Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
At Thought Ensemble, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are strategic imperatives. They are core to who we are today and the vision we want to realize tomorrow. They are woven throughout our culture, our processes, and the very foundation of our organization. We named our company “Thought Ensemble” because we value and actively seek out different perspectives, both internally and externally, because we know that bringing these diverse perspectives together is how we can best generate big ideas and solve even bigger problems.
Diversity is being aware of, respecting, and celebrating the differences that exist between each of us and valuing what makes each of us unique; not just what you can see — race and gender.
Equity is giving everyone what they uniquely need to have the same opportunity as others, and it’s about treating people fairly without favor or bias — not just treating everyone the same.
Inclusion is fostering a sense of belonging and crafting a safe space where people are encouraged to share their thoughts — not just inviting everyone to participate.
We embrace these concepts and foster a sense of belonging, not just for our employees, but for our clients, our vendors, and the community around us. That sense of belonging is what allows each person to contribute and what allows all of us together to make an impact.
We value collaboration, we value diversity in thought, we value uniqueness — this is Thought Ensemble.
DIVERSITY
Being aware of, respecting, and celebrating the differences that exist between each of us and valuing what makes each of us unique.
ACTION PLAN
- Host one diversity-oriented event each quarter
- Define the behaviors associated with our core values and intentionally expand their application
- Define a plan to introduce additional diverse perspectives at the Leadership level
WHAT WE MEASURE
- Race and gender composition of our Leadership, Ensemble, and recruits
- Self-reported sexual orientation and veteran status of our Leadership, Ensemble, and recruits
- Recruits by source
- Academic background
- Career/Industry background
EQUITY
Allocating tools, time, and resources based on an individual’s unique needs to ensure everyone has access to the same opportunities.
ACTION PLAN
- Update and deliver training on how to deliver effective, equitable feedback
- Recommunicate the Professional Development stipend approval process and provide examples of how others have used the stipend previously
- Communicate an updated Talent Development strategy
WHAT WE MEASURE
- Participation in external training compared by race, gender, and job title
- Self-reported metrics regarding consistent feedback and 1-on-1’s with Mentor and Team Lead/Engagement Lead
- Stay and Exit Interview survey data
INCLUSION
Intentionality in bringing together and genuinely making every individual feel included irrespective of who they are.
ACTION PLAN
- Update HR documentation to ensure language is inclusive
- Formalize and schedule recurring touchpoints and Stay Interviews with employees
- Develop and deliver conscious inclusion training for all interviewers
WHAT WE MEASURE
- Tenure of employees
- Employee sentiment about feelings of belongingness, value in their uniqueness, and inclusivity throughout the company
- eNPS
DEI Thoughts from Thought Ensemble
Calling Everyone Back to the DEI Table
It is no secret that 2020 put a glaring spotlight on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our everyday lives. As our communities reckoned with difficult questions and conversations around racial equity and justice, those topics found their way into...
Meaningful Brand Maturity vs. Promotional Box Checking
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A “Belongingness” Framework for your Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Journey
In honor of LGBTQ Pride Month, Thought Ensemble’s Culture and People Leader Lauren Malik has compiled a series of thoughts, insights, and learnings developed to support organizations in their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) journeys. I want to begin by both...
The Leadership Dog Years
As a business leader, I feel like I’ve been living in dog years — so much has happened that this year feels more like seven. In the spring, our company — like many others — had to throw out our annual plans and quickly pivot to new ones. In the summer, we increased...
Self-Awareness Is Key to Belonging
Last year, our team at Thought Ensemble participated in the foundational session of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training led by Dr. Nika White, IOM, CDE (she/her/hers). One of the most meaningful moments for me was the focus on authenticity, uniqueness, and...
Thought Ensemble’s Purpose — Inspired in 2020
I recently wrote about how company purpose is being tested and inspired by all the events of 2020. This topic is very real for us at Thought Ensemble. We’ve been thinking a lot about what really matters as we’ve navigated the challenges of this year. While we’ve had...
How 2020 Is Testing and Inspiring Corporate Purpose
In August 2019, the Business Roundtable rewrote their statement of corporate purpose. I followed this with significant interest being that I have never forgotten the debates about corporate purpose in business school almost two decades ago. We were taught that the...
Why Purpose-Driven Organizations May Struggle With Change
I love working with companies who really want to make a difference, beyond just making money for their shareholders. I mean, making money is fun and all, but it is even more rewarding to join in on a just cause. Plus, as this HBR article explains, companies who have...
Awareness of Self and Belonging
I found myself completely floored during one of my peer coaching sessions this week. A colleague said, “coaching is about increasing the client’s self-awareness. You can make better choices when you have self-awareness.” She said this casually and continued on with...
Culture Eats Breakfast for Strategy
You’ve probably heard the phrase “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”; in other words, even the best ideas and logical plans are destined to fail if the people involved are not bought in. A 2013 survey of over 2,200 global businesspeople conducted by the Katzenbach...
How Do We Make a Difference?
Leadership in 2020 Everyone is saying that nothing is going to be the same again after 2020. I’d add being a business leader to that list. I’ll never be the same. In the first few months of the year, I was already working on being more expressive with my...