Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is more than a construct—it's a catalyst for organizational and social change. Despite the progression of this concept, it's now often considered DEIB, adding the significant element of 'Belonging.'
The 'B' in DEIB signifies 'Belonging,' a notion representing more than individuals' personal feelings of fitting in or having a place in an organization. It's about ensuring that an organization's history of policy and practice doesn't bar diverse voices or deter equality in the face of disparities. The peace of belonging should never be misconstrued as a mere individual's sense of connection; rather, it should focus on combating institutional complicity that often perpetuates microaggressions, making workplaces hostile for some individuals.
However, the problem doesn't end here. A widespread issue with these initiatives is the risk of becoming buzzwords or one-off 'pet projects'. They may never impact change or revolutionize policies as intended and remain confined to individuals' realms instead. This is where the emphasis should shift to institutional accountability, transforming these issues from an "opportunity to speak up" at a personal level to an "organizational imperative and key strategy for implementation."
Expounding further, the IDEA construct takes DEIB a step further. Dr. Michael A. Wright suggests the 'A' can stand for Access, paving the way for a more socially just and action-oriented approach. It also is more institutional-responsibility-through-policy-and-practice oriented than the alternative, Anti-Racism, approach. Rather than only calling out the injustices of actors and policing these actors, institutional policy can organize the work environment to remove the types of gatekeeping that result in certain people being left out. Like open meeting laws for example, messages may be required to be posted to the shared server rather than emailed to a list. This removes the ability to “accidently” leave someone off the list.
Penny Analogy
Incorporating Access into this framework actively opposes institutional oppression that often obstructs individuals from insider knowledge and successful career progression. Access doesn't merely involve disseminating information; it involves empowering individuals to discern opportunities, akin to helping people distinguish valuable pennies discarded on the ground.
People don't always pick up pennies they see lying on the ground. Equity and Access is like informing all people about the opportunities of pennies and their value. Some may not pick up the pennies not realizing that they are valuable. Others may pick up all the pennies and be overwhelmed. But equity and access enable an individual to identify valuable pennies versus those with little value.
In practice, this looks like picking and choosing professional relationships including mentors, attending certain social events, and engaging in specific extra-curricular projects knowing the value of participation while maintaining work-life balance. Institutions don't always provide guidance on the intangible, social, and affinity-based advancement opportunities within their organizations. These are functions a Chief Cultural Officer (Masiero, 2020) would manage and implement in ongoing training and policy innovation that promoted openness and accessibility.
My sense of belonging isn’t the reason I don’t pick up the pennies. No one has taught me that some pennies are worth thousands of dollars. This is not a call to pick up every penny, but a call to be intentional knowing that some pennies are important. It should not be my responsibility within an organization to make pennies more transparent or to search out pennies when I don’t even have the conception that some are more important than others. Belonging makes it my responsibility or at least asks me to account for my reflections on the pennies. Access makes it the responsibility of the organization to rank order the pennies based on several clarified goals I may choose from. The intervention should not be asking people or training people to belong. It should be providing and ensuring greater access to the knowledge that others take for granted. A topic for another time is recognizing that everyone or race-based hiring will not necessarily result in a professional that recognizes what access is missing because they may have grown up within the same groupthink that the institution follows.
The Crucial Role of the Chief Cultural Officer in Implementing IDEA
The Chief Cultural Officer (CCO) is a transformative role proposed by Masiero (2020), the founder of Renaissance Evolution—a foundation dedicated to bridging cultural divides and enhancing organizations. In his book, "Chief Cultural Officer: 8 Pillars Toward Sustained Global Influence," Masiero identifies the essential characteristics and functions of a successful CCO. The CCO's responsibility is to navigate the cultural sphere of an establishment, fostering an environment that celebrates diversity, ensures equity, fosters inclusion, and promotes unfettered access to organizational culture, advancement, and innovation.
Considering the shift from DEIB to IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and access), the role of the CCO assumes even more significance. The 'A' in IDEA represents 'Access,' exploring a deeper, socially just approach in creating an equitable, inclusive space for all workforce members (Wright, 2021). By focusing on access, the IDEA construct aims to dismantle the 'insider knowledge' barrier that often propels career success and ensure equal opportunities for everyone.
In real-world applications, the CCO oversees strategic planning around workplace culture, ensuring that professional relationships, socio-cultural events, work-life balance, and affinity-based opportunities are equitably accessible within the organization. The guidance offered by the CCO helps dismantle traditional barriers to advancement, fostering a sense of belonging for all employees.
Under the supervision of a Chief Cultural Officer, organizations can transition from merely disseminating information about opportunities to empowering individuals to discern their value. This encompasses the holistic development of the work environment, enabling everyone to freely choose their paths, fueling greater productivity, innovation, and employee satisfaction.
In conclusion, the Chief Cultural Officer plays a pivotal role in ushering in vital cultural change within organizations, adopting a comprehensive approach to the IDEA construct. By doing so, they can drastically improve workforce dynamics and productivity while ensuring the ongoing promotion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
References
Masiero, R. (n.d.). Roberto Masiero | Renaissance Evolution | Chief Cultural Officer. Retrieved from https://www.robertomasiero.com/
Masiero, R. (Chief Cultural Officer: 8 Pillars Toward Sustained Global Influence). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/books/edition/Chief_Cultural_Officer/3auVzQEACAAJ?hl=en
Wright, M.A. (2021). A Critical Analysis of CSWE Competency 3 (ADEI). MAWMedia Group, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.mawmedia.com/a-critical-analysis-of-cswe-competency-3-adei/
