How to respond to the backlash over diversity work
Use empathy to help bring along the people who feel excluded from your DEI efforts, says Deborah L. Johnson.
Resistance to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts shouldn’t come as a surprise, says Deborah L. Johnson, a corporate diversity trainer for 40 years.
“There’s been a lot of stuff crammed down people’s throats, without them having a chance to really be heard,” says Johnson, whose clients have included AT&T and Apple.
Over dinner recently, I had a long conversation with Johnson, my DEI teacher and mentor since 2004. Here’s an edited version of our discussion on what some see as a DEI backlash:
Kim Clark: There’s a lot of people talking about the DEI backlash right now, and the main question I hear is: What is going on?
Deborah Johnson: Well, to be honest with you, I’m surprised at people’s surprise. Whenever you change the status quo, there’s a backlash. There’s always a perception that someone else’s progress is at my expense.
Clark: Do we forget that progress doesn’t follow a straight line?
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