People think equity is just a synonym for equality, so nothing more needs to be said. But they’re really two different concepts. Equality is about ensuring that everybody has access to the same things, whether it’s equal pay, equal rights, or equal recognition before the law. Equity, on the other hand, is about making room for difference. A society is equitable when everyone has access to what they personally need to thrive, according to their own unique vision of success.
One of the greatest obstacles to systematic change in the US is the pervasive myth that all success and failure in life are just consequences of individual effort. This myth is so entrenched that we struggle to recognize how systems and structures influence our entire lives.
And that’s why calling for diversity and inclusion is a toothless gesture – unless it’s backed up by equity. It’s not enough to fill roles with people from marginalized backgrounds; you also need to build structures that will accommodate people’s differences. If you want to create a truly fair and inclusive organization, you must think systemically.
Human-centered design only works if you can empathize with end users. But what does empathy even mean? Many of us think that empathy is all about putting yourself into someone else’s shoes. But research shows that this approach doesn’t work. When we think we’re putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes, what really happens is that we meld our views of others with our stereotypes about them.
But true empathy isn’t some big mystery. It’s just being willing to speak with people and listen to what they have to say. It’s that simple.
The first condition of equitable leadership is about having your heart in the right place. This means being respectful, fair, and approachable to all your staff and customers. But, more importantly, it means appreciating the value of difference.
Equitable leaders understand that there’s more than one way of doing things. And they know that organizations benefit when employees are allowed to play to their strengths. This is the opposite of molding people into a rigid statuette of an “ideal” employee.
The second condition of equitable leadership is humility. Equitable leaders recognize that their success is based on advantages which other people may not have. Perhaps they grew up in a well-off household, went to a nice school, or simply have great health. Not everybody has had the same start in life. This knowledge can inspire leaders to lift the voices of those who struggle to be heard.
This leads to the third condition of equitable leadership: publicly owning up to this systemic advantage. The greatest obstacle to addressing systemic inequity is the myth that success is all about effort. If you want to be an equitable leader, don’t simply reproduce this narrative. Instead, tell your story in a way that unmasks inequity, by acknowledging the systemic advantages that have helped you get to where you are today.
Owning up to your own privilege for the sake of others takes a lot of courage, but it’s an admirable gesture that helps foster an organization-wide commitment to systemic change.
Consider how managers claim to want to hire more women, but then design the office like a frat house – complete with foosball tables and beer kegs.
If organizations keep promoting policies that aren’t aligned with women’s needs, hiring and promoting women will remain a struggle. But we don’t need to struggle to be equitable. All we need to do is design systems that make equity effortless.
So, how do we do that?
One strategy is to use nudges, or little pointers that direct people toward doing the right thing. A nudge can be simple. It might mean setting up a sign in a meeting room that reminds people to look into the camera while speaking, so that coworkers who are hard of hearing can lip-read. Or it could mean choosing video-conferencing software that displays people’s pronouns, so employees always know how to refer to each other.
Another strategy for removing bias is to automate decision-making. For example, instead of leaving promotions or raises up to managers, you could set up a system where all employees are automatically promoted after, say, three years of service.
Behavioral change communication, or BCC. It’s been used to support public health initiatives, like washing hands and using condoms.
The first step in the BCC formula is to identify the obstacles to change. One well-known psychological obstacle to adopting new behavior is risk perception. That is, if someone doesn’t feel at risk from a problem, say climate change, they’re less likely to take action.
Once you know the obstacles you’re trying to overcome, the next step is to frame the message. Researchers have shown that the same information will either get through to people, or not, depending on how it’s packaged. Framing helps you break through psychological barriers.
With climate change, a good frame for overcoming the effects of risk perception is to emphasize how we’re all being affected by global warming right now. And, in America, the public is more supportive of a “carbon offset” than a “carbon tax” – even though these are just two names for the same thing.
Step three is to target the behavior you want to change. Targeting is about moving people to take action. To do that, all you need to do is ask. You could, for example, ask that people carpool to work to reduce their carbon footprint. Or you might suggest that most international meetings be conducted online from now on, to reduce the number of air miles the company makes. Be sure to back up your request by painting a picture of how the world would improve if everyone engaged in this action.
To ensure your marketing output always contains positive and inclusive messaging, make use of the REACH model. REACH is an acronym that stands for representation, experience, accessibility, compensation, and harm reduction. It’s a great tool for screening your marketing communications before you post them.
Consider, for example, that traditional marketers generally avoid featuring minority accents in their content. We’re all biased toward people who sound like us. But by consistently featuring some accents and excluding others, marketers reinforce cultural biases about which accents are normal or authoritative, and which are not. Equitable marketers should consciously avoid this trap.
And finally, ask yourself, Is this content causing anyone harm? You might, for example, want to consider giving your sources the right to revoke the use of their images or other personal data to protect their privacy.
Put pressure on your higher-ups to make changes.
It doesn’t matter what job title you hold or how much money you make – you still have the power to push for change. One way you can achieve change is by putting pressure on your higher-ups to advance equitable policies. And if your managers aren’t listening, or aren’t on board, there are ways of taking matters into your own hands. For example, you could organize a walkout, like the employees of Wayfair did back in 2019. Five hundred people walked out of the headquarters in Boston to protest the company’s policy of selling beds to migrant detention centers. You hold the power to effect change – so use it!
Meandering leads to perfection 