI training which directly led to the open class action lawsuit in Stanford's near future. This article identifies the common pattern of events or "red flags" that Stanford and countless other organizations experience who lack DEI training and the solutions to proactively stop the progression of negative impacts due to negligent DEI leadership professional development.
 What does Asian mean?
Americans often do not realize that there are over two thousand indigenous groups in Asia. Many of whom have immigrated to the USA creating the massive diversity of Asian Americans. Side note, not all Asians identify as indigenous. #intersectionalidentities #indigenous #AAPI Leader Allyship Question: What changes in policies and practices can leaders take to avoid the erasure of Asian American ethnicities in their organization? Contact me for AANHPI informed best practices, inclusive policy recommendations, and leadership tools. #AANHPIheritagemonth Data for the graphic was found in the references below. Countries were selected based on the eight largest Asian populations from the 2023 US Census. References Countries. International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs. https://www.iwgia.org/en/countries.html. Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: May 2023. United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2023/asian-american-pacific-islander.html#:~:text=5.2%20million,and%20Japanese%20(1.6%20million).  Be an ally and stay up to date with the latest key terms!
 Why are women leaders more likely to accept high risk leadership positions?
Most folks in professional leadership have heard of the glass ceiling, when unforeseen or invisible barriers prevent women from achieving leadership positions. In contrast, there is the glass escalator, when invisible forces that expedite men into positions of leadership. The glass cliff is the next progression of this leadership position that combines the two concepts and includes the intersectionality of women in a larger context as they pursue leadership positions with great risk. In this article you will gain new terminology and tools to recognize the glass cliff and how to better support women leaders.  Challenge yourself as a leader to reassess your biases of who qualifies as a woman and a leader. Nobody appreciates when an outsider imposes standards on their personal identity without their consent. The four resources below are offered to expand your DEI leadership perspectives of intersectional identities of women. #womenleaders #dei
 Why should leaders care about willful ignorance?
Willful ignorance is the starting point for allyship when guided by DEI’s three core principles (diversity, equity, and inclusion) to create large-scale behavior change. This ongoing allyship work begins with the individual as a leader. The leader is responsible for having a vision that shapes the organizational culture. The organizational culture influences the quality of products/services offered to customers. Long term brand loyalty occurs when the customers' needs are met by the product/services offered and they align with the organizational culture and the leader’s vision. This is especially true in the growing market of DEI informed consumers, including Millennials and Gen Zers who “prefer to buy from ethical brands that truly care about people and the planet” (SWNS, 2023). This creates three tiers of behavior change impacted by DEI; leader, organization, and customer. To successfully incorporate DEI behavior change on multiple levels, willful ignorance must be recognized as a key component to better inform organizational DEI, beginning with the leader. |
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