I have known Daisy Auger-Dominquez for the past ten years and have enjoyed watching her with persistence and passion, change up our conversations about inclusion within some of the most powerful companies around. She inspires those of us who are committed to equity, change in the workplace and courageousness to speak out.
It was evident early on that she cared deeply about people, personal growth and allowing everyone to find their voice and their path even when it was at times a daunting challenge. In Daisy’s new book, “Inclusion Revolution” she talks about the sensitive subjects of inclusion and equity. Although Daisy started writing her book before events in 2020 that changed everything in our conversations about systemic racism, her timing is ideal. Today, she is a strategic, global Chief People Officer, Author, Board Member, Advisor, Speaker and Inclusion expert.
For over 20 years, she has designed and executed high-impact and large-scale people, culture and corporate social responsibility strategies for Viacom (NYSE: VIA), Google, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) and Disney/ABC, Time Warner, Inc., Moody’s Investors Services (NYSE: MCO), and VICE Media Group.
She asks us to consider why creating workplaces where everyone is valued means leading with heart and purpose. I met with Daisy this month to catch up and learn about her new book, being released this month. It will be the roadmap to genuine inclusion that many people are working towards. Daisy is the first to say, “This work is hard, complex and emotionally triggering. It requires we hold the mirror up and acknowledge our own personal blind spots and those in your organizational systems and processes as well.”
Sherry: Daisy, what prompted you to write this book?
Daisy: I wrote this book because I was tired of experiencing short lived promises in so many organizations that I worked for. I have worked in many companies that touted a commitment to diversity and inclusion but I did not see change play out into action. Sometimes, I ask my colleagues or clients if their workplace is more diverse now post the summer of 2020? Are there more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) in your companies? The answer has been no, not for the most part. My desire was because of my own experience with bias as I rose from junior to senior leader. It was my pent-up frustration that led me to write this book. This is the book that I wish I had when I started my career. I also wanted to dedicate it to managers. I see the tremendous pressure they are under and know the right tools and resources will support them.
Sherry: What gets in the way of our organizations building an inclusive culture?
Daisy: Fear gets in the way. It is fear of messing up, saying the wrong thing of not knowing what to do. It is also an unwillingness to face the mirror and see where we can fall short. I have been called out on my own biases. It is uncomfortable for me, however, I ask for forgiveness, and I don’t make the same mistakes again. It is hard work and requires self-awareness and courage. That work which is being reflective and awake and resourceful is also knowing you are not alone.
Sherry: How are the best moving the needle on this challenge?
Daisy: There really is not a best. There are many that have worked at building inclusive workplaces and have not gotten it right. And there are many who work hard at building great employee experiences. However, even then, It does not always work for everyone.
We are good at having all these diversity and inclusion lists about who is the best. But what really matters is the experience of employees, and what we know is that women, people of color and other non-normative people continue to be marginalized in their workplaces.
I see the startups reimagining and successfully rethinking how to change the conversations with their employees and build inclusive cultures of well-being and professional advancement for BIPOC employees. Some of my colleagues have been at this for a very long time and I see they are tired. Yet I am hopeful. I am writing this book for the white or BIPOC manager and the leaders who recognize diversity is necessary for their teams. I believe these leaders have the power to guide and act on change. Change means creating a sense of belonging for everyone, no matter their background, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, religious beliefs, physical ability or any other identity.
Sherry: You mention in your book, that it is important to have a beginner’s mindset. Why is that?
Daisy: I often see people’s eyes gloss over when we talk about diversity. Some feel they already know what to do. From my experience though, when you approach this work with a beginner mindset, it teases out greater possibilities. For example, when we think about a process such as recruiting and how to make it more inclusive and equitable, we still design without a diverse candidate in mind. You can go through all the right steps for an inclusive process but the same biases creep in. If we apply a beginner mindset, then we have greater possibilities for not recruiting the same way or making decisions in the same way. What if we change the actual recruiting process and make decisions in a different way? This is an approach to take with any process across the entire life cycle of your employee (recruiting, onboarding, development, advancement).
Sherry: What is the revolution that you speak about?
Daisy: This revolution has been coming a long time. It is not a surprise that those harmed by racial inequities are crying out to be heard. Find your place and your role in making this change one step at a time. Bring people along and there will eventually be a revolution across workplaces with many people doing many things to move us forward towards a future centered on equity. When we all start being the allies we want to be, showing up for our colleagues and persisting through the discomfort, doing the difficult work, then we ensure that every team member is seen, heard and valued. Only then, can we make lasting and meaningful change.
Learn more about Daisy here - About — Daisy Auger-Dominguez
Get this new release today and share it with your team - Inclusion Revolution: The Essential Guide to Dismantling Racial Inequity in the Workplace: Auger-Domínguez, Daisy: 9781541620124: Amazon.com: Books
Comentários