Jackie Ferguson - Creating an Opening in the DEI Conversation for Late Adopters

Send us a text

Summary:

Jackie Ferguson is a certified diversity executive and the Co-founder and VP of Content and Programming at The Diversity Movement. She is also the author of The Inclusive Language Handbook: A Guide to Better Communication and Transformational Leadership. Inc. magazine named Jackie to their 2023 Inc. Female Founders 200 list which comprises the 200 women leaders across America who are “shaping the world into a better place.”

In this episode, Jackie talks about some of the challenges companies might face when adopting new DEI practices and how they can succeed by starting with an effort to better communicate.

Chapters:

[0:00 - 11:13] Introduction

• Welcome, Jackie!
• Today’s Topic: Creating an Opening in the DEI Conversation for Late Adopters

[11:14 - 16:32] The Diversity Movement’s special sauce

• How the Diversity Movement approaches DEI consulting differently
• Helping companies communicate to their employees in ways that they understand

[16:33 - 27:07] Challenges surrounding company-wide adoption of DEI practices

• Staying committed to the work is critical—DEI is a long-term commitment
• Why pay equity is such an important part of DEI

[27:08 - 36:55] What are some examples of how we can work toward DEI best practices?

• DEI can be overwhelming, so start with yourself and how you communicate
• Awareness and asking questions is a great first step toward DEI

[36:56 - 40:02] Final Thoughts & Closing

• Remember the importance of mental health both in our society and in DEI practices
• Thanks for listening!

Quotes:

“Gen Z . . . they’re doing so much research on companies that they are supporting from a customer perspective and the companies that they’re considering working for.”

“One of the reasons we have a skew [in pay equity] is that some people are given opportunities based on what organizations think their ability to do the work is. People that look like me are given jobs based on a proven track record.”
Resources:
The Diversity Movement
Diversity: Beyond the Checkbox podcast
Contact:
Jackie's LinkedIn
David's LinkedIn
Dwight's LinkedIn
Podcast Manger: Karissa HarrisEmail us!Production by Affogato Media