Embracing E.M.E.R.G.E.N.T. Inclusion™: A More Accessible, Actionable, and Aligned Approach to DEI
Embracing E.M.E.R.G.E.N.T. Inclusion™: A More Accessible, Actionable, and Aligned Approach to DEI
Inclusion should make space for everyone.
In pursuing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), many organizations go to great lengths to ensure historically marginalized employees feel valued—using hashtags, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and other initiatives aimed at specific identity groups. However, focusing on specific groups misses the essence of inclusion and undermines its success.
Valuing historically excluded groups is crucial, but concentrating DEI efforts only on single identities is short-sighted. Until inclusion is for everyone, we cannot achieve the sustainable impact we need.
Narrowing inclusion to single-identity belonging (whether Black, LGBTQIA+, Latino, neurodivergent, differently abled, etc.) often backfires. This approach can leave some people feeling excluded, even if they don’t belong to historically underrepresented groups.
Here are three powerful insights to consider:
Blaming the “In” Group Perpetuates Division
In Reconstructing Inclusion, I shared, "If the objective is to create an organization whose people thrive through inclusive actions, there needs to be a movement away from any form of “us vs. them” binaries. They are contrary to all the foundational elements of an Inclusion System, starting with the first one discussing inclusion being accessible to everyone in an organization. It is critical that we are intentional and unambiguously prioritize creating solidarity across humankind, investing in organizational efforts toward care/community, openness, safety, and trust, or your organizational efforts will never be sustainable."
Centering inclusion on historically left-out groups inadvertently blames those traditionally part of the “in” crowd. This dynamic maintains the Us vs. Them mindset but in reverse. To build a thriving culture, organizations must pursue wholeness. It’s not about us and them—it’s about “we,” united by our shared humanity.
Divisive efforts that target any group perpetuate the ‘othering’ that has long hurt marginalized groups. By thinking ‘we,’ we can maintain our individual identities while choosing humanity.
Reconstructing DEI to make it more Accessible, Actionable, and Sustainable
Recognize Privilege to Create Inclusive Conditions
In another passage from my book: “When your experience has been considered normative, privilege can be unknowingly and strikingly blinding. There is no excuse, but there is space for advancing the conversation on how to be accountable sustainably.”
Most professionals who would read a publication like this one, have some degree of privilege. I may lack racial privilege but benefit from being male, heterosexual, upper-middle class, and American-born. Examining our own privileges helps us create favorable conditions for everyone.
When we reflect on our own and others’ privileges—not to find fault, but to understand distinctions—we can take actions that elevate everyone together.
Embrace and Navigate Social Tensions
On tension from Reconstructing Inclusion: "Societal tension is reality. Most democracies were formed through tensions and have evolved as a result. Even in societies where democracy is not prevailing, tensions are central to growing societies. They play a critical role in how decisions that impact citizens or subjects are made and enacted. From this, we can conclude that tension exists in any system where difference exists. It’s inevitable, and if one considers its function (think— what forces keep a bridge from collapsing?), we can at least know that it is necessary even when it is uncomfortable. When purposefully managed, tensions, contradictions, and paradoxes serve as springboards as we adapt to the complexities behind them."
Inclusion for all won’t eliminate tensions between groups, but that’s not necessarily a problem. Tensions exist in any system with differences and similarities, and this discomfort is crucial for growth. The challenge lies in navigating these tensions effectively.
Inclusion should make space for everyone.
It won’t end all conflicts but it is the entry point for the belonging we all crave. Our individual identities are facets of the humanity that unites us.
If practiced over time and made normative as a set of capabilities, inclusion can help all employees recognize their interdependence with colleagues at all levels in the organizational ecosystem. When inclusion wins, everyone wins.
I hope this was helpful. . . Make it a great day! ✌🏿
In this episode of the ‘Reconstructing Inclusion’ podcast, I am joined by Laura Smith, a celebrated organizational researcher and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategist. Laura shares her journey from Detroit to Europe, her encounters with distinct cultures, and the notion of work in different countries. She highlights the significance of DEI in startup and scale-up companies, discussing a data-driven approach to understanding employee safety, company culture, and readiness to respond.