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The surge in anti-DEI sentiment, fueled by political actions, social pressures, and legal uncertainties creates a complex environment for organizations striving to foster diverse and inclusive workplaces. To navigate this turbulent environment and advance diversity, equity and inclusion, companies should focus on three key actions:1. Tying DEI to outcomes,2. Creating systems that focus on debiasing,3. Building cultures of accountability. Understanding the backlash and how to defend against it The current DEI backlash creates a complex environment for companies that want to foster diverse and inclusive workplaces. To respond effectively, organizations must first understand the three sources of the backlash: The political backlash: The current political climate is undeniably hostile toward DEI. From executive orders dismantling federal DEI programs to legislative efforts like the “Dismantle DEI Act,” the message is clear: DEI initiatives are under attack. Since last years SCOTUS affirmative action decision and the closing of the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion, threats to the public sector have had a chilling effect on the private sector. The social battlefield: The social backlash against DEI is just as significant as the political one. Organizations face pressure from all sides, with some stakeholders demanding more aggressive DEI initiatives while others decry them as “woke” or divisive. Fear of alienating customers or facing boycotts can lead organizations to water down or avoid speaking publicly about their DEI efforts. And while cessation sensationalism may provide effective air cover for quietly continuing DEI work, what happens when theres a disconnect between what a company says or doesnt say and what it does? Our brains crave predictability. When we see contradictory actions and statements, it creates cognitive dissonance, which erodes trust and engagement. In fact, alignment between what an organization says and what it does is the foundation of organizational accountability. Therefore, organizations need to think about the impact of this strategy on their employees. The legal minefield: Although the law moves much more slowly than political and social forces, it is crucial for organizations to have a clear understanding of the legal framework governing DEI. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. However, as interpretation and application of laws are subject to change, organizations must stay informed about the latest legal developments to ensure compliance. This includes seeking legal counsel when necessary, conducting regular audits of DEI policies and practices, and staying abreast of any changes in legislation or judicial interpretation. Organizations must be prepared to defend their DEI initiatives against government scrutiny. They can mitigate legal risk in their DEI initiatives by avoiding the three Ps: 1. conferring preferences, 2. on protected groups, 3. with respect to palpable benefits. How companies can continue DEI work Despite these forces, organizations cannot afford to abandon their DEI efforts. DEI is not just a moral imperative; DEI is a business necessity. Research shows that when leveraged in the best way, diverse teams are more innovative and make better decisions, leading to improved performance and financial outcomes. According to a 2023 survey, inclusive companies are 1.7 times more likely to be innovative, and they achieve 2.3 times more cash flow per employee., To navigate the current landscape and continue to reap the benefits of DEI, organizations must adopt a strategic and proactive approach, focusing on three key actions: Make the case for impact. Organizations must be able to articulate the “why” behind their DEI commitments in a way that resonates with diverse and sometimes resistant stakeholders. By articulating the why, organizations make DEI compelling, tapping into our intrinsic motivational brain networks. Research shows that adding a whats in it for me allows others to align their own individual goals with those of the initiatives, making it more likely theyll act upon them. This calls for moving beyond the moral case for DEI to prove its tangible value. We have developed a science-based framework that outlines the tangible benefits of DEI and provides practical guidance on how to achieve them. It emphasizes the importance of prioritizing diversity and habituating inclusion to drive business success and create a more just, sustainable work environment for everyone. It provides a roadmap for organizations to measure the impact of their DEI initiatives and demonstrate their return on investment. In todays climate, where DEI is facing increased scrutiny, it is more critical than ever for organizations to articulate the business case for DEI and demonstrate its value. Embrace the power of de-biasing: Debiasing is a powerful tool for building fair and inclusive systems and processes. By removing unconscious bias from decision-making, organizations can create an equitable environment where merit matters. Thus, even those who oppose DEI from a meritocracy standpoint cannot reasonably argue against debiasing, Yoshino says. At the individual level, this means understanding and mitigating unconscious bias. Interpersonally, it calls for changing behaviors, adopting habits of inclusion, and enabling psychological safety in teams. At the institutional level, implementing strategies such as blind recruitment, structured interviews, and standardized performance evaluations can sustain individual and interpersonal progress. Ongoing education and training maintain and increase awareness of unconscious bias and equip individuals with the skills to mitigate its impact. Organizations can move beyond simply acknowledging the existence of unconscious bias to actively addressing it and creating a more inclusive workplace where everyone can deliver value. Build a culture of accountability: Accountability is the backbone of any successful DEI strategy. It’s not enough to simply have policies in place; organizations must ensure that these policies are translated into action, both for their employees and their customers. Not only does organizational accountability boost employee engagement and performance, it is also a predictor of long-term organizational performance. Inclusive leadership calls for accountability, both in modeling and ensuring inclusive behaviors. Neuroleadership Institute research has revealed two distinct forms of accountability that can apply to how we continue DEI work. Many organizations default to a punitive form of accountability like withholding bonuses that focuses on blame and punishment, hindering progress and creating a toxic environment. Fostering a proactive culture of accountability, on the other hand, frames accountability as a challenge and opportunity for growth. For DEI work, this means creating and communicating the why behind initiatives, establishing success metrics, and sharing outcomes with employees and customers. Proactive accountability, supported by neuroscience, drives individuals and organizations to achieve goals and own outcomes. This fosters trust among stakeholders, ultimately leading to improved results. Inclusive leadership development can create ownership and empowerment by redefining DEI accountability as a necessity for positive business outcomes. Looking Ahead The road ahead for DEI is bumpy, winding, and fraught with challenges. It is also paved with opportunities. By embracing a strategic and proactive approach, organizations can withstand the present to win the future in an increasingly diverse world. This is a defining moment for DEI. Organizations that rise to the occasion will not only reap the rewards of a diverse and inclusive workforce but also contribute to a more just and equitable society. By weaving DEI into their business goals, eliminating bias from their systems, and fostering cultures of accountability, organizations can navigate the turbulent waters ahead and emerge stronger and more inclusive than ever before. Janet M. Stovall, CDE, is the Global Head of D&I at the NeuroLeadership Institute.
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E-Commerce
Few self-help ideas are as prevalent and widely celebrated as the advice to “just be yourself.” Whether in job interviews, workplace interactions, or career choices, we are frequently encouraged to act “authentically”without compromise or concern for external pressures. While this sounds comforting and empowering, authenticity as an interpersonal strategy is fundamentally flawed and at odds with hundreds of scientific studies on emotional intelligence, social skills, and career success. As I illustrate in my forthcoming book, Dont Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated and What To Do Instead, authenticity is not a helpful life hack, but rather a misguided notion that can easily backfire and lead to undesirable and counterproductive behaviors. Although there is no universal definition of authenticity, at its core, mainstream conceptualizations boil down to four general rules or principles: Always be honestwith others and yourself. Stop worrying about what others think of you. Follow your “heart” and values no matter what. Bring your whole self to work. Despite their appeal and likely good intentions, there are multiple problems with each of these rules, namely: 1. The pitfalls of honesty The advice to always be honest assumes that truthfulness is inherently beneficial, but this is not true. For starters, we lie to ourselves all the time, which makes it rather hard to be honest with others. For all the potential advantages of self-awareness, self-deception is the norm, and humans are prewired to interpret reality in self-serving ways. There is a practical reason for this: People with an inflated sense of their abilities tend to impress others more easily. Put plainly, bullshit is self-fulfilling: The more you BS yourself, the easier it is for you to BS others. In contrast, those who accurately assess their limitations often struggle to project confidence, for self-doubt and self-criticism are also contagious. Being honest with yourself is also rather painful: There is a reason the technical term for people who are capable of interpreting reality in accurate terms is depressive realists. Furthermore, deceptionespecially in the form of white liesserves a practical purpose in professional settings. Job interviews, performance evaluations, and workplace interactions tend to reward those who present a polished, strategic version of themselves rather than an unfiltered one. Even when people tell you they value authenticity, they prefer you to be rewarding to deal with, which means telling them what they want to hear rather than what you think they need to hear, even if the former requires acting and faking while the latter requires truth-telling. 2. The importance of others’ opinions The idea that we should ignore what others think of us may sound romantic, and almost smell of freedom, but it is both unrealistic and counterproductive. Humans are social creatures whose success depends on reputation, trust, and relationships. Research in social psychology highlights that other peoples perception of us is critical to career advancementhiring, promotions, and professional opportunities hinge not on how good we think you are, but on how good others think we are. Even when it comes to authenticity, a trait that is often valued by others, what matters is not how authentic we feel, but whether others find us authentic (trustworthy, reliable, predictable, and so on). This requires not just paying a great deal of attention to how people think of us, but also making the effort to impress them, which is the exact opposite to just being ourselves. Completely disregarding external opinions can make individuals seem abrasive, insensitive, entitled, and even narcissistic. Instead of ignoring or rejecting feedback, a more effective approach to interpersonal relations is to manage one’s image thoughtfully and carefully. Caring about what others think of you isnt a threat to your self-love, and if you decide to ignore what people think of you in order to boost your self-love, thats precisely how delusional narcissism manifests. Our reputation is not just constructed by others, but even owned by them. The only way to improve it is to understand how others see us, which requires paying a great deal of attention to other peoples views and opinions of usthis is not a sign of insecurity, but the essential hallmark of empathy and social skills. 3. The risks of blindly following your heart Popular culture romanticizes the idea of following ones heart, but emotions and instincts are rarely reliable guides. In fact, they are the source of impulsive, regrettable, and biased decisions, not to mention the major cause of prejudice, polarization, and tribalization. Making choices purely based on feelings can lead to short-sighted or detrimental outcomes, and it is already our default tendency: As behavioral economists have shown, we tend to think fast, which is a euphemism for not thinking at all. Moreover, rigidly adhering to personal values without considering external factorssuch as workplace culture and social normscan create unnecessary friction. Effective professionals recognize that ethical decision-making involves nuance and compromise. Why be true to your values when you can be open to other peoples values, so you understand their perspective, feelings, and points of view? How are we meant to work together in a culture that recognizes and tolerates the rich diversity that underpins human nature, if we all stay rigidly put and fixed on our own values? Furthermore, what if your values are toxic. For example, you may value your own selfish interests over the wellbeing of others; you may value greed, power, status, and even stepping on other peoples toes, as well as taking advantage of those who are weak, nave, or vulnerable. If that is the case, do we really want you to be true to your values? If some values are better than others, where do we draw the linehow do we know which values can be expressed, and which should be repressed? In short, it is only through having the self-critical humility and open-mindedness to question our values and their consequences, and make an effort to tolerate other peoples values, that we can truly aspire to collaborate and cooperate in a modern and civilized work culture. 4. The Myth of ‘bringing your whole self to work’ Encouraging employees to bring their “whole selves” to work suggests that complete transparency and personal expression are always beneficial. While workplace engagement improves when individuals feel comfortable being themselves, there is a fine line between authenticity and oversharing. Theres a difference between liking your job and erasing the boundaries between your professional and personal self. Professionalism requires emotional intellignce and situational awareness. Sharing too much personal information or treating colleagues as close friends can lead to misunderstandings, discomfort, or even reputational harm. If you assume your colleagues are interested in who you truly are, let alone desperate to meet your unfiltered and uninhibited self, think again. Your whole self, which includes your eccentric, inappropriate, and opinionated self, must surely be edited in a work environment. Different workplace cultures have different expectationssome encourage personal expression, while others prioritize formality. Being adaptable and reading social cues is far more effective than insisting on uninhibited authenticity. In the best-case scenario, your whole or true self may be someone who perhaps three or four people have learned to love. Needless to say, many people see work as just that, work, rather than a central part of their identity. This is what work has always been for the majority of people, something they do to get paid, make ends meet, and make a living. There are plenty of other sources of meaning outside ones job or career, so the assumption that people want to blend or integrate their personal and professional selves is simply nave. In short, authenticity is often presented as a golden rule for success, but real-world interactions require a more balanced approach. If anything, you are almost always better off not being yourself. Our freedom to “be ourselves” ends where our responsibilities to others begin, and a world in which everybody is just focused on being themselves and expecting others to adapt to their uncensored or unedited self would be an antisocial and chaotic world. Navigating professional environments effectively means knowing when to be genuine and when to engage in skillful and ethical deception to manage impressions and develop a reputation for being kind, caring, and not too authentic.
Category:
E-Commerce
When Apple first introduced MagSafe for the iPhone in 2020, I did not fully appreciate it. iPhones had supported wireless charging for a few years at that pointand Android phones started doing so in 2012and while MagSafe offered faster and less finicky charging, it didn’t really change how you use your phone. Over time, though, Apple’s magnetic charging and docking system has blossomed into an important piece of the Apple accessory ecosystem. All of which makes the lack of MagSafe on the new iPhone 16e a letdown. It’s not the only compromise Apple made in pursuit of a $600 price tag: It also has just one rear camera lens, only two color options, and a front camera notch that cuts out Dynamic Island features. But to me, the MagSafe omission stands as the biggest reason to seek out other iPhone options. Beyond the overnight charge Admittedly I still don’t use MagSafe for overnight charging. I keep an Anker 3-in-1 charger on my nightstand, and placing my iPhone up against the vertical charging stand is simple enough. The 7.5W charging speeds are slower than MagSafe’s 15W (or 25W, on the latest version), but that’s irrelevant for an eight-hour charge session. For me, MagSafe matters most in two scenarios: Power banks: I have a couple of portable batteries that snap onto the iPhone’s backside for a wireless top-up. They’ve been essential on trips where I’m using the camera and mapping extensively and don’t want to have charging anxiety toward the end of the day. Dashboard mounting: The car we use for family trips doesn’t support CarPlay, so my wife and I use a magnetic vent mount to keep one of our phones within reach for navigation and music. Beyond that, accessory makers have tapped into MagSafe in all kinds of other creative ways: MagSafe iPhone grips prevent you from dropping your phone. MagSafe laptop and monitor mounts work with Apple’s Continuity Camera feature to turn your iPhone into a webcam. There’s even a freestanding mount that tracks your face during video calls. MagSafe tripods, tripod mounts, and ring lights can help out in photo shoots. MCON is working on a magnetic iPhone game controller that fits in your pocket. Double magnet rings let you attach an iPhone to all kinds of surfacesincluding other iPhones. You may be familiar with MagSafe wallets, but what about MagSafe notepads? Meanwhile, Apple’s using MagSafe to turn iPhones into miniature smart displays using StandBy mode, which shows time, photos, and widgets when the phone is charging in landscape mode. I’m in the market for a desktop charger and will be seeking out MagSafe for StandBy in particular. As a frequent iPhone-to-Android switcher, I’ve tried to minimize the number of pain points that arise when bouncing between ecosystems, but MagSafe is a big one. I typically go back to the iPhone while traveling just to make use my existing MagSafe accessories, and it’s odd for Apple to exclude the feature from any of its phones as the MagSafe ecosystem continues to grow. In theory, MagSafe shouldn’t be this much of a differentiator for the iPhone. The open Qi2 standard, to which Apple was a main contributor, allows any phone to have similar magnetic attachments with 15W charging speeds, But while Qi2 has been available for more than year now, major Android device makers still aren’t building it into their phones,, so they can’t tap any of the accessories designed for magnetic charging and docking. The work-arounds Those who buy an iPhone 16e won’t be entirely frozen out of the MagSafe ecosystem. The phone still supports standard wireless charging, and lots of iPhone cases have built-in magnets that snap tightly onto MagSafe accessories. With a compatible caseor even just a MagSafe stickeriPhone 16e owners could still use MagSafe accessories and chargers, albeit at slower charging speeds. Still, the lack of built-in MagSafe is an issue for anyone who prefers a caseless phone, uses a lightweight protective bumper, or has a case thin enough to support MagSafe accessories without its own magnets. Besides, Apple still markets the iPhone around caseless usefor instance, with ads that point to its durabilityso it’s probably not assuming that all of its users will have a case to use with MagSafe accessories. Apple continues to sell the iPhone 15 for $699, which is $100 less than the iPhone 16e, but the refurbished and used markets offer considerable discounts. Back Market and Amazon, for instance, sell like-new refurbished iPhone 15 models with one-year warranties for $540 and $529, respectively. While the iPhone 16e improves on the iPhone 15 in some wayslonger battery life, newer processor with Apple Intelligence support, and an Action ButtonI’d rather have MagSafe than any of those features. At this point, it’s hard to imagine using an iPhone without it.
Category:
E-Commerce
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