What does a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Coach do?

There has been an increase in diversity, equity, and inclusion work the last few years as individuals and companies recognize the necessity in doing this work and have made it a priority. Making inclusion work a priority is the first step needed to ensure the safety and well-being of the people in your community.

As a diversity, equity, and inclusion coach, my goal is to be a catalyst of radical change and anti-racism. That is the driving force in everything that I do, and it is the main thing that I want you to know about my work and how I go about it. How do I plan on doing that? I break my work up into two buckets: individual work and organizational work.

Individually

I added ‘coach’ to my title because of my work with individual clients. When we think of a coach, or at least when I do, I think of someone who pushes you past your comfort zone, sets new goals for you, and teaches you new things. A coach helps you better yourself. That’s what I do for my clients: I am their personal DEI coach, someone they can learn with and from, reflect with, use as a soundboard, and someone that will challenge them to move past what has been their comfort zone their whole lives. Anti-racism work is uncomfortable. Creating a radically different society where there is liberation for all is uncomfortable. Being self-aware enough to understand our role in the existing systems of oppression is uncomfortable. I help folks navigate through what comes up while doing this work, provide resources on further learning, and facilitate healthy discussion. While I do have one-to-one clients, most of my individual clients attend my workshops. At the moment I’m writing this, I am focusing on three workshops: ‘Our Identities,’ ‘Race & Ethnicity,’ and ‘Gender & Sexuality.’ While I have eventual plans of expanding my workshop offerings, for now this feels like a great starting point for folks. It allows folks to have a foundation to jumpstart their anti-racism work. It is, of course, not inclusive of all that is necessary in DEI work; however, I am not equipped to talk about all that is necessary in DEI work. I am very transparent about my limitations and to what extent I can speak to and about certain topics.

We need to have the tools, resources, and language to create change in our communities – to have these crucial conversations with our friends, family members, and colleagues.

Organizationally

The ‘consultant’ in my title refers to my work for organizations. I have worked with companies one-off, and I’ve been contracted for year-long projects. My service ranges from providing workshops and team retreats to facilitating difficult conversations among the organization’s leadership. I work closely with HR departments and Operations personnel as they typically have – or should have - the best pulse of what is happening in the organization. That being said, I do like to get my own boots on the ground, so to speak, and sit down with team members to get a feel for the culture of an organization while I work with them.

When working long-term with an organization, my goal is to leave them with a sustainable system that is self-monitoring. The goal is for the team to be able to internally address and handle DEI concerns that will come up. In the short-term, I look at hiring processes, address uncomfortable staff feedback, facilitate trainings, provide feedback on policies and internal documents, and much more.

If an organization is looking for a DEI coach, it is safe to say that the mental health, physical safety, and emotional well-being of their staff and clients is important to them. Having a deeper understanding of the systems in place that marginalize folks can not only make an organization a safer place for their current staff but also when recruiting new talent.

Like individuals, organizations need the tools and resources to create change. However, I add that organizations have a responsibility to acquire these tools and resources and ensure that their work community is a safe place for all their current staff, clients, and potential staff/clients.

So, this is a bit of what I do and how I run my business as a DEI Coach & Consultant. There is a gamut of things that a DEI Consultant can do for you & for your organization – it is important to find the right one for you.

Have you thought about how you could use a DEI Coach in your life/organization?