I Don’t Want to Be the Only One Anymore

Julia Schmidt calls on all of us, in our professional associations and communities, to embrace a diversity code of respect

My skin is Black. Ever since I can remember, I have often been the only Black person in the room. Have you ever had the experience of being the only one of anything in the room? If you have, you know it is a unique experience full of emotions, reflections, doubts, and loneliness. It could be because you have a different skin color, economic background, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, physical abilities, appearance, education, ethnicity, culture, or any combination therein. Some of these things are easily seen, and some are invisible. Not that I would want to change it, but I can never not be Black. When I was a child, the room was a piano audition, school classroom, or painting exhibition. As a teenager, the room was the concert hall, the French classes at the Alliance Française, and the English classes at the private language school. And as an adult, I felt like the only one in the room among colleagues at work and classmates at university. And when I moved from Brazil to a new country in Europe, I was the only Black Executive Assistant, Black neighbor, and Black peer in the local professional association for management Assistants.

I am fifty-nine years old now. Because I have seen the benefits of diverse groups, this article is part of my effort to encourage inclusion in work and life. I don’t want to be the only one anymore, especially in the professional Assistant organizations to which I belong.

Embracing the Diversity and Inclusion Cause

My experience in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEI&B) comes from a great opportunity in 2018 when I joined a group of experts in the administrative profession to write a whitepaper on Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. We were a diverse group representing different counties and continents. The objective of our research was to find out why, despite a diversity of voices, creeds, races, disabilities, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and beliefs, we do not reflect the diversity of those voices in our profession.

We asked:

• Why do we have a low margin of diverse engagement and representation in our sector?
• Why are we not proportionally inclusive of our diversity?
• Equally, why is the industry not engaged and committed to creating change?

This work made me embrace the cause of diversity and inclusion and commit to becoming an agent of change in my workplace and professional associations. 

We surveyed diversity, inclusion, and belonging in professional associations and network groups, conferences, and events for administrative professionals and asked for suggestions on how to increase diversity and equality in these environments. The results and recommendations in our report supported this. We presented the report at the World Administrators Summit in 2021, and a task force was created to discuss and implement the recommendations listed in our report. I am proud that many professional associations and networks who attended the Summit in 2021 are engaged in diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Here are some existing initiatives that I would like to highlight: 

• The International Association of Administrative Professionals has a DEI Committee, which is “a standing committee of the IAAP Board of Directors tasked with establishing a diverse and inclusive culture within IAAP and the administrative profession at large.” 
• The task force created by the World Administrators Alliance is working on a proposal for a fund, The Inclusion Initiative, to ensure equitable participation in the World Administrators Summit. This will ensure that a broader range of participants, regardless of their economic situation, can attend the summit and engage in critical discussions as delegates representing their countries.

How Does It Feel to Be Included?

This subject is personal to every human. Being included makes us feel like we belong. I am valued and appreciated for what I bring to the table. I feel I have a place at the table and can bring my whole self to the workplace and communities. I feel I am seen, heard, understood, connected, and respected. I feel safe to be exactly who I am.

I would challenge each of us to ask these questions of ourselves, colleagues, peers, and the people we spend time with. Having these answers, perspectives, and diversity would help us understand what behaviors we should be embracing to help as many people as possible in our environments feel included. It is different for each person, and the group dynamics will make the answer to the question even more distinct.

We often talk about treating everybody the same. Instead, we need to realize everyone – with their stories, backgrounds, experiences, fears, and dreams – wants to be treated a little bit differently. In her book Staff Matters: People-Focused Solutions for the Ultimate New Workplace, Bonnie Low-Kramen shares that “the thing that people want most is to feel respected. When they do, everything becomes possible. When they don’t, the opposite is true.”

The Value of Diversity

The data on the positive impact of diversity and inclusion is powerful and indisputable. It has become a CEO-level priority and is closely connected to company culture and employee retention. The challenge for companies is how to implement these efforts so that the entire staff feels respected, seen, and heard.

• In its 2020 report, “Diversity wins: How inclusion matters”, McKinsey reported that the business case for inclusion and diversity was stronger than ever and showed that diverse companies are more likely than their peers to outperform financially. Also, “companies in the top quartile for both gender and ethnic diversity are 12 percent more likely to outperform all other companies in the data set.” Proving that diversity matters and that many companies take it seriously, the report also shows that “the Diversity Leaders are taking bold and courageous steps to build fairer and more inclusive workplace cultures at all levels of the organization.”

• Deloitte Review’s article “The Diversity and Inclusion Revolution” reveals that high-performing teams are both cognitively and demographically diverse. As new ideas come from diverse ways of seeing things, their research also shows that diversity of thinking is a well-spring of creativity, enhancing innovation by about 20%.

• The Achievers Workforce Institute defines belonging as “an experience of connection, security, and community – it’s about feeling at home in one’s place, without reservation. A true sense of belonging at work is the deepest outcome measure of engagement.” They identify six benefits of diversity and inclusion at work:
• Bigger talent pool
• Increased employee engagement and trust
• New perspectives and innovation
• Better decision-making
• Improved performance
• Stronger business results and profits

For many executive support professionals, our professional associations and communities are becoming our “second workplace”, an environment that must also foster a sense of belonging among its members, making them feel more connected, engaged, and productive.

Why, then, don’t we adopt DEI&B practices and see considerable gains in a bigger talent pool, business results, innovation, and decision-making in our professional associations and networks? I see this as an important question to ask in 2024.

The Diversity Code of Respect for Executive Support Professionals

One significant way to encourage diversity in our global community of executive support professionals is to collaborate on a standard guideline that promotes inclusive behaviors and actively guides us toward more diversity, equality, and inclusion in our community and professional associations. I am proposing the implementation of a Diversity Code of Respect for Executive Support Professionals.

This Code will serve as a set of values, standards, and principles defining our expectations for each other and our professional organizations and networks. It is designed to be a tool for developing the right mindset, principles, and behaviors to foster diversity and inclusion. As a result, it will ensure that our professional associations and networks have a robust talent pool and engaged volunteers and members, allowing better decision-making, innovation, and improved performance. The Diversity Code of Respect can be adapted and customized inside associations.

A commitment to positive change must start with each of us, because promoting diversity and inclusion requires us to become agents of change. It appeals to our individual and collective sense of responsibility and requires our daily commitment to uphold its standards.

A Diversity Code of Respect represents the values, standards, rules, and principles that guide our behavior and actions on a day-to-day basis. It should be a source of inspiration and open doors for discussions.

The Diversity Code of Respect

1. Bias Reduction

We will consistently work to understand our own biases, both conscious and unconscious, and make necessary efforts to minimize them through self-reflection, education, and open discussions.

2. Inclusive Communication

We will use inclusive communication to ensure that our language and interactions are respectful and include individuals of all genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, ages, religions, and nationalities. Channels for communication include organization websites, recruitment documents, and social media, taking a fresh look at the photography, videos, and verbiage being used.

3. Representation Advocacy

We will actively advocate for a diverse representation (gender, race, ethnicity, abilities, sexual orientations, ages, religions, and nationalities) in groups, meetings, conferences, and events for executive support professionals, making active efforts to ensure diverse participation and perspectives are included. 

4. Support for Diversity and Inclusion Activities

We will actively support and invest in diversity and inclusion initiatives at work and in our professional associations and communities. This includes participation in conversations, events, talks, and workshops, as well as organizing activities and supporting and participating in employee resource groups (ERGs).

5. Continuous Learning and Improvement

We will commit, as individuals and professional associations, to continuous learning and improvement by seeking out opportunities to take or provide education, training, and dialogue on DEI&B to strengthen our understanding and challenge systemic biases and discrimination. 

6. Equitable Treatment and Opportunity

We are committed to treating people with respect and equitably and giving opportunity for all individuals, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic background, religion, or nationality. Our professional associations and networks promote fair and inclusive practices when recruiting new members to help everyone feel relevant and part of a shared goal. 

7. Enabling Progress into Leadership Positions

We will cultivate a global mindset and cultural empathy, use cross-culturally effective communication, and sponsor and mentor underrepresented groups to allow them to progress into leadership positions in our professional associations and networks. 

8. Actionable Allyship

We are committed to becoming proactive allies. We mentor and support each other and use our positions to strengthen underrepresented or suppressed voices.

9. Discrimination and Harassment

We will say no to discrimination, harassment, or exclusion by actively challenging and addressing bias and discrimination whenever it occurs. 

10. Leadership and Advocacy

We will lead by example, promoting diversity and inclusion in our workplaces, communities, and professional organizations and networks. By doing that, we drive change and build a more inclusive and equitable future for our profession, ourselves, and the new generations.

What If We Don’t Embrace DEI&B?

By not embracing diversity and inclusion, professional associations can put themselves at risk. They can:

• Lose their relevance and limit innovation capacity.
• Miss growth opportunities, resulting in fewer opportunities to expand into new markets, industries, and demographics. 
• Develop a negative reputation when the association is seen as exclusive or unwelcoming to specific groups. 
• Damage their financial sustainability and brand image when they have disengaged members due to their inability to demonstrate real commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Lack the ability to develop diverse talent for leadership roles and create diverse boards. This will perpetuate existing biases and a culture of inequalities and block long-term sustainability and successful results.
• Have fewer opportunities for knowledge sharing, collaborative work, and skill development among members, which impacts the association’s ability to adapt to change and thrive in a disruptive and volatile environment.

A Call to Action!

As executive support professionals, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to drive change in our workplaces and professional associations. Let’s commit ourselves to being agents of change, advocates for diversity, and champions of inclusion. 

Here are 16 suggestions for our professional associations to become more open to welcoming diversity. Choose those that you could implement in your professional organization:

It’s not enough that we acknowledge that diversity is vital to the future of our profession, professional associations, and organizations. Every member must actively find ways to work towards creating environments where every individual feels valued, respected, and included.

Let’s challenge biases, foster open communication, and advocate for diverse representation. Let’s lead by example, creating inclusive cultures where everyone feels empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.

Review the status quo practices, promote inclusive behaviors, and actively support diversity initiatives in your professional associations.

The time for action is now. It’s time for me not to be the only one anymore.

With thanks to Bonnie Low-Kramen for her contribution