How to Turn Good Intentions into Real Change in Your Workplace
Oct 18, 2021
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Bethaney Wilkinson, author of The Diversity Gap and founder of The Diversity Gap Academy, dives into the crucial link between intentions and actionable change in workplace diversity. She shares her insights on creating safe spaces for marginalized voices, the importance of empowerment in fostering racial justice, and the need for self-reflection among leaders. Bethaney emphasizes embracing imperfections during progress and highlights how collaborative efforts can drive meaningful change for an inclusive work environment.
Systemic change, rather than just good intentions, is essential for achieving genuine workplace diversity and inclusivity.
Acknowledging personal biases and fostering outside relationships are vital for leaders to promote racial equity and create supportive workplace cultures.
Deep dives
The Importance of Action in Diversity Efforts
While positive thinking can initiate change, it is often insufficient to bring about real systemic transformation in workplace diversity. Achieving genuine diversification requires dedicated efforts that extend beyond surface-level changes. An expert discussed her commitment to helping organizations implement structural alterations through targeted workshops and mentorship. By translating good intentions into meaningful actions, companies can foster a truly inclusive environment.
The Gap Between Good Intentions and Cultural Change
Addressing the shortcomings of merely diversifying workplaces, insight was shared on how many organizations struggle with the gap between good intentions and actual impact. The focus should not solely be on expanding workplace demographics, but rather on making foundational changes that ensure a supportive culture. By diving deeper into the systemic issues surrounding race, leaders are better equipped to create long-lasting improvements. This journey includes introspection and learning to understand their own biases and the dynamics at play.
Challenging Personal and Organizational Biases
Exploration of individual biases is a critical aspect of promoting diversity and equity in the workplace. Acknowledging these biases can lead to personal growth and a better understanding of how to support racial equity within organizations. Developing a mindset that appreciates diverse experiences allows leaders and employees alike to engage effectively with these topics. It is advised to cultivate relationships outside the work context to enrich personal perspectives that contribute to a healthier organizational culture.
Envisioning a More Inclusive Workplace
The vision for an inclusive workplace emphasizes the importance of embracing diverse identities without requiring individuals to diminish aspects of themselves. A thriving environment celebrates different backgrounds, shares power effectively, and fosters collaboration across racial lines. Organizations that focus on collective empowerment can leverage their influence to champion broader social causes beyond their immediate interests. Ultimately, the goal is to create spaces where everyone feels safe to fully express themselves and contribute.
The gap between good intentions and real change is a big one to fill. While many companies are interested in making their workplaces more diverse, it’s not enough to simply want more inclusion. It takes real systemic change to transform any professional setting into an equitable one and many value-driven organizations find themselves stuck at being just short of making real progress. Thankfully, that’s what our next guest is working to solve. Bethaney Wilkinson is the author of The Diversity Gap, a guide to instituting diversity efforts in workplaces.
Bethaney’s lived experience as a Black woman in Georgia has been a driving force in writing The Diversity Gap. She's spent over 10 years working with values-driven organizations to diversify their teams, serve their neighbors, and pursue social change with integrity and authenticity. She’s also the founder of The Diversity Gap Academy, an online learning platform which aims to provide leaders with racial justice education. In this episode, Bethaney shares what racial justice means to her and how people can create an inclusive workplace environment where everyone can feel safe.
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