We can approach D&I conversations with sensitivity, respect, and a genuine willingness to learn. Keep an open mind and don't be defensive Use Inclusive language and know when to listen. Express Empathy and be aware of microaggressions. Remember, no one knows everything there is to know about D&I. Share your experiences and insights but be humble about what you're still learning.

Approaching conversations that may be difficult, like Diversity and inclusion topics, can be easier while you prepare you remember Acceptance without Understandingâ„¢. By finding our path to Acceptance without Understandingâ„¢, we can build a society that thinks at a higher level than our instinctual animal brain does. It's important to remember that encountering someone with a different lived experience than our own, who might be marginalised in society, doesn't mean we should oppress them further to rise. Society suffers when we only embrace people who look, love, sound and act like us. This monotony attacks the fantastic diversity that exists among us.

NDAs. Then ask if diversity and inclusion is really that important? Assuming the answer will be yes, Why? Who does it help? How? Then compare your organization to competitor or similar organizations that lean towards no. How does it translate to P&L? Is the return greater than the investment? Negative impacts of D&I? Who does it hinder? If it doesn't improve profits or reduce losses, should we be doing it? Say we are a coffee company and a small village in Rwanda makes the best coffee in the world and it's because girls learn from their mothers for 20 yrs before they can make coffee alone. We are fortunate to hire five of these women to develop our new coffee product. They only want to hire girls from their village for their team. Smart?

One thing I found helpful was to defer judgement. Oftentimes we go in conversations to confirm our opinions so we fail to actively listen. While not easy, going in tough conversations in a very open, non judgement and with a purpose to listen first, solve after made a whole difference. That is because people tend to mirror so the body language, the tone and the intent shift from potential clash to problem solving.

In a world filled with noise, I've learned that the power of active listening is often underestimated…. Through my experiences, I've come to believe in speaking less and listening more when it comes to navigating the complex terrain of diversity and inclusion. Actively listening allows me to absorb diverse perspectives, gather valuable information, and uncover hidden connections. It's in these moments of quiet receptivity that I can truly understand and empathize with others' experiences. This approach helps me provide unbiased, practical judgments in situations where diversity and inclusion are key. It's not just about hearing words; it's about fostering understanding, empathy, and positive change.

Normalise the fact that diversity and inclusion is about conflict: conflict of perspectives, experiences and values. Conflict in this respect is not to be glossed over but is rather a natural outcome of diversity. Supporting people to listen to one another respectfully and recognise the value that difference brings is key to harnessing the power of diversity.

An important point to remember “When it comes to diversity you'll make some people happy some of the time” Try the following: Encourage open and honest dialogue. Create a safe space for team members to express their concerns, opinions, and experiences. Actively listen to understand different perspectives. Train leaders and team members in facilitating difficult conversations. Regularly check in with team members and stakeholders. No matter what you do, don't compromise the fundamental principles of DEI to please people.

The power of celebrating people to lift your team's morale and create a culture of inclusion while enhancing your belonging scores is oftentimes underestimated. For example I live in Spain, a country with a solid record of being harsh on ourselves, focusing on the 1% that doesn't work and disregarding the 99% that does. We have come a long way and sure there is plenty of room ahead for improvement, but taking a minute to say thank you, "I see you" and to celebrate our colleagues for who they are makes a real difference. At Expedia Group we give "Way to go Shoutouts": these messages are received by the person you are celebrating and their manager in CC automatically, and we are soon launching a rewards and recognition program.

Everyone is individual in their own right. Even people in the ‘majority group’ may fall into some other under-represented group so it’s important to remind people that we ALL gain from improving DEI in our organisations.

Integration is not an easy practice for some reasons and acceptance of different cultural perspectives and mindset is often not welcomed warmly. But having said that one being a foreigner must not loose his/her self confidence in order to keep on performing. Carrying extra pressure in your subconsciousness will bring nothing but harm to one's abilities.

One way I have found to foster discussions about diversity and inclusion is to break down into small focus groups of about 10-12 personnel. In my organization, we tried to keep the groups similar in tenure and position for ease of communication (no supervisor-subordinate concerns in the same group). Each group has one moderator that lays the ground rules, asks probing and open ended questions, and keeps the conversations civil and flowing. The goal is to simply talk about the uncomfortable topics that won’t naturally be discussed in the workplace. You could also inform these discussions by first soliciting feedback from the organization through a questionnaire on workplace culture. I found this approach very well received and helpful.

Keep an open mind. Start from a place of trying to understand the other person’s point of view, and where their frustrations might be coming from. Often it’s a case of misplaced fear about losing their jobs, etc, so reiterating the overall benefits to *everyone* of a diverse, inclusive and equitable workforce is invaluable. Invest in these conversations as those people can become the most powerful allies.