How did we get here? Who’s silly idea was it to “have it all?” in the first place? My mother’s generation didn’t “have it all” – or even half. Married women in my mother’s and grandmother’s generation were locked in the domestic ivory tower as queens of their homefronts, but powerless in society...
Diversity
Why is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) so hard? Part II
In our InPower Women Mastermind community the subjects of discrimination, bias, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) come up pretty often in conversation. These discussions are stimulated by personal experience and requests for advice as well as a shared commitment the women in our group have for...
Why Is It So Hard? Moving Beyond Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 101
I feel like we’ve been in “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 101” class for decades now. Starting more than 30 years ago organizations first funded the “D” (diversity). Then when those programs didn’t diversify workforces enough, they added the “I” (inclusion) and more recently the “E” (equity) to...
How to be an Ally to Women of Color, and All Women
I so appreciate this conversation with Saundra Gilliard and the powerful women who participated in my interview with her. We discussed the complexities of setting up true and impactful alliances across racial lines between women. It turns out that the answer to the question, "How can I be a good...
A Guide to Allyship: The Authenticity Paradox and How to Help Women in the Workplace Move Past It
I’m often asked how to be an ally to women in the workplace and help them achieve their career goals. In thinking about developing a guide to allyship, I wanted to be specific about the reasons women need allies in the first place. Well into his career, my husband came back from a trip overseas...
Pay Equity: Why it’s Critical to Diversity and Inclusion Efforts
Key Takeaways: Equity in Pay Matters: Achieving pay equity is a crucial step in addressing social injustices and biases in the workplace, but it requires confronting discomfort around salary transparency. The Evolution of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I): From diversity initiatives to...
Owning My Place on the Ladder of Privilege, Social Justice and Inequity
One coach’s approach to becoming a better human being I am profoundly uncomfortable. I recently wrote an article for Smartbrief about how to lead in response to the protests roiling our cities. While I stand by what I said, here is what I did not say in that article: I’m really not feeling like...
3 Ways a Male Executive Can Help Create a Less Biased Corporate Culture
Dear Dana, I’ve recently been promoted to an executive position in my company and I read your article about how senior women can help change corporate culture regarding gender and sexual discrimination and harassment. In my new position, I now see things that are walking the line of sexism and...
Confessions of a Reluctant Feminist: My Role In Perpetuating Workplace Discrimination
The lack of workforce diversity affects virtually every business. We need to figure out how to fight the kind of workplace discrimination that creates cultural uniformity in our businesses for two reasons. First, it’s the right thing to do; when more of our workplaces become safe havens for...
Research Says: The Case for Workforce Diversity
Study: Business Case for Diversity with Inclusion (Business Case for Inclusion and Engagement, Robinson, Pfeffer, Buccigrossi, 2003) Finding: Even in workplaces where the intentions are genuine, some people find obstacles to their full engagement based not on issues of qualification and...