Avoiding the Inaction Trap

Whether to start a new DEI initiative at your company or with a client can sometimes feel like a game of chicken.

The leadership team might be saying, “Well, employees aren’t asking for it.” Or “No one seems unhappy.” Or the classic, “III haven’t heard anyone complain. No one’s said anything to ME.”

And then on the other end, there might be whispered frustrations in the lab or in the break room: “I know we changed our logo on social, and I read the email, but what else are we doing?”

There were lots of good nuggets coming out of this month’s Comm Convo with LGBTQ advocate Lex Clay, and here’s another one: “Inaction acts sort of as a vacuum for something worse to fill it.”

Avoid the trap.

Regardless of where you sit in your org, comms touches everything.

And we can use that–as an excuse if need be–to catalyze change, even if it means doing it covertly. We have that power.

Maybe it’s a meeting of the minds and you don’t call it an ERG yet. Maybe including optional pronouns in email signatures is part of the next brand resource refresh.

The most effective DEI programs are going to be those where leaders walk the talk, YET employees feel empowered to start–and to lead–grassroots initiatives.

It’s when those two things meet in the middle that we see progress.