Business Leaders; Don't Shy Away From Social Justice

All over America, business leaders are taking a hard look in the mirror. 

Are we inclusive? If not, how do we change? 

If you’re not, I wonder, have you noticed an increase in turnover or decrease in productivity? How are you going to find stability in your business with employees coming and going all the time? 

The current state of our world isn’t going to get solved through government or internal private process. It’s going to get worked out through the success or failure of your business.

What’s at stake? 

The ability to attract and retain talent has become the #1 contributor to business growth.

People leave businesses all the time for a variety of reasons out of their control. However, one thing you can control is how many of them are leaving because of how you make them feel.

If people don’t feel safe to be themselves, they won’t feel safe to contribute their talents. If they don’t feel that sense of safety, they can never get to a sense of belonging. Gallup Research has shown the majority of Americans are actively disengaged from their work. Moss Adams estimated this at a $14 Trillion loss in productivity.

If you want to make sure your business survives, you need to ask how can we embrace a more inclusive culture? One that empowers people to speak up and get involved. 

What can we do?

When Covid19 struck and the shelter in place mandates were put in place, business leaders created and set a plan in motion. Many of the changes were uncomfortable and painful, but we made them quickly. The same can be done when it comes to an inclusive culture. 

One tool that I think works well at bringing people together is the Archetype Survey System by Culture Talk. It’s a validated tool that helps individuals and organizations measure which universal human themes they tend toward, and how they are distinct from others. It creates a framework for understanding differences in points of view and values. It makes it easier to address complex issues such as perception and identity without shaming and blaming one another. This is a good place to start internally.* 

From a brand perspective, there are a lot of things that can be done authentically in your marketing and business development that further your internal culture work and extend into the community. For example, a % of profits can go to a cause your employees choosing. You can gift a % of your employee’s time to a cause they believe in. Even better, you can bring an inclusive lens into the strategic planning discussion. How could an inclusive lens help you gain an edge over your competition?

This social revolution will be televised and your brand position regarding social equity and justice will be exposed. If you're feeling like, "damned if I do and damned if I don't," be assured that your silence says much more than you intend.

*You’ll need a certified partner, like me, to administer and validate your audit. Reach out if you’re interested.