Ready for DEI Change? Why A More Evidence Based Approach Is The (Best) Solution

According to 'Why Diversity Programs Fail' (Dobbin and Kalev), a 2016 study by the Harvard Business Review, the most popular methods of DEI training not only don't work, but can actually be harmful: "Executives favor a classic command-and-control approach to diversity because it boils expected behaviors down to dos and don'ts that are easy to understand and defend. Yet this approach also flies in the face of nearly everything we know about how to motivate people to make changes...You won’t get managers on board by blaming and shaming them with rules..." 

Instead, the same study points to personal engagement as the key to long lasting DEI forward progress, noting: "In analyzing three decades' worth of data from more than 800 U.S. firms and interviewing hundreds of line managers and executives at length, we've seen that companies get better results when they ease up on the control tactics. It's more effective to engage managers in solving the problem, increase their on-the-job contact with female and minority workers, and promote social accountability - the desire to look fair-minded." 

Focusing on the individual improves engagements and outcomes by allowing each person the freedom to expand and change at their own pace, while also creating a culture that is more open to growth. Research has shown that approaching employees as individuals not only increases receptivity to an anti-racist mindset, but restructures organizational culture to a place of complete immersion, where real change is not only possible, but long lasting. This way forward is not only incredibly exciting, but also, with the right tools, very achievable.

Racial Just Us, an anti-racism movement founded by ICF certified coach and DEI trainer André M. Brown, is poised to radically disrupt traditional corporate DEI work, achieving results by shifting the focus from outdated absolute training techniques to a more thoughtful and a dialogue based model that empowers individuals. Allowing each person their own agency in examining their personal biases meets each worker where they are in their own individual development, with the end result providing an exciting space for growth mindset. 

Ready to make actionable change? Racial Just Us is ready to help.

Miami based Racial Just Us, a division of Jump Street Coaching, was founded in 2020 by André M. Brown as a way to create actionable meaningful racial change, combining his experience as a trainer and International Coaching Federation (ICF) certified coach. André is an expert facilitator, well-versed in creating an atmosphere of respectful conversations around challenging topics, including race. 

For nearly thirty years, André has assisted a diverse population improve their lives, most recently, as a clinical training specialist for the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families. Here, he developed trainings including: Cultural Competence in Child Welfare Through Self-Awareness I: The Impact of Implicit Bias and Understanding and Implementing Cultural Competence.