Regression (Much Like Failure) Isn't an Option
With the election finally behind us, I feel as though we had been collectively holding our breath. I kept waiting to exhale. When do we get to take a deep, relaxed breath? As I think about all of the events that have happened over the past few years, the thought beating in my mind like a drum is: We must not regress. We must not regress.
Break it down:
There’s this magical, semi-conscious belief many of us have that when the clock strikes midnight from one year to another, or one administration to another, that like a pumpkin in Cinderella everything will go back to ‘the way it was.’ (Plenty of us have that same belief about post pandemic activities, too.). When we’re honest with ourselves, we know that’s not how it works. We must not sit around and wait for things to ‘go back to normal’. We must decide how we want our futures to look and commit to working towards that future consciously and actively. That brings me to the diversity and inclusion concept I invite you to think about today: committed action.
Do Something Different:
Sometimes when we think about injustice, we feel a sense of urgency to act quickly and dramatically. Or, because the injustices are so great, we think our actions should be equally large in scope. That kind of action can cause more harm than good. Instead, consider what thoughtful, sustainable actions you commit to take regularly:
What if in every meeting you attend, you made a commitment to yourself to amplify the ideas of women and people of color in your company?
What if the next time you hear someone say ‘let’s have a pow-wow,’ you gently remind them that’s not the right word to use?
What if you asked your colleagues how they’re feeling about the latest study or news that highlights injustice in our world?
Choose to measure progress. Pick something: What do you think needs to be addressed? Who needs to address it? How do you address it? What does progress look like for your company?
NOT disrupting bias is a choice. Do not underestimate the impact of you committing to one small action, and seeing it through the year.
Speaking of committed action, I committed to writing a book. UNBIAS: Addressing Unconscious Bias At Work was a crucial step in my mission to make a difference for all by removing bias in hiring, leadership, and, well, everywhere. The book gives you tools for actively removing barriers and ensuring equity throughout your organization. It draws on decades of experience and research, and is designed to be an ‘action manual’ for you to make change in your life and organizations.
I’m so excited to invite you to join this mission with me. I can’t wait to talk with you, your ERGs, book clubs, executive teams, professional associations, and more about how to put this book into practice and bring this mission to reality! Don’t have time to read a book (even though it’s available on Audible)? Then what action are you going to take?
Pick an action from the list above, or write your own, so that we can continue forward progress.
About the Author: Stacey Gordon is Executive Advisor + Chief Diversity Strategist at Rework Work (reworkwork.com). For more research, examples, and detailed action steps to take, her book UNBIAS: Addressing Unconscious Bias at Work is for you. It’s a tool to create healthy, equitable, and inclusive workplaces, and it will power your journey and you can find it at unbiasbook.com.