Strengthen your company's diversity and inclusion efforts with intentional internal communications

Kim ClarkJuly 30, 2019

We’ll never knowhow good the game can be until everyone can play.

“Diversity is being invited to the party.

Inclusion is being asked to dance.”

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Another version:Diversity is a fact.

Inclusion is the act.

(DIBs)

DiversityInclusionBelonging

Diversity is everything that makes you unique

Inclusion isinvited fairly and respectfully

Belonging is“I am authentic, I matter, and I am essential to my team”

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Belonging is the inevitable conga line; now it’s a party!

Good forBusiness▪ Reflects our customer

base, better customer experience

▪ Ushers in innovation leading to better products and services

▪ Attract, retain, advance talent

Good forBusiness

14 countries96-98% of companies 1,000+ employees

have D&I programs

¾ of underrepresented groups do not feel personal benefit

HBR.org“Survey: What Diversity and Inclusion Policies Do Employees Actually Want?”

Despite obvious upsides, current efforts are mostly failing

Common mistake #1: Lack of intent in D&I strategy

Action: Take your D&I strategy as seriously as any other

transformation strategy

Common mistake #2: Meaningless metrics

Action: It takes everybody

Common mistake #3: Focusing on diversity, neglecting inclusion, ignoring belonging

Action: Intentionally design communications for inclusion and

belonging

We have a HUGE role in diversity, inclusion, and belonging. People need to be

seen, heard, and valued.

Relationships are based in communications.

What are we doing as powerful communicators to make

everyone feel included on Day 1 to Day 1,000?

Help HR

“People are opting out of vital conversations about diversity and inclusion because they fear looking wrong, saying something wrong, or being wrong.

Choosing our own comfort over hard conversations is the epitome of privilege, and it corrodes trust and moves us away from meaningful and lasting change.

Leaders must care & connect.”

-- Brene Brown Author, Dare to Lead

Help leaders

Are you ready?

2020 US presidential election

If Charlottesville happened now

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=290135678246933

Speed of Trust Stephen M. R. Covey

1. Talk straight2. Demonstrate respect3. Create transparency4. Right wrongs8. Confront reality9. Clarify expectations11. Listen first12. Keep commitments

8 of 13 relate to communication

Psychological SafetyMore risk-taking and learning

Less fear of criticism for mistakes

More likely to “show” themselves; be real

Acknowledge and encourage vulnerability

Show strength in difficult times

Source: Yale School of Management

“If you’re not leading a diverse life, you cannot lead a diverse team or organization.”

HELP TEAMS DESIGN FOR BELONGING

Agenda and invitation for

introverts. Intro why each person

is there.

Take ideas seriously.

Recognize ideas that get

implemented.

Equal seating. Credit

where due.

Never interrupt.

Go around the table/Zoom

room.

Ground rules. Active listening.

Be clear and concise.

Allow room for dialogue

but not polarization.

Design communications for belonging.

● Get aware and honest of your own bias

● Language, tone, personality, empathy, reflect the desired culture

● Use what you have in your control such as the intranet, employee stories, etc. D

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“Language is the medium through which attitudes and behavior are influenced.”

Help yourself

Language has power

Words can hurt,or they can heal.

How we use language can unite, or divide.

Each choice can be to dismantle or retain status quo.

We must communicate a culture

that embraces both inherent and acquired

diversity to foster inclusion and

belonging.

Start with a deliberate intent

(vision) of an authentic and truly

human environment.

Intercultural Competence

An ability to understand diverse human normsand the willingness to build a desired associationwith individuals from dissimilar cultural backgrounds.

Doris Liu @NYU

Employees who plank

together…

Help employees

Employee Activism

“The Employee & Customer Call for True #Pride from Companies “

TrustBuilt in small, meaningful moments.

Find the momentsand do somethingwith them.(and measure)

Belonging in all ways, always.

Speak the visionconstantly.

Be vigilant.

THANK YOU!Stay in touch

linkedin.com/in/producerkimclarktwitter: @KimClark1

Extra

The 4 Pillars of Integrity:

HENDRICKS INSTITUTE

▪ Agreements

▪ Authentic speaking and resonant

listening

▪ Emotional literacy

▪ Healthy response-ibility

Communication Strategies with Integrity

Here are things your company can do to create a more inclusive workplace and, therefore, a more appealing place to work• Appropriately Connect with Employees• Interact with Different People• Create Employee Resource Groups• Place Importance on Inclusion• Hold Better Meetings• Invest in Diversity Training

Forbes: Three things that all employees care about to love their job• Balance• Learning• Mission

HBR: Four levers that drive inclusion• Inclusive leaders. • Authenticity.• Networking and visibility.• Clear career paths.

Picking new combinations of people for companywide initiatives instead of selecting the same cohorts of people again and again, brainstorm meetings with people from all levels of the company, etc.

Flip the term to I&D on purpose because they believe that by being more inclusive they will get more diversity of opinions, ideas and ultimately people.

African American Resource GroupAsian Employee Resource GroupChristian Employee Resource GroupDisabilities Resource GroupGay, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, (LGBT) Employees and Their Allies Resource GroupLatino/Hispanic Resource GroupMuslim Employee Resource GroupNational Black MBANational Society Of Hispanic EngineersSociety Of Women EngineersVeterans Employee Resource GroupWomen’s Network Resource GroupYoung Professionals Group

EmployeeResourceGroups

Thomson Reuters: 2018 list of the Top 100 Most Diverse and Inclusive Organizations Globally.

We are on a journey that

starts with transparency

and continues with action

and dialogue. We invite

you to come along.”

“

— Salesforce

Search and explore the Salesforce Ohana Culture and Values

41

“Neurodiversity, work and me”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nae_pWStWzw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvb49-Csq1o

“A Million Data

Points”

Splunk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79Adg-nVsdw