The first step

Becoming diverse and inclusive is hard and messy, but worth the effort

Often mistaken for a black or white issue, diversity and inclusion evades and invades a community and its leadership like a plague. Believing skin color is the only barrier minimizes the idea that there are a multitude of differences that we allow to stand in the way of progress, growth and innovation.
Leadership styles, perspectives, approaches to decision-making and eventually solutions are some of the diversities that evade businesses and communities. So focused on black, brown or white skin, we are invaded by the delusion that we are inclusive if we just give people more training and education; if we just help people become who we need them to be, shaping them into our definition of success.
Inclusivity is hard and messy. Facing what we did wrong, accepting responsibility and changing systemic programs and processes that separate us from innovation is uncomfortable. Working with people who don’t like what we like or don’t look like us is challenging. And certainly spending time to learn more about them to begin to understand who they really are is time-consuming and downright difficult.
But the potential outcome for individuals, communities and businesses has proven to be and will continue to be rewarding and a great investment. It can change how we work and live together, how our children learn to play and engage with each other, and ultimately how our world evolves into a successful future.
Taking that first step towards diversity and inclusion is like taking the first steps towards sobriety. First you have to admit the addiction. Then it takes an individual effort, commitment, determination and tenacity to move to step two, then three, then four … It takes a team of coaches, partners and friendships to make it happen. It will take avoiding people, places and behaviors that caused the addiction in the first place. It will take the same time and effort to admit our lack of diversity and inclusion. It will take trying so hard every day to avoid biased behaviors. It will take concerned individuals with a desire to change, individual planning and then execution. It will take practice, practice and more practice. And I warn you. There are no short cuts to solve this problem that evades and invades us.
Yes, inclusivity is hard and messy. But it is worth the trouble. It is worth it to promote diversity and to pressure ourselves to be inclusive by asking those who don’t look or think like us their opinions on how to expand and grow, to build and bridge gaps.

It is never too late to start our step program towards progress; towards a society that not only talks about it, but also demonstrates it; a community that does not punish and discard people for differences, but seeks to reward it with acceptance, adaptation and motivation; a society that does not contain and control its people, but includes … a society that is diverse and inclusive.

Dr. Sadie M. Winlock is the former CEO of Akron Urban League. Known for her skills to approach a challenge analytically while engaging a variety of people and talents, Dr. Winlock has achieved incredible success in working for a Fortune 100 financial services company, eight years as a business owner, as well as a COO and CEO in nonprofit organizations.