Como você pode promover uma cultura de inclusão em sua organização?

Most individuals on a team simply want the opportunity to voice their opinion and to be truly heard. That is one prime way people feel included. Larger than that, an organization needs to be brutally honest about how decision-making happens. Is it a top down approach or is it a truly collaborative conversation where multiple inputs are included?

Higher education is known for being progressive, which can sometimes threaten leaders taking a hard look on areas of improvement. In order to prevent this, it is important to ensure that the committee or group that will be leading DEI initiatives are representative of the population, and that there is a significant amount of psychological safety among the team. This can sometimes benefit from external assistance (like a consultant) or by ensuring that experiences and what is shared can remain confidential.

DEI programming must serve two purposes. It must be immediately beneficial for the population that exists at the college/university, as well as the aspirational goals that you will set for the continued progression of the culture and for future students (and alumni). The most important thing to remember is that these goals will need to be different, as they will serve two different purposes, and therefore you will need to measure their success differently.

Setting clear goals is enhanced through a proactive "Listen and Respond" approach. Actively seeking feedback from campus experiences demonstrates a commitment to diverse perspectives. This feedback is invaluable for identifying challenges, recognizing areas for improvement, and acknowledging unique needs. It fosters inclusivity, signaling openness to diverse voices. Using this feedback for continuous improvements aligns organizational objectives with community experiences. The iterative process ensures the institution evolves in response to changing needs, reinforcing trust and engagement. "Listen and Respond" becomes a dynamic commitment, contributing to a more inclusive environment and facilitating the achievement of DEI goals.

Like with anything else, the investment you make in DEI work demonstrates your seriousness about the outcomes. If you simply encourage your team to do some free online trainings, you are not committed. If you connect DEI work to your very mission and vision, and lead (or bring skilled people in to lead) dialogs, workshops, retreats, etc., you will reinforce that DEI is a priority and will permanently influence the way you work.

Higher Education is replete with symbolic traditions. These traditions, though important, often do not feel inclusive, or can be steeped in dominant cultural traditions. For HEIs to be more inclusive, there needs to be space for new traditions as well. This is especially effective if these traditions become campus-wide and supported as central to the student/faculty/staff experience.

Establish anonymous channels for employees to provide feedback on diversity and inclusion initiatives. This can help uncover issues that individuals may be hesitant to address openly. Evaluate and adjust performance metrics to account for diversity and inclusion efforts. Consider including diversity and inclusion goals in key performance indicators (KPIs) for leadership and teams. Encourage employees to participate in volunteer initiatives that support diverse and underprivileged communities.