DEIB in Africa: Beyond Race & LGBTQ - Context Matters

DEI can be a very polarizing issue in any organization. 

It is not usually a topic on the mind of African leaders - but it should be.

That is why I invited DEIB practitioner and champion Angela Gachui to talk through the different dimensions of diversity on the MOST diverse continent.

(Listen to our entire conversation here)

Here are three dimensions of diversity leaders should consider:

1) Personality

Our personality affects how we show up in the world, in the workplace, our interactions with one another, our likes, our preferences, and where we get energy.

"It doesn't matter whether you and I were born in the same household, raised by the same parents, same race, same religion, same, you know, even if we were twins...we will have a very different way of engaging with the world..." - Angela Gachui

2) Biological

There are things that you technically have no control over and are born into.

"You may have been born into a specific religion or year, which puts you in a certain generation. [Or] you may have been born with a disability. And some of these things are way outside of our natural control…They are a biological dimension… that is where we see the largest amount of unconscious bias or discrimination... And yet, what's so interesting about it is that…you can't control if you were born white or black, that's, that's just the way you were born." - Angela Gachui

3) Experiential

Our experiences also shape our worldview and how we interact with the world.

For example, "… we've gone through a pandemic. Our world now, whether it's around how we interact socially or how we show up professionally, has been influenced by what happened in 2020." - Angela Gachui

Have you ever taken a second to reflect on these types of diversity and how your personality, biological traits, or experiences shape how you show up and engage with others?

Diversity is not just about skin color or sexual orientation.

In the African context, starting with these three dimensions of diversity might help you get more traction and buy-in.

► Want to get your organization on the same page with your DEIB initiatives? Make sure you are collecting the right type of data (Start listening at 40:26)

 ► Listen to a case study on how to keep track of a diversity-focused initiative in a male-dominated industry (Start listening at 52:21) 

P.S. Want to continue to expand your awareness? Make sure you listen to my listen interview with Financial Literacy Advocate and FinTech Founder Tosin Olaseinde here.

P.P.S. Register here to challenge some of your unconscious biases, starting with your relationship with self-promotion.