COMMENTARY

Sometimes when people hear about DEI initiatives they think and/or say, wow, does that mean that you are going to fire all the white men and replace them with Black women?

This response might come from a place of worry or fear. DEI initiatives in general strive for inclusivity and community building. To achieve that, the metaphorical pie expands. Or, in other words, DEI done right is not a zero sum game. It is the opposite: win-win. Evidence based studies demonstrate that diverse teams are more innovative, win more, and guess what, diverse teams have fewer meetings!

On a more pragmatic level, a possible response to such a question could be: firing incumbents and replacing them with BIPOCs is not on the table. What is on the table is leadership development, sponsorship programs and other specific organizational development tactics to make sure that we have unbiased and transparent promotion practices. Ultimately the goal of DEI is building a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

Questions or comments?  Please email me at  meenapatel88@yahoo.com. Thank you.