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Cultures of Belonging
Book

Cultures of Belonging

Building Inclusive Organizations that Last

Alida Miranda-Wolff
HarperCollins Leadership, 2022
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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Applicable
  • Well Structured

Recommendation

You can’t expect your employees to thrive unless they feel wanted and needed – particularly if they represent marginalized populations. Alida Miranda-Wolff offers a sensible, comprehensive approach for creating an environment that embraces everyone and prioritizes relationships. The author argues that cultures rooted in “diversity, equity, inclusion” and belonging (DEIB) offer the best opportunities for employees to flourish. Leaders must work hard,  show commitment and expect resistance as they formulate and execute cultural change, but a respectful, productive and welcoming organization will be their reward.

 

Summary

“Diverse, equitable and inclusive” cultures enable employees to flourish.

Ensure that inclusivity is a foundational component of your culture. But before you consider introducing a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) initiative, define culture and belonging properly. Though many use these terms interchangeably, in fact, they are mutually exclusive.

Cultures aren’t necessarily positive or beneficial; they can be dysfunctional. Culture is a “shared way of life” and neither inherently good nor bad in and of itself. People choose to engage in a particular culture because of its positive qualities and practices. 

Not every employee feels a sense of belonging. That’s normal. A corporate culture of belonging that embraces DEIB invites everyone to participate regardless of gender, ethnicity or any other “social identity.” On rare occasions, employees may not feel a sense of belonging because they disagree with the company’s direction or philosophy. All a leader can do in such cases is to create the appropriate conditions for inclusion. The rest is up to each individual.

Many leaders view culture and...

About the Author

Alida Miranda-Wolff  is founder and CEO of Ethos, a consultancy which helps organizations create cultures where employees feel comfortable and productive. She also wrote The First-Time Manager: DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

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