I’m Not a DEI Expert—But None of This Feels Right

I’m not a DEI expert. I’m not an HR professional. What I am is a leader who has spent decades driving results, building teams, and delivering outcomes that make money. I’ve always believed in balancing head and heart in business decisions. And I’ll admit, some of the recent headlines about the backlash against DEI efforts have left me deeply unsettled—not as a “woke warrior,” but as someone who cares about results and believes in fairness.

The Leadership Perspective

Leadership is about creating environments where people thrive. Thriving teams perform better, innovate more, and, yes, drive revenue growth. Over the years, I’ve seen this in action. When people feel included and supported, they show up stronger, collaborate better, and deliver bigger results.

This isn’t just anecdotal. Research consistently shows that diverse teams outperform their less diverse counterparts. A study by McKinsey & Company found that companies in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity on executive teams were 36% more likely to outperform on profitability. Similarly, gender-diverse executive teams were 25% more likely to achieve above-average profitability.

Yet despite the clear correlation between diversity and performance, we’re seeing a rollback of DEI initiatives across industries. As a leader, I can’t help but wonder: Why would we walk away from practices that make our teams stronger and our businesses more successful?

Results Over Rhetoric

I’ll be the first to admit that some DEI initiatives have been poorly implemented or feel more like box-checking exercises. But that’s not a reason to abandon the mission—it’s a reason to refine it. What I care about is outcomes. The best organizations excel in culture, performance, and results.

Consider this: A Boston Consulting Group study found that companies with above-average diversity in management teams report innovation revenue that is 19 percentage points higher than that of companies with below-average diversity. This is because diverse teams bring a broader range of perspectives, enabling more creative problem-solving and better decision-making.

When I hear that corporations are rolling back DEI efforts or rebranding them as distractions, I see a missed opportunity. What’s being framed as inefficiency could be a sign of poor leadership or misaligned priorities, not the failure of DEI itself.

Why It’s Not Sitting Right

Here’s what really bothers me: the tone of the conversation has shifted. The conversation has shifted from evaluating the effectiveness of DEI to directly challenging the very idea of it. This shift involves questioning the fundamental principles and intentions behind DEI, rather than just assessing its outcomes or methods. The scapegoating, the inflammatory rhetoric, the idea that inclusivity is somehow a barrier to excellence—it’s all wrong.

For example, blaming a city’s DEI policies for unrelated challenges, as we’ve seen in recent public discourse, not only undermines the importance of inclusivity but also distracts from real solutions. DEI is not a convenient excuse for larger systemic problems. It is a strategy to tackle inequalities and unleash potential.

Moreover, the backlash seems to ignore the human side of leadership. It’s easy to focus on metrics and forget that our businesses are made up of people. According to a Deloitte report, 83% of millennials are more engaged at work when they believe their company fosters an inclusive culture.

To me, this is not merely a political issue; it is deeply personal. It involves creating workplaces where my children—and yours—can thrive and achieve success, irrespective of their backgrounds. It encompasses leading with values that transcend mere profit, yet simultaneously contribute to it. It is about ensuring that everyone who works for and with me feels genuinely acknowledged, appreciated, and respected. This means fostering an environment where diversity is celebrated, inclusivity is prioritized, and every individual has the opportunity to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. It is about building a culture that not only drives business success but also nurtures personal growth and satisfaction for all employees.

Moving Forward with Purpose

So, what now? How do we move forward in a way that balances the practical with the purposeful?

1. Refine, Don’t Retreat: Organizations should view challenges in their DEI efforts as opportunities to improve, not excuses to give up. This might mean aligning programs more closely with business goals or measuring their impact more effectively. For example, tying DEI initiatives to key performance indicators (KPIs) like employee retention or innovation output can help clarify their value.

2. Lead with Authenticity: Leaders set the tone. If we want to create inclusive cultures, we need to model inclusive behavior. This means listening to our teams, addressing bias head-on, and committing to continuous learning.

3. Focus on the Long Game: Culture change doesn’t happen overnight. It requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to navigate discomfort. The companies that stick with their DEI efforts, even when it’s hard, are the ones that will thrive in the long run.

4. Celebrate Small Wins: Progress is progress. Whether it’s diversifying a hiring pool, fostering mentorship programs, or creating spaces for open dialogue, every step forward counts. Recognizing these wins can help maintain momentum and keep teams engaged.

I may not be a DEI expert, but I am a leader who believes in growth, fairness, and results. Rolling back progress doesn’t sit right with me—not because it’s “politically correct,” but because it’s bad for business and even worse for humanity. It’s easy to get caught up in the noise, but I hope we can step back and ask ourselves: What kind of leaders do we want to be? What kind of organizations do we want to build? And what kind of legacy do we want to leave?

The answers to those questions will define us far more than any headline ever could.