The Diversity & Inclusion trap and why I’m no longer invested

Andrew Odong
Aug 31, 2018 · 3 min read

As much as we would like to deny this fact, socially conscious and philanthropic initiatives are typically recognised by organisations once the business case has been established. For a long time now, diversity and inclusion (D&I) has fallen under this premise, being viewed simply as a social justice endeavour rather than a critical competitive advantage. However, recent studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between inclusive teams and business performance. This has been further supplemented by a host of runaway successes, particularly within the media and advertising space (Can we talk about Black Panther?!).

Naturally you may be wondering whether this article is a contradiction in terms. Here I am, a “black queer man” suggesting that I’m no longer invested in the D&I conversation. Surely, this would ultimately be to my detriment?

Here I am, a “ black queer man” suggesting that I’m no longer invested in the D&I conversation. Surely, this would ultimately be to my detriment?

At this stage in my career, I am fortunate that I have much greater influence when it comes to who I collaborate with. Naturally, I am drawn to organisations/individuals who share the same ethos and core principles. Authentic inclusion is something I hold incredibly dear and have embedded into the very fabric of my activities, ensuring that they are truly representative.

So, when I was asked “How do you convince people of the benefits of diverse teams?” at breakfast with a potential client, I simply answered, “I don’t”. Now let me tell you why…

So, when I was asked “How do you convince people of the benefits of diverse teams?” at breakfast with a potential client, I simply answered, “I don’t”.

To me, this inquisition highlights a wider problem when tackling diversity in business, where the dialogue centres on validating the existence of minority groups within the workplace. Not saying that these conversations are not required in certain contexts. But my focus now lies beyond this point; from proving value to harnessing teams for productivity and creativity.

There is nothing more frustrating than having your work boxed in as a “D&I exercise”,when it is simply an expression of your interests. Interests which may or may not be informed by the fact you belong to a particular demography. And this is not to say that we should not acknowledge the different experiences of those within our society, but we should also not fall into the trap of assigning labels to work which are not necessarily in keeping with what the creators want to convey.

Justifying my existence for commercial gain is taxing and restrains us from creating the new. If we spend our time being dragged “back to basics”, how are we going to create for the future?

This blog is therefore an assertion of the fact that I am no longer invested in legitimizing the presence of minority groups within the workplace. Justifying my existence for commercial gain is taxing and restrains us from creating the new. If we spend our time being dragged “back to basics”, how are we going to create for the future?

Written by Andrew Odong, Founder, Pesa Productions

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