Good Vibes Leadership with Bernadette Smith

When I’m prepping for a keynote, I love to spend time talking to the client about their DEI goals and current state. Between all these conversations, research for 5 Things, and research for my book, Inclusive 360, I think I figured out the winning formula for meaningful DEI progress: Purpose + Strategy + Accountability (PSA). 

It sounds simple but we all know it’s not easy. Let me break it down:

• Purpose must be a people-first message that employees can rally around. Leaders should also share their own individual purposes.
• Strategy must be holistic and organization-wide, not simply workshops and coaching, not simply hiring more underrepresented talent.
• Accountability must be for all managers, or everyone, if you'd like, where engagement in or progress on DEI goals is a part of performance reviews.

Here are the good vibes I found this week:

1. LinkedIn Adds New Accessibility Features, Including Auto-Captions on Videos
2. Software Helps Employers Fix Problematic Feedback Language Before It’s Delivered
3. ‘The Whole Country Shines With a Huge Rainbow’: Same-Sex Marriage Legal in All Mexican States
4. Diwali Will Be a Public School Holiday in New York City Starting in 2023
5. Disney Expands Costume Options For Children With Disabilities

Read the full blog here: https://www.theequalityinstitute.com/equality-insights-blog/5-things-the-dei-psa

To learn more about Toby and his company, Mildon - visit: https://www.mildon.co.uk/

This episode originally aired October 31, 2022

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If you’re a long-time reader of 5 Things, you may have noticed that it doesn’t matter to me why an organization decides to “do the right thing” – to embed equity and inclusion into its systems as a way to accelerate the promises of diversity. 

I don’t care whether an organization is working on DEI initiatives because everyone else is because they see the promises of higher revenue because they want to reduce turnover, because they don’t want to be left in the dust, or because it’s just the right thing to do. I don’t care why Hard Rock is paying $100 million in wage hikes (as you’ll read below). I care about the long-term benefits.

Don’t get me wrong: having an inspirational and aligned purpose will only help organizations get there faster (if they effectively rally employees around that purpose) – but if it’s just about making more money, that’s fine, too. Real change, the systems and policy change that I write about every week here, that I wrote about in my awesome book Inclusive 360, is replicable, scalable, and sustainable. 

In my conversations with clients, I will keep making the business case because – whatever works.

Here are the good vibes I found this week:

1. Patagonia’s Founder Transfers Ownership Into Two Entities to Help Fight the Climate Crisis
2. Runners for the First Time Had the Option to Select Nonbinary, Male, or Female in Response to the Gender Question for their Boston Marathon Registration
3. Doordash Invests in Employee Resource Groups by Compensating Leaders
4. Casino Company Hard Rock to Spend $100 Million to Raise Employees’ Wages
5. This Year Marks the First Ever South Asian New York Fashion Week (SANYFW)

Read the full blog here: https://www.theequalityinstitute.com/equality-insights-blog/5-things-no-matter-why

To learn more about Gearah Goldstein and The GenderCool Project, visit: https://gendercool.org/

This episode originally aired on September 19, 2022

Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Here are this week's good vibes:

1. AT&T offers paid caregiver leave
2. Every employee at Microsoft sets DEI goals
3. Walmart’s set sensory hours each day
4. Common App makes it easier to go to college
5. NYC Marathon gets lactating-parent friendly

This week's call to action:

This past Sunday was the main celebration in Diwali, the festival of lights celebrating the Indian New Year. Learn about Diwali and how to acknowledge/recognize it with this LinkedIn post from our good friends at Seva Global.

Connect with Kelly Ann Winget:

• https://www.kellyannwinget.com/
  https://www.alternativewealthpartners.com/

Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Here Are This Week's Good Vibes:

1. Achieving Gender Parity in M.B.A. Programs
2. Inclusivity Revamp by the American Ornithological Society
3. NFL's Inclusive Fan Gear Initiative
4. Sony's Accessible Gaming Controller Launch
5. Breaking Barriers: Admiral Lisa Franchetti's Historic Achievement

Call to Action: In observation of Native American Heritage Month, this is an ideal moment to explore the ancestral histories of the land where you live. For instance, here in Chicago, I am privileged to live on the traditional homelands of multiple tribal nations, including the Kickapoo, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Potawatomi, Myaamia, and Ochethi Sakowin. You can look up the indigenous heritage of your area and then learn more about the specific tribal nation here.

Connect with Kelvin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelvin-goss/

Read the full blog for this episode at TheEqualityInstitute.com

Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Here Are This Week's Good Vibes:

1. Walmart's Nationwide Doula Coverage to Tackle Healthcare Disparities
2. California Enacts Groundbreaking Law for Diversity in Venture Capital
3. Charlottesville's Robert E. Lee Statue Transformed into Unity Art Piece
4. Che Flores: Breaking Barriers as the NBA's First Nonbinary Referee
5. Morgan's Wonderland: A $6 Million Investment in Accessibility and Joy

Call to Action: Read Levi Baer’s tips for “the subtle art of checking in” with the people on your team.

Connect with Michelle and sign up here for her newsletter: https://www.michellesilverthorn.com/monday-mornings-with-michelle

Read the full blog for this episode at TheEqualityInstitute.com

Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

This Week's Good Vibes:

1. Revised Blood Donation Policies for Gay and Bisexual Men in the US: A Step Forward
2. Room & Board's Innovative Approach: An Indoor Pickleball Court Promoting Fun and Productivity
3. Historic Inclusion: Two Transgender Women Compete in the 2023 Miss Universe Pageant
4. The Power of E-Learning in the Workplace: Driving Diversity and Inclusion
5. Google's Enhanced Accessibility Features Are Empowering Users with Disabilities

Call to Action:

If you find yourself continually advocating for inclusion and belonging, I recommend reading "10 Reasons Why Inclusion Is a Competitive Advantage" in the Harvard Business Review (please note that you may need to pay for access). This article provides valuable tips and sound bites that can help you drive DEI initiatives.

Connect with Dina at https://equalityhealthcareconsulting.com/

Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Here Are This Week's Good Vibes:

1. Selma Blair and Isaac Mizrahi Debut Accessible Fashion Collection: 'A Real Dream Come True'
2. Job Market Transparency Soars: 50% of Indeed Postings Now Include Salary Info, a 25% Increase from 2020
3. Mauritius Decriminalizes Gay Sex in Historic Ruling
4. Dictionary.com's Inclusive Language Evolution: Embracing Diversity and Gender-Neutrality
5. Levi Strauss Champions Mental Health in the Workplace: A Progressive Approach to Employee Well-being

This Week’s Call to Action:

Check out Bo Young Lee's insightful LinkedIn post titled "Using DEI Tools to Support Your Employees in Navigating Current Events." Bo's concise and well-structured framework can be effortlessly applied to enhance your approach.

Connect with Tom on Linkedin or by visiting: psychsafety.co.uk

Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

This Week’s Good Vibes:

• Walmart Scraps Degree Requirements for Some Corporate Jobs
• Lincoln Park Zoo Announces First-Ever Zoo-Based Memory Enrichment Program
• Laphonza Butler Sworn in as California’s Newest Senator and First Openly Black Lesbian to Join Congress
• United Airlines Looks To Improve Travel For Those With Disabilities
• Some Minnesota Hospitals Now Offer Culturally Appropriate Hair- And Skin-Care Products

Call to Action:

Subscribe to the Fortune raceAhead newsletter. It’s one of my sources of inspiration and news for 5 Things. Definitely a worthy read.

Connect with Charlene on Linkedin or by visiting her website https://charlenewheeless.com/

Read the full blog on the Equality Institute website.

Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

This Week’s Good Vibes:

1. TD Bank Offering Doula Reimbursement Benefit
2. Virgin Voyages Brings Fun Accessibility
3. New York Adds Lunar New Year as Public School Holiday
4. Haley Van Voorhis Becomes First Woman Non-kicker to Play in NCAA Football Game
5. New California Law Raises Minimum Wage for Fast Food Workers to $20 per Hour, Among Nation’s Highest

Connect with Christian on Linkedin or by visiting www.kindredkeynotesandcoaching.com

Read this week's full 5 Things blog here.

This Week's Call to Action: Trying to keep up with the evolving language? We’re halfway through Latino Heritage Month – but is that the right term to use? Here’s a good primer…I personally use Latine’. 

Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/

Here Are This Week's Good Vibes:

1. City of Boston Announces Gender Equity Updates to Marriage Licenses
2. Bank of America to Raise Minimum Wage to $23 an Hour in October
3. Netflix, Bollywood, and India’s Biggest Companies Take a Stand for LGBTQ Inclusion
4. Empowering Black-Owned Businesses: Wayfair's Supplier Diversity Initiative
5. Lyric Opera’s Soundshirt — A New Way Deaf, Hearing-Impaired Patrons Can Experience Music

Call to Action:

Tune in to Diversity: Beyond The Checkbox hosted by Jackie Ferguson. Explore a world of diverse insights and perspectives shared by influential figures in the realms of business, executive education, and diversity & inclusion on this compelling podcast. Subscribe and listen on all major podcast platforms.

Read the full blog here: theequalityinstitute.com/equality-insights-blog/5-things-who-asks-who

Make sure to connect with Rhodes Perry on Linkedin.

Join thousands of readers by subscribing to the 5 Things newsletter. Enjoy some good vibes every Saturday morning. https://5thingsdei.com/