How to get serious about diversity and inclusion in the workplace | Janet Stovall | TED

Summary

In this inspiring speech, the speaker shares her single-minded focus on combating racism. Drawing from her experience at Davidson College, she recounts the creation of 'Project '87,' which challenged the institution to improve racial diversity. She argues that businesses, with their vast reach and influence, are uniquely positioned to dismantle racism. The speaker advocates for setting real problems, numbers, and consequences to achieve diversity and inclusion, emphasizing the transformative power of single-mindedness in driving change.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker humorously identifies herself as a single-minded friend, always steering conversations towards her focus: racism.
• 🎓 In 1984, as a junior at Davidson College, she experienced racial segregation and took action by initiating 'Project '87', which set specific diversity goals for the college.
• 📈 'Project '87' was impactful, leading to a 77-page report that laid the foundation for significant changes in the college's diversity and inclusion efforts.
• 🏆 The speaker emphasizes the power of single-mindedness in driving change, as demonstrated by the transformation at Davidson College post-'Project '87'.
• 💼 As an executive speechwriter in a predominantly white and male profession, she continues to be a 'single-minded unicorn' advocating for racial diversity.
• 🏢 The speaker argues that businesses, with their vast reach and influence, are uniquely positioned to dismantle racism, unlike colleges or churches.
• 📊 She points out the business case for diversity, noting that diverse companies outperform their peers and that diversity fuels innovation and customer insight.
• 🔢 To address the lack of diversity, she suggests setting 'real numbers' for representation, such as aligning the racial composition of the workforce with that of the population.
• 💡 Inclusion is distinguished from diversity; while diversity is about numbers, inclusion is about ensuring minority voices are heard, with a suggested threshold of 30% minority representation.
• 🛠️ Accountability in diversity and inclusion should be enforced with real consequences, similar to how businesses handle other critical performance metrics.
• 🌟 The speaker envisions a corporate environment where diversity is not just present but celebrated, and where the lessons of diversity at work extend into everyday life.

Q & A

What is the speaker's single-minded focus?

The speaker's single-minded focus is on addressing and combating racism.

What was the racial demographic at Davidson College when the speaker was a student?

Out of 1,200 students, only 52 were black, with one black professor and one black assistant dean.

What was the main goal of 'Project '87'?

The main goal of 'Project '87' was to challenge Davidson College to enroll 100 black students, hire 10 black professors, create five Black Studies classes, and hire one black dean by 1987.

How did Davidson College respond to 'Project '87'?

Davidson College responded by creating a task force to address the issues raised in 'Project '87', which led to a 77-page report that became the foundation for subsequent changes.

What is the current racial demographic at Davidson College as a result of the changes brought about by 'Project '87'?

Today, there are 185 black students, 16 black or multiracial professors, four black deans, and an entire degree-granting Africana Studies Department.

Why does the speaker believe that businesses are in a unique position to dismantle racism?

The speaker believes businesses can dismantle racism because they have a large and diverse workforce, and by creating diverse and inclusive work environments, they can influence societal attitudes and behaviors.

What are the three things that the speaker suggests businesses can learn from 'Project '87'?

Businesses can learn from 'Project '87' to address real problems, set real numbers, and establish real consequences to effectively tackle diversity and inclusion.

What is the significance of the statistic that ethnically diverse companies perform 33 percent better than the norm?

This statistic underscores the business case for diversity, suggesting that companies with diverse workforces are more likely to outperform their peers.

Why does the speaker argue that diversity and inclusion are not the same things?

Diversity is about the numbers and representation, while inclusion is about creating an environment where everyone's voice is heard and valued, regardless of their background.

What does the speaker propose as a potential 'real consequence' for companies that fail to achieve diversity and inclusion goals?

The speaker suggests that consequences for companies failing to achieve diversity and inclusion goals should be as serious as those for failing to meet sales targets, including potential job loss.

How does the speaker envision a workplace that effectively addresses diversity and inclusion?

The speaker envisions a workplace where people of all races and colors are represented at all levels, feel safe to bring their authentic selves to work, and where their differences are recognized and respected.