5 Things / Praise
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I recently had a planning meeting in anticipation of a keynote and one of the things I was told was, “Don’t congratulate us on what we’re doing well…we don’t want people to see that and get complacent." That makes sense, and yet, I’ve found that it helps to have an outsider like me acknowledge and celebrate what’s working so that they can do more of it. That’s part of the premise of 5 Things, after all. Celebrate what’s working and do more of it.
Research tells us that people are motivated to work harder due to a fear of punishment rather than a promise of reward – but it also tells us that we’re motivated more by praise than criticism. This was proven in the fascinating Netflix show 100 Humans. I believe that when it comes to advancing DEI, it’s critical to celebrate wins early and often and to celebrate them joyfully and visibly. Here we approach DEI by building and then celebrating quick wins while simultaneously tackling longer-term, foundational projects.
I’ve had many conversations recently with companies whose DEI strategy is emerging. Companies with no protected DEI budget. Companies whose upcoming Pride workshop is one of the only they’ll do this year. I’m not going to shame them or judge them – but I am going to praise them for taking action now, and make sure they feel empowered with the tools to keep going. What do you think: do you think the organization should be praised for what they’re doing well in DEI?
This Week's Good Vibes:
Apple Created Its New Voice Feature For—and With—People With ALS
Apple is introducing a new accessibility feature called Personal Voice, which allows individuals with ALS to easily create and use a digitized version of their own voice. ALS often weakens the muscles used for speech, making communication increasingly difficult. One remedy is “voice banking”, which is the process of creating a digitized version of one's own voice. The technology has been available but the process is challenging and time-consuming. Apple’s new feature Personal Voice is streamlined and only requires 15 minutes of spoken phrases for training and processing. What I love about this story is that it means that people with ALS can better be themselves and maintain their unique identity.
Autodesk Renames Its “Diversity and Inclusion” Team to the “Diversity and Belonging” Team
The software company Autodesk renamed its "Diversity and Inclusion" team to the "Diversity and Belonging" team and developed some great strategies that are working. They’ve seen increased belonging scores for women and employees of color. Strategies included giving poker chips to managers to prevent dominance in discussions and providing bonuses to leaders of employee resource groups. They also relocated an office hub to Atlanta to attract more Black engineering graduates. There’s great stuff in the article – and it matters because it demonstrates a comprehensive approach to creating belonging.
New York City Passes Bill Banning Weight Discrimination
The New York City Council has passed a bill making it illegal to discriminate against height and weight in housing, employment, and public accommodations. The new law protects individuals from weight-based discrimination and aims to change the culture surrounding body image. This matters because weight discrimination disproportionately affects women, particularly women of color, and can lead to lower wages and opportunities. In fact, Harvard’s Implicit Bias Test reveals that weight and disability bias are the only types of biases NOT decreasing over time.
Starbucks’ New Gender-Inclusive Ad Starring Trans Model
Starbucks India has a new ad campaign, “Start With Your Name” featuring a transgender woman named Arpita reconciling with her parents. The ad showcases Arpita introducing herself by her chosen name and her parents gradually accepting her identity. The ad was divisive in that the company quickly became a target of the anti-woke movement. But more importantly the ad matters…it showcased the message of embracing one's true identity and the power of companies to promote acceptance.
Canada Labour Code to Ensure Access to Menstrual Products at Work Starting December 15
The Government of Canada has announced that starting from December 15, 2023, federally regulated workplaces will be required to provide menstrual products, such as pads and tampons, to workers at no cost. This initiative aims to ensure that all workers who menstruate, including cisgender women, non-binary individuals, transgender men, and intersex individuals, have access to necessary menstrual products while on the job. The cost of these products can be prohibitive for low-income folks, in particular. This policy matters because it promotes equity and reduces stigma around periods.
Call to Action:
Listen to this interview with Target CEO Brian Cornell on the Leadership Next Podcast. Spoiler alert: he’s a true believer in DEI.
Watch the full episode here: