How to fix DEI

Companies like Microsoft, Harley-Davidson and John Deere are abandoning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion or "DEI," as are dozens of universities. Elon Musk has stated that “DEI must DIE.”

But before we rush to ditch DEI, let’s remember why we started down this road. America is built on fairness and opportunity, and we can’t afford to lose sight of that. The dividends of diversity are what keep us at the top as the world’s leading superpower. While DEI needs a serious overhaul, that doesn’t mean we should throw the baby out with the bathwater. We can fix what’s broken without abandoning the principles that make us stronger.

We need innovative DEI training that is not about blaming and checking boxes, but about finding common ground, fostering genuine understanding and creating a space where everyone feels like they belong. Diversity training must be reframed so that white leaders enjoy the experience, feel empowered and are valued participants.

To accomplish this, we must look back at history to move forward in diversity management. Transformative social movements have often required the support of those outside the immediate group seeking change.

The women’s suffrage movement is a prime example. Although women led the charge for their right to vote, the movement gained crucial momentum when a significant number of men, particularly those in positions of influence, joined the cause. Their buy-in was essential to passing legislation and altering public opinion, ultimately helping women secure the franchise. Similarly, for DEI efforts to succeed, it’s imperative that white men — who often hold key positions in organizations — are not just participants but active supporters.

DEI initiatives cannot reach their full potential without the engagement and endorsement of white men, making it vital that these programs resonate with and appeal to them as well. Their involvement is necessary for achieving lasting and meaningful progress in creating more equitable workplaces.

Cultural intelligence is built on four foundations: knowledge, strategy, behavior and motivation. You need all four to work together, much like the gears in a well-oiled machine — each one playing a crucial role to keep everything running smoothly. Diversity training needs to be more than just a knowledge dump, a strategy for mindfulness or a call for behavior change. It must be engaging and enjoyable. That’s the motivation element.

Critical Race Theory and “wokeism?” They’re too blunt, too accusatory and too narrow to make an impact. They miss the mark because they lack the motivational spark needed to help white Americans navigate and grow. The current focus on equity is important, but it’s missing the intrinsic motivation that makes people want to embrace change.

Effective DEI training should energize, motivate and inspire everyone to be more welcoming of people different from themselves. It’s like trying to get kids to eat their vegetables — you’ve got to make it appealing if you want them to keep coming back for more.

For the DEI experience to be motivating, there must be opportunities to heighten one’s self-awareness. Participants are more inclined to embrace DEI when they experience personal growth.

This happens through self-examination and reflection of your own racial, ethnic and cultural identity. You’re able to ask yourself penetrating questions like: “Who am I?” “How am I walking through this world?” Many people have never wrestled with these questions to come to an awareness of how their social markers (race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.) influence them and affect others.

The topic of self-awareness then must segue into awareness of “the other” — anyone who is different than you. Deep down inside, we all want to belong, to be accepted and to fit into our work teams, yet my research has uncovered a frustrating truth: minorities in the corporate world want their white coworkers to have an awareness of the other.

Conversations about race are difficult. Some people shy away from them because they can be uncomfortable without the right attitude of the host and participants. If the conversation is accusatory towards any one group, though framed as “DEI training,” it will lead to avoidance, anger and resentment.

Given the racial and ethnic “browning” of America, we must marshal the desired attitudes and face them head on. I discovered that real stories make for good conversations. These stories must be communicated in a way that creates trust and psychological safety. They can’t accuse anyone; demonize any particular group; or demand justice, equity and a seat at the table. The story must simply present information in a way that is vulnerable, heartfelt and sincere.

In my research, I came across a story from a Latino man that really hit home. During diversity training, some of his white colleagues were noticeably resistant. They saw the training as an inconvenience, with some saying, “I’m not the problem. I’m not racist.”

Instead of rebuking them or complaining about their indifference, this man simply shared his own vulnerable story — a moment that made everyone pause and reflect.

He said, “The incident with George Floyd hit me hard. I’ve been through that. I’ve faced police brutality firsthand. I’ve had cops take off their badge and say, ‘Let’s go behind the apartment complex [to fight],’ just because they were having a bad day. So, yeah, I don’t have the highest view of police officers. This is what I’ve seen. And the punishment for resisting shouldn’t be death.”

His story, shared with raw honesty, made his colleagues stop and think. The vulnerability he showed didn’t just share his pain; it softened their resistance to diversity training, helping them see the bigger picture.

So here’s my challenge to Microsoft: Finish the story you started in June 2020. After George Floyd’s murder, CEO Satya Nadella took a powerful stand against racial injustice and inequity, and backed it up with a $150 million commitment to DEI efforts. Fast forward four years, and now Microsoft is dismantling its DEI department. That can’t be the end of the story — Microsoft owes us, and themselves, a better ending than that.

Building bridges across our differences is critical for America to move forward. Just don’t throw the DEI baby out with the bathwater. It’s the bathwater that must be dumped.

This op-ed is part of The Hill’s “How to Fix America” series exploring solutions to some of the country’s most pressing problems.

David D. Ireland, Ph.D. has served as a diversity consultant to the NBA, Deloitte and other major corporations. He is the founder and CEO of the consulting firm Belong Group.