Join Cellene Hoogenkamp, Executive Coach and Founder at Global Spirited Leadership, in a discussion about creating and nurturing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Joining Cellene are: Barbara Daroca, Head of Corporate Services, ING Luxemburg; Demetha Sanders, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Cargill; Vicki Gleason, Chief Human Resources Officer, Milliman; Mylene Scholnick, Principal at Amazon Aviation; and Mercedes Martin, Founder & CEO of Mercedes Martin & Co. joins Cellene as Co-Host.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION – A SUMMARY
2021: Now is the time to take the D&I &Eq plans to Action, to take it from Idea to Impact.
The COVID year 2020 has lessened many D&I advances – now time to Focus
The need for D&I : driver for future innovation / mixing perspectives/ to be representation of customer face / tends to improve Team resilience and efficiency
How can organizations do the right thing:
Be active in the Industry: Promote from bottom up & top down: Diversity - Inclusion – Equity & Belonging
Inclusion & Equity : widen the lens and broaden the horizon so much more than just gender, race, ethnicity
Promote a new narrative in organisations and schools e.g certain industries are male specific – this needs to change.
For many it is still a stretch beyond the familiar – some leaders do it consciously, for other’s it’s not natural and they need help, education and reminders. ( Unconscious biases awareness)
Diversity and Inclusion are very different approaches & ideologies and are measured differently: Inclusion: “People want to be Welcomed, Valued, Heard, Seen and feel Connected” – measure Voices
Start meetings with “Inclusion moments”
Communicate through good slogans: “ Celebrate Unity in Diversity” ( YOU)
Definitions:
Diversity is being asked to the Party, Inclusion is being asked to Dance
Diversity is a Fact, Inclusion is an Act.
Diversity fatigue in Europe in race and ethnicity areas? When it is truly embedded in the organization’s DNA and not siloed only in certain areas of the company – then it becomes a true organizational value, not something the organization needs to be doing in order to keep it’s “quota” in check. Doing vs Being
Key to measure is the Voice of the people regarding their Company’s Inclusiveness & Diversity incl: gender balance, openness to all forms of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability and age. Employees perceptions may differ from their managers.
Key Points by panel:
D&I works and makes sense – the more diverse & Inclusive – the more rich the organization
What matters now is we take Action & be embedded in the process
We need to become Life long learners in Listening – Be open & willing to learn and listen
Story telling: Your words Matter, start meetings with “Inclusion moments”.
D&I is so much more than gender, race ethnicity.
Be sure to check out my previous GlobalLeadership Talks via prior postings. If you'd like to be considered as a panelist for a future episode, please go to bit.ly/gettalks to express your interest.