If you care about diversity, equity and inclusion in your workplace, but don’t know what you can do about it, consider becoming an ally. That’s the topic we explored in our workshop, “Allyship is the New Leadership,” at the 2022 IABC World Conference in New York City this week. Allyship involves becoming aware of social injustice, learning more about other people’s lived experiences, and taking action – using your privilege and power to benefit others. Allyship is a personal choice. We believe that the more allies in an organization, the more likely DEI principles and practices will be woven into the fabric of your company’s culture.

2020 was a turning point for many organisations. Society demanded that more investment in and accountability around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) became a top priority for organisations – on the whole we have seen a positive response, with organisations moving from simply ticking a box and empty gestures to action-focused and authentic DEI practices. Whilst more and more organisations are making commitments and participating in DEI discourse, there is so much more that needs to change.  

Imagine you’ve been invited to a party. No one talks to you, you don’t get asked to dance and you find out you were only invited to fill out numbers. This is a far too common experience for diverse talent.

Fuelled by a series of events over the last two years , employees have taken a stand. They have pushed away from the comfort of their desk chairs, sighed a long breath of relief, exclaimed ‘FINALLY’, and spoken up against discriminating organisational cultures.

‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ is an adage that resonates with me on a personal level. As a visual learner, and someone who is dyslexic and dyspraxic, I navigate many things through imagery and visuals. Photography plays an important role in how we perceive the world around us. The media has used photography to influence and portray what is considered ‘normal’, defining what representation should be. On the whole, we see visually appealing, white, (binary) gendered people, but is this really representing the world we live and work in? For me, this is where many campaigns and brand identities fall short – the ‘thousand words’ their photography screams are that of tokenism and misrepresentation. Their choice of photography often feels like a tick-box exercise.

Whilst it’s true that we hear about diversity, equity and inclusion often, do organisations really understand what these terms mean? These words are often interchangeable with many different variations. That’s fine, but only if organisations can clearly express what each term means to them with clear communicated definitions. It’s great to start off with the fundamental meaning of each term but they need to be explored further with leadership teams and employees to make them unique to their organisation.

Have you ever attended a party but wondered whether you may have been invited by accident? Have you had that uncomfortable feeling in your stomach – the one where there’s an urge inside you to proudly show up as the diverse and confusing individual that you are, but you don’t know how that fits within a culture where the norm is to ‘be the same’? 

DEI isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; it’s personal to you and your organization.

I recently watched writer Jodi-Ann Burey deliver a TED Talk that addressed what she calls the “myth of bringing your full, authentic self to work”. One of her points was that it’s much easier to be who you are when who you are is all around you. If you’re the first, the only, or the different, it’s simply too risky. So, you wear a costume and are not yourself – authentic or not.

There is an unforgettable moment when head knowledge becomes heart knowledge. You can’t predict when it will happen or what will trigger it. For me, it was in 2018, standing in the basement of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, staring at a painstakingly embroidered pillowcase given by a mom to her nine-year-old daughter when the child was sold into slavery.