Authentic Inclusion™: Drives Disruptive Innovation

© 2018 by Frances West.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews, without prior written permission of the publisher.

Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information contained in this book, we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein.

Printed in the United States of America.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018965296

ISBN: 978-1-949639-34-6

To my parents, Shu-Ming Wang and Man-Yuen Liu, who gave me life

To my husband, Chip, who gives me love

To my sons, Han and Bion, who give me purpose

And

To PJ Edington and My Luu, former IBM colleagues who passed away during their prime and gave me motivation

Table of Contents

Authentic Inclusion™

Chapter 1

What Is Authentic Inclusion and Why Is It a Business Imperative? 

Chapter 2

How Diversity Shapes Human Experience: My Life, My Journey

Chapter 3

Humans Putting Humans First: Technology by People, for People

Chapter 4

Shifting Business Perspectives for Disruptive Innovation: From Fortune 500 to Impact 500

Chapter 5

Integrating Humans Back into the Talent and Technology Process: Don’t Let AI Reject Your Best Candidates

Chapter 6

Respecting Every Human’s Ability to Make a Difference: Don’t Let Discomfort Hold You Back

Chapter 7

Aligning Principle, Purpose, and Profit: The Great Way 

Chapter 8

Taking Action to Impact Prosperity and Longevity: Authentic Inclusion by Design

Acknowledgments

Authentic Inclusion™

The institutional insight that human diversity is at the core of disruptive innovation. It calls for holistic actions across all parts of an institution to respect an individual human’s ability to make a difference not in spite of, but because of, their difference. By putting humans first, prosperity can have longevity because principle, purpose, and profit are harmoniously aligned.

Chapter 1

What Is Authentic Inclusion and Why Is It a Business Imperative? 

Difference has value. This is not a new concept. Whether it’s in the form of a new line of thinking, an external perspective, or an unconventional action, getting outside of the box is a tried-and-true method to generate new energy and ideas. Difference creates synergy. It promotes understanding. It fuels creativity and innovation. And because we live in a world full of differences—different abilities, ages, and cultural backgrounds, to name just a few—it only makes sense that our lives reflect these differences.

I could spend many pages talking about how difference is beneficial in a general sense, but you’ve almost certainly heard it before. People are discussing the importance of diversity and inclusion in every facet of society. What I would like to focus on is how those elements play out in a business context, and more specifically, in the tech world. As IBM’s first Chief Accessibility Officer; working with people with disabilities firsthand for over a decade; and a longtime specialist in digital inclusion, innovation, and accessibility, tech is where I have the most to say.

The synergy, understanding, and innovation that difference promotes are essential in the tech world—and in the business world at large. As such, we must find ways not just to acknowledge its worth but to harness it effectively. In other words, we must embrace Authentic Inclusion™.

What Is Authentic Inclusion?

Authentic Inclusion, as I define it within the business realm, is the institutional insight that human diversity is at the core of disruptive innovation. It calls for holistic actions across all parts of an organization to respect an individual human’s ability to make a difference, not in spite of, but because of, their difference. By putting humans first, prosperity can have longevity because principle, purpose, and profit are harmoniously aligned.

As I mentioned, this is not a new idea. Numerous studies and articles have addressed the subject over the past decade. The authors of a 2013 Harvard Business Review article, How Diversity Can Drive Innovation, wrote, New research provides compelling evidence that diversity unlocks innovation and drives market growth—a finding that should intensify efforts to ensure that executive ranks both embody and embrace the power of differences.¹

And in 2017, Forbes published a study, Fostering Innovation Through a Diverse Workforce, which stated, Diversity is a key driver of innovation and is a critical component of being successful on a global scale. Senior executives are recognizing that a diverse set of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds is crucial to innovation and the development of new ideas.²

A simple Google search on diversity and innovation will return many results with articles like those quoted above. And yet, anyone who has read the news lately is also aware of the diversity problems in the tech world—problems that have led to high-profile harassment and discrimination lawsuits at some of Silicon Valley’s biggest companies. I could list them here, but that doesn’t seem productive. This issue goes well beyond a few specific companies; it’s part of a broader culture. And, unfortunately, there will probably be more of these lawsuits before the problem is solved. Moreover, it indicates that, despite the fact that we 0know diversity is good for business, our practices don’t really reflect that.

So, where is the disconnect? Why aren’t all the smart, influential people leading the tech sector embracing Authentic Inclusion in their companies with a sense of urgency? I’ve heard a number of answers to that question: It’s too expensive . . . The ROI is too difficult to calculate . . . We hired a consultant to help us figure that out . . . and so on.

It’s a complex issue, to be sure. Changing a company’s culture and operation is not a simple task—especially when it’s been ingrained over the years, and when the industry at large maintains the same perspective and practices. But it’s not something that anyone can afford to ignore. Without Authentic Inclusion, companies risk many things—from a lack of innovation to brand damage—all of which stand to have a negative impact on profits.

What Is It Not?

Authentic Inclusion is not a general inclusion discussion. There are plenty of people out there talking about inclusion. The discussion I want to have is anchored in the business world: the institutional practice of placing diversity at the heart of operations and innovation.

It’s not charity. There’s nothing wrong with approaching something with an attitude of empathy, or wanting to help someone. But that’s not what this is about. Authentic Inclusion is a holistic business practice that can lead to growth and longevity for your company.

It is not something that can be outsourced or assigned to a single department, such as Human Resources. This needs to be embraced companywide, starting with buy-in from the people at the top. If those in the boardroom and the executive suite are not involved, there is very little chance that a company will be able to effect this kind of broad, cultural, and business process transformation.

It’s not just about people—it’s also about technology. Of course, you are investing in diverse talent when you hire. But you must also invest in the technology necessary to support, enable, and adapt to everyone you bring on board.

It’s not something you can afford to ignore. If you want disruptive innovation—as opposed to just incremental progress—you need to have very diverse thinkers and workers in your company. People often argue that it costs too much money to do this. But the fact is, if you factor these things in from the beginning, then it won’t cost you extra—it will simply be part of the fabric of your business.

It’s not something best dealt with in crisis mode. Without the proactive, embedded principles of an inclusive-thinking practice, operation, and organization, companies open themselves up to scandals, lawsuits, and brand damage. Then, they will often try to solve the problem by throwing money at it through consultants, studies, and new positions. There is nothing wrong with these additions, in and of themselves. But if you can establish Authentic Inclusion as a foundation of your company early on, you can avoid the long-term effects of catastrophes like public lawsuits in the first place.

It’s not just about people with disabilities. My experience in working as Chief Accessibility Officer with a primary focus on enabling people with disabilities and the aging to achieve parity gave me the insight that this is about humanity in general.

Why Is It So Important Now?

From the smartphones in our pockets to the artificial intelligence being developed for nearly every purpose imaginable, it is hard to deny that technology is becoming a critical part of human existence. I believe that within the span of the next decade, any human job that that can be codified has the potential to be replaced by artificial intelligence.

I am not talking about a dystopian future of warring robots. I am talking about