“DEI” has transcended its status as a business buzzword to become a strategic imperative. However, achieving a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive culture is a complex challenge that requires not only passive support, but also active engagement.
Companies around the world have recognized that promoting gender equality involves empowering women while enlisting men as vocal advocates and champions of change. Below, 15 Forbes Coaches Council members share strategies that help to break down barriers while building bridges toward a more equitable and inclusive future for all.
1. Counter Cultural Tolerance Of Disrespect
Use experiential messaging that reflects back to all employees what respect looks, sounds and feels like. This requires leadership to talk the talk and walk the walk in a very definitive manner. It demands deliberate buy-in and demonstrative thought leadership. The message is clear, courageous and contagious: “Disrespect is unwelcome here.” – Elaine Rosenblum, J.D., ProForm U®
2. Implement Ideas That Build Visibility And Connection
Any creative idea to build visibility and connection can help—implementing “skip-level” mentoring for women on work and non-work related topics, for example. Being mentored by senior leaders, C-suite leaders or leaders who are several “levels” ahead of your role can bring added value. I experienced it myself, and it helped me to gain the courage to aim higher and build connections I wouldn’t have been able to build otherwise. – Adriana Kosovska, Zero To Dream Job
3. Equip Senior Male Leaders To Champion DEI
Organizations need to build internal DEI advocates by actively engaging senior male leaders in discussions about gender equity and inclusion. Through this process, they will understand women’s challenges and become better equipped to champion needed organizational change. By focusing on how DEI benefits their culture and organization, they will continue to stay motivated and supportive. – Izabela Lundberg, Legacy Leaders Institute
4. Get Everyone Involved In Co-Creating Solutions
In most DEI conversations, it’s a scenario where there are only women or only men involved in the conversation. To get the best ideas and create champions of change, include people in the dialogue about getting creative and developing lasting solutions. We need both genders involved in the work of closing the gender gap, as co-creating together will bring lasting change. – Sohee Jun, S.J. Consulting, LLC
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5. Have Male Champions Of Gender Equality Mentor Women
One creative idea is to implement a mentorship program where women are paired with male mentors who champion gender equality. This allows women to gain support and guidance while also educating men on the importance of DEI. By fostering these relationships, both women and men can work together to close the gender gap and create a more inclusive workplace. – Carrie Anne Yu, Conscious Ignite
6. Ensure Equal Representation On Company Boards
Immediately ensure women and men are represented equally on company boards. One board seat should be reserved for someone with a primary focus on talent retention and DEI. Leadership and change start at the top, and messages of equity need to be integrated into your board composition and how it does its work. – Antonia Bowring, ABstrategies LLC
7. Create An Inclusive Leadership Training Program
Why stick to old gender norms when we can be inclusive? Create an inclusive leadership training program centered on vital skills. Train all genders, stressing workplace inclusivity and equity and fostering diverse allies for inclusion. This approach not only empowers women, but also creates allies dedicated to championing diversity and inclusion for everyone. – Morgan Massie, Leadership and Training Concierge
8. Create Intentional Mixed-Gender Teams
Women in leadership roles are ready to leave their organizations for a variety of reasons: 1. Advancing is too tricky; 2. they are overworked and underpaid; and 3. they are demanding more flexible environments to thrive in life while wearing all the different hats women typically wear. Creating intentional mixed-gender teams to strategically address these three areas is a key step in closing the gender gap. – Mari Carmen Pizarro, Whole Leadership Systems, Inc
9. Celebrate The Accomplishments Of A Colleague’s Career
Many women don’t have opportunities to showcase their contributions. Providing a chance for women to share their achievements and what they have learned from them—with men in attendance, learning—would be unusual. Honoring and uplifting women’s accomplishments with acknowledgment and appreciation from the leaders in the firm would go a long way! – Jessica Hartung, Treelight Leadership
10. Ask People What They Want And Need
It’s fascinating to watch companies try to “‘solve” empowerment and DEI issues by hiring experts, researching best practices and implementing different strategies. The reality is that you have all the knowledge, creativity and actual experience you need within your own system. Engage people at all levels and really listen to what they want and need. – Saba Hasanie, OSC Leadership Performance
11. Spend Time Listening To The Experiences Of Women
Spend more time hearing the stories of the professional experiences of women in the workplace. As someone who is married to a professional, I would not have otherwise learned about many of the insights and experiences that have been relayed to me. We need to spend time listening to the experiences of others, in absolutely safe spaces, and taking those experiences at face value. – MK Palmore, Apogee Global RMS
12. Create Competition Through Sponsorship
Encourage men in your company to sponsor a woman or a colleague from another disenfranchised group. Have these men compete to promote that person’s growth and opportunities, to identify and speak to that colleague’s strengths and to build their sponsee’s recognition as a high-potential member of the business while advocating for their salary and title to match their contributions. – Candice Gottlieb-Clark, Dynamic Team Solutions
13. Allow Men To Opt In To Be Mentored By Women
Start a program in the company where men can sign up to be mentored by women. Additionally, if you have managers with coaching skills, set up a “peer coaching” program with women as the coaches, working with men who sign up to be coached. Make sure all of these are opt-in programs. – Wendy Hanson, BetterManager
14. Focus On Complementing, Not Outsmarting, Each Other
There is no shortcut to building DEI advocacy. Companies that invest in creating a DEI culture can help close the gender gap by promoting women for their expertise and by creating a meaningful context in which they can grow and show their expertise and authority. Designing strategic projects where success is not about outsmarting each other, but rather about complementing each other, as they work to achieve stretch goals can help. – Albana Vrioni, Vrioni Consulting
15. See If Your ‘High-Potential’ Criteria May Limit Diversity
If your pipeline isn’t diverse, ask yourself why that is. Then, ask yourself how past and present criteria used to identify high potentials may be to blame. Also, seriously reflect on whether there are credentials that might qualify employees to step into leadership roles. If you do this, you won’t only be correcting systemic problems, but may also be able to advance employees who would otherwise be overlooked. – Carol Geffner, CB Vision LLC.
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