What is the state of DEI today and why is there a need for a "White Man Whisperer™"?
The State of DEI today:
After decades of well-intentioned yet ineffective “diversity & inclusion” efforts in the corporate arena and beyond, the 2020 death of George Floyd ushered in a new era of racial equity awareness - and expectations.
Corporations and citizens at large accelerated their knowledge and interest in racial equity and the blinders fell off for many to expose painful inequities that were apparent and urgent to so many groups for decades.
There was recognition (even among Diversity professionals ) that “diversity training” or “unconscious bias training” had not measurably moved the needle and that the only true way to enact meaningful change was to address systemic issues driving inequities and racism.
Why the need for a “White Man Whisperer™”?
Addressing systemic issues requires influencing senior leaders (still predominantly, but not exclusively, White and male in the U.S.).
C-Suite Leaders and Diversity professionals often spoke of a gap between them. Senior leaders often considered DEI a “separate” or secondary focus that never seemed to be a central business priority. Diversity teams often saw great ideas and initiatives “stall” at the C-suite for lack of funding or attention or the ability to influence senior leaders to get traction.
C-Suite leaders often prefer/expect C-Suite experience (have run a P&L, been accountable to shareholders, been a CEO, turned around businesses, etc.); and Diversity professionals prefer/expect someone who has been successful in elevating and centering underrepresented groups in the corporate arena - with attention, funding, and results.
Enter Dan Nance, the White Man Whisperer™, an ex-corporate CEO, ICF-certified C-suite executive coach, lifelong diversity advocate, and successful CEO of 2 top majority/minority firms.