chances are you aren't doing enough. You would expect no less in so many other arenas of your life; the discipline, practice, and “stretch” needed to build new, healthier habits applies very much here, and when we care enough to follow through, despite the “growing pains,” we see the results over time. One of the biggest shifts to explore is closing the gap between our intent and our impact. A positive or favorable self-perception—our desire always to “be right”—is much less important than developing a deeper understanding of our place in a given system, how we got there, and our ability to effect change from who we are and where we sit.
As leaders—wherever we sit in a given system—this is well within the possible, for all of us. Progress will happen if we dedicate and prioritize our development and hold ourselves accountable while extending grace and space to ourselves to show up and learn imperfectly. Resilience and agility are key; we must learn how to fail forward, and to have grace for ourselves and others as we do so. We are all poised to be beacons for this conversation, and for progress, and as we share the work more completely, however imperfectly, the burden for change can begin to be more equitably shared—and lightened—by many more heads, hearts, and hands.
The truth is, creating lasting and sustainable cultures of belonging is a task far bigger than any one executive, or any one department, or any one initiative. With that daunting reality in mind, leaders often ask me, “Where do we begin?” This book will provide many answers to that, and more.
Hiring for Diversity will ask you to do three things. They may be difficult, but I guarantee they will also be three of the most transformative steps you can take as a forward-thinking leader. First, you will be asked to leverage what you know to do what needs to be done, however uncomfortable that may be. Second, you will be asked to embrace what you don't know, because this is how you narrow the gap toward systemic change. Often, this is achieved by first admitting there's a lot you don't know and accepting that reality. Finally—and this is the most critical step—you will need to choose to be a leader. You will need to step into your power willingly, enthusiastically even, without all (or even many) of the answers, and actively take intentional and brave steps that inspire and support those who want to follow you. They're waiting, and they care.
If you are ready to make a difference for those people, turn the page, and let Arthur and Susanna lead the way.
Jennifer Brown
Founder and CEO, Jennifer
Brown Consulting, author of Inclusion and How to Be an Inclusive Leader
CHAPTER 1 Setting the Stage: Going from Intent to Impact
You came to this book for a reason. Something compelled you. You might have been moved by a story in the news, a conversation with your team, or your own personal experiences.
When you think about diversity, you might first feel frustrated that not enough is being done. You might feel the pressure to drive results. You might be confused as to how. You might even feel guilt or shame.
When you look at your own organization, you might see where diversity is lacking, where representation is low and you haven't made enough progress. Like many people, you might be angry. You might be focused on the state of the world and the fear of what might happen if you now get this wrong.
But you might also be inspired by the possibility of getting this right.
Whether driven by fear or possibility, you, like many leaders, are likely feeling a burning desire to grow diversity in your organization. You have intent.
And because you picked up this book, you presumably have some degree of power: the power to choose, to reframe, to accept, or to influence. This book is designed to help you use whatever power you have to make a difference—not just in your own life or organization, but in the lives of people who deserve more opportunities than life has handed them.
Diversity is personal, perhaps more so than any other topic or decision we make during the workday. It reflects our values and our viewpoints, and it can trigger a surprising array of emotions. Advancing diversity isn't just about facilitating organizational change. It's about reaching the hearts and minds of our people. And it can't happen without leadership.
But leaders alone can't advance this mission. Despite what anyone tells you, there are few experts in this work, if any. There are few leaders with decades of experience in diversity hiring, and there isn't a single organization that has mastered it across the board. Today, this work requires collective learning, invention, and action. We are all writing the playbook that will guide diversity hiring in the years to come, and to do it well, we need everyone to contribute.
The path ahead is filled with extraordinary potential. If you travel it with dedication and persistence, it will lead to a better, more equitable world. Whether you are leading a company, managing a team, working in HR or recruiting, or simply aspiring to make things better, we wrote this book for you. Regardless of the role you hold, or your experience with diversity, your contribution matters, and you have the potential to make a difference. We hope this book gives you inspiration, direction, and support in this work. We hope this book reminds you what is possible and, most importantly, that you are not alone.
WHY THE TIME IS NOW
It took a series of unthinkable events, in a stunningly brief period, to force us all to reckon with injustices we'd been conditioned to tolerate.
We witnessed the murder of George Floyd and its aftermath, the agony of oppression erupting in massive, anguished protests. We watched the rise of Black Lives Matter, a global movement giving voice to people unwilling to remain disposable. We saw the COVID-19 pandemic force marginalized communities into even greater hardship and disparity. If our eyes were closed before, they have now been pried open. We are no longer willing—or able—to ignore the inequality and racism that surrounds us.
In a handful of months, the world discovered an urgent desire for change, and no facet of life has gone unaffected, especially the workplace and the makeup of our workforce. Most management teams and boards for the first time looked around and noticed the lack of diversity in the room. And employees across organizations demanded response and action from their employers.
Leaders were left asking, “Will things ever go back to the way they once were?” But the world as we know it has forever changed. Our new world calls us to move forward in innovative ways and to solve problems we've ignored for far too long.
So what changed? We've always had the intent to do better, to be better. And for the last decade, we have signaled how little diversity, equity, and inclusion is present in the workforce today, but that has yet to translate to real changes in our systems. There has been little impact from our efforts. We are now at a critical juncture. We can no longer tolerate our own lack of progress.
Our personal frustration is a direct indication of our desire for personal engagement. We can no longer say this isn't our responsibility, that this is someone else's problem. Each of us—from chief executives down to entry-level employees—has a sphere of influence in advancing diversity on our teams and our organizations. We each have the opportunity to build awareness of the need for diversity because of the systemic inequities across our hiring process. We have the chance to model new behavior for inclusive hiring in our own work personally, and we can play a role in influencing changes to the way our teams and organizations operate.
We also have more transparency around the lack of representation than ever before. Black individuals make up 13 percent of the U.S. population, yet only in four of the nation’s 37 largest employers do they occupy
