Hi folks,
It’s been a confronting and heartbreaking week, witnessing so many of the long-fought for gains in diversity, equity and inclusion written off with the stroke of a pen. For many of us, this has been to work of a lifetime and its shocking to see how quickly it can be reversed.
It’s been a terrifying and painful week for so many people. Millions who know what it is to be vulnerable and exposed, are again being traumatised, by what is (and they fear may be) coming their way.
John Stuart Mills said: “Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. Mills goes on to say. “He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.”
So what can we do folks? What is the wisest course of action? .. the path that is likely to have most impact? ….the actions you can take within your own circle of influence and control?
While many companies including Amazon, McDonalds and Walmart have used the presidential edict to back away from DEI obligations, others are showing their genuine commitment and an understanding that DEI is not just ethical, but makes good business sense. Costco, Apple and newer companies such as E.l.f. cosmetics are acting internally and standing up to defend DEI. Their consumer base is responding with growing loyalty.
The Global Coaching Institute has explored issues of equity and inclusion, alongside power dynamics since our inception over a decade ago. Our graduates to coach with a systemic understanding of the diversity within our life experiences. We educate coaches about the dynamics of marginalisation. They intimately appreciate how experiences of ‘othering’ shapes our beliefs about entitlement, capability, safety and therefore risk taking.
And perhaps just as importantly, our graduates are skilled in working with high rank and the blindspots it creates. We partner non-judgementally with clients who feel they’re experiencing ‘reverse racism’ or ‘sexism’; people who feel their lifestyle and in some cases values are under threat. In these times, perhaps this will prove one of the most important facets of our work.
In these times, our capacity to enter into these sensitive discussions with business leaders and influencers, HR practitioners, people managers and ordinary everyday folk who ‘feel it’, is crucial. As you know, it takes skill to navigate this territory – raising awareness and promoting change, while assessing and managing the risks of social backlash.
In many ways, the DEI community is now in a position where our effectiveness in educating people, in raising awareness, is being put to it’s ultimate test. The presidential mandate shifts official policy – and aggressively so. It models division and the targeting of others. However to the extent that awareness has been genuinely raised, that hearts have been touched by all of those courageous discussions and forums we’ve held, we have a solid platform to work with.
It is our responsibility now to lean into that. We can’t do it in a way that will polarise. We have to be more skilful than that.
So once the shock has settled we need to take stock of the situation, reclaim our power, our learnings and our skills.
As John Stuart Mill highlighted 160 years ago, we can’t afford to slide into complacency and defeat. We need to think and talk about what’s happening and our role as a counterbalance. We need to lean into community and our power. If you feel nervous, perhaps gaining more skills or confidence in your skills is needed, but don’t collapse in defeat.
Please reach out to us if you’d us to offer a webinar on Coaching Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. We’re not presuming what you need right now, please step forward and tell us.
Feel free to join our FREE Discover Process-oriented Coaching webinar next week.
The world needs all of us, more than ever.
With love
Rho
