Actions Speak Louder
A Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming an Inclusive Workplace
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
"A timely, practical resource on creating teams and organizations where everyone has the opportunity to succeed."
--Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the podcast WorkLife
A step-by-step guide for managers, teams, and DEI leaders looking to create impactful, lasting change in their organization, from recruitment to retention, and beyond.
Are you tired of hollow promises about diversity, equity, and inclusion in your organization? Do you want to take steps towards real change – beyond issuing mission statements, signing checks, and holding listening sessions – but don’t know where to start? This book is your answer. Designed for teams to read together, Actions Speak Louder offers a comprehensive blueprint for leaders and teams who are ready to get out of their own way, look at their surroundings with new eyes, and turn their energy into a concrete plan.
Renowned DEI consultant Deanna Singh has led diversity trainings for a wide range of organizations, from non-profits to Fortune 500 companies. Using narratives, case studies, and the latest DEI research, as well as interactive exercises, Singh will teach you how to:
• Write inclusive job advertisements because “minorities just don’t apply here” isn’t an excuse – you’re just not reaching them
• Design an interview process that reduces status quo bias and challenges hiring decisions that are simply “no brainers”
• Create a retention plan that considers and prioritizes the needs of underrepresented employees – if you haven’t intentionally designed one to be inclusive, you’ve unintentionally reinforced one that is exclusive.
• Lead inclusive meetings – the bedrock of company culture – by practicing constructive dissent and elevating underrepresented perspectives
As Singh has seen time and time again, any organization can meaningfully change – you just need the right tools.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
It's one thing to post inclusivity-forward social media posts and quite another to work meaningfully toward a diverse and equitable workplace, argues Singh (A Smart Girl's Guide), founder of social enterprise organization Flying Elephant, in this refreshing guide. The toll of working in mostly white workplaces can be heavy for employees from marginalized groups, and, as such, it's up to leadership to do a healthy examination of a company's inclusivity efforts, Singh writes. To that end, she lays out her "Dinner Table exercise," in which readers face a list of privileges and circle which apply to them, then "flip them so they can become actionable items that achieve greater inclusivity" in a neighboring column. For example, a leader might use their privilege to "involve people from less welcomed social identity groups, inviting them to social functions" and "centering their opinion during meetings." Singh also lays out plans for recruiting (aim for higher diversity on the team that writes job descriptions), hiring (try redacted résumés), retention (flexible scheduling helps), and meetings (be mindful of planning). Her advice is concrete and actionable, and in the end, readers will feel like they've attended an especially informative and effective workshop. In a crowded field, this stands out.
