DEI Deconstructed by Lily Zheng

Author:Lily Zheng
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers

SEVEN

Change-Maker: Everyone

The executive director I was speaking to was getting exasperated.

“They have no idea what it takes to run this company. I spent the entire day yesterday—the entire day—flying across the country and back to talk to the sources of our two biggest grants. Today my schedule is booked solid with meetings with our community liaisons and regional directors. You have to understand. I get that some of our staff are upset with how our gender representation is, especially at the top, but come on: ‘firing all of our leadership and hiring women instead?’ I hope I don’t have to explain why we can’t do that.”

“No, you don’t. So what would you have them say, instead?”

He sighed. “Anything else productive. A strategy, maybe? Some actually feasible thoughts and ideas on how we as an organization can deal with this issue . . .  given the financial constraints and other constraints that we have,” he added.

“What levels in the organization are these vocal employees? Help me understand, are they more early-career, more senior—?”

“Mostly junior employees. That’s why they have no idea how things work; they’re enthusiastic but don’t have the experience.”

“Who does?”

He paused. “Who does what? Have the experience that these employees don’t? Well, I suppose quite a few folks. But we’re all busy. We’re not going to educate these employees on every aspect of how this nonprofit works.”

“How will they ever develop the sort of thoughtful, informed strategy you’re talking about, then, if the thoughtful, informed people in the organization don’t put in the time to teach them?”

Silence, for a long moment. I raised my eyebrows at him, and he eventually grimaced, but nodded.

“That’s a polite way to say that I should be doing more if I want these people to stop making bad suggestions.”

I shrugged and gave him a small smile. “Your words, not mine.”

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