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How to write stronger diversity, equity and inclusion performance goals

“DEI isn’t what we do – diversity, equity and inclusion are what we achieve.”  

These words from DEI strategist and speaker Lily Zheng remind us that DEI goals are measurable efforts, not just aspirations, to build more equitable and inclusive organizations.  

To Zheng’s point, diversity, equity and inclusion are each separate outcomes. Oftentimes, they are intermediary outcomes to achieve business growth, like diversifying candidate pools to improve profitability or addressing meeting inclusivity to foster more effective brainstorming.  

However, if you cannot connect your work to those intermediary or business outcomes, you may find yourself creating DEI goals that result in a measurable output, but not a lasting change.  

In 2024, give yourself a better chance to create a more diverse, equitable, inclusive and successful work environment by taking the following actions when writing your DEI goals.  

First: Identify an outcome you have the power to influence.  

Consider an ideal state for yourself, your team and your program. This ideal state, or outcome, should be specific to a group of people and describe a specific dimension of diversity, equity or inclusion for that group. By achieving this outcome, you or your team will be more successful in your endeavors.  

• Programmatic example – diversity: Guest speakers reflect the diversity of our program participants. 
• Internal team example – equity: All staff in my work unit are able to contribute to our weekly meetings. 
• Internal team example – inclusion: Junior staff feel comfortable raising concerns about their work environment. 

Tip: Begin with a broader team or workplace goal and work backward until you can describe an outcome that occurs within your circle of influence. See the Office of Personnel Management’s DEIA Strategic Plan Goals for an additional example of this process.  

Second: Brainstorm barriers to your outcome.  

Take time to consider what may be limiting your ability to achieve your diversity, equity or inclusion goal. Is the outcome unattainable for a specific group? Does achieving that outcome require outsized effort from a historically marginalized community? Are there any team norms or ways of working that affect your chance of success? 

• Example outcome: All staff in my work unit are able to contribute to our weekly meetings. 
• Example barriers:  
  • Meetings are update-heavy, limiting collaboration time. 
  • Meetings are dominated by some individuals. 
  • Certain staff don’t contribute to meetings but do contribute to one-on-one conversations. 
  • Meetings move too quickly. 

Tip: Be especially attentive to any knowledge gaps you have. Achieving DEI is always a journey, so you may need to learn more about the barriers to your success before addressing them.   

Third: Pick an activity within your circle of control that addresses a barrier to achieving an outcome as well as a metric that measures an output of quantity, quality, timeliness or cost-effectiveness.  

• Example outcome: All staff in my work unit are able to contribute to our weekly meetings. 
• Example barrier: Certain staff don’t contribute to meetings but do contribute to one-on-one conversations. 
• Example activities: 
  • Set up one-on-one meetings with 60% of the team to solicit feedback on meeting needs. 
  • Read and report to my team about one article per quarter regarding meeting accessibility. 
  • Invite a mentor to visit our meetings twice a year and, afterward, meet to discuss feedback.  
  • Test two different meeting structures to improve participation.  

Tip: When possible, pick metrics that you have the power to collect and track individually. For activities that involve learning more about diversity, equity or inclusion, set up an accountability partner or a timeline for applying that knowledge.  

Leaders who want to achieve any outcome, from brand visibility to team cohesion, must assess the barriers to reaching that outcome and design interventions to address those barriers. Apply those same principles to goals regarding diversity, equity and inclusion to improve your chance of success in 2024.  

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