Dignity, Inclusivity, and Unity
Abraham Lincoln (public domain - Library of Congress)
“With malice toward none; with charity for all”
In the shifting sands blown about by the windstorm of perpetual outrage, the labels change but the object remains the same.
Call it civil rights, affirmative action, CRT, or wokeism and DEI (the latest), the highly decorative costumes of this kabuki theater of culture wars are ever-changing and always distracting, as opponents use them to stoke fear, angst, and vitriol against “others.”
Taking sides with the out-group can immediately make anyone, however well-intentioned, the object of hate and derision.
While it is tempting to ascribe this fallout to modern-day keyboard warriors and soundbite-hungry politicians, it’s a timeless story.
“A snub is the effort of a person who feels superior to make someone else feel inferior. To do so, he has to find someone who can be made to feel inferior.”
Facts Are Stubborn Things
In 1770 in Boston, eight British soldiers stood accused of killing five colonists in what became known as the Boston Massacre. John Adams, who would later become the second president of the United States, chose to defend the soldiers during the tense and volatile pre-Revolutionary period.
At the time, public opinion in Boston was overwhelmingly hostile toward the British, and defending the soldiers risked tarnishing Adams’ reputation and alienating him from his community.
However, Adams believed in the principles of a fair trial and the rule of law, arguing that justice should not be swayed by mob mentality, even if it came at great personal cost.
In choosing to represent them, Adams treated those foreigners with the dignity and respect any accused individual had a right to receive.
Worthy Humans
In The Extraordinary Power of Leadership Humility, Marilyn Gist, PhD writes, “Dignity implies that each person is worthy of honor and respect for who he or she is, regardless of status or accomplishment.”
Dignity is a fundamental aspect of what it means to be human. When you disregard or even violate the dignity of others, you make them feel like nonentities.
What’s a violation of dignity? Name-calling, bullying, cutting people off, stereotyping, sexual harassment, taking credit—anything that shows you don't appreciate someone’s unique contribution or humanity.
Over the last decade, the corporate adoption of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives has been handled awkwardly, communicated poorly, and executed sloppily, leading to what amounts to ethics-washing.
DEI programs have been put together in what seems like a trend-hopping, slapdash approach, giving the appearance of a set of values. But when those values were challenged, these Potemkin villages collapsed under the slightest scrutiny.
And that’s unfortunate, because there is a place for ensuring that everyone — particularly vulnerable and underrepresented — have a fair shot. It’s what is commonly called meritocracy.
The key is to recognize the difference between equality and equity:
Equality: treating everyone the same, giving equal resources or opportunities to all.
Equity: recognizing that people start from different positions and allocating resources based on need to achieve equal outcomes.
We might like to think that equality is fair, and yet this story shows how a guidance counselor supported meritocracy by ensuring someone who deserved and earned their place didn’t miss out on opportunities because of disadvantages outside of their control:
“The first step in the evolution of ethics is a sense of solidarity with other human beings.”
Wholesale Inclusion
One company in recent weeks that has not bowed to shareholder pressure to reassess its DEI programs is Costco Wholesale. Shareholders called the DEI programs into question, deeming them as discriminatory, and citing “litigation, reputational and financial risks” to the company as their concern.
Costco’s recommendation was to vote against the proposal, explaining:
Our success at Costco Wholesale has been built on service to our critical stakeholders: employees, members, and suppliers. Our efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion follow our code of ethics:
For our employees, these efforts are built around inclusion – having all of our employees feel valued and respected. Our efforts at diversity, equity and inclusion remind and reinforce with everyone at our Company the importance of creating opportunities for all. We believe that these efforts enhance our capacity to attract and retain employees who will help our business succeed. This capacity is critical because we owe our success to our now over 300,000 employees around the globe.
We welcome members from all walks of life and backgrounds. As our membership diversifies, we believe that serving it with a diverse group of employees enhances satisfaction. Among other things, a diverse group of employees helps bring originality and creativity to our merchandise offerings, promoting the "treasure hunt" that our customers value. That group also helps to provide insights into the tastes and preferences of our members. And we believe (and member feedback shows) that many of our members like to see themselves reflected in the people in our warehouses with whom they interact.
Having diversity in our supplier base, including appropriate attention to small businesses, is beneficial for many of the same reasons diversity benefits our Company. We believe that it fosters creativity and innovation in the merchandise and services that we offer our members.
Its business practices are in line with its values. You can’t make a company divest its values if it actually practices those values.
Costco was joined by other companies as well.
Inclusivity as Psychological Safety
A Google workplace study found that the most important dynamic in a successful team was one in which the team was reassured of psychological safety: could the team take risks without feeling insecure or embarrassed. The five keys to a successful Google team (Google, 2015)
Yet, an Ipsos study found that only 47% of teams agree their workplace is psychologically safe. Half (47%) of Global Employees Agree Their Workplace is Psychologically Safe and Healthy: Three in Ten (27%) Say Not (Ipsos, 2012)
Having a single way of thinking never drives innovation and growth, and teams that feel safe to speak up are five times more likely to innovate, see 50% higher productivity and 27% lower turnover.
Unity
When we work together on common goals, whether we’re part of an athletic team, a corporation, or a community, we have expectations that we each have something to offer.
In my time at Ford Motor Company, we all had badges that included the famous One Ford plan on the front, and a list of “Expected Behaviors” on the reverse. In the list of behaviors, there were a couple that implied that dignity was at the core of them:
Include everyone: respect, listen to, help and appreciate others.
Enjoy the journey and each other; have fun—but never at others’ expense.
We saw these behaviors exhibited by our leaders and by each other on a regular basis; such actions were a powerful reminder of the importance of dignity and the power each of us held to build a stronger team.
I’m fortunate to be able to apply Alan Mulally’s “Working Together”© Leadership & Management System to my clients — a connected and collaborative culture of love by design to create value and growth for all stakeholders and the greater good.
Working Together requires unity. And I can’t think of a better lesson on unity than the sermon Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde gave last week. ‘Contempt is a dangerous way to lead a country’: here is the sermon that enraged Donald Trump, The Guardian, January 24, 2025
“The first foundation for unity is honoring the inherent dignity of every human being…A second foundation for unity is honesty in both private conversation and public discourse…A third foundation for unity is humility, which we all need, because we are all fallible human beings.”
Dignity, honesty, and humility bring us closer together.
Honor people’s dignity. Include everyone. Seek unity.
There’s so much to learn,
