For far too long, our society’s homogeneous leadership structures have hampered creativity and fostered a lack of sympathy and understanding for people who don’t conform to the norm.
Our failure to broaden the face of leadership has only served to hold us back as a society since diversity is the driver for creativity. Although there is a misconception that DEI projects primarily assist minority groups, the truth is that when we embrace inclusiveness, we all stand to profit.
PROGRESS IS PREVENTED BY CODDING LEADERS
When challenged to explore the privileges that leaders hold or when they are confronted with racial or racist concerns, some of the strongest barriers to diversity and inclusion policies are defensiveness, rage, and animosity. These responses merely serve to maintain the status quo and slow down development.
Many companies continue to cuddle white male leaders while pleading for change because they don’t want to risk hurting their egos. But doing so just serves to continue the privilege loop and the sense of overconfidence that have brought us to this point.
We need to first address the concerns of people who have benefited from this current system in order to move toward a more inclusive future.
We must push past our discomfort, engage in uncomfortable dialogues, and make room for new, diverse voices to be heard. Then, and only then, can we hope to nominate, select, and advance more women and minority leaders who will more accurately represent the variety of our society.
DIVERSE LEADERSHIP IS PRIORITIZED OVER INFLAMED EGOS
Will a diversity emphasis remove some seats from cis white males? Because we place a high value on inclusive recruiting and promotion policies, more seats do not suddenly arise. However, this does not imply that anyone is being adversely affected. Though seats won’t emerge by magic, room can be created if we grow strategically. Because of the rising demand for services and products, managing a workplace where everyone can thrive requires more personnel as well as more leaders.
Prioritizing diverse leadership doesn’t mean that white cis men are being devalued; rather, it means that the notion of leadership should be broadened to include individuals who have been historically underrepresented. It’s about providing opportunities for everyone so that we can all gain from the distinctive viewpoints and experiences that various voices have to offer.
Initiatives related to DEI are not one-sided. By making our organisations more inclusive and representative of the people they serve, we can all benefit.
We simply cannot continue to favour overrepresented groups at the expense of advancement. Inequality has established an innate expectation. That causes equity to seem unjust to people who have always had the edge. And we need to be honest about it. Without emulating the very thing we’re attempting to move away from. We must disrupt, evolve, and innovate the current condition of leadership.
COMPETENCE IS REWARDED MORE THAN CONFIDENCE
Although diversity and inclusion were popular buzzwords. The emphasis is already waning. Even though it seems like every big institution has joined the movement over the last two years. White cis males are still disproportionately represented in leadership roles at organisations that claim to embrace DEI. The workforce’s concern of homogeneous leadership teams is fueling the Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting.
We claim to employ the most qualified candidate. Instead, people frequently choose confidence above skill. Even when they lack the substance to support it, people who exude comfort and authority are valued by us.
Of course, societal prejudices colour this perception. Simply said, because we typically see white men in leadership positions. We think that they must, at least in part, be the most qualified. White men are trained to think that they are the logical leaders of our society, which only magnifies their attitudes.
By changing our focus in this way, we give a larger spectrum of people the chance to assume leadership roles. We also create the conditions for more innovative thinking. They are as people who have historically been underrepresented frequently have new viewpoints that can benefit an organization’s bottom line.
To overcome the difficulties of the future. We need new perspectives in a world that is becoming more complex and multidimensional. We won’t be able to think strategically. That is if we stick with the same values and practises that have worked in the past. Instead, we’ll keep getting the same results.
