The headlines are loud. The rules keep changing.
And leaders are left asking: How do we protect our people? How do we keep our culture strong? How do we adapt—without getting pulled into a polarizing debate?
It starts by focusing less on slogans and more on outcomes. Not just what people are talking about—but what actually drives your business forward. What I hear from organizations across sectors is strikingly consistent: they want cultures where people feel respected, have a path to grow, trust their leaders, and believe their contributions matter.
These aren’t theoretical ideals. They’re the foundation of high-performing teams. Engagement goes up, turnover goes down, and organizational resilience increases when employees believe the systems around them are fair. That means each employee sees and feels that pay, promotion, and opportunity are equitable. All of that is built on one thing: trust.
Trust is the connective tissue between leadership and team performance. When trust is missing, no communication strategy or new policy will make up for it. But when trust is intentionally nurtured companies create the conditions where people can do their best work. That happens through transparency, consistency, and inclusion.
That’s why conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) shouldn’t be framed as separate initiatives or side projects. DEI, when done well, is simply a set of tools for solving people-related problems—many of which are already affecting your business. Low morale, unclear advancement pathways, lack of representation in leadership—these are trust issues. And equity-centered strategies offer practical ways to address them.
The key is to start from within: What kind of culture supports the outcomes you care about most? What values already guide your team’s decision-making? Instead of trying to “sell” DEI to leaders, I work with them to clarify the human challenges they’re already trying to solve—and then offer frameworks that help them get there more effectively. It’s not about changing the mission. It’s about aligning the how with the why.
The data backs this approach. Despite bold messages from the current administration, most executives are not walking away from this work. According to the 2025 Littler Report, which surveyed 350 C-suite leaders in the U.S.:
- 76% said they maintained or increased their DEI efforts over the past year
- 49% are not currently planning any cutbacks in response to recent federal executive orders
- 8% are seriously considering changes to their IE&D programs
- And at the same time, the majority (60%) are waiting for more clarity on administrative policies before making adjustments
This tells us something important: companies are moving beyond reactive debates. They’re embedding inclusion into their strategies not for optics, but because it works.
The bottom line? You don’t need to position yourself as “pro” or “anti” DEI. You need to know whether your people trust the systems they’re in. If they don’t, your task as a leader is to understand what it will take to rebuild that trust. That’s the work. When building culture is done with care and strategy, we see better outcomes for everyone.
If you’re navigating this terrain and want a partner who brings clarity, alignment, and practical tools, I’m here to help.
Let’s build cultures where trust isn’t just a value—it’s a strategy.
