{"id":6552,"date":"2022-07-01T11:59:37","date_gmt":"2022-07-01T15:59:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/?p=6552"},"modified":"2023-12-11T15:14:54","modified_gmt":"2023-12-11T20:14:54","slug":"maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/","title":{"rendered":"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><button id=\"listenButton1\" class=\"responsivevoice-button\" type=\"button\" value=\"Play\" title=\"ResponsiveVoice Tap to Start\/Stop Speech\"><span>&#128266; Listen to this article<\/span><\/button>\n        <script>\n            listenButton1.onclick = function(){\n                if(responsiveVoice.isPlaying()){\n                    responsiveVoice.cancel();\n                }else{\n                    responsiveVoice.speak(\"In many organizations, the conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) center around values and morals. In these conversations, an organization\u2019s DEI strategy and initiatives demonstrate what the company and its leaders believe in. In other words, in many organizations, DEI is simply the right thing to do. But, while few would argue against the moral imperative, some employees might struggle to accept why DEI is important for business.\u00a0 Why do they have to sit through multiple training sessions? Why change how hiring and recruiting are done? Why fix what\u2019s not broken? And what is the point of all this incessant talk about diversity?\u00a0 Questions and attitudes like these miss the real, concrete value of DEI strategy and of diverse teams in particular. DEI as a business growth strategy fosters a better, more inclusive work environment for all employees to do great work. DEI today has very little in common with the old-school diversity training of the 1980s and \u201990s. Today, DEI is a method for reaching organization-wide goals.\u00a0 DEI practices also increase representation in company leadership, promote more equitable business practices, and result in highly qualified, high-performing teams. In fact, research shows that diverse teams drive stronger financial performance and are better at making decisions. They\u2019re more resilient, creative, and proactive about solving problems.\u00a0 Diversity of thought, and innovation in action Sheri Schwab, Vice Provost at N.C. State University\u2019s Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity, witnesses the benefits of having a diverse team daily. Diversity of thought is \u201cincorporated in everything that we do, all of the decisions of our leadership teams, and how we develop programs to deliver across the N.C. State campus,\u201d she says. For example, Schwab\u2019s team came up with an innovative solution to a frustrating bottleneck a few years ago. The effort, led by Stephanie Helms Pickett, Associate Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence and Strategic Practice, aimed to redesign the entry-level diversity and inclusion educational program for employees. \u201cWe were running this program that was labor intensive, and because of that, it was also people intensive. We could only get 40 or 50 people through it at a time, and we had a huge waiting list,\u201d Schwab says. \u201cWe needed to think about this differently. Under Stephanie\\'s leadership, we were able to come in and revamp it in a way that now we\\'re able to move a lot of people through.\u201d Pickett and her team thoughtfully examined the learning material and created virtual modules for some sections. They didn\u2019t move it completely online, because the team saw the social benefits that learners gained from moving through the course as a group. Each cohort was launched with an in-person kickoff, and afterward, participants could move through the content at their own pace. But thanks to the team-building launch, learners were comfortable collaborating with the rest of their peers.\u00a0 \u201cThey added another element to help people, called the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI),\u201d Schwab says. \u201cWhen the people first come in, they get an assessment to see where they are on openness to multiculturalism, as kind of the basic framework. That way, when people move through the rest of the program, they know what they need to work on. So, it helps them map out their next best steps; how do they grow in this content area?\u201d\u00a0 The result is a more tailored experience for participants, as they can map their own personal learning journey, and they are able to study at their own speed. The new format is more inclusive of different learning styles, and it\u2019s much more efficient. \u201cStephanie and her team added some cool new pieces to it, made it asynchronous, and gave people a roadmap of what to do next to move along the continuum. We\\'re now able to open it up more,\u201d Schwab says. \u201cIn the last year and a half, we\\'ve moved about 2,300 people through it.\u201d The value of diverse decision-making This is only one example of the way diverse teams drive innovation and make better decisions with reduced risk. But why is that so? According to various studies, diverse teams are better in key ways. Diverse teams are better at finding, recalling, and focusing on the facts. When it comes to making a decision, diverse teams are more likely to rely on objective data, rather than emotion or bias. This tendency is in contrast to more homogenous groups, who often slip into \u201cgroupthink\u201d and amplify each other\u2019s emotional responses. Diverse teams are also more likely to catch errors and correct them. Diverse teams are forced to consider multiple perspectives, leading to more well-rounded decisions. Whereas homogenous teams often have one shared perspective on any given decision, diverse teams are far more likely to invite multiple, differing perspectives into the room. Having a variety of viewpoints enables companies to consider decisions from many possible angles, including potential downsides and alternatives, which encourages more robust and balanced decision making. Diverse teams are more innovative, which means they come up with fresh solutions to old problems. Building a team with just one kind of person discourages innovative thinking, because there\u2019s often no one there to challenge the majority opinion. In comparison, teams made up of different genders, races, and backgrounds are better at challenging one another and pushing each other to do better. This leads to stronger, more innovative decisions. Increasing diversity in all of its dimensions (cultural, physical, experiential, and more) creates better decision-making through different perspectives, ideas, and proposals of employees. Facilitating opportunities for diverse team members to enter the decision-making process is a crucial step toward a smarter, more innovative organization. Diversity on teams equals higher profits In addition to making better decisions, diverse teams contribute to stronger revenue, profitability, and overall financial performance at their organizations. Researchers have identified a few factors to explain this impact. Diverse teams are better at connecting with key stakeholders like investors, customers, and clients. It\u2019s difficult to engage stakeholders if your workforce doesn\u2019t include people who can relate to them. Diverse teams are better able to understand the unique wants, needs, and pain points of a particular audience, which creates more opportunities for engagement and connection. Additionally, investors and consumers increasingly focus on organizational diversity when making business decisions. Organizational diversity attracts top talent. At this moment, companies are in a fierce competition to attract professional talent. Diverse organizations have a major advantage over homogenous firms when it comes to recruiting diverse talent. Job candidates want to see themselves represented in your organization at all levels, including the C-suite. More so each year, diversity attracts investment. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is now a crucial factor in many investors\u2019 strategies. As audiences grow more diverse, forward-thinking investors want to work with organizations who prioritize diversity in the workplace. Businesses who actively promote diversity as part of their culture benefit from a larger pool of investment opportunities. These are just a few of the reasons why diverse teams make better decisions and drive demonstrable results at their organizations.\u00a0 Robust, organization-wide DEI initiatives and inclusive hiring practices, in particular, will increase diversity at your company, foster more innovation, support its financial success, and help position it to become an industry leader. To learn more about building a diverse talent pipeline, visit thediversitymovement.com\/talent-management. With an academic background in literature and linguistics, Roxanne Bellamy, CDE, loves exploring the intersection between the words we choose and the way we see the world. She is co-author of The Inclusive Language Handbook: A Guide to Better Communication and Transformational Leadership.\", \"US English Male\");\n                }\n            };\n        <\/script>\n     <\/br><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In many organizations, the conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) center around values and morals. In these conversations, an organization\u2019s DEI strategy and initiatives demonstrate what the company and its leaders believe in. In other words, in many organizations, DEI is simply the right thing to do. But, while few would argue against the moral imperative, some employees might struggle to accept why DEI is important <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for business<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why do they have to sit through multiple training sessions? Why change how hiring and recruiting are done? Why fix what\u2019s not broken? And what is the point of all this incessant talk about diversity?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Questions and attitudes like these miss the real, concrete value of DEI strategy and of diverse teams in particular. DEI as a business growth strategy fosters a better, more inclusive work environment for all employees to do great work. DEI today has very little in common with the old-school diversity training of the 1980s and \u201990s. Today, DEI is a method for reaching organization-wide goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DEI practices also increase representation in company leadership, promote more equitable business practices, and result in highly qualified, high-performing teams. In fact, research shows that diverse teams drive <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/featured-insights\/diversity-and-inclusion\/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stronger financial performance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/eriklarson\/2017\/09\/21\/new-research-diversity-inclusion-better-decision-making-at-work\/?sh=44314d6c4cbf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">better at making decisions.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They\u2019re more resilient, creative, and proactive about solving problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Diversity of thought, and innovation in action<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6553\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6553\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6553 size-thumbnail lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/SheriSchwab2018-e1656690428231-150x150.png\" alt=\"Headshot of Sheri\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/SheriSchwab2018-e1656690428231-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/SheriSchwab2018-e1656690428231-100x100.png 100w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6553\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sheri Schwab<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sheri-schwab-09191a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sheri Schwab,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Vice Provost at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/diversity.ncsu.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">N.C. State University\u2019s Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, witnesses the benefits of having a diverse team daily. Diversity of thought is \u201cincorporated in everything that we do, all of the decisions of our leadership teams, and how we develop programs to deliver across the N.C. State campus,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, Schwab\u2019s team came up with an innovative solution to a frustrating bottleneck a few years ago. The effort, led by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/drhelmspickett\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stephanie Helms Pickett,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Associate Vice Provost for Inclusive Excellence and Strategic Practice, aimed to redesign the entry-level diversity and inclusion educational program for employees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe were running this program that was labor intensive, and because of that, it was also people intensive. We could only get 40 or 50 people through it at a time, and we had a huge waiting list,\u201d Schwab says. \u201cWe needed to think about this differently. Under Stephanie&#8217;s leadership, we were able to come in and revamp it in a way that now we&#8217;re able to move a lot of people through.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6559\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6559\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6559 size-thumbnail lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/HelmsPickett2-headshot-150x150.jpeg\" alt=\"Headshot of Stephanie\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/HelmsPickett2-headshot-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/HelmsPickett2-headshot-100x100.jpeg 100w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/HelmsPickett2-headshot-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/HelmsPickett2-headshot.jpeg 500w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 150px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 150\/150;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6559\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephanie Helms Pickett<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pickett and her team thoughtfully examined the learning material and created virtual modules for some sections. They didn\u2019t move it completely online, because the team saw the social benefits that learners gained from moving through the course as a group. Each cohort was launched with an in-person kickoff, and afterward, participants could move through the content at their own pace. But thanks to the team-building launch, learners were comfortable collaborating with the rest of their peers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThey added another element to help people, called the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI),\u201d Schwab says. \u201cWhen the people first come in, they get an assessment to see where they are on openness to multiculturalism, as kind of the basic framework. That way, when people move through the rest of the program, they know what they need to work on. So, it helps them map out their next best steps; how do they grow in this content area?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The result is a more tailored experience for participants, as they can map their own personal learning journey, and they are able to study at their own speed. The new format is more inclusive of different learning styles, and it\u2019s much more efficient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cStephanie and her team added some cool new pieces to it, made it asynchronous, and gave people a roadmap of what to do next to move along the continuum. We&#8217;re now able to open it up more,\u201d Schwab says. \u201cIn the last year and a half, we&#8217;ve moved about 2,300 people through it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/library\/%20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8878 size-large lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/NEW-TDM-Library-Display-Ad_Large-C-1024x341.png\" alt=\"TDM Library: your one-stop-shop for update, expert DEI Resources. Explore the platform with a free trial. Click here to learn more.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"341\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/NEW-TDM-Library-Display-Ad_Large-C-1024x341.png 1024w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/NEW-TDM-Library-Display-Ad_Large-C-600x200.png 600w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/NEW-TDM-Library-Display-Ad_Large-C-300x100.png 300w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/NEW-TDM-Library-Display-Ad_Large-C-768x256.png 768w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/NEW-TDM-Library-Display-Ad_Large-C.png 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/341;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>The value of diverse decision-making<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is only one example of the way <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/power-of-teamwork-diverse-teams-drive-stronger-growth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">diverse teams drive innovation and make better decisions with reduced risk<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But why is that so? According to various studies, diverse teams are better in key ways.<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Diverse teams are better at finding, recalling, and focusing on the facts. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to making a decision, diverse teams are more likely to rely on objective data, rather than emotion or bias. This tendency is in contrast to more homogenous groups, who often slip into \u201cgroupthink\u201d and amplify each other\u2019s emotional responses. Diverse teams are also more likely to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2016\/11\/why-diverse-teams-are-smarter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">catch errors and correct them.<\/span><\/a><b><\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Diverse teams are forced to consider multiple perspectives, leading to more well-rounded decisions. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whereas homogenous teams often have one shared perspective on any given decision, diverse teams are far more likely to invite multiple, differing perspectives into the room. Having a variety of viewpoints enables companies to consider decisions from many possible angles, including potential downsides and alternatives, which encourages more robust and balanced decision making.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Diverse teams are more innovative, which means they come up with fresh solutions to old problems. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building a team with just one kind of person discourages innovative thinking, because there\u2019s often no one there to challenge the majority opinion. In comparison, teams made up of different genders, races, and backgrounds are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2016\/09\/diverse-teams-feel-less-comfortable-and-thats-why-they-perform-better\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">better at challenging one another<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and pushing each other to do better. This leads to stronger, more innovative decisions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increasing diversity in all of its dimensions (cultural, physical, experiential, and more) creates better decision-making through different perspectives, ideas, and proposals of employees. Facilitating opportunities for diverse team members to enter the decision-making process is a crucial step toward a smarter, more innovative organization.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Diversity on teams equals higher profits<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6566 size-large lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM-1024x622.png\" alt=\"stock image of a diverse team working\" width=\"1024\" height=\"622\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM-1024x622.png 1024w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM-600x365.png 600w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM-768x467.png 768w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM-1536x934.png 1536w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM.png 1948w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/622;\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to making better decisions, diverse teams contribute to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/featured-insights\/diversity-and-inclusion\/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stronger revenue,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> profitability, and overall financial performance at their organizations. Researchers have identified a few factors to explain this impact.<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Diverse teams are better at connecting with key stakeholders like investors, customers, and clients.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It\u2019s difficult to engage stakeholders if your workforce doesn\u2019t include people who can relate to them. Diverse teams are better able to understand the unique wants, needs, and pain points of a particular audience, which creates more opportunities for engagement and connection. Additionally, investors and consumers increasingly focus on organizational diversity when making business decisions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Organizational diversity attracts top talent. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this moment, companies are in a fierce competition to attract professional talent. Diverse organizations have a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/346229\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">major advantage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> over homogenous firms when it comes to recruiting diverse talent. Job candidates want to see themselves represented in your organization at all levels, including the C-suite.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>More so each year, diversity attracts investment. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is now a crucial factor in many investors\u2019 strategies. As audiences grow more diverse, forward-thinking investors want to work with organizations who prioritize diversity in the workplace. Businesses who actively promote diversity as part of their culture benefit from a larger pool of investment opportunities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are just a few of the reasons why diverse teams make better decisions and drive demonstrable results at their organizations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Robust, organization-wide DEI initiatives and inclusive hiring practices, in particular, will increase diversity at your company, foster more innovation, support its financial success, and help position it to become an industry leader. To learn more about building a diverse talent pipeline, visit <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/talent-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">thediversitymovement.com\/talent-management<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/library\/%20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-8045 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/TDM-Library-Footer-Ad-C-1024x85.png\" alt=\"Display ad for TDM Library. Text says &quot;Find more content like this in TDM Library. Start my free trial&quot;\" width=\"1024\" height=\"85\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/TDM-Library-Footer-Ad-C-1024x85.png 1024w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/TDM-Library-Footer-Ad-C-600x50.png 600w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/TDM-Library-Footer-Ad-C-300x25.png 300w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/TDM-Library-Footer-Ad-C-768x64.png 768w, https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/TDM-Library-Footer-Ad-C.png 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/85;\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With an academic background in literature and linguistics, <\/span>Roxanne Bellamy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, CDE, loves exploring the intersection between the words we choose and the way we see the world. She is co-author of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/theinclusivelanguagehandbook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Inclusive Language Handbook: A Guide to Better Communication and Transformational Leadership<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In many organizations, the conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) center around values and morals. In these conversations, an organization\u2019s DEI strategy and initiatives demonstrate what the company and15<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6566,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,5],"tags":[87],"tdm_type":[92],"class_list":["post-6552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-fundamentals","category-blogs","tag-business-case-for-diversity","tdm_type-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means - The Diversity Movement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"DEI as a business growth strategy fosters a better, more inclusive work environment for all employees to do great work.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means - The Diversity Movement\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"DEI as a business growth strategy fosters a better, more inclusive work environment for all employees to do great work.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Diversity Movement\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thediversitymovement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-07-01T15:59:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-12-11T20:14:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM-1024x622.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"622\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Walk West\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Walk West\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Walk West\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/person\/96226c18fc3fda99e138ea5726960e51\"},\"headline\":\"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-07-01T15:59:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-12-11T20:14:54+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/\"},\"wordCount\":1304,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Business Case for Diversity\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fundamentals\",\"x Blogs\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/\",\"name\":\"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means - The Diversity Movement\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-07-01T15:59:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-12-11T20:14:54+00:00\",\"description\":\"DEI as a business growth strategy fosters a better, more inclusive work environment for all employees to do great work.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM.png\",\"width\":1948,\"height\":1184,\"caption\":\"stock image of a diverse team working\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Articles\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/type\/articles\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/\",\"name\":\"The Diversity Movement\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Diversity Movement\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Stack-Blue.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Stack-Blue.jpg\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":619,\"caption\":\"The Diversity Movement\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thediversitymovement\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thediversitymovement\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/thediversitymovement\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/person\/96226c18fc3fda99e138ea5726960e51\",\"name\":\"Walk West\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/098990f08f15560a82addd4bf4c3ec68a20487d4d17beade5a7e24775b385f86?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/098990f08f15560a82addd4bf4c3ec68a20487d4d17beade5a7e24775b385f86?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Walk West\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means - The Diversity Movement","description":"DEI as a business growth strategy fosters a better, more inclusive work environment for all employees to do great work.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means - The Diversity Movement","og_description":"DEI as a business growth strategy fosters a better, more inclusive work environment for all employees to do great work.","og_url":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/","og_site_name":"The Diversity Movement","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thediversitymovement\/","article_published_time":"2022-07-01T15:59:37+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-12-11T20:14:54+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":622,"url":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM-1024x622.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Walk West","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Walk West","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/"},"author":{"name":"Walk West","@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/person\/96226c18fc3fda99e138ea5726960e51"},"headline":"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means","datePublished":"2022-07-01T15:59:37+00:00","dateModified":"2023-12-11T20:14:54+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/"},"wordCount":1304,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM.png","keywords":["Business Case for Diversity"],"articleSection":["Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fundamentals","x Blogs"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/","url":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/","name":"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means - The Diversity Movement","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM.png","datePublished":"2022-07-01T15:59:37+00:00","dateModified":"2023-12-11T20:14:54+00:00","description":"DEI as a business growth strategy fosters a better, more inclusive work environment for all employees to do great work.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Screen-Shot-2022-07-01-at-11.53.29-AM.png","width":1948,"height":1184,"caption":"stock image of a diverse team working"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"http:\/\/live-diversitymovement.pantheonsite.io\/maybe-you-dont-know-what-dei-means\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Articles","item":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/type\/articles\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Maybe You Don\u2019t Know What DEI Means"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/","name":"The Diversity Movement","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#organization","name":"The Diversity Movement","url":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Stack-Blue.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Stack-Blue.jpg","width":1500,"height":619,"caption":"The Diversity Movement"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thediversitymovement\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thediversitymovement\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/thediversitymovement\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/person\/96226c18fc3fda99e138ea5726960e51","name":"Walk West","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/098990f08f15560a82addd4bf4c3ec68a20487d4d17beade5a7e24775b385f86?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/098990f08f15560a82addd4bf4c3ec68a20487d4d17beade5a7e24775b385f86?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Walk West"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6552"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8929,"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6552\/revisions\/8929"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6552"},{"taxonomy":"tdm_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediversitymovement.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tdm_type?post=6552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}