4 ways that “quick win” culture harms DEI goals
When I talk to leaders about creating more equitable workplaces, one of the biggest roadblocks is finding the time and energy to focus on what’s important — as opposed to what’s urgent.
It’s easy to justify focusing on “quick-win band-aids” to equity challenges — rather than deeper systemic and cultural shifts — when we’re running from meeting to meeting without any time to breathe.
If we’re not careful, DEI becomes another box on the never-ending checklist. In my book BEYOND LEANING IN, we examine how this harms diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
(1) Focusing on Whack-a-Mole Solutions Rather than Systemic Change:
Organizations don’t invest in the time needed to truly understand the complexity of the problems; this leads to what I call “whack-a-mole solutions” whereby quick wins that don’t actually address the underlying issue only lead to the next new problem. ICYMI, check out this episode of my podcast, where we discuss organizational impatience as one of the top 5 takeaways in the book.
(2) Neglecting Essential Inner Work:
The real DEI battlefield isn’t just in official hiring policies or in ensuring implicit bias trainings happen. It’s in the thousands of small moments — for example, how we talk about and to colleagues in hallway conversations or during meetings — that it’s even harder to be more mindful about when we’re always running to the next thing. “Doing the work” requires deep reflection, thought, and grappling with emotionally-charged topics. View my 3-minute micro-book-talk video below about how DEI below trainings too often sidestep uncomfortable conversations.
(3) Failing to Examine the Unintended DEI Consequences of a Wide Range of Decisions:
For example, when it comes to hiring, leaders often rely too much on existing networks to quickly fill open positions. Many leaders realize this isn’t ideal, but don’t believe they can afford to wait. After all, their teams are already over-stretched and have many deadlines to meet. Relying on existing networks not only harms diversity goals, but also means neglecting to take the time to find the best long-term fit for the job.
(4) Relying on Autopilot Practice:
After rolling out initial trainings, policies, or processes, leaders then assume that “the boxes are now checked” and these can run on autopilot. This ignores the fact that any newly implemented practices (DEI or otherwise) might have unintended consequences — and need to be revised in much the same way that a product or service is adjusted based on how real-life consumers react after an initial launch.
