“You can twist perceptions, reality won’t budge.” These are lyrics from
a Rush song calledShow Don’t Tell. I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear me quote Rush, considering I’m the lead singer in a Rush tribute band
(https://thespiritofrushband.com).
I was listening to this song recently and it made me think of a question that is front and center in the press these days: Should DEI be abolished?
If this question weren’t so dangerous, I would find it almost comical.
Can you even do that? After all, it pays to remember what DEI is. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
I suppose you could abolish DEI programs, but you can’t abolish diversity itself. You could do away with equity policies, but you can’t escape the consequences of inequity. And if you really wanted to, you could get rid of inclusive practices, but you can’t get rid of how inclusion affects performance and retention.
In other words, you can twist perceptions, but reality won’t budge. People will have diverse identities whether we acknowledge that fact or not.
My question is this: Why be an obstacle to something that already exists?
Why not get the best from people? Why not live out your company’s mission to the fullest?
From my perspective, people can say that DEI is dead, but it’s simply not true. And it’s easy to say that when you have privilege.
The definition of suffering has often been described as the gap between what is and what we think should be. Diversity of people, thought, gender, generation, etc. is what is. We have a choice in this day and age. Be with what is or fight against it.
Does that mean we never shift or adapt our DEI efforts? No. I have seen examples of DEI programs gone extreme. We always have the right to change things around, evolve our policies, or let go of initiatives that aren’t working.
But we must carry on with the work, plain and simple, because it is what it is. DEI has gone through backlash before, and it will again. I encourage leaders not to get swept up in the latest storm. Just keep calm and move forward, because in the end, reality won’t budge.
We can either fight the tide or jump in the flow, setting an intentional course toward getting the best from everyone, everywhere.
To dive deeper into self-awareness and creativity around DEI, check out this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mXC6rjybnQ
