The Mindset Shifts Leaders Need to Move Equity Forward

The other day, I was flipping through an old notebook and stumbled upon some meeting notes where a leader shared that they didn’t know where to begin when it came to advancing equity and inclusivity in their organization. This meeting took place in 2018. I wondered whether, seven years later, if they had figured this out. Almost every day in my work, I hear from leaders across various sectors who still grapple with the question of where to start.

Digging deeper into this issue, I realize it’s more than just not knowing where to start; it’s also about the emotions, perspectives, and fears interwoven with that uncertainty.

Often, the hesitation isn’t due to a lack of interest or intent. It’s rooted in fear. Fear of saying the wrong thing. Fear of alienating colleagues. Fear of doing the wrong thing and contributing to harm or mistrust. These fears are real, and I see how they show up in conversations, sometimes as silence, sometimes as deflection, and often as over-thinking the issue rather than acting on it.

For some leaders, there’s also a deeply ingrained belief that equity work is for someone else to lead, perhaps Human Resources or those that are directly impacted by inequities. They may not have yet considered the unique contributions they can bring. This mindset becomes a quiet permission slip to remain passive. It reinforces the idea that unless you hold a particular identity or expertise, your role is to observe rather than engage. But inclusive leadership requires active participation.

Then there’s the weight of perfectionism, the belief that every step must be flawlessly executed, that one must be fully informed before taking any action. While learning and due diligence is important, this pursuit of ‘getting it right’ can quickly become a barrier. I’ve witnessed leaders stall and delay while trying to craft the perfect equity strategy, believing the timing must be right or the internal culture more ‘ready.’ The problem is, there is no perfect strategy and readiness rarely announces itself. It’s cultivated through doing.

What I’ve come to learn is that starting equity work is about making mindset shifts: from fear to humility, from avoidance to contribution, from perfectionism to progress, and from silence to dialogue.

So when leaders ask me, “Where do I start?” I often respond with another question: What’s holding you back from taking your next step?

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Chanel Grenaway & Associates Inc. is committed to helping leaders, staff teams and boards align with their anti-racism and inclusion goals through continuous learning and practice change. Do you need support to start or accelerate your equity practice and outcomes? Happy to hop on a call with you to see how I might help. Let’s chat.