In episode 341 of the HRchat show, I talk about diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace with Joe Gerstandt. Joe is a keynote speaker, author, and consultant on a mission to bring more clarity and new practices to DEI efforts in organizations. He has worked with Fortune 100 corporations, small non-profits, and lots in between.
Listen and Hear Joe’s Answers to These Questions:
- You have an interesting career journey – serving in the marine corps for four years and spending six years working in management and business development for technology and communication companies. How did that experience shape your ideas around DEI?
- You use the word ‘inclusion’ in a couple of different ways: 1) You talk about the active process (to include), and 2) You talk about the experiential outcome (to be included). Can you explain the difference between the two and why it matters?
- KPIs: What should leaders and the HR dept be measuring to check that DEI efforts are working?
- How can design thinking help with DEI efforts?
- Is the fault with middle management? You say “I think if we really want to change the way employees feel, if we want them to feel more included, probably the big blow for that is changing the behaviors of the people around, especially their manager”. Are you saying middle managers are the issue? Or is the issue of poor adoption of DEI the result of the C-Suite too?
- Inherent biases in the workplace: You have said “I think real, sincere, sustained behavior change almost always involves a certain amount of identity change. That’s deep and serious and hard work”. How can we all change our mindsets and get our heads around how that experience could help others?
More About Joe Gerstandt
With a passion for helping people interact differently in the world, Joe is dedicated to throwing out old rules and replacing them with creative new strategies that better serve today’s society. By helping his audiences remove false barriers, Joe is able to liberate the unrealized potential that exists in individuals, groups, and organizations.
Joe speaks at numerous conferences and summits, and blogs at joegerstandt.com. He brings his unique perspectives and trademark energy to keynote at conferences nationwide and facilitates training workshops for corporate and professional groups.
Joe is also a contributor at the Workforce Diversity Network Expert Forum and his insights have been published in Diversity Executive, HR Executive, and various print and on-line journals.