AlignOrg Principals Reed Deshler and Ken Thompson recently published a series of guest articles on designing your organization to support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.   Summaries and links to articles are below.

Busting the Myth of the Unfixable Corporate Culture

In the first of a series of articles on designing your organization to support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, author and AlignOrg Solutions' Principal Reed Deshler combats the idea that corporate culture is impossible to improve. While leaders can’t dictate how a culture evolves, they can influence its development by making decisions and displaying behaviors that align with organizational values. This is especially critical as leaders strive to implement DEI initiatives that will have lasting impact. By carefully considering the cultural implications of decisions, modeling desired behaviors, holding people accountable to cultural expectations and proactively addressing differences across groups, leaders can make permanent, positive changes within the organization.  Read more.

How To Avoid Sabotaging Your Diversity Initiatives

Metrics aren’t just for sales goals. Without a method in place to measure diversity initiatives, it’s difficult to know if you’re making headway.

In this article, author and AlignOrg Solutions’ Principal Reed Deshler explores ways that an organization can measure progress on its DEI efforts. Metrics that track numbers and percentages are important, but they don’t tell the full story. Leaders must also put into place methods of tracking less-formal insights and employee sentiment.  Read more.

Creating An Inclusive Culture in a Global Organization

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to DEI, especially where global organizations are concerned. Leaders looking to create diversity, equity and inclusion in the United States or Europe will have a very different set of challenges and need to take a different approach than a leader in Japan or the Middle East.

In this article, author and AlignOrg Solutions’ Principal Reed Deshler recommends leaders take a broader view of the challenge, examining the culture the organization operates within and looking for ways to foster equity in that environment.  Read more.

Why Your DEI Initiatives Aren't Working

Have you tried to embed diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives into your organization, only to find that your efforts don’t lead to lasting results? If so, you’re not alone. According to an HBR report, many U.S. companies saw little to no improvement in key DEI metrics over a nearly 30 year span.

In his debut Fast Company article, Ken Thompson explores common stumbling blocks that can prevent an organization from seeing DEI success. By countering those stumbling blocks with proven building blocks like using metrics to measure progress, making data-driven hiring decisions and using creative hiring tactics to recruit diverse candidates, you can make diversity, equity and inclusion an integral part of your organization’s culture.  Read more.

Five Leadership Mistakes That Can Sink Your Diversity Initiative

Why do some DEI efforts lead to real change, while others die on the vine? The answer often lies in the level of leadership commitment. When leaders are passionate about increasing diversity and improving equity and inclusion, employees pay attention. Likewise, leaders who are unengaged or who can’t communicate the need for DEI growth in a genuine way may sabotage the whole endeavor.

In this article for Forbes, AlignOrg Solutions' Principal Reed Deshler lists five key leadership mistakes that undermine diversity programs and explores ways leaders can sidestep these mistakes to lead their organization on to positive change. Read the full article to learn how you can increase the odds of a successful DEI effort by ensuring that leadership actions align with your desired goals.  Read more.