{"id":55224,"date":"2018-07-15t14:20:14","date_gmt":"2018-07-15t18:20:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/48e130086c.nxcli.net\/?p=55224"},"modified":"2018-07-17t12:08:48","modified_gmt":"2018-07-17t16:08:48","slug":"true-diversity-means-creating-equity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.g005e.com\/2018\/07\/15\/true-diversity-means-creating-equity\/","title":{"rendered":"true diversity means creating equity"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a>who is trying to get in the room but can\u2019t?<\/strong><\/p>\n by liz gold<\/em> so, we know you can\u2019t just put the diversity and inclusion phrase on marketing materials and call it good. there needs to be some substance behind the claim.<\/p>\n more on radicalism:<\/b> a legacy of leadership must extend to diversity<\/a> | 5 ways to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace<\/a> | goals, goals, goals<\/a> | 3 challenges in shifting to product management<\/a> | productized 1099s the new vision way<\/a> | why our clients need us to be radical<\/a> part of that substance includes looking at the word \u201cequity\u201d and considering how you can provide equitable opportunities and growth potential to every individual in your firm. how do you do this, especially if you want to make it to the top 200?<\/p>\n it\u2019s important to add, however, you don\u2019t want to tokenize a person of color or another minority in the process. this means, don\u2019t recruit a small number of people (or one person) from underrepresented groups to give the appearance of diversity within your firm.<\/p>\n in accounting firms, it\u2019s a challenge to bypass tokenism.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n the answer? hire more people of color and create a culture of inclusiveness from the get-go. make sure you have poc in leadership. ask yourself, how can i make sure people are represented here, not tokenized? it starts with awareness and working with someone to build out a diversity and inclusion initiative.<\/p>\n it\u2019s very easy to gravitate toward people who look like you and walk similarly in the world. this is what we call unconscious bias. in the aicpa\u2019s “recruitment and retention toolkit: a journey toward a more inclusive workforce,” unconscious bias is defined as our natural people preferences. \u201cbiologically we are hard-wired to prefer people who look like us, sound like us, and share our interests,\u201d the report says. \u201cwhen looking to increase the number of diverse hires within your organization, a critical first step is to address unconscious bias across the organization, helping management and staff understand the importance of diversity awareness, and communicating about and managing constructive conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n the bottom line is that without equity, diversity and inclusion are merely good intentions. but there\u2019s something missing: action.<\/p>\n in the inside higher ed article \u201clanguage of appeasement,\u201d dr. dafina-lazarus stewart wrote, \u201cdiversity asks, \u2018who\u2019s in the room?\u2019 equity responds: \u2018who is trying to get in the room but can\u2019t?\u2019 whose presence in the room is under constant threat of erasure?\u201d while this article is obviously addressed to academia, the sentiment remains: let\u2019s go beyond the rhetoric and start asking the tough questions about who is really thriving in accounting firms today.<\/p>\n kimberly ellison-taylor, cpa, cgma, and global accounting strategy director for the financial and professional services industries for oracle america maintains a glass-half-full perspective as it relates to her career at the intersection of accounting and technology. \u201ci grew up with parents who were very clear to remind me that i can\u2019t change anyone else or what they do, but that i can control how i respond,\u201d she said. \u201cusing that backdrop, i always studied my colleagues and leaders to analyze their path, their work approaches, strengths, network, etc., and then would do a swot against my own various areas. this assessment over the years has informed my personal philosophy on leadership and success.\u201d<\/p>\n that philosophy includes positive attitude, hard work, strong work ethic, persistence, confidence, stepping out of her comfort zone, team building, negotiation and a commitment to lifelong learning. all these attributes are core components as to how ellison-taylor engages with her colleagues in accounting and technology. \u201cthere will always be areas that need improvement, and there will always be individuals across every industry who are not comfortable with differences \u2013 yet when faced with where to expend my energy, i would much rather focus on what i learned as a little girl: change what you can and demonstrate through your actions the winning path,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n how diverse is your client base?<\/strong><\/p>\n we\u2019ve been talking a lot about why it\u2019s important to have diversity and difference at your firm on all levels. diversity, inclusion and equity are a power team that you need present at every table. this will bring new energy, conflict, disruption, stellar ideas and innovation, and make your firm extremely marketable \u2013 not to mention profitable.<\/p>\n the more diverse you are, the more relevant you are.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n having a diverse team leads to landing diverse clients. who doesn\u2019t want a diverse client base in every sense of the word? it will help you attract more people, people who are outside your usual target clients, but who need and want your services and expertise because what you are doing resonates with them.<\/p>\n for instance, do you have any same-sex couples on your client list? working with same-sex or lgbt couples who are unmarried can be profitable for your firm because of the complexities in tax and estate planning. think about it: more challenges mean more consulting time and a more complex return. success with that couple likely means referrals, and before you know it, you are building out a new niche in your firm.<\/p>\n consider these statistics regarding buying power in diversity best practices: almost one in four lgbt adults in one year switched to a product or service because the new company supported the lgbt community, and 71 percent of lesbian and gay people remain loyal to a brand that is sympathetic to lgbt issues even if the brand is costlier or less convenient.<\/p>\n \u201cgroom your clients for diversity and inclusion,\u201d said tamika cody, former managing editor of accounting today. \u201cyou have to look at your clients and see if they are diverse. if not, start looking for diverse clients. it\u2019s up to the partners to include the women, the people of color, the lgbt individuals. make introductions.\u201d<\/p>\n big or small, have the courage to create your culture \u2026 consciously.<\/strong><\/p>\n there\u2019s a lot of talk about accountability and transparency in both old-school firms and new firms. people love to bounce those buzzwords around \u2013 but the truth is, being truly accountable and transparent takes courage. whether you are a well established firm looking to enhance your culture or a startup wanting to be strategic before you head to market, i would hope these two elements would be foundational to your firm values.<\/p>\n think about what sort of firm you are and where you want to be. think about who you are serving and how you are serving them. think about the technology you choose and use. think about how you communicate to your customers, prospects and employees. and think about the people you are grooming or choosing to be leaders \u2013 who are they, and can you genuinely say it\u2019s a diverse group?<\/p>\n embracing difference will grow your firm. you will get more business, your team will be better for it, and you will come up with more innovative solutions to your customers\u2019 most pressing questions.<\/p>\n more gaps will close and more doors will open. and who doesn\u2019t want that?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nin<\/em> from success to significance: the radical cpa guide<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n
\nexclusively for pro members. <\/span><\/strong>log in here<\/a> or 2022世界杯足球排名 today<\/a>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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\nremember, this is not about special privileges, said rhodes perry of rhodes perry consulting, a global strategic management firm helping executives build lgbtq+ diverse and inclusive workplace cultures. \u201cthis is about creating workplace equity, or guaranteed fair treatment, access, opportunity and advancement for all employees, while simultaneously striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of underrepresented groups in a workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n