Serena PalmerWe ask a great deal of our senior leaders today, particularly the effective leadership of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategies. The expectation isn’t just to announce initiatives, but to truly role model EDI within their organisations. As a former global director of talent and EDI myself, I’ve observed this firsthand: leaders are often tasked with this without sufficient, tailored support. The assumption often made is that a new EDI strategy, originating from a leadership decision, automatically equips them to confidently lead it.
However, leaders rarely proactively seek additional learning, admitting: “I’m not completely confident in all areas of EDI.” This often leads to an “assumption dance.” More commonly, a group EDI development training programme is provided – perhaps a half-day event for 50 senior leaders, crammed with strategy details and basic EDI concepts. My observations of such group sessions reveals a pattern: about 5% are confident, passionate adopters, speaking up readily.
Another 5% are vocal challengers, expressing misgivings. The vast majority, however, remain silent. This silence stems from a lack of confidence or fear of engagement, as group settings rarely feel safe for genuine interaction unless you’re at an extreme end of the learning spectrum. The result? Leaders return to their teams, superficially discuss the strategy, avoid deeper conversations, and fail to implement impactful behavioural or cultural changes.
In my view, EDI is arguably the most complex and intimidating area of company strategy. It’s replete with potential pitfalls, unintended consequences, immense opportunity, and inherent risk. Even specialists attest it’s an ever-changing landscape, vast and unique among ‘People’ subjects. The core of this apprehension is FEAR. The direct antidote to fear is safety, which is precisely what EDI one-to-one coaching provides.
Consider a previous organisation where the senior leadership team launched an ambitious strategy to address the under-representation of racial and ethnic groups. It was bold, well-delivered, and met with workforce enthusiasm. Importantly, this leadership team was exclusively white. While their initial announcement was strong, fear quickly set in. This is where bespoke one-on-one coaching became crucial.
Each leader was assigned an EDI coach who provided a vital, safe space, away from peers, to openly discuss tough questions, personal perceptions, and worries. This commitment led to a significant increase in their confidence, making authentic role-modelling a natural outcome, not a forced task.
My coaching approach begins with the individual’s unique identifiers, focusing on the universal human desire to belong and the fear of being “othered” – whether it’s childhood experiences of exclusion or navigating cultural differences. When you connect your own sense of self to ‘belonging,’ you can truly begin to understand equity.
When leaders genuinely grasp what equity means and how it’s experienced, then diversity and inclusion naturally follow as a deeper, inherent understanding. My adaptable strategies, honed through international experience, empower business leaders to navigate today’s dynamic landscape.
Empowering EDI leaders is best achieved through a blended approach. Combining one-to-one coaching with strategic group sessions builds individual confidence and team cohesion, fostering insight sharing and keeping the EDI plan agile. An evolving strategy indicates healthy progress.
One-to-one coaching is the most effective way for leaders to develop and openly discuss EDI without peer pressure. This deep, lasting development helps leaders understand EDI from their own perspective and its impact on everyone, not just marginalized groups. I create a trusting space for leaders to unlock their full potential.
Serena Palmer is executive coach, talent strategist and founder of Serena Consulting
