The old work phrase goes: “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Play does not need to be sand houses or creating LEGO bricks from the Eiffel Tower. Sometimes, it could just be acknowledging that we all have forms of bias, and not being too judgemental of ourselves and others when we err.
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DEI is serious, non-relenting work. The activities involved in trying to create a deep impactful change in a society where what you’re fighting against is deeply rooted – not just in the modus operandi of most institutions, but also in people’s psychology – DEI isn’t child’s play.
Understanding the impact of your actions (or lack of) has the potential to always keep you on your toes, ready to be an activist for the very next situation where DEI's core principles have been violated. There’s that chance you could become quite sensitive to issues that question the motive behind your actions and activities even if you expect your intention to be obvious.
It is because of this “tension” that a form of play is advised. An outlet of sorts that lets you breathe and take short but refreshing breaks to refocus your DEI efforts and strategize towards lasting change. A DEI consultant can deliver solutions that reduce the burden and allows you to prime your efforts for organizational success. We could choose to be too serious or we could choose to make DEI work.
What Does a DEI Consultant Do?
How do you know you need a DEI consultant in your organization, and what would him/her help you achieve?
It is possible that you have pushed efforts towards making your company more accommodating for diversity and equity but do not seem to see any clear gains. Your periodic diversity training has yielded very limited results in creating an inclusive company culture. And you’re possibly losing money due to a lack of employee retention or the presence of structural racism continues to limit your progress.
A DEI consultant has exceptional knowledge and experience to assess your organizations’ current DEI situation and propose a long-term plan that provides specific solutions for your needs. You will also get handed action plans that can deliver the results your organization needs faster and more sustainably. Fortunately, a DEI advisor is not influenced by your current organizations’ culture and views everything with a fresh eye.
How Daphne Engages DEI Efforts
Daphne Magna is a DEI consultant that approaches DEI with a play-to-win mindset. DEI as we know it is at its infancy, and much of what we know are the results of experiments in multicultural environments. Daphne understands that and founded Tough Convos to specifically address how to build inclusive cultures.
Tough Convos is founded upon essential values that have proven to make DEI efforts work. Building your DEI strategy on a foundation of values such as the equality of cultures, the value of diversity of thought and experience, and suspending judgement until having a tough conversation, help organizations produce positive results on their DEI journey. Knowing we all have biases deeply rooted in our psyche, and how our personal stories can impact how we view the world, her tough convos methodology encourage leaders and employees to become better at managing sensitive issues and leaning into difficult conversations.
Her culture building approach is supported by the latest research in cultural neuroscience and increasing one's cultural intelligence is central to creating thriving environments in organizations that were previously supersensitive to the issues of DEI. When you can minimize the over-sensitivity that exists in a diverse yet not inclusive workforce, you allow for an engaged and focused workforce that naturally contribute to a productive and inclusive environment.
She understands how critical DEI actions can be to your company’s progress, retention of top talent, and achievement of employer of choice status. During her DEI wellness check, your company values are considered, your uniqueness understood, and your positive culture preserved. Her objective is to change the structures and mindsets keeping your efforts from converting, by focusing solely on the necessary steps required to achieve an inclusive culture.
What are your Company Values?
Inclusive cultures have specific characteristics, and your company values directly influence those. Your values give you a direction. They tell you what holds more weight in your interactions and across your company policies and processes. Your DEI efforts should fully showcase your company values. The more precise they are the better.
To compete in this world of exceptional talent and innovation you need to get the best out of your employees and create an environment where they can thrive. Working with an experienced DEI consultant like Daphne Magna delivers that opportunity on a silver platter.
It may be challenging to determine where to start and what to focus on, so if this too is a tough decision, a DEI consultant is a great solution. Find out how Tough Convos can help your organization ensure its DEI work is producing results. Book a call with us and let's explore the possibilities.
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