Lily instead starts from the basics of defining measurable impact outcomes for diversity, equity and inclusion, and then lays out strategies and tactics for moving organizations towards those outcomes. They also identify multiple roles necessary to drive a DEI change in an organization, for those of us without formal power and who don't see themselves as the fire-breathing advocate (I can see myself in the educator role, though). This is just one example, but the lessons we should take away from it should be sobering. As societies and as a world, we are far from where we need to be, and our efforts to do good may result in unpredictable consequences—and harm—we are unprepared to handle.

For the first time, I had to ask myself: How can I be sure that the work I’m doing is achieving what I think it is? And then, the inevitable follow-ups: How many practitioners are doing work that might be ineffective or even do more harm than good?” “How many don’t know and don’t care enough to find out? DEI Deconstructed analyzes how current methods and best practices leave marginalized people feeling frustrated and unconvinced of their leaders' sincerity, and offers a roadmap that bridges the neatness of theory with the messiness of practice. Through embracing a pragmatic DEI approach drawing from cutting-edge research on organizational change, evidence-based practices, and incisive insights from a DEI strategist with experience working from the top-down and bottom-up alike, stakeholders at every level of an organization can become effective DEI changemakers. Nothing less than this is required to scale DEI from interpersonal teeth-pulling to true systemic change. For years, I sought out answers to these questions, and what I saw indicated that dubiously effective or even blatantly harmful practices were entrenched into widespread understandings of what “the work” looked like—including my own. As I’ll explore shortly, the “gold standard” of DEI work and interventions was too often just fool’s gold: shiny, exciting, but ultimately disappointing and of little value. I’ll share why this is the case and how to identify these “fool’s gold standards” so we can build an understanding of how those of us intent on effective work can do better. (Fool’s) Gold Standards Zheng uses evidence and historical context to talk about DEI and how to move things beyond the 101 or beyond "good intentions" which often really don't hit the mark and make things even more awkward/painful for marginalized people. Some of it is really interesting, some might be things you're familiar with already, some might be repetitive if you've gone through trainings or are familiar with these concepts. One participant of a training that focused on inclusive language for LGBTQ+ communities later told a colleague that “transsexual” was outdated and un-inclusive language. Their colleague, who had happily identified as transsexual for years, was less than thrilled to hear that her own identity was somehow “un-inclusive” from someone who wasn’t trans themself.

Table of contents

Trust is the currency of change:” Zheng drives this point home throughout the book, helping readers reimagine a more effective approach to DEI change initiatives by centering trust. When there is minimal trust built, change won’t happen. The author also reminds readers that trust is not all-encompassing—there are various levels and intensities of trust. This has significant implications for assessing for and building psychological trust within your work teams. . Hope for a better future is important. We need to see the DEI industry and DEI work in general as an endlessly improving discipline with room to grow that has meaningfully achieved change. Much of this progress was not achieved in isolation but instead in collaboration with and supporting social movements, activists, and advocates who unapologetically work toward a better world. At the same time, our actions have consequences, and we bear an enormous responsibility toward all marginalized groups to ensure our work moves the needle in the right direction and mitigates unforeseen negative consequences.

Summary: “The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias” explains why bias is a part of the human condition and how interactions based in bias can affect the success of your organization. Experts from leadership transformation company FranklinCovey provide a guide to understanding and overcoming unconscious bias. Lily is a thought-leading voice on LinkedIn and I was hoping they would have more intriguing and creative ideas on how best to push for and reward DEI initiatives. For example, they broach the topic of compensating ERG leaders for their work but fall short of actually imploring businesses to think of the double burden of ERG leadership and provide monetary compensation to said burden-holders. Sure, we want equity and equal pay, but if we don’t think bigger than this, how will we ever really push the envelope beyond the demands listed in Dolly’s “9 to 5”? I won’t dress it up any more than that—I have no intention of selling “pragmatic DEI” as an exciting new thing to spicPerformative Allyship: Zheng identifies the problem with allyship being more performative than leading to actual change. Zheng examines the criteria for performative allyship, asking, what makes an action performative? “If an action is intended to gain social media clout or make a person look good, those are dead ringers for performative allyship” (p.87).