Traditional diversity management practices are like resuscitating a canary in a coal mine, says Dr. Lauren Tucker, CEO of Do What Matters: “Too often we focus on the canaries,” she said in her presentation at SMX Next, “and nobody’s thinking about the miners or the root of the issue, which is what’s happening in the mine that’s threatening the canaries and the miners.”
Tucker and her team asked important questions about these challenges that companies everywhere should take to heart: “Could we create sustainable change by reframing the approach to diversity and equity and inclusion by starting with inclusion first? What if we focused on the operational inefficiencies in the organizations that fostered exclusion and bias?”
Inclusion management is about getting the right people doing the right work, says Tucker. Here are five ways she suggests marketers promote inclusion and diversity within their companies.
Prime yourself and your colleagues for critical thinking
Tucker recommends marketers use the phrase, “The task at hand requires critical thinking,” to get their team members thinking more deeply.
“You can use this as an integral part of facilitating meetings and collaborating,” she said. “Say this out loud and you can prime people to undercut that fast thinking that we usually bring to meetings and make sure that we are being thoughtful about what we’re saying, what we’re doing, and how we’re interacting.”
These practices can help marketers make critical thinking habitual. This first step, if taken seriously, can reduce the influence of unconscious bias that affects people’s choices and behavior.
Reframe excuses regarding inclusivity
“When it comes to inclusion, equity and diversity, there are a lot of people we call ‘knee-draggers,’” Tucker said, referring to colleagues that are reluctant to make positive changes for inclusivity. “And it’s often because they think this is a zero-sum game.”
“It’s a win-win game, but sometimes we have to reframe the conversation to undercut the excuses that are given for not working on a more inclusive culture,” she added.
Marketers can change perspectives on inclusivity by highlighting alternative ways of thinking. Phrases such as “A great idea can come from anywhere,” or even the more hardline “Are you sure your team [is] the only one with the best ideas in the entire organization?” may open up colleagues to have a more inclusive conversation about where ideas come from.