TRUE AUTHENTICITY AND DIVERSITY. CAN THEY CO-EXIST IN BUSINESS? Part 3

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In my last article, I closed with a reflective question: “So, how do we fix this?”

I hope you’ve had a chance to sit with that because I believe we’ve started to adopt a fixed mindset about what diversity must look like in today’s workplace. That mindset has led to rules and practices that often feel more about compliance than inclusion and in the process, we’re unintentionally making it harder for some folks to feel safe being their authentic selves at work.

Let’s be honest though, some organizations are checking boxes in the name of inclusion while failing to deliver on the basics: development, preparation, and equitable opportunities for both leaders and individual contributors to grow, lead, and succeed. Promoting someone to “look inclusive” without equipping them for success doesn’t serve the individual or the organization, neither does forcing people to adopt beliefs they don’t share just to appear supportive or “inclusive”. Inclusion shouldn’t come with conditions that silence others. Somewhere along the way it became more about performing inclusion than producing real, lasting results, and that’s a problem.

In Part 3 of this article series, I’m speaking directly to leaders who are ready to move past appearances and build cultures where authenticity, fairness, and performance all have a seat at the table. Here’s the truth: It just makes sense to invest in those who have been historically underserved, and that opportunity should come with preparation, support, and accountability. Everyone deserves a real chance to grow, contribute, and build a career they can be proud of, without being tokenized, overlooked, or forced to compromise their core values. I’ve spent time thinking about how we might reimagine diversity. The model I’m sharing here isn’t perfect, but I believe it offers a clear, practical framework that can help leaders reflect on how diversity can work for their culture, not against it.

Let’s get into Part 3…

By Sabrina Smith

The model itself is built on Diversity. Diversity isn’t something an organization is striving to become, it’s what it already is! Diversity serves as the ecosystem we operate within. When we treat it that way, we stop organizing around appearances and start aligning around purpose, value, and sustainability.

Let me walk you through the layers of this model:

Our Organization: 

Start with the “why.” Why do we exist? What values and goals support our mission? This layer calls leaders back to brand clarity and cultural integrity. Without this foundation, everything else becomes reactive and decisions being made start to become incongruent with its purpose.

Our Talent:

Consider who you are hiring and why they matter. What are their ongoing needs, and how do those needs align with the organization’s purpose? Are you sourcing talent or seeking clones? Diverse teams aren’t just built on surface differences. They’re built on people who can solve problems, think independently, and grow, even if their background doesn’t follow the familiar credentials and experiences.

Our Growth:

Here’s where we ask: What’s working? What needs attention? Growth is about more than metrics, it’s about listening, learning, and assessing results. And while people say, “the numbers don’t lie,” I challenge that. Numbers can be manipulated. I’ve seen it done. It’s about getting into the head and heart of the business and uncovering the biases and imbalances that keep it from living out why it exists in the first place.

Our Solutions:

This layer requires action, but not quick fixes. Sure, if it can be done quickly and effectively, do it. However, solutions must be co-created with the people they affect. Not everyone will agree, but alignment matters more than agreement. This is about willful performance, not forced compliance. This is bigger than conducting a culture survey. It’s a sustainability purview that positions the organization to operate through its people, while living out its mission. 

Our Evolution:

This final layer is about sustainability. With AI, economic shifts, and changing workplace expectations, organizations must evolve. That means re-evaluating their “why”, investing in talent, and planning intentionally for the future, without losing focus in the present. It’s also where leaders must ask: Does our purpose still serve us? And if not, what needs to change (people, processes, behaviors) to make sure we’re not just diverse in name, but built to sustain it?

I hope this visual depiction and insights about how we might reconstruct Diversity both challenges and inspires your leadership discussions around building authentic, diverse workplaces that support your mission - the why of your existence.

Also, I originally intended this to be the final piece in the series. But the truth is, it would have been too long, and the topic is too important to rush the ending. With that, I value your time and engagement in reading these articles, and I’m hopeful that you’re getting something out of it.

Next week, I’ll share Part 4. That should provide time for reflection on this model and to share your insights on ways this visualization challenges your thoughts around this topic. I’ll be sure to wrap up the series and share what happened at that client engagement I noted in Part 1. 

Bye, Bye, for now…