The ‘DEI’ Candidate
Beyond the Smear: “When they go low,” we keep going.
Recently, a politician referred to Vice President Kamala Harris, the expected Democratic nominee for President, as a ‘DEI hire.’ I lost the over/under on the use of that term as a slur. I figured it would take at least a ‘polite’ week after she tossed her hat into the ring before it was used as a smear, not within a day. So, let’s talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
I can’t count how many diverse teams I’ve built. I’ve made the business case for diversity so often and for so long that I’ve finally stopped doing so. As Toni Morrison said, “The function of racism is to distract you from your work. It keeps you explaining over and over again your reason for being.” At some point, I realized I was being stalled. I decided to just do the work rather than explain repeatedly why it would be better for all of us. The data is out there: our collective ignorance and stubbornness economically will cost us 4 to 6% of America’s projected GDP. To give you a sense of the loss, our average GDP growth rate over the last 20 or so years is 2%. President Biden boasts a 3.4% annual GDP growth during his first three years in office, while the previous president trumpets a 2.6% growth rate. That data does not even include the misery racism inflicts. Beyond its economic toll, there is a hidden personal loss for individuals who have not experienced the vitality and energy of a well-functioning, diverse team. For those who never had the experience, it feels like describing the beauty of a vibrant coral reef to someone who has only ever seen a pond.
The DEI Pattern
Diversifying teams follows a pattern. There’s usually someone who thinks that seeking diversity automatically means “lowering our standards.” They have an unshakable, visceral conviction in their heart, gut, and bones that what they are saying is a “fact.” I quickly learned that trying to explain their unfounded assumptions, implicit bias, or racism would not accomplish anything. By repeatedly responding and trying to disprove their conviction, I was being stalled while paradoxically hardening their resistance. I had to stay on the path, keep going, and show them results. I learned to confidently assure them, “Nope, we won’t drop our quality standards.” After about the fifth time of my repeating the same sentence, they look at me like I have an extra eyeball on my nose and walk away.
Begrudgingly, they go through the recruitment and hiring process, convinced that the changes I am making are another stupid initiative or will lead to failure. One colleague, in particular, sat through every hiring meeting frowning, hunched over with his arms folded, a physical way of making his silent harumphing of our so-called ‘political correctness’ known.
Next, they question why finding “good” candidates takes so long. Harumph. I don’t tell them that a characteristic of white supremacy culture is “a sense of urgency.” It took me eons to finally be able to recruit and onboard a candidate. So, I know that this aggressive push for quick results and speed of outcome is a means of maintaining the comfortable status quo, at the expense of a thoughtful, inclusive, and equitable process.
Do we really need a diverse candidate pool? Harumph. Why not interview the board member’s best friend’s kid? Or, how about hiring Jason? The ex-football player, Jason, who was a second-stringer and graduated from a third-tier law school, tells one great football yarn after the other during interviews. He’s probably the most likable person I have ever met. I point to our stated requirements, which these ‘candidates’ often don’t meet — like must be from a top 5 school. “Jason’s bright. Some of his famous coach’s leadership skills must have rubbed off. He’ll learn on the job,” Harumph Guy argues.
Where we once urgently needed to fill the role with the perfect person ready to go on Day 1, it’s suddenly okay to hire someone who will need years of training? I know who’ll end up training that person, too: me. I’m already juggling three or four roles, which is why we needed to hire in the first place. I respond with, “Well, to be fair to all the candidates, we’ll have to go back and re-look at Otis,” the African American candidate with an engineering degree from a law school ranked 9th, still in the top tier, just not Top 5. “Or, perhaps Cindy?” the woman who was competing in the Olympics while getting her law degree from a second-tier school.
That usually ends the conversation. I’ve never figured out a way for Otis or Cindy to get a second look, but at least Jason didn’t unfairly skip the line.
The Turning Point
Finally, we bring on a new team member through a fair, deliberative process. Everyone loves them; they’re a great fit. We feel our workload lighten and our capacity increase. The new person is an expert on a subject we’ve long needed help with. They tell me in 5 minutes what we would have spent months figuring out independently. Then comes the second person, then the third. Suddenly, we’re boosted with rocket fuel — we’re soaring. We’re meeting our objectives, tackling new strategic initiatives, and everyone is excited for the future. It’s usually around this point that the Harumph Guy exclaims, “Wow, we’re getting so much done. And our conversations are much more interesting now!”
I’ve heard that sentiment countless times. But I want to focus on the second half — the interesting conversations — because if I didn’t make it clear at the outset, I’m tired of explaining the business case for diversity.
Interesting Conversations
An MIT Example
The first time I experienced this “interesting conversations” phenomenon was in college at MIT. A peer insisted he would never date an MIT woman. He wanted to date and marry someone who was not necessarily as smart as him or at least not smart in the same way, someone studying for a caring profession like teaching or nursing. Basically, he wanted a gal who would fit his personal job description for a good mom. I could never figure out if he was being more insulting to those women or to women like me who attended MIT. I remember him going on dates with women from nearby colleges, returning deflated because he had just an “okay” time. Then he fell hard for an MIT woman pursuing her Ph.D. in engineering, the opposite of his stated type. After their dates, he returned practically bouncing with joy and delight because he could “actually talk to her,” and she understood him. They could stay up all night learning from each other and debating things. He married her. Last I heard, they’re still happily married with kids.
A Life Worth Living
The most recent time I witnessed this “interesting conversations” phenomenon was a couple of years ago during a board meeting. Several others and I had joined the board after what was described as an intense transition from a do-nothing roster. With our new roster, the board was diversified. We were a few months into our work when a long-time board member said: “We’re really tackling the important issues. Our meetings are so much more interesting than before!” It was at that moment I wondered:
Have these men been moving from team to team or board to board, achieving little and having dull conversations their entire lives?
If so, it’s a way of living in the world that I don’t comprehend. I’m always looking for new and better ways of doing things, which means finding people who know new and better ways. After all, isn’t life too short to be surrounded by people who bore you?
Addressing the Phrase ‘DEI Hire’
Let’s dismantle the harmful rhetoric around ‘DEI hire’ and reaffirm our commitment to hiring based on merit, regardless of individual characteristics, and the collective benefit of diversity. Extremists use the phrase “DEI hire” pejoratively, hoping to normalize it as a negative epithet. They often equate it with being Black or Brown, but they also target white women and others not fitting the white, cis-male, heterosexual stereotype. Indeed, DEI initiatives have mainly benefited white women. So, whenever I see the term “DEI ” used as a smear, I think of the “Harumph” person. Based on my experiences, I would say it’s important to respond quickly with facts and personal anecdotes about the advantages of diverse teams, but it is not worth extensively arguing with them. Use your precious time to show them what diversity, equity, and inclusion can do.
As women and men of all backgrounds galvanize around Vice President Harris’ campaign through voter registration, volunteerism, and donations, the strength and power of diversity will speak more loudly than any detractor ever could.
I do not doubt that desperate attacks on our Vice President will become even more shamefully, disgustingly racist, misogynist, sexist, and some combination of each. We can spend our time explaining over and over again why their dog whistles are appalling (when they already know it because they already sent a memo out about it). Or, we can spend our time winning the election. Every time they annoy you:
- Remind folks that only ballots count in elections, not social media Likes.
- Make a phone call to a friend to check they are registered and have a plan to vote.
- Join groups or circles that emphasize respectful dialogue and inclusivity.
- Forward a thoughtful, fact-checked article on an issue you care about.
- Talk about why the Vice President’s campaign excites you.
In sum, “when they go low,” we stay on the go.
We will know we have arrived when the Harumph Person proclaims, “Wow, we’re getting so much done. And our conversations are much more interesting now!”
Karen Spencer
July 2024
P.S.
Caveats and Misconceptions
A few caveats on what I’ve written:
- Political Assumptions: Not Just Conservatives. One might assume the Harumph Guy is conservative. They can be from any political spectrum or socio-economic background. They might be the well-meaning liberal who doesn’t want to “blow our one shot because everyone else is racist,” or a conservative who’s never seen a person of color (except me) meet firm standards.
- Gender Dynamics. I portray the Harumph Guy as a man because, on many teams, I’ve been the first woman or first Black woman. I’m sure there would be some “Harumph” gals if women had been on the team in any significant numbers.
- Misconceptions on Hiring: Not Just People of Color. Some may assume I hired only people of color or only women, but that’s not true; I hired the best available candidates. There’s no legitimate business reason to spend time developing a diverse candidate pool only to shove a portion of them aside. I’ve experienced what it feels like to be included just to meet some perceived need for interviewing a candidate of color, much like the Rooney Rule in the NFL. Being “included” is not true inclusion. Besides being demeaning and a waste of everyone’s time, this practice perpetuates racism when there is no commitment to equal-opportunity hiring. I have found you can grow a diverse team by insisting on a diverse candidate pool and listening to your employees’ feedback to retain them.
- Building a Great Team: Beyond Diversity. You cannot just plop new team members into an existing culture and think you’ll have a great team. It takes thoughtful engagement to create and keep a high-performing, diverse team.
