Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have evolved from buzzwords to fundamental aspects of a company’s success. However, despite the growing awareness of their importance, many companies still struggle to implement effective DEI strategies. Let’s delve into the ten critical mistakes that companies frequently make in their pursuit of creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces, along with insights on how to rectify them.

1. Lack of Clear Strategy or Plan

Implementing DEI initiatives without a clear strategy is like setting out on a journey without a map. To foster genuine change, companies must develop comprehensive DEI strategies with well-defined goals, actionable steps, and measurable outcomes. These strategies should include regular progress assessments and course corrections to ensure continuous improvement. Every company has a culture; leaders have a choice of whether they want to be a part of that conversation.

2. Overemphasizing Diversity Numbers

Diversity is not just a numbers game. Relying solely on diversity metrics can lead to tokenism, where the focus is on appearances rather than genuine inclusion. Companies should emphasize creating an inclusive culture where individuals from all backgrounds feel welcomed, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. DEI does not have to look a certain way; it is different for every company, every community, every city, and every country. Trying to establish quotas is a wasted effort, and a disingenuous one.

3. Failure to Involve Diverse Voices

Excluding diverse voices from decision-making processes perpetuates bias and restricts innovation. To counter this, companies should actively seek out and value diverse perspectives. Involving employees from various backgrounds in shaping policies, projects, and strategies ensures a well-rounded approach and a more inclusive work environment. The more diverse the voices are, the more well-rounded the policies and culture of an organization will be.

4. Inadequate Training and Resources

To create lasting change, companies must invest in comprehensive DEI training and resources. These resources should encompass training programs that address unconscious bias, microaggressions, and cultural competence. By educating employees and leadership, companies can foster a more inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

5. Lack of Accountability for Leaders

Leaders play a pivotal role in driving DEI efforts. Holding leaders accountable for progress ensures that these initiatives are taken seriously. Incorporating DEI goals into performance evaluations and compensation packages sends a clear message that diversity and inclusion are integral to the company’s success.

6. Superficial or Performative Actions

Genuine change requires more than just performative gestures. Companies should channel their efforts into substantive actions like forging partnerships with underrepresented communities, supporting employee resource groups, and contributing to meaningful societal initiatives. These actions demonstrate a commitment to change beyond surface-level statements.

7. Ignoring Intersectionality

Intersectionality recognizes that individuals have multiple identities that intersect and shape their experiences. Ignoring these intersections perpetuates inequalities. Companies must foster an environment that acknowledges and addresses the unique challenges faced by individuals with diverse identities.

8. Lack of Representation in Leadership

Diverse leadership is essential for driving DEI efforts throughout an organization. Without representation in leadership roles, DEI initiatives can lose momentum. Companies should proactively promote diversity in leadership positions through mentorship, sponsorship, and succession planning.

9. Failure to Address Systemic Issues

Individual biases are only part of the puzzle. Companies must also tackle systemic issues that contribute to inequality. This involves reassessing hiring and promotion practices, providing equal development opportunities, and dismantling processes that perpetuate disparities.

10. Not Engaging with External Communities

Building a diverse and inclusive workplace extends beyond company walls. Engaging with external communities, including local organizations and affinity groups, provides opportunities for shared learning, collaboration, and the exchange of best practices. This collaborative approach benefits both the company and the larger community.

In conclusion, creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace requires a strategic, holistic, and genuine approach. By avoiding these ten common mistakes and instead adopting proactive, sustainable strategies, companies can truly embrace diversity and inclusion, leading to improved employee satisfaction, innovation, and overall business success.

What is Imposter Syndrome? Many people can’t answer that question, but in reality, those same people are the ones that fall victim to this particular subconscious behavior. Hard to identify once negative self-talk happens, many professionals suffer from this type of detrimental self-internalization.

Imposter Syndrome is when you feel as if you are not good enough or not qualified enough for a job or a task so you tell yourself that you are a fraud. 

It’s common to think that new employees may be the ones to fall victim most often; however, Imposter Syndrome can impact anyone – including business owners, CEOs, and other professionals who have been in their role or profession for years. Often, these leaders convince themselves they must do extra work in order to look like they know what they are doing and to appear confident.

Why Have I Never Heard of This Before?

Imposter Syndrome is typically a behavior or feeling that people hide. They hide the way they are feeling to avoid looking weak, to avoid judgment, and even to avoid admitting they talk down to themselves. The issue is not partial to gender and depending on a person’s ability to share their emotions, someone may suffer inwardly and refuse vulnerability, believing it to be a weakness. Unfortunately, imposter syndrome can fester for years if you are unable to share how you’re feeling. 

Where To Find Validation

The biggest lie imposter syndrome allows you to tell yourself is that you must seek validation from others; however, validation can only come from you. If you constantly tell yourself you are not enough, hearing someone else’s words will not be enough to fulfill you and is likely to cause additional self-doubt and negativity. 

Validation starts first and foremost with believing in yourself. You have to believe you are worthy, confident, and knowledgeable. If you don’t believe those things for yourself no one else will be able to convince you otherwise. 

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome

There’s not an owner’s manual on overcoming Imposter Syndrome or a 10-step guide to confidence. Imposter Syndrome shows up differently for everyone and treating it isn’t as straightforward as you may hope.

What you can do is ask yourself a few questions to better analyze what you’re feeling.

“What is on the other side of fear?” 

“What is on the other side of failure?” 

Find your safe space to make mistakes and to open yourself to vulnerability. No one expects perfection out of you, except you. Let go of the fear and replace it with confidence that you know what you are doing and you are qualified.

You can watch my full coaching session on How We Subconsciously Manifest Imposter Syndrome on YouTube, just click play below. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly updates to access even more coaching tips.

In an article for Encyclopaedia Britannica, Carlos D. Morrison defines code-switching as the “process of shifting from one linguistic code (a language or dialect) to another, depending on the social context or conversational setting.”

Our identity is a blend of our intrinsic self — our absolute identity — and our contextual identity, which is the way we adapt to our ever-changing situation. Deriving satisfaction from life requires a balance between these two identities, and often, our professional or personal challenges can be traced back to a failure to understand and integrate one or the other. This can be particularly difficult when we attempt to reconcile the survival tactic of code-switching with our absolute identity. Rather than code-switching as a reactive, defensive mechanism, we can find greater success and satisfaction by actively exploring its place in our contextual identity and set boundaries consistent with our absolute identity.

What Are Absolute And Contextual Identities?

Absolute and contextual identities are a duality used as a means of self-reflection and the basis for effecting positive change in our lives. Stripping away all external factors, our absolute identity describes and defines our fundamental self. What drives us, brings us joy and makes us feel genuine satisfaction? Think in terms of characteristics such as creativity, contemplation, challenge and connection. If it is part of our absolute identity, a life that doesn’t nourish this characteristic will come up short. On the other hand, our contextual identity consists of the many roles we play in our life and how our behavior adapts to each role. As a parent, a professional or a tourist, we speak, dress, act and even think differently to suit the situation. Without intention, we can find ourselves subsumed by our contextual identity, so attached to a particular role or goal that we neglect our fundamental values.

What Is Code-Switching?

Studies beginning in the early 20th century looked at code-switching as a linguistic practice by minority ethnic groups. The term has come to signify switching not only language, but accent, affect, dress and other forms of social presentation when in different communities. The child of immigrant parents might speak one language at home and another at work, or they might speak the same language and modify their accent, depending on the listener. A Black judge might use specific vocabulary from the bench that differs greatly from their word choice at a family reunion.

By code-switching, we protect both ourselves and our connection to a certain community, often one that is a minority or is marginalized. As minorities code-switching in places such as school or work, we protect ourselves from judgment and discrimination by adhering to the “norm.” When we switch in our minority community, we maintain a special connection to others who share a language, dialect and presentation. Whether done with conscious intent or habitually, it has been shown that code-switching can be a source of frustration, strain and burnout for minorities who recognize the perils of failing to switch — a lapse that can lead to negative consequences.

Code-switch, but remain authentic.

Integrating Code-Switching With Our Identity

When we consciously explore and deploy the roles we play in our lives, we have a better opportunity to align them with our absolute identity. Rather than seeing code-switching as an external imposition, we can strategically determine how we want to switch — what aspects of our context complement our aspirations. We need to ask ourselves to what extent we are able to be authentic in our various roles. If we fail to account for authenticity, if our interactions are pure performance, we can miss out on connections, insights and opportunities because we are too focused on the superficial role. In addition, there is a personal, psychic drain in inauthentic performance.

Instead, we should explore our limits. What aspect of a role is a price too high to pay? What compromises and performances are we willing to make to achieve our goals? If we have a deeper understanding of our absolute identity, we can better evaluate the pros and cons of a particular adaptive strategy. Code-switching is a significant part of our contextual identity, and we can ask ourselves whether we are appearing in a way that is consistent with our fundamental values.

People who engage in code-switching typically recognize that they get a benefit from this ability. They are better able to fit into their different situations, and it can facilitate career advancement, connection and other forms of success that come from being accepted within a group. However, the switch exists on a spectrum — we can make deliberate choices about what changes we make in order to fit in. By exploring our options and checking them against our absolute identity, we can be more authentic in our lives, which creates an atmosphere in which we can achieve success.

This post was originally published on Forbes in October 2020. Dhru is part of the Forbes Coaches Council, an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches.

When working with a coach, the first thing you will do is answer a lot of questions. Not only does your coach want to get to know you, but they also want to prompt you to begin the self-reflection that makes up a huge part of the coaching process. The journey to self-discovery and transformation begins with two critical questions: Who am I? Who do I want to be? The kernel of the answer to these questions lies within our Absolute Identity. This is a concept of self that will help you to move towards a more meaningful life.

What is an Absolute Identity?

Strip away everything in your life – job, relationships, leisure activities, and possessions – what is left? That is your Absolute Identity: who you are without anything else in your life. You have your name, your values and what you love. To get to the truth of your Absolute Identity, you need to ask yourself what brings you joy. Think in terms of fundamental characteristics like “creativity”, “contemplation”, “challenge” or “connection.” When considering these possibilities, be wary of signs that you are missing something in your life and filling the gaps. So, “comfort” might mean you are afraid to try, and “excitement” might mean escapist thrill-seeking. Also, an Absolute Identity does not rely on context. So, something that can be taken away from you is not your Absolute Identity. Rather, Absolute Identity is what motivates, inspires and drives you. It is where you will find satisfaction in your life.

How does Absolute Identity relate to self-worth?

When exploring your Absolute Identity, you need to acknowledge how you are contributing to your self and to the world. You will always have a sense of self-worth if you are in touch with and cultivating your Absolute Identity. On the other hand, if you are immersed in a contextual identity, where you define yourself in relation to external factors like possessions or your job, you will always be on the edge of disappointment because things beyond your control change your situation. A life lived in a way that honors your Absolute Identity will be fulfilling because you are not relying on external factors for your self-worth.

Is there a dark side?

A creative spirit might lead a writer to expose ugly truths to the embarrassment of others for the sake of their art. A contemplator might spend so much time in their own thoughts that they neglect their family. In seeking a challenge, the feelings of the other people in the competition might be ignored. One’s Absolute Identity can be mistaken for arrogance – a failure to be concerned with anybody else. In learning about and acting on your Absolute identity, you need to have some emotional intelligence and not be so fiercely focused on yourself that you become indifferent to others.

Would there ever be a reason to change?

When you’ve done the work to understand your Absolute Identity, you do need to look at it realistically. If you are not achieving your goals, or you are over-valuing yourself, your accomplishment may be impeded because you aren’t in touch with your limitations. With intentional, hard work, you might want to change your Absolute Identity to find an inner self that can be fulfilled in the real world.

People come to coaching as a way to improve their lives. Doing so requires understanding oneself deeply. Identifying your Absolute Identity is an essential exercise in this process. We’d love to talk with you about your goals and desires in a strategy call. Contact us to learn more.