Tag: diversity

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What Are You Scared Of?

wf_0916_atwhitsend_image_302x170I’m not one for contemplating the big questions. You know: Why are we here? Does God exist? What’s the meaning of life?

I disdained philosophy in college. I had a headache the entire class because my eyes were constantly rolling, and no question ever seemed to have an answer.

I’m big on answers: We’re here because we are. Now live it up until you’re not. God exists if you want him to. If you don’t, he won’t. And the meaning of life? That’s up to you. We have these wonderful things called free will and choice with which to craft if not the life of our dreams, at least lives we can be proud of.

But I often ask myself one big question: Why are people so resistant to diversity?

Off the top of my head I can come up with a half dozen really great answers: history, social conditioning, life experiences, diversity fatigue, the need for power — that’s a personal favorite — and the winner of this motley group of diversity blockers, fear.

Fear.

It makes sense. The sexist remarks, the refusal to consider minorities for leadership positions, the unreal, almost determinedly blind lack of response to incidents of racism, discrimination and inequality in the workplace — and everywhere else — the insistence that very real experiences for some are not real at all, or because of who these realities occur to they are not worth acting upon or even considering, it all screams — to me — I’m scared of you. I think you could take my job and surpass me. Therefore, I’m going to shut you down by fair means or foul.

Of course, everyone who throws up a workplace road block for a woman, a disabled person, someone of color or someone who is LGBTQ, isn’t motivated by fear. Just like every white man isn’t racist, and every black woman isn’t angry, and every gay man or transgender woman isn’t secretly trying to convert the world to their way of life — that’s not actually a thing, by the way. But I’d venture to say — with absolutely no real way to prove this — that most of the artificial barriers minorities face in the workplace are generated and/or motivated by fear.

And in a business context, that leaders allow fear to dictate policy and procedure, that baffles me.

You don’t have to be a genius to look at the numbers, or the dollars. Diversity makes money — period. It helps businesses reach customers, innovate new products and services to sell, diversity can help companies reach new or untapped audiences with huge pots of discretionary/disposable income. It helps plump up talent pipelines, guide talent management efforts, produce better internal and external business outcomes. Diversity can facilitate more effective and results oriented collaboration, and in many situations it can mitigate risk.

There’s so much data floating around that proves diversity is good for business on multiple fronts. I just read an excellent piece from Tech Crunch on the competitive advantages diversity can bring. It was chock full of data points, many I’ve seen in myriad studies, on websites and in speeches. For instance:

“A 2015 McKinsey study found ethnically diverse companies were more than 35 percent more likely to outperform their industry counterparts. Even more significantly, each 10 percent increase in racial and ethnic diversity on the senior executive team yielded on average a rise of 0.8 percent in earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT).”

That’s real money directly attributable to diversity.

Or, check out these data points from the same article:

“ … a Credit Suisse study found that companies with higher female representation at the board level or in top management exhibit higher returns on equity, higher valuations and also higher payout ratios. Dow Jones studied more than 20,000 venture-backed companies over a five-year period and found that those companies with at least one woman executive were more likely to succeed than those with only men in leadership positions.”

That snippet didn’t throw around any hard or exact figures, but higher returns on equity, higher valuations and higher payout ratios, success in business, those word combos equal cash, kids. Bucks, dinero, moola, loot. And if we’re not just talking about dollars and sense in the marketplace, diversity also generates goodwill, brand equity, customer loyalty. And guess what? All of those things generate cash too.

So, I ask all of you discerning business professionals out there, if there’s a proven way to ensure that your efforts at work mean your company will make more money and solidify its place as a leader in the global marketplace, why wouldn’t you take it?

Fear.

Here’s another question for you: If you are scared of someone who’s different — and fear manifests in many different ways: aggression, distance, hyper-sensitivity, etc. — what are you really scared of? Of giving someone unproven a chance? Don’t be. Someone gave you a chance when you were new and untried. They mentored and nurtured and helped you learn from your mistakes, and you turned out great.

Are you scared a minority will eclipse you? Hence, you feel it’s in your best interest to keep a lid on your professional competition? Don’t be silly. Insecurity is weakness.

Be the guy or the girl who had the brains to prepare and package potential greatness, and unleash it on the competition. Be the leader who develops other leaders no matter what they look like or where they come from. Be the manager who ignores petty, temporary discomfort in favor of getting the job done, and done well, by using every available talent resource. Be the person responsible for developing the woman, gay man or whoever it is who shows that they want to take the bit between their teeth and run with it, and let the company reap the benefits.

Leaders who embrace diversity, who welcome it – despite any discomfort or unknowns — who enable it and measure it, they rarely regret it. These people aren’t necessarily fearless. They may still have valid questions and concerns.

But they’re willing to ask the tough questions, to challenge the status quo, to resist what that Tech Crunch article so eloquently called “a natural tendency toward sameness” that “has become a liability in today’s marketplace.” Leaders who understand the value of diversity are willing to use natural fear not to stall but to invigorate workforce productivity and effectiveness, to build fabulous cultures that talent queue up to join, and ultimately to knock those bottom line figures out of the park.

I ran across an Insta post on Scandal actor Tony Goldwyn’s account a few weeks ago. He was acknowledging Women’s Equality Day, and it reads: The rise of women does not mean the fall of men.

Allowing others who are different to step up to the plate or sit down at the table doesn’t mean those who are already in play will lose their place. Some may. No lie. I know it. There aren’t infinite slots at the top or unlimited corner offices. It’s natural that some rise and some fall based on talent, opportunity, work ethic. There are any number of variables that determine who is a success and who is a failure in the business world. But will you cheat to maintain your position, your corner office?

I have one more question for leaders: Are you scared to compete?

Kellye Whitney is the associate editorial director for Workforce. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com.

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Hilton Pledges to Pay Equality for Its Female Workers

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The Hilton Hotel, Bangkok. Photo credit: Ian Gratton

Women on average make 79 cents to a man’s dollar in the United States, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families — and that’s before taking factors like age and race into account.

With a workforce that is half female,  Hilton  Worldwide became one of 55 companies to sign the White House’s Equal Pay Pledge, which encourages businesses to provide equal pay for women. Half of Hilton’s global workforce is female. The pledge extends to employees of hotels owned and managed across the Hilton portfolio and corporate offices in the United States, according to Laura Fuentes, senior vice president, talent, rewards and people analytics.

President Barack Obama initially announced the pledge at the United State of Women Summit in June. The White House released a press release on Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26, announcing 29 new companies to sign the pledge, bringing the total to 55, including Microsoft, Apple, Chobani, IBM and Target Corporation.

“We have long been committed to diversity and inclusion across our company, and signing the Equal Pay Pledge is just one way we have demonstrated this commitment,” said Fuentes via email. “Our goal is to be the most hospitable company in the world — for our guests and team members around the world.”

The international hotel chain uses groups — such as its Women’s Team Member Resource Group, Women’s Executive Networking Program and Women in Leadership Excellence Program (in partnership with the University of Virginia) — to further this commitment, Fuentes added. Also, it uses certain family-focused benefits such as an “industry leading” maternity leave policy and flexible working options.

More specifically, by signing the pledge Hilton and the other companies have promised to conduct an annual companywide gender pay analysis, review hiring and promotion processes to weed out unconscious bias and other barriers, and promote best practices that can close the national wage gap.

“When women are fully engaged in our workforce and communities, society at large benefits from the great ideas and innovation that flourishes” said Microsoft in its statement. “Our commitment to equal pay gives us the opportunity to attract and hire from a broader talent pool of the best employees, managers and leaders.”

Target, in a statement, said it has implemented “meaningful business practices” such as leadership training designed to reduce that likelihood of making decisions based on stereotyping or bias.

Hilton, meanwhile, aims to represent the different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints of its guests in order to become to the “most hospitable company.” Part of that diversity is gender diversity.

“We’re honored to help advance action around this important issue,” Fuentes said.

Web: Andie Burjek is a Workforce associate editor. Comment below, or email at aburjek@humancapitalmedia.com. Follow Workforce on Twitter at @workforcenews.

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The Problem With You vs. Them

It starts out with good intentions to celebrate diversity, ensure equity and practice inclusive leadership. You implement employee resource groups for historically underrepresented groups like LGBTs, start a mentoring program for women of color, and equip leaders to coach millennials on workplace norms and professionalism. But after a while you revisit your D&I metrics and find you haven’t met your goals. In fact, your results are slightly worse than when you started.WF_WebSite_BlogHeaders-12

What’s going on?

The problem may be an incomplete or misguided sense of what inclusion is. Like the rest of your leadership team, you’re smart and well intended and have a commitment to D&I grounded in supporting employee brilliance and excellence, which generate tangible results for your organization. You believe one way to accomplish this is to help certain identity groups feel more a part of things, supported in their professional development and generally brought into the fold.

The problem with this approach is that it’s an assimilation model based on the notion that “they” must be more like “you” to succeed and add value. It subtly communicates that “you” are superior and “they” are inferior and need fixing.

This presents a power imbalance that doesn’t leverage the real reason diversity plus inclusiveness gets better results: multiple brains contributing their unique brilliance to form a bigger combined brain that generates more ideas and makes better decisions. True inclusion or inclusiveness isn’t just about hearing all voices and taking them seriously; it’s about ensuring shared power and equitable involvement in decision making. True inclusiveness means that “you” too are open to exploring what “they” bring and changing how “you” do things.

Consider the way millennials are commonly viewed and treated in the workplace. I often hear negative, even emotional opinions expressed about millennials’ supposed lack of work ethic and poor workplace habits in stereotypical terms, which if used to discuss a group of color would likely result in serious outcry and lawsuits.

The dominant belief is that these young people must be taught how to behave correctly. However, there isn’t anything inherently correct or superior about leaving earbuds at home, staying off phones in meetings, following orders without giving feedback or insisting on personal benefit.

Behaviors are assigned meaning within a particular set of beliefs and norms, also known as culture. Common behaviors exhibited by millennials and other identity groups can actually add value if explored with curiosity and commitment to win-win solutions. New, even odd behaviors can provide tremendous positive results, especially within the context of their cultural frame, which — like it or not when it comes to millennials and people of color — is the future. If you have doubts, read this article about how millennials are doing exactly that in organizations, including Starbucks, that listen and adapt.

At the same time, there are new or different behaviors that don’t add value, and the old way is demonstrably better in terms of business impact, productivity, results, engagement or just plain workplace awesomeness. Perhaps a certain dress code, work station layout, schedule or set of meeting norms really are the best fit to support your organization’s vision, mission, goals and objectives.

The key to success is taking the time to explore, engage and devise creative solutions that maximize benefit to all parties, not just you. This includes gathering data to determine what is true and not based on assumptions. For example, is it really true that your customers fear employees with tattoos or don’t take them seriously if they don’t wear ties?

Creating an inclusive culture isn’t “either-or”: either requiring “them” to adapt and assimilate to you or you offering everything up for debate and input by “them.” The answer is “both-and,” which requires time, effort and intentionality at first, but pays huge dividends over time and allows “you” to ensure your sustainability and relevance into a future dominated more by “them.”

Susana Rinderle is president of Susana Rinderle Consulting LLC. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com.

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Cliches Weaken Feedback: Choose Words Wisely!

I’m guessing you’ve heard this phrase before. Either it came out of someone else’s mouth, or you said it: “Don’t take this the wrong way, but…”  I’m also guessing you know what follows the “but”: an awkward cliché or unflattering feedback, perhaps even a downright insulting or blatantly bigoted or sexist statement. Common examples include:  “you talk too loud,”  “people think you’re aggressive,” “you’re so articulate and competent” or “you’re overly emotional.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way” is a poisonous preamble that should be eliminated from interpersonal communication, especially in the workplace. Here’s why:

  • This phrase signals that the speaker knows what follows is inappropriate, perhaps offensive. It’s a gesture designed – intentionally or not – to give the speaker carte blanche to say inappropriate or offensive words.
  • This phrase places all responsibility for the speaker’s impact on the receiver. Speakers exempt themselves from all accountability for what they say.
  • This phrase is an exercise in coercive “power over.” Would you tell your boss, a respected elder, or other authority figure “don’t take this the wrong way, but…”? I doubt it.
  • There is no such thing as “the wrong way.” The receiver is going to take the speaker’s words the way they take it. No one has the right to legislate or dictate someone else’s feelings or reactions. What the speaker really means is, “don’t take this in a way that I don’t mean, or that makes me look like a bad person.” However, it’s the speaker’s responsibility to communicate in a way that aligns with their meaning and come across like a good person, not the receiver’s.

“Don’t take this the wrong way” can be used consciously to manipulate others and inappropriately leverage power, but it’s most often used unconsciously by well-intended people to communicate a sensitive idea or to deliver uncomfortable feedback. This is especially likely in conversations across differences like race, gender, sexual orientation and social class. But rather than softening an uncomfortable message, “don’t take this the wrong way” actually communicates disrespect, impedes dialogue and erodes trust.

If the intent is to soften difficult communication, provide context, and come across as a good person, try these approaches instead:

Own and express your own anxiety: “It’s uncomfortable for me to say this out loud, and I’m not sure how it’s going to come across to you.” Then say the rest without saying “but” first.

  • Example: It’s uncomfortable for me to say this out loud, and I’m not sure how it’s going to come across to you. I’ve heard from some of our customers that they see you as aggressive. I’d like to give you some specific examples, then problem solve together.

Take responsibility for your words: “I want to give you some feedback to help you succeed.” [Insert uncomfortable words]. “I realize that may come across as [acknowledge potential negative impact on the receiver].” Express next steps.

  • Example: I want to give you some feedback to help you succeed. I’m hearing from customers that you’re being aggressive with them. I realize that feedback may come across as insulting, especially coming from your male boss. I’d like to give you some specific examples, then problem solve together.

Frame what you’re going to say, using your knowledge about diversity and intercultural communication. “I understand that [insert knowledge or stereotype here].” Don’t say “but”. “My intention is to [be transparent about your goal for the communication].”

  • Example: I understand that there’s a stereotype about women being seen as “aggressive” when they’re confident go-getters. My intention is to give you some specific feedback about how our customers experience you this way, then problem solve together to get better results.

Silence. If you know a certain idea, stereotype or cliché can be triggering, potentially insulting, or inappropriate, don’t say it at all. This includes during casual, informal office conversation.

  • Example: Don’t take this the wrong way, Silvia, but you are so loud and aggressive for a woman! Say nothing instead.

Intent does not equal impact. Having good intentions isn’t enough to be effective and produce excellence, even as a leader. It requires awareness, knowledge and skills like these to communicate effectively across differences and have the positive impact that matches your intent.

Susana Rinderle is president of Susana Rinderle Consulting LLC. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com.

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A Transgender Transition in the Workplace

While legal campaigns targeting the rights of LGBT people seem to be mushrooming across the country, a growing number of employers are leading the way in supporting the rights of transgender people in the workplace.

From Target Corp.’s recent announcement about allowing transgender employees and customers to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity to companies like Facebook Inc., Kroger Co. and Visa Inc. offering coverage for gender reassignment surgery, more employers are looking for ways to attract and retain lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers. Offering comprehensive insurance coverage of procedures and therapies related to sex reassignment is one way of doing that.

The number of major U.S. companies surveyed by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation offering transgender-inclusive health care coverage has spiked from 49 in 2009 to 511 in 2016, according to the organization’s annual Corporate Equality Index.

Beck Bailey
Beck Bailey

But what may seem like a dramatic shift is the result of a long and concerted effort by activists and large employers to make the workplace more welcoming to LGBT workers, according to Beck Bailey, deputy director of employee engagement at the Washington, D.C.-based foundation.

“There is a new public awareness of transgender folks with Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner, but corporate America has been committed to and leading in the area of basic nondiscrimination protections for gender identity for 15 years,” he said.

The HRC index rates companies based on their LGBT anti-discrimination policies and practices, whether they offer health coverage for transgender individuals and domestic partner benefits, and other measures.

Despite a wave of anti-gay backlash sparked in part by last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality, LGBT advocates at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center found widespread support for their push to offer transgender inclusive health benefits. In January, Rush became the first hospital in Illinois to do so, covering mental health counseling, hormone therapy, surgery and all other treatments related to gender transitions. Last year, the city of Chicago began offering similar coverage.

“The winds were definitely in our favor,” said Christopher Nolan, manager of community benefit and population health and chair of Rush’s LGBTQ health committee. “The director of benefits was working with us and our general counsel is a sponsor, so we had legal in our corner as well. You need a champion to do something like this, and we had lots of support.”

Hospital administrators believe the decision will benefit not only employees, but also the hospital and patients as well, according to Drew Elizabeth McCormick, Rush’s associate general counsel.

Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan

“We want to be a desirable place for people to work, and by being more diverse and inclusive, we’re better able to relate to and provide services to all sorts of patients,” she said. “The cost is so minimal and the cultural value of offering these benefits is so high that we felt very comfortable making this decision.”

HRC’s Bailey said that offering these benefits has little effect on overall employee health care costs because the number of transgender people in the workforce in so small.

“By all accounts, this is a rare condition, and everyone’s journey is different,” he said. “Not all transgender people use the medical treatments available to them, so the utilization rate is quite low.”

While employers have been supportive, getting insurance companies to offer coverage to transgender people was an uphill battle, according to Bailey. Today, denying coverage to people who identify as transgender is illegal under federal law.

“Historically, when we look at transgender inclusive health care, the insurance industry has had broad blanket control,” he said. “In some cases, the exclusions were so broadly stated that we would find a transgender woman seeking treatment for migraines having coverage denied because it was deemed related to her transexualism.”

The Affordable Care Act, which was passed in 2010, prohibits insurers and providers from discriminating against patients because of their gender identity.

Currently, 14 states and the District of Columbia have issued similar policies aimed at private insurers, according to Anand Kalra, health program manager at the Transgender Law Center in Oakland, California.

“This is an important time for people in HR to pay attention to these things and to make sure that they have fair and equal treatment when it comes to company health care policies,” he said. “People may not be aware that what’s in their insurance contract is unlawful. It’s important for HR to understand what constitutes discrimination.”

Rita Pyrillis is a writer based in the Chicago area. Comment below or email editors@workforce.com. Follow Workforce on Twitter at @workforcenews.

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Business Case for Diversity, My Foot

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I’m feeling a little mean today. I’m facing some sweeping tech system changes at work, which always puts me in a bad mood. So I thought I’d take this time to kvetch about something that just gets on my nerves. I’m talking eye rolling, lip smacking, facial expressions — the works.

What is it that creates such a strong, negative reaction you ask? It’s when someone asks for the business case for diversity.

I usually think, really? Then I think, are you kidding? Would you like to clarify that question, maybe be more specific if you need hard data with which to persuade the budget keepers to fund a new program or initiative? That I get. But if someone asks that question expecting someone else to explain to them why an organization or a leader should care about diversity, I say, poo.

Let me repeat that — poo.

If you’re a business professional — especially at a more senior level — working in almost any capacity in the global or even local marketplace, diversity is all around you, and it should be apparent why it’s important. That is essentially what people are saying when they ask, “What is the business case for diversity?” They’re asking, why is this important? Why does this deserve my time and attention? Why should I care to take action?

These are valid questions — if it was 1960 or even 1970 or 1980. But today? When changes in global demographics are obvious in the workplace and everywhere, when trends in buying power and discretionary spending center firmly on minority groups, when the most promising talent pools to combat skills and other shortages are also targeting minorities, those questions aren’t valid; they’re long overdue.

If a senior leader asks their chief diversity officer for the business case for diversity, I would heartily encourage that CDO to look for a new gig. I’m sorry. But any business leader worth their salt should know almost instinctively why diversity is important — if they have both eyes open, are willing to embrace change and to do what is necessary to build a culture that encourages innovation and growth, and sustain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

It’s one thing to have questions about inclusion; that’s procedural, process-oriented. It requires changes in systems and infrastructure that take time, thought and concentrated, consistent effort to build and sustain. But to question the actual value of diversity — which is what the business case is — that’s unacceptable.

To make such a query smacks of heads in the sand, and a willful, almost criminal dismissal or ignorance of changing realities in the marketplace. That question should be a historical footnote at this point in the game. It should be a part of the foundation you started building some time ago. We should all be figuring out the nitty gritty behind strategic diversity and inclusion management in recruiting, retention, development, rewards and recognition, and performance management, among other things.

I’m sorry, leaders. Unless you come from a monolithic society where everyone buying, selling and working looks exactly the same, if you’re asking your diversity executive for the business case for diversity, you’re out of order.

It would be like me asking our copy editor why do we have to deal with changes in AP Style? Language, like the marketplace, like the workforce, evolves. You either move along with the changes happening around you, or they move along without you. Diversity and inclusion is such a change. At this point, you can’t get on board. The train left the station awhile ago. Just be ready and willing to jump on the next one.

Kellye Whitney is Workforce’s associate editorial director. Comment below, or email editors@workforce.com.

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Should White People Do Diversity Work?

WF_WebSite_BlogHeaders-12As a multilingual, culturally and racially ambiguous woman who’s been doing some form of diversity work for almost 25 years, I occasionally find myself having awkward conversations with potential clients about my identity. These conversations involve questions like, “Are you diverse?” or “Wait, you’re white?” or statements like “Thank you, but we’re looking for a ‘diverse’ person.” Given the growing attention that race is getting in the broader media, it’s time to frankly discuss an underlying question that often plagues the diversity and inclusion field: Should white people do diversity work?

I say yes. Here’s why:

  • When only people of color do diversity work, this gives the false impression that diversity is only about, and for, people of color.D&I is about, and for, everyone, without exception. Multiple studies have shown that diversity, plus inclusiveness, is essential to excellence, innovation and high performance — including one demonstrating that the mere presence of people of color improves group results.
  • White people are the ones that most need diversity work, and we tend to most trust and believe other white people.Whites are still the numerical majority in the U.S., and we’re the disproportionate majority holding power positions in government, business, education, health care and media. We are the ones that need to change the way we do things, and because humans evolved over millennia to function in small groups of similar people, our brains — like it or not — lend more credibility to people who look like us.

Beyond the question of whether white people should do diversity work is an even more provocative question — can we? I’ve heard about, and witnessed, situations where diversity work conducted by white people went wrong in ways that were ineffective at best, and horribly damaging at worst. To this question, I say it depends on the following:

  • What brings the white person to diversity work?For people of color, diversity work is usually intensely personal. If a white person comes to D&I with a purely intellectual mindset or a goal to change or help someone else, they might miss the mark. If they jumped on the bandwagon a couple years ago when unconscious bias training became chic, they might not have the commitment or broad knowledge necessary to be effective. Like many white allies, I come to the work from a decades-long commitment to dismantling racism because of painful childhood incidents I both experienced and witnessed. While my pain doesn’t equal that of a person of color’s daily experience, and I acknowledge I have the white privilege of walking away any time I want, I’m dedicated to doing my part to prevent more people from having their humanity denied and gifts crushed just because of the bodies they inhabit.
  • How much does the white person know, own and use their various identities?Every human being has multiple identities that situate them both inside, and outside, power structures. Straight black men face racism, but enjoy male and heteronormative privilege. I enjoy white privilege, but have faced sexism and classism. Some of my white colleagues face homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia or ableism. White people doing effective diversity work own, check and use their white privilege for positive change. They step into and out of their various identities to connect with diverse people, or to make powerful points during effective diversity training.
  • How much personal work has the white person done?The most effective D&I professionals of any race or ethnicity do ongoing personal work. They build awareness of their biases and privilege and actively mitigate their harmful effects. They strive to know their personal and cultural history, strengths and weaknesses. They constantly seek and incorporate feedback, even if they don’t like how it’s offered. They build their emotional resilience, emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills. They strive to be in integrity with the work, even when they’re not working. They are curious, good humored and nimble with people. They take care of themselves and have healthy boundaries. This is a tall order for anyone, but especially for white people because doing personal work also requires unlearning what we’ve been taught: that we know everything, that we have a right to always speak and take up space, and that others must cater to our feelings. White people doing effective D&I work aren’t perfect, but embody the changes most want to see in our workforce and leadership.
  • What will best meet the needs or goals of your organization or team? I speak Spanish better than most U.S.-born Latinos and pass for Hispanic all the time. I’ve lived, worked and traveled extensively abroad, including in developing nations. I’ve experienced many challenges because of my nondominant identities, many of which are invisible. I can present D&I concepts in an engaging way that creates lasting breakthroughs. Yet, none of that matters if what will best serve an organization is a person with a brown or black face, or the lived experience of a person of color in the U.S. Part of being a white person doing diversity work is to acknowledge that much of the time, no matter what qualifications or street cred we bring, we’re not always the right person for the job, and we’re not entitled to dominate the D&I field. If indeed we’re here to co-create a world that works for everyone, the least we can do when we hear “no” is to move on and be grateful yet another person of color is hearing “yes.”