As somebody who has worked in the DEI space for a very long time, people seem surprised by my reaction to the recent backlash it has received. And my reaction? Not in the least bit surprised and in fact a little (controversially) relieved. DEI hasn’t just suddenly broken. DEI as it has existed in the main part until now was doomed to fail from the start.

The approach has been divisive, othering and transactional. Quota based. Putting people into boxes. Disenfranchising to the majority. Cold and very little human-centricity.

So what next? As I wrote in ‘Everyone Included’ several years ago…

“The evolution of organisations will require the individual employee to take centre stage, within a space where psychological safety is high, EVERYONE feels included and the unique talents of all are maximised”

Let’s bring the humanity and common sense back to inclusive cultures. So far we have over-complicated it to the degree that it has largely failed… and inadvertently contributed to the culture wars of polarised views we are seeing today.

Give your strategy a rethink. Get curious. We can do this.