Introduction

Don’t Waste Your White Girl 101

The Beginning of the Story

Becky: I’ll never get that nurse manager’s position. I don’t have a chance. Somebody told me I need a bachelor’s degree.

Joann: I told you to apply and see what happens.

Becky: Getting a degree is out. You know that, with the kids and all.

Joann: You’re not listening.

Becky: Yes, I am. I put in the application, but Karen said I don’t have the degree or enough experience. The interview’s next week.

Joann: Forget Karen. You’ve got this. Don’t waste your White girl.

Becky: Stop saying that.

Joann: Put your hair up. Wear that pencil skirt you wore for the conference. Add pearls, and then talk like you know what you want.

Becky: You mean talk like I know what I’m doing.

Joann: We both know you don’t know what you’re doing.

Becky: Ha, ha, very funny.

Joann: Say things with confidence, and don’t forget the pencil skirt.

* * *

By the end of this book, you may have a better appreciation for why I thought my friend Becky (obviously not her real name) could get a job for which she lacked both education and experience and why she seemingly had no idea this possibility existed. In the organization where we were employed, the prerequisites for promotion were look-alike, like-minded, culture-fit, identical life experience, and other homogeneous characteristics and attributes. Those who met the requirements of “sameness” were set to advance. Since all leadership and most management positions were held by Whites, diverse candidates did not fit the mold and had little advantage. I came to think of the privileges and opportunities afforded to employees who met the prescribed standard as “currency” because these employees were literally given opportunities to increase learning, position, salary, and so on. This scenario is clearly inequitable and unfair to certain employees. Additionally, it seeds unseen detrimental effects in the overall organization. Unfortunately, recognizing the myriad organizational, human capital, and financial risks associated with inequitable practices in the workplace often remains elusive for leaders who are not keenly aware of both historical and present pitfalls.

That said, do you want your organization to be in the black? This expression was first coined by accountants who recorded positive earnings in black ink and negative debts in red. While the information given in this book may lead to additional earnings and expanded market share, the net gain is more than the sum of the bottom line. In this instance, “in the black” reaches beyond mere financial earnings into gains in human capital return on investment, work process evolution, and innovative problem solving—the new black.

Most leaders have taken the first steps to make cultural change simply because it is the right thing to do. This is admirable. However, research supports that most organization’s equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives are dead in the water before they start because of the narrow focus on minority representation. Building a diverse workforce is without a doubt a smart move, but forward-thinking leaders learn to look beyond numbers to tap into the wealth of knowledge and transformative gains diverse teams can offer.

Even if you find that inequitable practices like the first scenario would never occur at your institution and your current EDI efforts are moving in the right direction, a humble inquiry into the history and present trajectory of workplace EDI can assist with benchmarking your success or curtailing failure. Using this book to update or augment future monitoring and EDI risk assessment for your organization would be equally valuable.

How do leaders create a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization and ultimately ensure that every employee thrives and gives their best? This is a conversation I have had with many executives. Some secured my services after flurries of employment practice liability claims. Many others brought me on as an organizational culture consultant. In all cases, I could have used a book like this to steer leaders away from quick fixes to recoup finances and regain reputation to a long-term model of change that encourages and values diverse people and ideals.

And just to get this out of the way, this is not a book about racial harmony. Although I wish that was something that could be written about, read, and then immediately actualized, I am not that naïve. The journey to equality will take at least as long as the one to inequality, and we will all have to put in the effort to move forward. With this in mind, some of the information in this book may be hard to read or accept as truth, but I can assure you that it is based on well-researched and lived experiences, and you will be glad you had an opportunity to examine it and, hopefully, put some of the recommendations into practice. While I am speaking from a Black perspective, the general concepts presented here can spark action to address concerns and embrace the benefits of diversities of all types, seeing the value of unique skill sets and cultural offerings for your teams and the organization at large.

The Introduction discusses intent and defines the frame of reference. I put this information in the front so readers can quickly ascertain what can be gained by reading and delving further.

Chapter One discusses the basics of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the work environment and gives leaders the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about organizational commitment and practice.

Chapter Two defines White currency and details the associated inequities. As with each section of the book, I’ll discuss both barriers and possible solutions. Again, this is an interesting read even if you decide not to continue with the exercise.

Chapter Three introduces the term social real estate and addresses the relationship between employee inclusion, belonging, and turnover.

Chapter Four clearly explains how to get your equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts past policy and into the everyday workflow, using traditional or appreciative inquiry change models.

Chapter Five shows leaders how to anchor their equity and diversity efforts into the culture, using a prescribed methodology.

Chapter Six gets to the bottom line. This is a great chapter to go to if you want an expanded view of how equity, diversity, and inclusion done right can lead to global gains for your organization. This is an entirely new and improved take on your EDI efforts.

Chapter Seven debunks diversity myths and takes a deep dive into successful strategies for attracting, hiring, and retaining diverse teams. Do not skip this one if you want an EDI risk management template to mitigate the top human resource oversights.

Chapter Eight discusses aspects of illegal or inequitable employment practices that can ruin your good name and rack up costs in legal battles.

Chapter Nine details what leaders can do to increase minority employee engagement and retention.

Chapter Ten helps leaders choose metrics that will best assure they effectively monitor organizational progress related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Chapter Eleven frankly discusses dealing with resistance to change and the path forward. You may want to begin here if you want to get a feel for possible barriers to the success of an equity and diversity initiative.

Chapter Twelve is the Bonus section. It gives tips for conducting surveys on employee engagement, culture, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. It also includes example survey questions and commonsense tips for utilizing quantitative data and qualitative feedback.

The Conclusion tells the end of the story from the Introduction and discusses two strategies—beginner’s mind and humble inquiry—for leaders to courageously move forward with equity, diversity, and inclusion change efforts.

The References and Resources section gives you all the re­searched information from the chapters and lists helpful resources.

Additionally, throughout the book, my EDI Diary Entries shed a personal light on the inequitable practices I have witnessed during my professional development in several industries and workplaces. Often, I had no idea what to say or do. It’s an honest and sometimes embarrassing view of me, but I wanted to share it, hoping my lived experiences might help us all strive to do better.

Finally, I realize that many of us have little time to devote to a lengthy reading assignment. Consequently, I purposely structured the book to be read in any order, depending on where leaders believe there is a need.

Again, this is a candid discussion of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace as it relates to the formation of diverse teams. Hiring candidates of various cultures and backgrounds is only the start of the journey. If leaders fail to create an environment of belonging and inclusion, their hires will leave, and the vision of having diverse teams will fail repeatedly. It takes a workplace with fertile ground for EDI growth and...