Don’t Forget the ‘I’ in DEI

A synopsis of the "Project: DEI Resources & Momenturm" session at Base Camp: Newport Beach

Kevin L. Smith, Director, Digital Ad Operations at The Weather Company

One of the best benefits of the Base Camp conference came from leaders being transparent with sharing their experiences in an effort to better our industry.  This was certainly the case in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion discussion this year in Newport Beach, and it was heartening to see the passion for progress in this vital area.  We discussed many challenges and ideas and had a variety of perspectives since all companies were at different stages of progress.  However, we could all agree that no matter what role or resources you have at your company, there are many opportunities for everyone to take steps in advancing DEI efforts.

Whether you want to start something from the ground up or are looking to contribute to your company's overall initiatives, here are some key points to keep in mind as you develop your team's DEI strategy:

●       Measurement:  You’ll want to measure the performance and success of your efforts, so it’s important to have data.  While some companies might have HR tools that are flexible enough to understand representation over time or career growth metrics, there are also little-to-no-cost options like surveys that can be implemented to analyze the impact of your initiatives.  Understanding your DEI goals will help you decide which tools you need to measure success.

●       Ongoing maintenance:  Consider the level of effort in the programs you and your team initiate.  Larger and more complex projects can result in burnout of those employees tasked with the work and can be a chief source of losing momentum in overarching DEI goals for your organization.  Smaller-in-scale and more frequent activities that allow for shared responsibility across multiple employees and teams can make more of an impact over time and can show your team’s dedication to ongoing change and inclusivity.

●       Empower your employees:  Your efforts will have more impact if you seek ideas and engagement from everyone.  Ideas like volunteer-led community groups, mentor programs, and resource/education sharing can increase opportunities for a wider representation of your teams, which can foster more participation.

●       Executive visibility:  While taking an organic approach to creating DEI initiatives can help make quicker and more impactful progress, it’s also important to have visible executive support.  Something as simple as the Executive Leadership Team consistently reinforcing the importance of Diversity & Inclusion efforts in company communication can help individuals feel more comfortable in bringing their authentic selves to work. It can help volunteers understand that their participation is aligning with the company’s mission.

Don't forget the I in D&I

Increasing representation does not automatically guarantee inclusivity, and there are some easy no-cost efforts you can put in place to assist in this area:

●       Encourage team members to introduce themselves with their pronouns and/or add their pronouns visibly with their name in email signatures, video conferences, and messaging tools.

●       Discuss active listening and empathy skills in meetings to help foster a collaborative space where everyone feels safe to share ideas.

●       Facilitate anonymous recurring surveys to measure engagement and inclusivity over time and ask for ideas and feedback for improvement.

●       Ask for volunteers to create D&I networking groups or team-building  activities that are open to all. 

●       Facilitate discussions on what it means to be an ally.

Don’t be afraid to take the initiative and voice your ideas to your teams, you might be surprised at the energy you can spark.  In addition, an exciting announcement was just recently posted:  Beeler.tech has launched a dedicated slack channel to promote D&I efforts.  Please join us on the #inclusion Slack channel, where I hope we can all continue this conversation and work together for a more inclusive industry. 

Kevin Loren Smith is Sr. Leader of Ad Ops Solutions & Integrations at The Weather Company, an IBM Business, leading teams that develop solutions in system, vendor and partner integrations; ad trafficking and QA; ad product implementation; and program management within Digital Ad Operations. Joining The Weather Company in 2010, he brings over 20 years of experience in media and advertising. Prior to The Weather Company, he was with Window Media LLC, holding roles in Sales and Operations before leading its Online Department. Kevin is passionate about Diversity & Inclusivity in the workplace and is a leader within IBM’s LGBTQ+ Business Resource Group.  Smith graduated in 2001 from the University of Texas at Austin (Hook 'em!) with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Composition and currently resides in Atlanta.