Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) at Work — Being Authentic

I am currently taking a part-time MBA online class at Boston University and yesterday we discussed the topic of being an inclusive leader. For privacy reasons I won’t be going into the details of what we discussed as well as some stories shared by my peers.

‘So why am I writing this?’, you might ask…

It’s because the class got me to be much more introspective. To be fair, I always am introspective as I’m more of an introvert. However, this time was very different.

I honestly feel that everyone has the right to bring their true authentic selves to work. Since taking this particular class in the MBA program, we’ve been somewhat pushed to learn more about ourselves. I started to really see how my values have made me make certain decisions throughout my career. If I can’t be my true self, it isn’t worth working at a company because I need to feel safe at work.

I do wish that many companies, and by extension people (because at the end of the day people form companies and cultures) will begin to be more inclusive and receptive towards differences. I might like A and you might prefer B, I may be a Black woman… which I am and you may be of a different race, culture, sexual orientation, etc. and we could all get the job done eventually.

When we have differences in opinion, it only makes for a better work environment, culture and we can all feel represented. Since everyone in the organization doesn’t look the same and we have a diverse workforce, no worker will feel isolated.

What does DEI mean to you and does being authentic at work resonate with you or align with your values?