Advisors, Authors R-Z, Inclusion

12 Major Myths of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) – by Mauricio Velásquez

What Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Is Not

Having worked in the field nearly 33 years now and as President, CEO, of DTG fornearly 30 years, I have confronted these myths over and over and I am constantlydebunking them. I often distribute this document prior to a diversity and inclusion-related conversation, forum or training to undo the bias about an upcoming workshop onbias (what I call bias squared).

Myth 1: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is a problem. No, it is an opportunity.You can’t understand and take advantage of something you don’t know you don’t know(something you don’t understand). Your diversity strategy and plan is an opportunity todifferentiate your organization from your competition – don’t blow it. You often hear“we are in a war for talent” and being an organization that values diversity and is inclusive is an organization that is a “good place to work” for all talent and you will be winners of this war.

Myth 2: DEI is our Human Resource Department’s responsibility. No, it is myresponsibility. Too many people tell me “that’s not my problem; our personnel peoplehave to handle the diversity issues.” Wrong. We all (leaders, managers, supervisors andemployees) play a significant role. We all have a “shared responsibility” to respect, value, and leverage the diversity of our talented staff and include all of them.

Myth 3: DEI is just about race and gender. No, it is much broader than that. I usedto be called a “Cultural Diversity Trainer” and then I was a Diversity Trainer and now theconversation is moving to “being more inclusive and belongingness.” Like any field, the conversation, “diversity work” is evolving and advancing.

Myth 4: DEI is just about minorities and women in the workplace. No, DEI is aboutyour internal (employees) and external (prospective clients) customers. Understandingthe diversity in your employee and customer ranks and anticipating their needs can makeor break your organization (most likely break if you subscribe to this myth). Diversitymarketing – marketing to new, increasingly diverse “emerging markets” is a growingfield.

Myth 5: Diversity is about exclusivity. No, it is about inclusivity. In other words,diversity is about all of us. If you feel diversity is about attacking the white male, you aremistaken, and the class you went through was poorly facilitated. DEI is not about getting“them” into your corporate culture (assimilation). DEI is about creating a culture whereeveryone (each individual) can thrive and contribute to your organization(integration/multiculturalism) and servie your increasingly diverse customers.

Myth 6: DEI is about lowering standards. Be very careful with this notion. Manypeople I have worked with having taken great offense to this perception. My clients arenot lowering standards but widening the net and often raising standards or rewritingthem completely.

Myth 7: DEI is just another fad. If you think it is, good luck. I have heard people saythis for 30 years now. Look at your workforce and client marketplace today and compareit with five and ten years ago and try to look five and ten years into the future. Do thesame analyses for your customer base. Have you seen the demographic projections forthe future? It will blow your socks off! Census 2020 data is very revealing, surprising, itappears the United States, our workforce, our marketplace is even more diverse now thananyone predicted in the years leading up to last census. Projects for Census 2030 will blow you away.

Myth 8: DEI is another version of Equal Employment Opportunity / AffirmativeAction. No, it is very different from EEO/AA. Diversity concerns all of your employeesand your customers and is all-inclusive. Minorities and women are context for EEO/AA:Major differences between EEO/AA and Diversity are:• EEO/AA is government-initiated while DEI is voluntary and company-driven.• EEO/AA is also legally-driven while DEI is productivity-driven. EEO/AA isquantitative and DEI is qualitative.• EEO/AA is problem focused whereas DEI focuses on opportunities.• EEO/AA assumes assimilation among its participants but DEI assumes inclusionand integration.• EEO/AA has a strictly internal focus whereas DEI focuses on internal(employees) and external (customer/client) issues.• EEO/AA is reactive but DEI is proactive.Some of the most recent and persistent myths I keep debunking.

Myth 9: DEI is counterproductive and lowers standards. No, it is about raisingstandards, widening the sourcing net and often re-evaluating standards and makingsure standards are being applied fairly, equally, and consistently. There is where thedreaded concept of “fit” comes into play. In groups, dominant groups often “applystandards unfairly.” Cronyism –“oh I like this person” is more important than –“canthey do the job, are they qualified, credentialed?” Someone from the out-group, sub-ordinate group, makes a mistake and they are terminated. Someone from the in-groupmakes a similar mistake and they are given a second or third chance. This is the “whoyou know” dynamic that is more valued than what you know (not be the case).

Myth 10: DEI prioritizes identify over merit. Merit does not stand alone. Were allthe candidates for a particular job opening given ample opportunity, mentored, givencomparable access to developmental opportunities. Identity is important, perspective,upbringing, what background, what experience does a particular identity bring to theorganization, to decision making that we did not possess before. Who or what is not hereat the table that needs to be here when making key decisions? What perspective, whatunderstanding of our increasingly diverse customer base is lacking, missing?

Myth 11: DEI brands people. DEI programs label people. Either change thelanguage or redefine what a DEI hire means. A DEI hire is a “vetted hire” wheremerit, experience, and background were taken into consideration and the “best person,most talented professional got the job. Consider the flip side – cronyism – unqualifiedhire was hired because who they know and they fail miserably – this is a non-DEI hirewhere qualifications, credentials and background were not taken into consideration.

Myth 12: DEI is a trend that has outlived its time. Any organization that believesthis is ignoring the emerging demographics of their employees and customers.Demographics are our Destiny and just because you ignore emerging and potential DEIissues in your workforce and customer base does not mean they go away. As I often say“DEI is to Capitalism as Oxygen is to Breathing.”- MV

Well, there you have it – a whole lot to consider. The DEI journey is long and thedestination is not a place your organization will get to in the short term. Remember, youneed people, passion, purpose, and a plan – what we call at DTG the 4 Ps. You have tohave the best people, the best minds, and the best talent from all diverse backgrounds.You have to have a real passion for what products or services your organization offers tothe marketplace. You have to have a purpose (a mission) and a plan to achieve yourpurpose – your DEI I strategy and plan will do just that.Last thought – DEI is about creating and nurturing a healthy, safe, trusting workplaceculture where all employees thrive and succeed. Where the tide rises and all the boatsfloat up. Biases (conscious and unconscious) must not be allowed to interfere with yourever developing workplace culture.

Mauricio Velásquez
Latest posts by Mauricio Velásquez (see all)