Think inQUEST

We help organizations harness diversity and create inclusive cultures that ignite innovation and drive results.

[think-inquest]

Applications are now open for the next leadership retreat to be held in early 2017. The retreat is open to emerging leaders with disabilities in the Chicago region. Deadline for submissions is August 31st, 2016. Click here for more information and to complete an application.

[think-inquest]

You’re in a work meeting when suddenly, a brilliant idea pops into your head that you just have to share with the team. You have the floor, and you start explaining your thoughts. Out of nowhere, your co-worker Lee cuts you off. You tell yourself it was just a one-time thing, and let it slide. After the meeting, you begin to work on your new deliverables. Suddenly, you think about what Lee did. And you remember Lee has cut you off in other meetings. Huh. Guess it wasn’t a one-time thing after all.

The next week, someone asks a question about a project you’re itching to discuss. You start to respond, but Lee interrupts you – again! It’s not just your imagination. This is a pattern of how Lee relates to you in meetings. You feel frustrated and disrespected. What should you do? You’ve got some options.

You could say nothing. You might decide you don’t want to deal with it, for whatever reason. Perhaps you don’t work with Lee often, or Lee is your boss and you’re afraid that if you say something you’ll be committing political suicide. Maybe you want to say something, but you’re worried Lee will deny it or see it as an attack.

If you choose to say nothing, ask yourself: how long can you ignore it or “suck it up” before you eventually start resenting or disrespecting Lee? Will you start ignoring or discounting what Lee says and does, or hold Lee to a higher degree of scrutiny than you hold others? Unfortunately, while you’re going through these mental and emotional gymnastics, you’re not focusing your attention on the meetings, and could be letting an unresolved issue distract from your work.  

You could say something to other co-workers. You may just want commiseration – a partner to validate your feelings and whatever action you decide to take. You could ask your co-worker Chris, “Did you notice that Lee cut me off every time I said something in the meeting last week?” If Chris didn’t notice it, see if you feel compelled to share your story. And if Chris did notice it, bounce ideas off each other on next steps to take.

You could say something directly to Lee. But before you blow your lid, take some advice from Stephen Covey: Begin With the End in Mind. What is your goal for the conversation? How can you and your co-worker feel honored during and after the conversation? Here are some steps you can take to help you get to – or at least identify – a synergistic outcome.

1. Acknowledge your feelings – all of them. In this case, you are feeling frustrated and disrespected. It’s important not to further frustrate and disrespect yourself by judging those feelings. Acknowledge them. “I’m feeling frustrated and disrespected, and here’s why…” Get the feelings out. You can write them down or speak them out. Just do so in a way that neither you nor anyone else, including Lee, ends up frustrated and disrespected. 

2. Engage others.  Before speaking with your colleague, consider speaking with someone who will help you develop a strategic, forward-moving, relationship-building, performance-focused strategy and action plan. That person may be a friend, colleague, coach, or mentor.

Remember to answer the standard who (now, in the future, ongoing, influencers), what (“what’s in it for me”), when (now or later), where (physical location – no texts or emails), why (your synergistic goal), and how (the full strategic plan) questions.

If you are not emotionally triggered and are skilled enough to create a synergistic strategy and action plan without the help of someone else, consider engaging someone as a sounding board to vet the strategy and plan you’ve already developed. Share your thoughts, then ask for their reactions and suggestions for improvement.

If you have a solid relationship of mutual respect with your co-worker, you may elect to speak with them directly after developing your goal, strategy, and plan instead of engaging someone else.

3. Identify a synergistic outcome. Don’t skip this step. It’s important to everyone and helps create intellectual and emotional safety.  

Ask yourself: what will inspire your co-worker to have a conversation with you and what will make them delighted during and after the conversation? In other words, what’s in it for them? What will motivate them to engage, listen, and apply? Consider this mindset and approach: “I need Lee to fully listen to my ideas and comments before interrupting me in meetings. I am turned off by that behavior. It shuts down brainstorming, and erodes my trust and respect for Lee, as well as the trust and respect others have for Lee. I know that Lee is passionate about the job and wants to get ahead. Given these things, the synergistic goal of the conversation is that we’ll both earn the professional brand of being energized, innovative, and inclusive thought partners that leaders invite to be on stretch projects that we’re passionate about and that are aligned with our career goals. To engage and excite Lee before, during, and after the conversation, I’ll need to…” The rest of your action plan and outline for the conversation will depend on respectfully factoring in your diverse perspectives, concerns, goals, communication styles, personalities, etc.  

4. Speak with your co-worker. During the conversation, be sure to ask questions to discover and fill in the gaps of what you don’t know, confirm mutual understanding, clarify behavioral next steps, and affirm commitment, engagement, and accountability.

Let’s be real. This takes time and energy. You may feel you have neither or that you don’t want to spend either dealing with your co-worker and his or her behavior. Ask yourself, “What do I win and what do I lose if I do and if I don’t address the this issue respectfully?” Your answers to those questions can serve as your motivation and will guide you to your next steps.

[think-inquest]

The Chicago Sinfonietta is named the most diverse nonprofit board in the city, and CEO Scott Hoesman is proud to be apart of it. Read more about them on Crain’s Chicago. 

[think-inquest]

I network a lot. I have to, we all do. Networking is often the first introduction someone will have to you and your company, and it’s also something that can cause a lot of anxiety and stress. But if you go in with a plan, you’ll feel more confident and relaxed. Let’s look at a few ways to approach networking.

Plan, Plan, Plan… I spend a nice chunk of time learning about who will be present at the next networking event, and why I need to talk to them. I typically will review LinkedIn profiles, bios and even ask around about particular people or organizations ahead of time. This information gathering allows me to identify key targets and prepare specific questions for certain people. I know it’s a lot of work, but it gives me an opportunity to create a targeted conversation with someone who could potentially be a value-add to my network.  

Know Where You Stand Networking provides a great opportunity to know more about what’s happening in the marketplace and with competitors. Sure, you can do an internet search to find some of this information, but often times people will give you additional details that are useful to you and your company.  A real example of when a conversation made a difference occurred when I met someone who had developed a similar product to my company’s product. We had no idea something similar existed. It wasn’t exactly like ours, but it was interesting to learn about their process to launch the product. In addition, insights on what had worked and what hadn’t turned out to be great information to have. This level and detail of information was not available online. What’s even more important is understanding that this information would not have been uncovered without networking.

Get Your Name Out There Not every networking opportunity will be perfect. Sometimes you’ll find that the crowd is not the perfect fit for you and/or your company. In this situation, there is still a silver lining. You can use the time to focus on building your brand and to practice your sales pitch. I recently attended an event where the other attendees were not necessarily the target audience for Contineo, inQUEST’s new D&I Training Game. I recognized this quickly and instead focused on meeting as many people as I could to talk about inQUEST and Contineo. It turns out that this was the perfect environment to just practice. I met some interesting people and organizations that are a better fit as strategic partners or vendors. You have to be flexible and leverage each situation to “Get Your Name Out There.”  

Don’t Forget to Follow Up You get back to the office and you’ve got a pocket full of cards – now what? Don’t shove them in a drawer. Go through them right away and follow up with the people you had a connection with. Doing it right away is important because you will forget –  and they will forget you. In that case, you will spend a lot of time trying to reintroduce yourself. Sites like LinkedIn and Facebook are great in helping you reconnect. Small things like an updated profile picture or a quick note about the networking event can help make a quick connection. You should also send a formal email to set up an invitation to meet for coffee or to have a quick call. What’s important is that you quickly establish another connection point to keep you fresh in their minds. Trust me, people love to meet and talk about what they are doing. Leverage these opportunities to hear more about them and assess if the person is a good fit for your network.  

Make Friends There’s the business side to networking, but there’s also a pretty good chance you’ll make some friends along the way. You will meet some people with similar backgrounds and interests and you will meet some who are completely different than you (and that’s OK, too!). Your network is a source of information and should therefore be diverse.  Use this as an opportunity to make personal and professional friends. Your network is your own source of human capital. These are people you can tap into for different ideas, people who can help see or know things you didn’t see or know before.These are people who can help you excel in every avenue of life.

And if you’re not the most outgoing person, that’s OK. Just like anything else, you will get better with practice. Remember that networking is something we all have to do, and if you plan ahead, stay focused and follow up where you see promise, it will become a natural part of your personal and professional work… and you may have a little fun in the process. 

[think-inquest]

“The economic costs of mental illness will be more than cancer, diabetes and respiratory ailments put together.” – Director, US National Institute of Mental Health at the World Economic Forum

On March 31st, Gloria attended Beyond Accommodation: Mental Health in the Workplace, an interactive panel held by the Chicagoland Business Leadership Network. Gloria shares key insights and takeaways from the event.  

The Four Key Principles for Driving Change:

1. Know the Impact — Mental illness is more prevalent than physical illness. 1 in 3 people are diagnosed with a “mental illness.”   Ways to know the impact:

measure the impact of health on productivity

examine usage of mental health and substance use disorder benefits

examine organizational pharmacy spend

determine the impact on short- and long-term disability

2. Break the Silence — Create safety and build trust so people feel safe enough to discuss it. The goal is to normalize mental illness so that people feel as comfortable talking about it as they do physical illness. The disease of the stigma about mental illness is as big (and bigger) than mental illness itself. It serves to delay acknowledging and/or getting help or, worse, it serves as the motivation for individuals, managers, families and cultures to hide and deny that there is a mental illness.

3. Deliver Affordable Access – There are many organizations and programs that are FREE that people can take advantage of to help them if they have a mental illness.

4. Build a Culture of Well-Being – Companies that support the well-being of their employees will find higher employee engagement and loyalty, which correlates with improved productivity, effectiveness, and business results. The person is not the illness, the illness is an experience the person is having. The people-first approach has to extend to people with mental illnesses.

The panel discussed the need and benefit of measuring the impact, teaching managers and HR professionals more about mental illness so they’ll know what to do when they witness behavior that leads them to believe the cause may be mental illness. The intention is to help people get help sooner rather than later in a way that honors them.

[think-inquest]

Disability in Action

Click here to download and print

[think-inquest]

Have you ever had something come out of your mouth and then you immediately regretted it? Of course you have. Everyone has, including me.  Even when our intentions are good, sometimes our filter disappears and we accidentally hurt people or make them unintentionally uncomfortable with our words. In this blog, I want to share a story with you about a time I misspoke and discuss what I did so my relationship and mutual trust didn’t suffer and, in fact, was made stronger.

I Can’t Believe I Just Said That I was on a call with a group of friends, and we were chatting about someone I like working with. We were all laughing and I said something I say quite often to people that lets them know I like working with them. All the people on the call have heard me use the phrase before and they’ve all laughed with me with humor and understanding. The problem was this time, the phrase that was innocent and uniting before, included words that could have related to a personal tragedy in one of my friend’s lives. I heard the words coming out of my mouth and I cringed. I couldn’t believe that I had said that. I thought, “Oh my goodness, Gloria. Given what’s happened in your friend’s life, how could you say that?!”

I apologized to my friend. With a soft chuckle, she said it was all right. And, though I believed her, it didn’t feel all right. Because we had a well-established a relationship filled with trust and respect, she understood. That it wasn’t intentional. That I hadn’t had a temporary lapse of judgment nor was it intentional. I just wasn’t thinking. And while she was fine, I felt as if I’d opened my mouth and inserted both feet.

We’ve spoken several times since then. Everything is fine and I believe I was more upset than she was. Still, I felt badly because I’d never want to hurt my friend and it scared me to think that I might have. Not only was I uncomfortable, but I had to trust that when she said it was OK, it  really was OK. That WE – both our professional and personal relationships – were and are OK. I had to resist the urge to apologize repeatedly each time we talked. I finally realized I had to work it through with myself, learn and forgive myself so I wouldn’t be distracted each time we talked – which might have put a damper on our relationship and the fun we have as we do wonderful work together. I wasn’t willing to let that happen. Following are the things I thought about, worked through and, made peace with.  

Accountability Is Key When you’re talking with people, even when you’re comfortable with each other, be sure to be consciously aware of your actions – what you’re doing and saying. Even what you’re thinking, as that can influence your tone, pace and body language. When you’re building a new relationship, make sure to work to build understanding so that you each know the others’ intention. Let them know you respect them and never mean to invalidate their feelings or their experiences. And discuss and agree upon ways you’ll each let the other know if you are doing and saying anything that can erode trust or build barriers between you. That way, when mistakes happen – and they will – you can hold yourself accountable, look that person in the eye, apologize, feel certain that your apology has been heard, felt and accepted, and that you can move on together with respect in tact or even made stronger. But you do have to confront the issue – you cannot ignore the person, or pretend it didn’t happen.

I said Something I Shouldn’t Have… Now What? If you feel you may have said something that could hurt someone’s feelings, but you aren’t sure, ask them.  Ask them if your relationship is solid and safe, and if it isn’t, what you both can do to make it better.

Forgive Yourself… Being human is not an excuse for hurting people, but being human means we will from time to time make mistakes. You do not have to continuously apologize. Learn when to let it go and trust the other person to be truthful with you. When you have done everything you can and the relationship is restored, learn from what’s happened, forgive yourself and move on.

…And Do Better Next Time Every time you apologize for something, make a note to never do that thing again. Don’t be shy about asking other people for feedback when it’s appropriate so that you can continue to grow and form strong relationships. And remember to give people about the things they’re doing that helps build trust and respect without their asking for it. And ask them for feedback about what you’re doing routinely. Be trustworthy – that is worthy of the trust of others.  Build relationships of mutual trust and respect so that both parties can share easy-to-listen-to and hard-to-listen-to things with compassion and clarity. That way, even if one of you does misspeak, the relationship, comfort in working with each other nor performance will suffer. Celebrate the learning and put it into your EQ Toolbox.

[think-inquest]

Last fall, I touched on veteran mentorship as a way to leverage your skills off the battlefield and build an enriching and impactful career.  Let’s take a closer look at why it’s so important and what you can do.

How do I find a mentor? Try to find one mentor who has already transitioned from solider life to corporate life. Ask him or her about differences and similarities between the two. Then find a non-veteran mentor who has expertise in the field you’re targeting. See what steps he or she took to get there, and learn about potential areas of growth you’ll need to address to make yourself a competitive candidate.

Finding a mentor isn’t difficult, but it is important to find the right person for you. Try a mentoring program, such as eMentor through AcademyWomen, which lets you browse mentor profiles to find the right match. You can also find mentors outside an official program. Maybe you know someone in your chosen field whom you admire, or you’ve built a strong connection with a fellow veteran.

Now is your time to reach out. I know this can sometimes seem intimidating, but just remember that these people probably had mentors, too – they’ve been there.

You could start with a simple email. Here is an example: Dear Potential Mentor: My name is ________ and I am a _____________________________ (Solider, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman) looking to transition into your field. I heard you speak at the XYZ conference (or I follow you on Twitter, LinkedIn, I read your blog, etc.) and would like to learn more about how you got to where you are today. Would you be open and available for a possible mentorship? I understand you are very busy, so even a quick career chat over the phone or coffee would be greatly appreciated.

It’s as simple as that. The important thing is to ASK.

What Will My Mentorship Look Like? Mentorships can follow different paths depending on what you need and what your mentor can provide. With your mentor, determine how you want to communicate (Email? Phone? Face to face? All of the above?) and how often you’d like to communicate (Once a week? Once a month? As needed?). Typically, a mentor relationship lasts about six months, but you can shorten or extend the relationship as you both see fit. And if for some reason the mentor isn’t quite the fit you were looking for, that’s OK – you can politely end the relationship at any time.

Flash mentoring is a one-time mentoring session to get feedback, advice, or an energy boost from an experienced professional with very little time commitment. Maybe you’ve been a military healthcare professional and you want to know what it’s like working in pediatrics. A flash mentor session can give you a quick glimpse into that world so you can see if it’s something you’d like to pursue.

You can even find mentorships that focus on image and presentation. Do you know someone who has great presence and always puts people at ease? Seek out someone to help you transition through cultural and social differences.

How Do I Know If My Mentorship Is Successful? A successful mentorship is a helping hand while you transform your identity and career. May sound a little extreme, but it’s true. As a veteran, you were identified by your rank, or by your service. This is the time to break those boundaries. A mentor can help you visualize that goal and go for it.

And when you’ve gotten to where you want to be, don’t forget to reach back and pull someone else up. Being a mentor gives you fresh perspective and an opportunity to give back in a meaningful and impactful way.

I hope you take advantage of this time to grow. If you’re looking for more information and resources for veterans in the workplace, visit our Veterans Services Practice page.

[think-inquest]

Keyonda on the panel for the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce event: Addressing the Age Gap

[think-inquest]

For years, I’ve heard negative stereotypes about Millennials. Comments about how we are difficult to work with, that we are unloyal “job hoppers”, or how we want to be promoted quickly without working hard to earn it. People (from older generations) have a negative perception about our generation. Many say that we don’t share the same values and work ethic. They also say that we are impatient and are not open to learning from / working with others.

Well…

I’m here to point out that their perception is NOT reality and hopefully reclaim our dignity and respect in the workplace. Here is a “Millennial” perspective on the most prominent stereotypes and beliefs that impact us everyday in the workplace.  

#1: Millennials Are Not Loyal and Value Job Hopping I don’t consider myself a “job hopper.”  In fact, since the beginning of my career, I’ve worked for 3 companies and dedicated at least 3 years to each of them. I’ve never entered an organization with a pre-defined timeframe to leave. For me, as long as I’m actively engaged and have opportunities to learn and grow within the organization there is no reason to leave the company. I want it to be clear that while it is not or goal or intention to work for a large number of organizations, sometimes we are propelled due to organizational culture and structure. 

On another note, I think there is a philosophical difference in how Millennials and other generations define Loyalty. I recall being told numerous times that I “owed” the “X Company” for giving me the job or promotion and that leaving would be a sign of disrespect. From the Millennial perspective, loyalty is not something that is owed.  In fact, it needs to be earned. Loyalty is gained by investing in our personal and professional growth and by acknowledging our contributions and making us feel valued. The reality is that until companies learn to effectively support and empower Millennials they will continue to have a revolving door of young and vibrant talent.  

#2: Millennials Are Entitled and Want Special Privileges For some reason people are afraid of the words “flexibility” or “work/life balance”. Many equate those terms with poor work ethic. It is no secret that we value flexibility, but I think many are ill informed about our intentions. As a Millennial, it is a given that I will work hard and I do expect some flexibility to tend to other important aspects of my life. This was more of an issue early in my career, where my job required long hours and frequently working on the weekends. I never complained about my limited social life or the lack of time available to tend to myself or personal matters. This idea of flexibility is essential for important and/or emergency situations. And I don’t understand why it’s such an issue for employees who are doing a great job at work. If something important arises (for example a maintenance issue at home, the need for a doctor’s appointment, etc.) there is an expectation that the company should be a little flexible and grant time to deal with those important issues. I’m not suggesting that this gives you a pass to do what you want or slack on the job, but having a buffer to be able to deal with issues or opportunities that arise is an important factor and benefit.

#3: Millennials Are High Maintenance We each come with different skills, experiences and ambitions, and therefore require differences in how we are managed. Our generation tend to be very goal oriented and thus require (and expect) more feedback from both our managers and peers. As we focus on doing a great job, we will ask more pointed questions and challenge the status quo. In addition, we are a team oriented group so there is an expectation that our input is heard and valued. I believe that the desire for more frequent and constructive feedback is not a Millennial issue, but it often gets misconstrued because we tend to be more vocal about this topic.  

#4 Millennials Are All Tech Savvy It’s important to set the record straight on this point. While computers have been around for decades, PCs were not widely used in the household until around the mid 90s. During this timeframe (let’s just say 1995), the oldest Millennial would have been 15 years old at the time (36 years old today). There is a stark difference within the Millennial Generation regarding familiarity and capability with using technology. And even for younger generations, not everyone is equally knowledgeable in this space.  

I can recall numerous examples when managers suggested projects for my personal growth and somehow they all revolved around technology or social media. There were many days that ended in disappointment because I did not know how to resolve some technical issue. And to put icing on the cake, I even had one manager that dinged me in a performance review for mediocre “technology skills”, when it had nothing to do with my job. I think companies (and managers) need to be careful to not turn their biases into expectations that are not relevant for the job.

In all, it is important to note that not all Millennials are the same. We each come with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and aspirations that will require different methods of management. Companies need to get past bashing our generation and instead focus on how to foster an inclusive environment where all employees (regardless of your generation) can work effectively together. We do need continued feedback, challenging assignments and flexibility as we prepare to be the next generation of leaders.

For more of Keyonda’s insights, attend the next Chicagoland Chamber Diversity and Inclusion event, Addressing the Age Gap. 

[think-inquest]

[think-inquest]

[think-inquest]

Scott presenting best practices for employing people with disabilities at the ADA 25 Chicago Opportunity Summit

[think-inquest]

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Disability Inclusion Opportunity Summit in Chicago (November 16-17, 2015). It was a wonderful chance to learn about the newest advancements and current recruiting trends for tapping into one of the most underutilized resources at work and in the world – people with disabilities.  

As the day progressed, I thought about how people with disabilities have been treated throughout our recent history. Many have been/continue to be:

Shut away — “for their own good” and protection

Ignored – because of our fear and/or embarrassment

Tolerated – out of a sense of obligation

Minimalized — believed to be severely limited or lack abilities and capabilities 

Inadequately accommodated— due to ignorance of requirements, available options, and what the associated costs may be

Welcomed and sought after – treated and engaged as a valued resource

Valued and included – viewed as viable family, team and societal members; treated as people who can and do make major contributions 

As I looked over this list, I began to think about how some people look at other people who look, sound, behave, think or communicate differently than they do, and how many believe that those differences are disabilities. Instead of just seeing people as people who, like all of us, are different, some “differences” are interpreted as wrong or too _______. For instance:  they are too much (for me to deal with); too time consuming (not on my timetable); too needy (I don’t need those things and, of course my needs are right, perfect, comfortable and “normal”).    

Yet, some people see PEOPLE, acknowledge their differences and treat one another with respect, curiosity, and are welcoming and inclusive. How we respond to each other and our similarities and differences is about who we are – about our abilities and disabilities of heart, mind, exposure and experience; our openness, willingness and belief in everyone’s ability to add value.

Then I wondered how many people look at me and think that my being a woman is a disability. Do they think that my being Black or a Baby Boomer or an American are disabilities? And, if they have that belief about any aspect of who I am, does that belief drive their inability to see my abilities?

My takeaways from this internal dialogue:

Difference doesn’t always mean disability

Disability doesn’t always mean inability

Inability doesn’t always mean incapability

Here’s what I want others to know: I. Am. Able. I have unique abilities and capabilities. They may be different from yours, but I have them. And, you know what? It’s easier for me to add value when I feel welcomed, valued, respected and heard.

My final questions are: Are we open, willing, forward-thinking, loving, kind, compassionate and plain smart enough to discover each other’s abilities and capabilities? And how can we best optimize our unique abilities and capabilities with dignity?

[think-inquest]

Click to view full infographic 

[think-inquest]

I was reading Scott’s blog on hiring and disabilities and it really resonated because I get the same questions all of the time, but regarding veterans. “Where can I find Veteran Talent?” “How do I get veterans to apply to my company?” And the answers Scott gave are too simple not to cite:

To hire any group of qualified individuals, get involved in their community.

First, you can find great veteran talent on leading job-hunting platforms used by countless qualified candidates, including Monster.com, Indeed, SimplyHired, Hiring our Heroes, Feds Hire Vets and a host of other general job sites. Veterans have also created niche job sites that employers can use to really target this specific audience and prove themselves to be vet-friendly.

Sites like RecruitMilitary, HireVeterans, MilitaryHire, ShowYourStripes and various state and federal hiring initiatives all aim to provide these niche job communities for applicants that employers are specifically looking for. These sites allow you to post tailored openings that translate military skills into workplace advantages and qualifications. But if you really want to build that image of a vet-friendly employer, begin with a personal touch; Personally step into the veteran space.

Nearly one in 12 Americans is a Veteran (in some metros it’s even closer to one in five) and you can easily reach out to qualified candidates by attending or sponsoring local Veterans of Foreign Wars, Veterans Affairs and Reserve Association events and job seminars or by holding conventions that bring other employers together to host a veteran career fair. It doesn’t even have to be that formal; if you just want to get to know the community, sponsor a happy hour at a local bar or host a 5k walk for families.

Finding qualified veteran applicants is easier than you think, especially in areas near military bases. For more information on veteran hiring tips and resources visit: http://inquestconsulting.com/our-work/veterans-services-practice/

[think-inquest]

With this past October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month and this 2015 marking the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I started thinking about how rarely I hear disability come up in broader Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) discussions.

People with disabilities represent the single largest minority group seeking employment in today’s market, yet many of us are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with disability issues, and the unemployment rate for people living with disability is almost twice as high as it is for those without.

Despite tremendous progress and positive change in the last 25 years, it is widely acknowledged that we haven’t seen much progress in terms of increasing disability employment. In trying to wrap my head around why this might be the case, I’ve noticed a few unsettling trends:

First and foremost, the Diversity and Inclusion industry needs to do a better job at representing the disability dimension in our efforts. In many companies today, we are doing a great job of recognizing gender, age, race and sexual orientation, but people with disabilities are often left out of the conversation. I don’t think this is intentional, but rather a result of a tremendous lack of knowledge about disability workplace issues, even within the D&I community. As professionals in this space, we need to be the first line of offense for spurring change and helping every person feel included in the discussion.

Outside of my industry, employers often come to me and say that they have a desire to hire people with disabilities or aren’t purposely avoiding those candidates, they just “don’t know where to find them.” This intellectual support of people with disabilities is a step in the right direction, but the inaction that follows undermines this verbal support. In reality, hiring more candidates with disabilities is no different than expanding your recruitment to any other population group.

When you want to increase your gender or racial diversity, or obtain different sexual orientations’ perspectives on an issue, you have to get involved in those communities. You have to show that you support those individuals and groups without judgment. For example, if you were looking for female applicants, you might attend a women’s leadership conference or co-sponsor an event with a local women’s advocacy group; when you’re looking to increase your visibility among applicants with disabilities, you need to get involved in their communities in similar ways. By getting involved with the people you hope to work with, you position yourself as an ally, as someone whose actions speak for your beliefs.

The beliefs that we hold are shaped by our experiences and our current understanding of the people and situations that we encounter. Sometimes, this can help us, but, occasionally, our lack of understanding can betray our good intentions in a facial reaction or an offhanded remark. Often, our fear of the unknown is why we react based on what we think we know. This fear is often the source of our inaction as well. But small, practical steps can help get us moving in the right direction.

A basic level of awareness and some conscious etiquette can go a long way. Here are my three tips for getting started: 

Expose yourself to the topic This is the 25th Anniversary of the ADA, events and programs are abundant.  Do a search in your area and attend a couple of events, learn and listen! The USBLN and its affiliate chambers can be an incredible resource.

“Search” Type “Disability Workforce Statistics” or similar in your search engine and spend 30 minutes scanning a few of the findings. Bring in an expert There are many resources available who can address many FAQs on the topic and help you navigate through specifics.

Don’t overdo it. You don’t have to go hire 100 people that all fit a certain demographic to prove that you support social justice. In fact, that can do more harm if you don’t prepare the culture to be inclusive to this new talent. Getting involved on a focused, personal level can make a more meaningful impression.