More than ever, businesses are placing a high priority on diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI), talking about it in public, making strategic hires, and setting up measures to monitor progress. In-depth interviews and focus groups we held over the past few months revealed that many people are still having trouble making spaces where Black professionals feel like they can thrive.
We discovered that staff members experience marginalization, underappreciation, and poor comprehension. Many times, while being aware that their organizations support DEI, they consider the initiatives they have taken—like anti-bias training or the formation of affinity groups—to be insufficient. They complained to us about their lack of capable mentors and coaches and their continued inability to “present their complete selves to work.” None of them could name a business that was operating ethically when asked.
“Safe, seen, and supported” are three pillars that reinforce each other. For the most impact, you must address each of them simultaneously. This has been referred to as caring leadership.
Pete Carroll, the coach of the Seattle Seahawks, is a prime illustration of how the sport’s typically brutal competitiveness can be softened to great effect. In a newly released case study that Matt Breitfelder and I co-wrote, we discovered that while Carroll continues to hold his players to high performance standards, he actively works to maximize their potential as individuals in order to motivate and unleash their maximum potential as a team. In a podcast interview, he discussed his prior efforts as an NCAA coach, saying that “simply put, we had endeavored to establish a program that was centered on the fundamental idea of competition and was, most significantly, led by the thought of actually caring for every single individual.” I was really curious to find out what would occur if you gave everyone your undivided attention.
Carroll says his goals are to “help everyone reach their best,” “celebrate difference,” and foster an atmosphere where “everyone feels a feeling of belonging.” NFL rushing back Marshawn Lynch joined the team after a contentious time with the Buffalo Bills, and head coach Pete Carroll made him feel secure, seen, and supported by publicly welcoming him to the squad, getting to know him personally, and pushing him to show his personality. (He also established three rules, which Lynch gladly accepted: safeguard the team, refrain from complaining, and be on time.)
This style of leadership, when practiced consistently and with authenticity with other diversity programs and policies, can support the success of Black team members as well as all team members. Having managers who work to create a culture where everyone feels “comfortable, seen, and supported” provides Black employees what they say they need.
This ultimately alters more than simply the dynamic with and results for Black employees. It alters the organizational culture to foster each employee’s maximum potential.
