By Shelley Bridgman

How can you ensure your strategic plan is on the right track?

I don’t want to assume anything, but it would be hard to imagine there are many organizations who are not aware of the need for a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion policy in the workplace. Aside from any moral imperative, the benefit to both employers and employees is huge.

The problem is for some organizations, the thought of embracing it and then creating a strategy can be a daunting prospect. The act of implementing that strategy seems to be an even more overwhelming task.

Where do you Begin?

Well, there’s good news: creating a strategy and implementing it doesn’t have to be that daunting. With the right tools and support from consultants who are experienced in helping organizations on this journey, you can break the process down into manageable steps.

The even better news is you’ll not only transform your organization into a more dynamic, more equitable, more diverse and more inclusive entity, but will have the foundation for success.

In this article, I am going to discuss where the journey begins and how to lay the foundation for an effective strategy.

Before we can devise any strategy, it’s crucial to agree where you are now, where you want to be and what you need to do to get there. The first step in the process is to complete a review, a diagnostic analysis. There are broadly three stages in the diagnostic review.

Questions to ask at the diagnostic stage when assessing DEI in your workplace

• Assessing Current DEI Initiatives

• Understanding Employee Experiences and Perspectives

• Assessing Leadership Commitment and Accountability

Stage 1: Assessing Current DEI Initiatives

In this first, diagnostic stage, a consultant will want to establish the organization’s current DEI programme if there is one, and to understand the programme’s effectiveness. Your advisor may ask to interview senior management and stakeholders involved with any DEI initiatives, including Human Resources, junior managers and employees from diverse backgrounds.

Your consultant might ask:

1. How would you describe the current situation regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization?

2. What DEI initiatives and programs are currently in place?

3. How are these initiatives communicated and promoted across the organization?

4. What metrics or data are being tracked to assess the impact of these initiatives?

5. What are the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the existing DEI efforts?

6. What are the biggest challenges?

7. If no initiatives are in place, what has prevented them from starting?

By gathering this information, the consultant can identify the company's progress in DEI and gain insights into areas that require improvement or additional attention.

Having established what’s in place, it’s time to move on to the second stage in the Diagnostic Review.

Stage 2: Understanding Employee Experiences and Perspectives

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the whole organization’s DEI landscape, a consultant might conduct interviews with a diverse range of employees at different levels in different departments. This allows for an assessment of employee experiences, perceptions, and suggestions related to DEI.

There will be questions, such as:

1. How do you feel about the current level of diversity and inclusivity within the company?

2. Can you share any personal experiences or observations regarding DEI?

3. How would you describe the company culture in terms of inclusion and belonging?

4. Have you witnessed any barriers or challenges related to diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

5. What suggestions or recommendations do you have to enhance DEI efforts?

6. Would you like to be involved in any DEI initiatives?

7. If you were involved, what would need to be in place?

These interviews provide valuable insights into the experiences of individuals within the organization and provide an actual picture rather than a perceived view for Senior Leaders & Managers. The consultant can now identify areas where the organization can improve its DEI practices and what needs to happen.

In order to implement a strategy, it is crucial the organization’s leadership can invest in driving it forward.

Stage 3: Assessing Leadership Commitment and Accountability

In order for effective change to occur, DEI implementation requires firm commitment and accountability from the organisation’s leadership. To evaluate the commitment of the leadership team and assess their role in getting behind DEI initiatives, the consultant will want to interview senior executives, leaders and managers.

There will be questions, such as:

1. How would you describe the leadership team's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion?

2. How do leaders communicate the importance of DEI to employees?

3. What steps do they take to hold leaders accountable for fostering an inclusive and equitable environment?

4. How does the leadership team actively take part in DEI initiatives?

5. Are there any specific goals or targets set for the leadership team related to DEI?

6. What is your greatest fear when implementing a DEI initiative?

7. What needs to be in place to avoid this from happening?

Last, a skilled consultant will have helped to create a safe environment for the key parties to have shared any concerns and vulnerabilities. It’s important that the key players can be open as, when this happens, they are far more likely to feel confident and invested in the strategy. I will look at strategy in a future post.

In conclusion, we have laid the foundation for a strategy that, when implemented, will be owned and invested in by all parties. The diagnostic phase is the foundation for the strategy, its implementation, and its success. If not done thoroughly, they build the entire project on shaky ground. When done well and when all parties invest in the strategy, it has every chance of success.

If you have the perfect Diversity Equity and Inclusion strategy in your workplace, we would love to hear from you and to learn exactly what you’ve done. But, if your DEI strategy is failing or inadequate, you are not alone.

If you would like to know more about integrating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into your organizational culture and are interested in an exploratory strategy call, follow this link to find out more.

Shelley Bridgman.

Engagement & Outreach Lead/Executive Coach-Origin Leadership Consulting. www.originlc.com

Shelley Bridgman is a Speaker, Coach, Psychotherapist, Hypnotherapist, Trainer, & Author, based in the UK. She has become a media commentator specializing in psychotherapy psychology, and Change with appearances on BBC Television, Sky Television, and Channels 4.

She has a Masters Degree in Psychotherapy, is an accredited Coach, a Certified Hypnotherapist, Master NLP practitioner, and has over 30 years of experience working with Individuals and groups… (read more).

To see Shelley in action and to hear how her story changed the laws in 17 countries, check out her TEDX talk “Dare to be You”.