Success can be elusive despite the volumes of advice accessible to us today, especially at the click of a button, including the advice provided by experts. Part of the problem is that sometimes we have very short-sighted definitions of success, misguided illusions, and superficial references. They are often quickly demonstrated to be unsustainable in providing what we really need to grow and flourish.
What we really need to do is move away from clinging to those things that we think are indicators of success but do not deliver a durable change for the better. Diversity and inclusion programs need to have the ingredients that incorporate success as defined by a multitude of diverse people. This makes it even more challenging.
The first thing to appreciate when striving to implement a successful diversity and inclusion program is that at its core, we are dealing with complex human relationships. This simple truth must be front and center constantly in our thinking. We, therefore, cannot escape the reality that the success of any strategy to improve our diversity and inclusion management must be underpinned by our preoccupation with the health and quality of our relationships. This is with everyone in the organization.
Planning the journey together
Once we accept that there is no one recipe for successful individual, group, or organizational relationships, we’ll know that there can never be a single definition of what a successful diversity and inclusion program will look like.
So, we cannot put the cart before the horse, so to speak, and impose our definition of success on everyone else. Having a process post diversity and inclusion training to collectively define what success would entail for everyone is vital. Only then can we begin to frame our journey toward a destination that will be meaningful and supported by most.
It is critical that this first stage of consulting on what diversity and inclusion program success would be, across all stakeholders, is never compromised or undervalued. In all relationships where there is a commitment to improvement, a discussion must take place not only on the destination but vitally also on what the journey on the way should look like.
Especially if we anticipate some bumps along the way, how we engage and relate constantly throughout the journey to keep us on track will be of utmost importance. Success needs to be in the journey itself, not just at the endpoint.
Doing the work to establish the right channels of communication and reaching agreements on how to connect on critical matters cannot be underestimated. Everyone needs to be clear about the expectations and requirements for building relationships constructively through rocky times particularly.
Never opting out of participation when things go wrong or regress should be an agreed standard. We know we are making progress on diversity and inclusion management when there is a clear acknowledgment that we are in this together for the long run and it is up to us to make it right.
Features of the journey
Implementing a successful diversity and inclusion program, therefore, takes a lot of discipline from everyone during relationship interaction. The level of maturity, responsibility, and accountability for making strides forward need to be part of the conversation and dialogue regularly.
Reflecting on our own contribution and being open to feedback will be vital to lifting the quality of relationships throughout the journey. Relationships only evolve when we get to a point of accepting the perceptions of others and the validity of their emotions without judgment and the need to try and alter these.
Honesty in relationships, persistence, and resilience are all central to taking diversity and inclusion programs work because these are core to the sustainability of any meaningful long-term relationship. Especially if we are faithful to and believe in the blueprint for success we co-created, chances are we will exert the required effort time and again to problem-solve and enhance relationships based on new learning.
The more we appreciate after diversity and inclusion training that success is actually a process, the more we will be inclined not to question constantly the worth of continuing when there are setbacks. We simply need to use our collective creative ability to find better and better ways to value the authenticity and worth of others to unlock the innate potential that we recognize exists if we are committed to positive transformation as the ongoing goal.
