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The Current State of DEIB

Posted on by Seniye Groff

For every headline you might read lately, it seems that DEIB is all but gone…under attack…wrong in so many ways. But I see just as many companies, people and organizations sticking with their DEIB initiatives. Most DEIB strategies are focused on doing the right thing not giving folks an “unfair” advantage like the media would like us to believe. Treating people with dignity and respect should never be out of style.

Dismantling racial structures means change and people typically don’t like change especially when they believe they are losing something. So let’s flip the script and focus on what people gain when change happens. It is also important to plan out the change management strategy that should be tied to any organizational pivot or evolution.

The first step in a change management plan is to build and maintain momentum. Have your team analyze stakeholders, evaluate the impact to the organization, determine how you will measure the change and of course, secure budget for the endeavor.

The second step is to engage your stakeholders. This step includes creating a communication plan for the end user so identify your audience and what is important to them. In addition to the communication plan, figure out the engagement strategy…and expect and plan for some bumps along the way.

The third step focuses on aligning the organization. Complete an organizational RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed). Rewards and measurements should be considered here, too.

The fourth steps includes training and developing people. Consider the needed training strategy tied to roles and jobs, as well as, a coaching plan. Develop the needed materials, create the delivery schedule, determine how you will evaluate the training and then implement the training.

Finally in the fifth step of the process, monitor readiness and adoption of the organization. Define the metrics that will be used and create an assessment plan plus plenty of pulse checks. It is clearly evident that DEIB is very important to every organization (and the world) so upfront planning can help ensure that all the strategies and focus are set up for success and dissemination throughout the organization.

What have you done or experienced that helped your organization successfully implement their DEIB efforts?

Sharing some reading materials, too:

https://www.wsj.com/sports/football/nfl-super-bowl-dei-end-racism-b78a3495?st=eYTi9L&reflink=article_copyURL_share
https://twitter.com/cbseveningnews/status/1884368357828202982?s=46&t=CG_r2BJL2op9UnwpKeRdqA

https://www.fastcompany.com/91247655/this-is-how-dei-will-change-in-2025

Last Stop…Dubrovnik

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Old Town Dubrovnik is truly beautiful. There are amazing old buildings, a main artery filled with people and shops and the sea air circulating through everything. We wandered and decided on an early dinner at Lady Pi Pi, which ended up being really smart because the line up of would-be diners showed up shortly after we were seated. We were lucky enough to get a table on the upper terrace which boasts a roof top view of the old town. We ordered the seafood platter which is grilled right across from our table in a large, open grill.

After dinner we wandered Old Town at night, which was just as picturesque. I don’t watch Game of Thrones but apparently lots of scenes were filmed in this area.

Tackle Financial Discipline in 2024

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I recently met a friend for a hike and she shared that she made $35K more in 2023 than she expected. Great news…you would think. The challenge was that she had nothing to show for the additional income. In other words she spent every cent of it plus some. She asked my advice on how she could do better. Here’s what I told her:

  • Live below your means. In other words, act like you make a lot less than you do. Too often we garner a larger paycheck and instead of “paying ourselves” we literally go on a shopping spree of life…bigger house, nicer car, the latest phone etc. Ask yourself, “What do I really need?” and “Does all that stuff really make me happier, anyway?”
  • Put all her various accounts into one investment account. Every time she left a job, she left her 401k with her previous employer. It essentially sits there and is forgotten. If she pulled all of them together, she could create a wholistic plan and be more strategic with her money. I am sure you’ve heard the mantra of being diversified in your portfolio. Well an easy way to accomplish this is to know what you have and have easy access to it…all of it.
  • Shopping…many a person’s downfall. And my friend is no exception. I suggested that she pause…when she sees something instead of immediately buying it, walk away. Think about it. Check out what is already in her closet. Determine how much she will really wear it. And after all that analysis, if she still wants it or “needs” it, then buy it! More likely she will have moved on and forgotten that must-have item.
  • Have a plan and work your plan. Have an end game and then work towards it. All of this financial responsibility should be working towards a goal so I suggested to her that she needs to know what her goal is.
  • Live a little, too. All work and no play would make life pretty boring and dry and there is nothing wrong with a reward here and there. Instead of a bunch of little rewards (clothing, coffee, etc.) how about one really big, glorious reward like a fabulous trip?!

Share your ideas in the comments!

Cusco

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I got to spend a few extra days in Cusco, rather than hiking due to my altitude sickness. Cusco is a vibrant, historical, proud city and I wandered around. I visited the Qorikancha Temple (Temple of the Sun) which was built on top of a Christian church. The earthquake of 1953 uncovered this beauty when the church came down.

I also visited the local street market filled with local vendors. I was told locals shop there every morning. The market had a little bit of everything including the dog, of course. I have been fascinated with the rampant loose dogs that run around the city. Apparently they roam free all day and eventually return home in the evenings. Dogs are literally everywhere…mainly sleeping but also playing and rummaging through garbage. Thank goodness they are not viscous and really are uninterested in pedestrians.

I also continued to have some great meals. Food in Peru appears to be celebrated and not only it is delicious but always presented very artfully. My favorite meal was Canelones Andinos. I am inspired to incorporate some Peruvian-style cooking into my own repertoire!

Peru Continued

Posted on by Seniye Groff

After the Nazca lines I headed to a Pisco distillery that has been in three generations of one family. I walked the vineyards, learned the process for making Pisco, tasted several Piscos and then had lunch in their dining room. I ate the most amazing lima bean salad with minced onions and avocado…it was so simple yet incredibly tasty.

I then transported to Huacachina for a dune buddy ride on the desert sand dunes. I have to admit I was not thrilled about this activity until I DID IT! Oh my gosh it was fun and similar to being on a roller coaster. The Venezuelan driver was a dare devil and certainly wanted to get as many screams out of the passengers as possible.

During the dune buggy ride, we of course stopped to take pictures and then do some sand boarding. This was another activity that I was not excited about. The dunes were so tall and I imagined eating a bunch of sand. But, once again, I did it and LOVED it. It was so much fun. I then headed to another simple, clean, friendly hotel for the evening.

The next morning I had an hour bus ride to Paracas. Paracas is the gateway to a 40 minute boat ride out to Ballestas Island, a natural protected area for wildlife and fauna. We stopped to look at the Candelabra, another unexplained etching in the side of a mountain on the way to the island. I saw plenty of birds, sea lions and Humboldt penguins. It was truly beautiful.

After the boat ride we headed to the Paracas Reserve. This is a huge desert butting up to the ocean. Our first stop was fogged in so we went to another viewpoint, the Red Beach, which was stunning. Then lunch and another stop at Playa La Mina. After this stop and walk along the beach we stopped again at the first stop, which was no longer fogged in. What a gorgeous viewpoint! It was a day filled with beauty, variety, wildlife and then a bus ride back to Lima late at night. I was beginning to realize the beauty and magnificent variety of Peru. The most amazing thing was I was in an enormous desert but also the agricultural heartland of the country. This region grew every fruit, vegetable and nut you could imagine with seeming wasteland. The hard work and ingenuity displayed was mind boggling!

Peru is an amazing place with so much bio diversity…on to Cusco next!

“The End of Bias: A Beginning” by Jessica Nordell

Posted on by Seniye Groff

“Bias is normal but not acceptable”

Jessica Nordell

Nordell’s book shared some concepts that I think are worth repeating. I certainly have been penalized for speaking out during my career, but imagine how much more difficult it is for marginalized folks. I loved her thought about seeing differences does not matter but instead, it’s how we react to differences in harmful ways that count. What comes to mind for you? How have you reacted negatively when someone has shared something different from what you believe or think?

Another idea that resonated for me in the book was the idea to “notice when stereotypes arise and actively replace with alternative images.” Wow! In other words, look for situational reasons for a person’s behavior rather than assuming it comes from inherent characteristics. This recently came to life in a conversation with a peer when they were relating a story of a recent interview they held with two candidates. The candidates qualifications were similar (one had more formal education, the other had more hands- on experience) and they ended up choosing the candidate with more education. I asked, “Why?” and then I followed up with, “Perhaps the second candidate did not have access to additional education”. My peer responded with “Funny you say that. When I called the candidate and let him know he was not chosen, he said that exact thing”. It is important to remember that marginalized folks often go to underfunded schools with less resources. It is not intentional on their part to get a subpar education…the system creates this inequity in education.

I love how Nordell distills bias to a choice. A choice that you can change by eliminating automatic thinking and instead use conscious deliberation. So, do I accept my automatic evaluation of people or do I try something new? Do I believe my first reaction or do I stop to look for further evidence?

Stop and scrutinize initial assumptions and envision an alternative explanation. Shift from simply reacting to observing your reaction. Frankly this action could work in many parts of life, not just bias. But, it certainly would be a big WIN if we could do it with our own bias.

Let me know your thoughts!

DEI Reading List

Posted on by Seniye Groff

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.”

– George R.R. Martin
Copyright Seniye Groff

I am an avid reader and believe in educating myself. In the last year I have read a few books that have been very impactful to me and so I am sharing below. Let me know what books you would add to the list!

  • “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson
  • “The Conversation” by Robert Livingston
  • “Inclusion on Purpose” by Ruchika Tulshyan
  • “The Sum of Us” by Heather McGhee
  • “The End of Bias” by Jessica Nordell
  • “How to be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi

What’s Next?

But reading is one thing and taking action is another. So once you read the book, what should you do? Here are some ideas

  • Take a few suggestions from the book, and do them!
  • Share the book with others.
  • Create a book club and come together to discuss the book to educate each other.
  • Create a book club at work and meet at lunch time to discuss the concepts in the book.
  • Volunteer at an organization that would benefit from some of the ideas in the book.
  • Volunteer in your child’s classroom and share what you learned.
  • Find contrary ideas and have a respectful discussion.

What other ideas do you have? Let me know and I will add them to this post!

McNeil Point Trail

Posted on by Seniye Groff

This hike has it all: lots of elevation, tons of blowdown, scrambling, water, wildflowers and amazing views. We first did the Bald Mountain loop and then hit several partial trails including the PCT, Cairn Basin, Timberline Trail and even a little of the Ramona Falls Trail (by accident). We went high above the two ponds to the McNeil Point shelter (a very solid stone structure). Scrambling down from the shelter was a bit perilous but overall my body felt it had done every inch of the 12 miles my GPS told me we did by the end!