What we call DEI needs a postmortem... ...and then it needs a premortem
Several years ago, a popular influencer commented on one of my LinkedIn articles, calling it "problematic." I don't remember what I wrote–it doesn't matter. What matters is that my antennae went up like a dog curiously tilts its head.
If you're familiar with the notion of problematics, you know they were used heavily by those in the social justice and anti-racism space to pick fights.
I wasn't interested in a fight with this influencer. Honestly, I was scared! (Black Twitter had already gotten to me I wasn’t ready to deal with more of that). I was just starting my business, and I did not need a wildly popular influencer telling me (and their humongous network) how wrong I was based on their ideological view (likely to be shared by many of her followers because she said it). So I said, "You're right."
Why tell this story? Because it exemplifies everything that has gone wrong with DEI. The unwillingness to engage in real dialogue. The fear of challenging dominant narratives. The quick resort to ideological condemnation rather than substantive discussion.
DEI as I knew it died years ago. I didn't need tech bros or countless jumpers on the anti-DEI bandwagon to shout "DEI must DIE" from their digital (and perhaps literal) penthouses. As it has been framed, especially since 2020, it's dead to me. However, understanding why requires both a postmortem and a premortem.
The Postmortem: Understanding What Killed DEI
I am the son of a mortician. My family still owns a mortuary run by my 83-year-old mother who took the reigns after my father transitioned.
I learned early (well before my public health career) in listening to my father that few people die of one thing. One cause might be listed on a death certificate for categorization, but the factors that led to a person's transition are, by and large, multiple. The same is true for DEI.
There's a mindset amongst some people who have become known voices in DEI that one is right simply because they hold a particular standpoint or ideological position. This leads to the idea that if you do anything that challenges their position, "you're wrong, and I have grounds to tell you how wrong you are to everyone reachable" via their social media channels—often attacking your identity or your lack of understanding of theirs.
This "seek and destroy any contradictions to my beliefs" approach has done more than mere damage – it's created a significant amount of ill will amongst those who have felt the wrath of the identitarian stakes in the ground. Even those who spoke up in good faith have been shamed to such an extent that it cost them dearly. One man even took his own life following a bullying incident during an anti-racism training that roiled the Toronto School Board in 2021.
Are you optimistic about the future of DEI efforts?
Don’t Leave (Real) Equity Behind
Equity reigns as the ultimate target for those opposed to DEI. But here's what my background in public health as an epidemiologist taught me: when you put a categorically descriptive word in front of equity—like gender equity or racial equity—you actually leave equity behind.
In public health, we approached health equity through social determinants: economic stability, education access, healthcare quality, neighborhood environment, and social context. This comprehensive view showed that equity isn't about cherry-picking the group identity with the most compelling victim narrative. It's about understanding and improving the entire ecosystem in which people operate–with and for the people.
Many DEI practitioners in the U.S. were miffed by the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) work to distance itself from the contemporary notions of equity. Still, SHRM did not distance itself from inclusion and diversity. These elements are inevitable. Human communities, especially companies, cannot function without including different perspectives, professions, and positions.
SHRM likely believed that people’s interpretation of equity meant equality of outcomes for specific groups. (This is an erroneous notion, even with the most noble intentions.)
If SHRM had interpreted equity similarly to what I learned in public health, I think the puff of smoke lashing out by some DEI professionals wouldn’t have been necessary because real equity wouldn’t have been left behind.
The Premortem: Preventing Future DEI Mortality
A premortem involves thinking about all the things that could leave us in a place we don't want to be. I'm not naturally inclined toward this – I tend to focus on creating something affirmative and appreciative for the future. However, in this case, our past provides crucial insight into what might happen if we continue down similar paths.
Some influential individuals believe that companies don't need to create conditions for people to thrive (i.e., how I define inclusion). Their attitude is essentially: We can do whatever we want; if others can't adapt or aren't part of the in-group, just let them be. But what are the consequences of such beliefs? What does it mean for talent acquisition and retention? What does it mean for people's willingness to contribute their highest level of effort to the organization? What does it mean for society?
Any organization moving toward "dismantling of DEI" needs to think through these questions carefully. The marketplace may require a response, but a premortem must explore the potential risk of taking the path of getting rid of DEI without replacing it with an evolved framework that creates the best conditions for people to do their best work:
1. How will you establish meaningful measures to demonstrate people's growth and development?
2. What's your standard rubric to assess whether your organizational systems are designed to meet the unique needs of your people?
3. Where are your clear risk mitigation strategies, particularly in developing internal communication approaches? (e.g., If you start encountering rampant incivility, will it be tolerated in the name of “free speech” even if it brings distraction and legal risks?)
Moving Forward: Good Faith Action
For those continuing in good faith to create approaches to inclusion that are accessible, actionable, and sustainable, conduct your premortem as well. Don't do it just once. Engage in pre-mortems regularly. Make changes, evolve, and allow your approaches to transform.
When you do this work correctly, it becomes a part of who you are and "the way things are done around here" (i.e., your culture).
If you want to delve deeper into this conversation, join us for our upcoming Emerging Inclusion Framework gratis virtual event. We invite everyone, naysayers and champions of diversity and inclusion alike, to come, engage, and learn with us.
Long Live Inclusion!
I hope this was helpful. . . Make it a great day! ✌🏿
https://open.substack.com/pub/tempo/p/enter-divers-spirits