Activating Champions
Developing and supporting internal champions for racial equity work is vital for the success of your business’s equity journey. This practice should be included as part of your equity strategy.
Working with an Equity Practitioner will help to establish the process.
What does internal champion mean?
We want to name that not everyone necessarily has the power or capacity to take on internal racial justice, but everyone can help with decisions and consultation. For internal champions, we mean this to be people that have specifically expressed interest in taking on coordinated internal DEI work. For those who are able to volunteer, be sure to engage them early and frequently as they are your ambassadors and change leaders.Recognize that you have internal champions.
Acknowledge and value your internal champions as partners in your equity process.
Create the space(s) where these internal champions can gather, have conversations, learn, give each other support, and share about the equity work. Don’t assume folks of color should agree to take on the labor of leadership for DEI. Remember that not all BIPOC share the same values, thoughts, or opinions on DEI. For those that are involved, know that there may be a deep emotional burden to explain the experience of racism. Be intentional about how BIPOC are being appreciated, compensated, and asked to be involved.Provide incentives to show your support and their value.
Developing an internal champion is a two-way street. You need to keep your internal champion engaged and motivated. Equity work can be hard work!Establish a clear set of expectations, goals, and suggest success metrics.
Communication is key. Creating a transparent and honest assessment of your business’s equity journey will be necessary. Talk with your internal champions and listen to learn what they identified as challenges and opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses of the situation they see internally. With their help (and your Equity Practitioner), develop basic metrics with associated timelines. As time goes on, these can be reviewed and analyzed to see if the plan is practical.Provide tools to help them succeed.
Hire an Equity Practitioner for training, activities and to facilitate safer conversations with your internal champions. Provide resources for activities. Provide opportunities for your internal champions to grow into this work and attend train-the-trainer sessions.Develop an official process, such as an equity team.
Create both formal and informal ways to do equity. Do you need an equity team? Does every department have an equity plan or an equity lead?Follow up.
Check in with internal champions periodically (for example, via weekly email and in person) to listen to them and see what’s working, etc. The CEO should also meet with the internal champions directly to hear their feedback.Create the time for evaluation, celebration and changes to the strategy.
Celebrate the victories, the engagement opportunities and share gratitude for this work in company culture.
OTHER ACTIONS:
RELATED TOPICS:
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER:
