Diversity and Inclusion Leadership

“Inclusion” without disability is still exclusion. (You don’t have to hate disabled people to be ableist) You just have to: - ignore disability in your policies & DEI strategy - treat ADA compliance as your only finish line - forget to budget for needed accommodations - hire for “culture fit” but avoid disabled talent Ableism doesn’t always sound like hate. In fact, ableism is usually just silence. Silence around underrepresentatuon Silence around reasonable accommodations Silence around stigma & bias toward disability That’s what this iceberg shows. Above the surface: good intentions. Below the surface: harmful inaction. As a person with a visible & invisible disability, I get frustrated for a few reasons but the main issue? Disability inclusion isn’t charity. There’s a clear business case for disability inclusion. Companies that lean into disability inclusion earn: 28% higher revenue 30% higher profit margins Still, 90% of companies claim to prioritize diversity but only 4% include disability in their DEI efforts. The human case is there. The business case is there. So what’s missing? Change. But what does real change look like? It’s not just a wheelchair icon or checking a box. It’s: - listening to disabled voices - auditing ableist hiring practices - measuring equity, not just optics - hiring/promoting disabled leaders - funding reasonable accommodations Ableism is the iceberg. Don’t let your culture sink with it. ♻️ Share so we can end ableism #DisabilityInclusion #EndAbleism #InclusiveLeadership #AccessibilityMatters #EquityInAction [image description: A graphic on a tan background that shows an iceberg in the middle. The title says the ableism iceberg and above the water is six statements: everyone is included, we don’t discriminate, disability imagery, ADA compliant, disability ERG, inclusion matters. Below the water it says what’s missing: no disabled bleeders, systemic in accessibility, ableist policies, ablest hiring process, invisible disability bias, neurodivergent erasure, no accommodations budget.]

The disability community is at a crossroads. Most organizations that claim to support people with disabilities don’t actually employ us. Especially not at leadership levels. They say we aren’t “qualified” for these jobs, but that’s simply not true. And it’s not just other organizations. We create disability organizations, and too often these organizations lose track of their mission and focus only on the money. So many disability organizations don’t employ people with disabilities in their leadership. Sure, they might have us on their boards—token representation—but where are we in middle management or the C-suite? Why do we settle for being the face and not the force for change? They might keep us as volunteers, but when it comes to actual decision-making, we’re kept out. What the hell is wrong? If you have a disability, love someone who does, or believe in human equality, here’s what we need: ● We must stand together: #WeAreBillionStrong. Let’s convene, support, and empower each other. ● Stop funding those who exclude us: If they don’t hire or empower us, they don’t deserve our money. Why should we support a disability organization that doesn’t employ people with disabilities? Because here’s the ugly truth: ➠ A few at the top may benefit, but most of the community is left behind. This isn’t just a lack of empathy; it’s a critical issue that needs urgent action. And let’s get real: ➠ Why do we keep letting others speak for us? Why do we accept a disability organization that doesn’t put us in the C-Suite? Not that we can’t include allies, but at least one member of the leadership team—CEO, COO, CFO—should have the disability they claim to represent. Here’s the reality: ➥ People with disabilities are everywhere: We are in every community, industry, and part of society. ➥ We represent a powerful economic force: Together, we spend trillions of dollars globally. ➥ We’re being excluded like never before: Companies that once prioritized accessibility are pulling back, and others have stopped including us altogether. Imagine if we united like never before. ➠ Remember, 70 to 80% of people with disabilities have invisible disabilities—just like me. We must unite, become visible, and make our voices heard. Here’s what you can do: ✱ Support inclusive organizations: Put your money and time where true inclusion is practiced. ✱ Challenge exclusionary practices: Don’t stay silent when you see organizations ignoring us. ✱ Advocate for leadership: Demand that people with disabilities are represented at every level, especially in leadership roles. Why does this matter? ➠ Because right now, many of us are being left behind. Because the power of our community is immense, but we’re not being recognized. Because we need to build a future that works for all of us. We can’t let this continue. Our community deserves better. P.S. What actions would you add to this call? Let's create an unstoppable movement together, because #WeAreBillionStrong

Early in my career, I worked with two very different leaders within the same company. Under the first, team meetings were silent affairs where new ideas were often met with criticism. We stopped contributing. When I moved teams, my new manager actively encouraged input and acknowledged every suggestion, even the imperfect ones. Our productivity and innovation skyrocketed. This experience taught me the power of psychological safety. That feeling that you won't be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, or concerns. Here are three concrete ways leaders can foster psychological safety in meetings: 1. Practice "Yes, and..." thinking. Replace "That won't work because..." with "Yes, and we could address that challenge by..." This simple language shift acknowledges contributions while building on ideas rather than shutting them down. 2. Create equal airtime. Actively notice who's speaking and who isn't. Try techniques like round-robin input or asking quieter team members directly: "Alyzah, we haven't heard your perspective yet. What are your thoughts?" 3. Normalize vulnerability by modeling it. Share your own mistakes and what you learned. When leaders say "I was wrong" or "I don't know, let's figure it out together," it gives everyone permission to be imperfect. AA✨ #PsychologicalSafety #InclusiveLeadership #WorkplaceBelonging

Today is International Day of People with Disabilities. Of course, people with disabilities live with it every single day. However, we need these awareness days to start or make progress with conversations and actions. Here are things you can do to do that. 1. Listen to the voices of people with disabilities. 2. Be yourself. Always. When I start talking to someone who never met me, I see the subtle familiar change on their faces. They change how they talk to me. Some of them — unintentionally, I'm sure — talk to me like I'm 5 or obtuse. The key is to let me see your face and enunciate. Don't speak louder, please. It's easier to ask someone to speak up than say they're too loud. 3. Provide two modern communication options always. Online and in person. 4. Avoid assumptions and ask. Getting me an ASL interpreter without asking will deprive someone else who needs the interpreter. There's a shortage of interpreters. Let's make sure the right people have access to them. 5. Understand one person does not represent an entire disability category. Not all deaf folks sign. Not all deaf folks lipread. Not all deaf folks talk with their mouths and voices. The list goes on. 6. Involve people with disabilities from start to finish and beyond. Pay them for their time. Turning off the sound does not mimic the experience of a person who depends on captioning every day. Refer to No. 4 as companies and product development often make assumptions. 7. Hire qualified people with disabilities. They bring so much to your organization. Data shows that people with disabilities tend to be the most loyal and best workers who bring in more revenue for companies who hire them. The hiring process needs to change. 8. Make progress with accessibility every day. It can be small steps like adding alternative text (image descriptions) to images. Make captions part of your video creation process. 9. Skip using overlays on your website to fix accessibility. This isn't making progress. It's a step backward. 10. Avoid hiring speakers who know little about accessibility and disabilities. Some people with disabilities aren't qualified to speak on these topics. 11. Ensure XR, virtual reality, and augmented reality are accessible. 🔔 Tap the silent profile bell to catch the next post (Wow! 33k!) 👉 Follow hashtag #MerylMots to find all my content ❤️ Like this? Repost and add your thoughts in the comments 📧 Want to work with me? Drop me a line! #Disability #IDPWD #Hiring #Accessibility Image: White generic person figure with a flourish around its top half and International Day of People with Disabilities

Disability inclusion doesn’t have to be complicated. And to be effective, it shouldn’t be. Five steps organizations can take to build a disability inclusive work environment: 1. Improve understanding around disability, replacing beliefs rooted in stigma with beliefs rooted in truth 2. Develop policies throughout the entire employee lifecycle specific to disability inclusion, using local laws as the minimum 3. Define an accessible accomodation process, again using local laws as the minimum (or outsource it to a quality third party like Disclo) 4. Train ALL leaders in local laws relating to disability, anti-discrimination and retaliation 5. Take action when discrimination occurs Bonus tip: Take real action in October, National Disability Employment Awarness Month, to show your commitment to disability inclusion through hiring disabled speakers, trainers, consultants to help you with any/all of the above.

4 tips on allyship for disability inclusion at work: 1. Work on your own discomfort with disability. That's something that you can take accountability to work on yourself instead of bringing your discomfort to your disabled colleagues or expecting them to resolve it for you. 2. Meet people’s access needs without requiring them to directly disclose their disability or "prove" it. How refreshing it would be if your disabled colleagues could simply state their access needs without being asked why or for documentation. I should be able to request captions without naming a reason. I benefit from captions. It doesn't matter whether I benefit from captions due to my hearing disability or if I had another reason like an auditory processing disorder or being an English language learner. Creating this kind of environment is transformative not only for disabled employees but for everyone. 3. Once you know about an access need, keep advocating without naming names. A specific employee might have an access need like a fragrance free space, but there is no need to name them when advocating in the future. Sample script: "This isn't accessible for everyone. We need..." 4. Be the person who asks this question: "Have we considered disability + accessibility?" You don't have to know all the best practices to create change. You can be the conversation starter and the one who makes sure disability and accessibility aren't left out. Is this helpful? What other suggestions do you have? #DisabilityInclusion #Disability #WorkplaceInclusion

Wednesday Q&A Q: "I keep hearing about Inclusive Leadership and how important it is. I understand the importance of inclusivity in recruitment, but what does it mean in daily leadership?" Inclusive leadership is not just about who you hire. It's about how people feel once they're on the team: day to day, meeting to meeting, project to project. These are some examples of how Inclusion looks in daily leadership practice: 🔷 You listen to understand, not just because you have to. You create space for different voices, not just the loudest or most confident ones. You open your mind to hear other views, even if you don't like them. 🔷 You challenge bias in everyday decisions. From project assignments to who gets recognition, you pay attention to the patterns. Who's always in the spotlight? Who's missing from key conversations? 🔷 You create opportunities for all, not just the familiar few. Inclusion means actively seeking ways to bring more people and voices into the room, rather than being surrounded by the same familiar and convenient ones. When you exercise it, Inclusiveness becomes a healthy leadership habit. In my personal experience, when I was in a leadership role and had to make important decisions, I always made sure to consult with the team member whose style and thinking were most different from my own. Was it uncomfortable sometimes? Yes! Did I get annoyed by hearing an opposite opinion? Yes! But did it help me make more balanced, inclusive decisions? Yes! Different perspectives make stronger leaders.

The Quiet Revolution: Why Great Leaders Close Their Mouths "The most powerful person in the room isn't the loudest. It's the one who listens." I learned this the hard way. Early in my leadership journey, I thought my job was to have all the answers. To speak first. To fill silences. What I didn't realize? Every time I rushed to speak, I shut down possibility. Last year, during a tense strategy meeting at a client organization, I watched a CEO transform her entire team dynamic with one simple phrase: "I need to hear from everyone before I share my thoughts." The ideas that emerged changed their entire product roadmap. When leaders don't listen: 🚫 Innovation dies quietly 🚫 Diverse perspectives remain unshared 🚫 Psychological safety evaporates 🚫 The most vulnerable team members disappear Recent research reveals the business impact: ✅ Teams with high psychological safety are 76% more engaged  ✅ Active listening can increase collaboration by up to 25% ✅ Organizations with psychologically safe environments see 27% lower turnover But here's what nobody tells you about real listening: It's uncomfortable. It requires you to: 👂 Hold space for emotions you didn't expect 👂 Hear feedback you might not like 👂 Sit with silence instead of filling it 👂 Change your mind when the data demands it The most inclusive cultures aren't built with grand announcements or policies. They're built in small moments of genuine attention. For my LGBTQ+ colleagues, being truly heard might be the first time they've ever felt safe bringing their whole selves to work. For your team members from underrepresented groups, your listening might be the first time they've felt their expertise valued over their identity. Try this tomorrow: 1. In your next meeting, ask a question and count to 7 before speaking again 2. When someone shares an idea, respond with "Tell me more" instead of immediate judgment 3. Notice who never speaks, and create space specifically for their voice Real listening isn't passive. It's one of the most active, purposeful things a leader can do. It's not just kindness. It's strategy. 💬 When did someone's listening change the trajectory of your career? Share below. I'm listening. In Community and Conversation, Jim

Just a few months ago on a call with four men one of them said, "Sarah - can you please take notes for this call? Thanks." I'm honestly embarrassed that my only reaction was to say, "Sure!" The thing is, it was a question but wasn't really a question, if you know what I mean. Maybe you're reading this and thinking - what's the big deal? Or maybe you get why this small thing holds greater significance. With DEI efforts under siege, the little things matter more than ever. And I know there are plenty of individuals committed to true diversity, equity, and inclusion no matter the status of formal programs. We need to keep in mind that supporting others and encouraging their success doesn't dampen ours - in fact, I believe in many ways it only augments it. For anyone interested, here are 7 Ways Men Can Support Women in the Workplace, from LeanIn.org: 1. Challenge the Likeability Penalty - if you hear a woman being referred to as "bossy" or "shrill" or "emotional" ask for a specific example of what she did and challenge if the person would use the same descriptor were a man to do the same. 2. Evaluate Performance Fairly - make sure teams are aware of gender bias. Be clear about what constitutes excellent performance and make sure goals are set in advance, understood, and measurable. 3. Give Women Credit - When you introduce women coworkers, emphasize their accomplishments. Push back when women say they're "not ready" or "not qualified" and encourage them to go for it. 4. Get the Most Out of Meetings - If a woman is interrupted during a meeting, interject and say you'd like to hear her finish. Openly ask women to contribute to the conversation. Be aware of stolen ideas and look for opportunities to acknowledge the women who first proposed them. 5. Share Office Housework - Don't fall into the trap of expecting women to take on stereotypical support roles like "team mom" or note taker. 6. Make Work Work for Parents - Don't assume mothers won't be willing to take on challenges or travel. Push your companies for better paid parental leave policies. Avoid telling moms "I don't know how you do it," which can signal you think mothers are doing something they shouldn't be. 7. Mentor Women & Offer Equal Access - Find at least one woman to mentor. Give her thoughtful input on how she can advance and put her name forward for stretch assignments or promotions. Introduce her to influential people in your network to help her get to know key decision makers.

"We need to diversify the leadership team. Find me a qualified woman." The CEO said it like he was ordering lunch. I found Maya. ✅ Harvard MBA. ✅ 15 years experience. ✅ Perfect for the VP role. Three months later, she was gone. Her exit interview was brutal: "They hired me to be the token. Every meeting, I was introduced as 'our diversity hire.' When I pushed back on strategy, they said I was 'too aggressive.' When I was collaborative, they said I 'lacked executive presence.'" The real kicker: "I realized they didn't want my leadership. They wanted my demographics." The aftermath: ➡️ $200K recruitment cost wasted ➡️ 6-month delay on key initiative she was hired to lead ➡️ Glassdoor reviews calling out "performative diversity" ➡️ Lost 3 other women who saw the writing on the wall Cost of checkbox hiring: $1.2M and a reputation hit. DEI truth: Diversity without inclusion is just expensive theater. I've watched this disaster play out dozens of times: ❌ Hire for optics, not outcomes ❌ Change faces, not systems ❌ Add diversity, ignore inclusion Maya wasn't the problem. The culture was. Real inclusion starts before the hire: ✓ Examine why your leadership is homogenous ✓ Fix the systems that created the problem ✓ Build psychological safety before adding new voices You can't hire your way to inclusion. 💬 Have you seen "diversity hires" set up to fail? What was missing? ♻️ Repost if you've watched companies hire for demographics instead of lasting change 📌 Follow Allison Allen for real talk about what actually creates inclusive cultures #DEI #InclusiveLeadership #DiversityAndInclusion #Leadership #CultureChange