Successfully Navigating the Politicization of DEI 

“I’m not saying 12 white men would have avoided this mess, but the company may have been distracted by diversity demands,” WSJ on the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Being ‘anti-woke’, anti-DEI has become a rallying cry for those pushing the culture wars heading into the 2024 election. We know that DEIB isn’t political work, and that doesn’t change the real headwinds this rhetoric has created. This panel will share successful strategies and tactics for de-politicizing DEIB in the minds of resistors. 

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From Surviving to Thriving: Managing DEI Leadership Fatigue & Burnout 

Several years on from the racial reckoning of 2020, a global pandemic, and navigating the waters of remote/essential/hybrid/back to work, not to mention the recession that’s always 3 months out – we’re tired. Exhausted, burnt out, running on fumes. This panel will explore the causes and consequences of DEI leader fatigue and share their personal and professional strategies for managing and mitigating it. 

Panelists

Get In Formation: Using Influence to Build Your Strategic Stakeholder Squad 

Dotted line reporting, resistance to change, pushback from colleagues and limited budgets are typical hurdles that get in the way of DEIB progress. But what if you were surrounded by a core group of influencers and stakeholders leaning in together to create DEIB progress? This panel will delve into understanding and gaining influence for leverage and driving positive results.   

Panelists