DEI Is Dead: Long Live an Open-Minded Culture

Inclusion without division – rethinking diversity in a polarized workplace

Juan Moyano (Spain)/Stocksy

Like it or not, DEI is dead – not because diversity, equity, and inclusion don’t matter (they do), but because the term itself has become a minefield. Once a corporate rallying cry for fairer workplaces, DEI has been stretched, misused, and weaponized. What started as a symbol of unity is now divisive, with some even using it as an insult.

The backlash against DEI is undeniable. Since late 2024, big companies like McDonald’s, Target, Amazon, and Meta have quietly dismantled or scaled back their DEI programs. Government agencies have been ordered to erase references to diversity, equity, and inclusion from government websites and policies – sometimes in absurd ways, like banning hundreds of words or removing heroes from history.

The chilling effect is real. Corporate America is navigating uncertainty, caught between legal scrutiny, public opinion, and its commitment to fairness and inclusion.

Some companies are retreating entirely, using the backlash as an excuse to cancel programs that were more about looking good than doing good. Others, like Apple and Costco, are standing firm despite political threats. But for most, the path is threatening. Many opt for a “DEI by stealth” approach – doing what’s right but stripping official language that triggers controversy.

The goal of this post isn’t to attack DEI. Instead, I invite you to explore its shortcomings and identify a path forward. I’m writing this for organizations that feel stuck in this complex landscape and for DEI practitioners willing to examine their approaches.

I’m not here to provide a simple solution to a complex problem but to spark a meaningful conversation. I hope you join me.

Finding a New Path Forward

While DEI as we know it may be disappearing, the principles are still important.

Diverse teams drive innovation, improve decision-making, and reflect the markets companies serve. Diverse teams deliver better results. Research by McKinsey shows that diversity makes sense from a human and business perspective – many initiatives have created tangible opportunities and helped address barriers.

But progress isn’t happening as quickly as we hoped, the study shows.

We need real change, not another acronym to replace DEI. Simply replacing it with another buzzword won’t fix anything. Instead, we must step back and rethink how to create more welcoming workplaces – for everyone.

While the political landscape has negatively impacted DEI practices, blaming others won’t help. We need a better path forward.

The key is prioritizing the outcomes of diverse thinking (better ideas, business, and innovation) over the input (identities).

Most Americans strongly support diversity and inclusion, yet the usual DEI programs have failed to deliver their promises. Many well-intentioned efforts meant to bring people together ended up dividing them instead. For instance, ERGs are not working – more than half of participants consider them ineffective, and only 8.5% of employees join them.

Despite the widespread adoption of diversity training in large companies, it rarely results in sustained improvement. While these programs increase awareness, they often fail to turn that awareness into action. Common practices like implicit bias training and grievance procedures frequently antagonize managers, particularly men, as studies show.

Harvard professor Frank Dobbin found that many diversity programs actually backfire. When programs make people feel guilty or blamed, they become more defensive and disengaged. Instead of opening their minds, they double down on their existing beliefs.

DEI Shortcomings: Moving Beyond Labels

Many DEI initiatives focus too much on our differences instead of what brings us together. This approach pushes us further apart instead of building common ground.

We all have traits that make us who we are – like gender, race, religion, and identity. But these labels don’t tell the whole story. As poet Walt Whitman said, “We contain multitudes.” Yet, too often, we reduce people to just one label, not addressing their complex, multi-faceted nature.

Consider a white male engineer and a Black female marketing executive who seem to have little in common. But what if they share a passion for mentoring young professionals? What if they both grew up in small towns, worked hard to pay for college, or loved the same smooth jazz? When we only look at surface-level differences, we miss the deeper connections that bring us together.

This focus on labels leads to more workplace division, not less. We’ve stopped seeing each other’s full humanity.

Yes, discrimination continues to be a painful reality for many – including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and people with disabilities. But positive change is possible. Even people with strong beliefs can change their minds when exposed to new facts.

To build stronger, more innovative workplaces, we must create a coalition, not division. Real progress happens when everyone feels included, not just certain groups.

That’s precisely the argument made by diversity expert Lily Zheng. Inclusion shouldn’t be a zero-sum game where one group’s advancement comes at the expense of another. Successful diversity programs create coalitions showing how everyone benefits from them. More people want to be involved when diversity helps improve creativity and decision-making for all rather than just righting past wrongs.

Take parental leave, for example. While often framed as a women’s issue, these policies benefit men too by supporting work-life balance. When companies make these benefits available to everyone, the workplace becomes truly inclusive.

Work flexibility is another example. Since Airbnb and Spotify started their “work from anywhere, anytime” policies, they increased diversity and the number of women in leadership roles. These policies work because they recognize that different employees have different needs.

Harvard recently made tuition free for families earning $100,000 or less. Instead of focusing on race or gender, they removed financial barriers for everyone. By ensuring access, they naturally increased equity.

Having more women in leadership positions shows how structural changes are more effective than mandatory training. Everyone wins with more women in leadership. They are more open to diverse perspectives and to changing their minds. Female executives often make more balanced decisions, combining innovation with careful planning. Their openness to diverse viewpoints is contagious, creating a more open-minded culture.

True diversity comes from recognizing that a team is as strong as the sum of all individual perspectives. We should value all contributions for their worth, not for who they come from. To build workplaces that thrive on diverse thought, we must focus on what connects us rather than what divides us. That requires a shift – from compliance and checking boxes to creating an open-minded culture.

Building a Culture of Open-Mindedness

We rarely change our minds because someone tells us to. Instead, we change when we experience new realities firsthand. This is why being open-minded is critical – not as a theoretical virtue but to navigate a changing world.

Psychologist Kristin Laurin’s research uncovered that we are more adaptable than we think. When we realize change is inevitable, we adapt our thinking. When cities banned plastic water bottles or prohibited smoking in public places, those who initially opposed the changes quickly got on board – not because they suddenly loved the new policy, but because they adapted to the new reality.

This teaches us something about workplace diversity: Instead of trying to convince people to think differently, companies should create environments that promote open-mindedness. Here are five key ways to do this:

1. Curiosity: Learning Through Exposure

People don’t become more open-minded by being told so. Curiosity is sparked by experiences – new foods, languages, or places, not abstract training sessions. The best workplaces don’t just encourage diversity; they create opportunities for employees to step outside their bubbles. You can’t force people to be curious, but you can create an environment that encourages new experiences.

Airbnb encourages employees to host guests in their homes and provides travel credits for personal trips. Employees experience different cultures firsthand, making diversity and inclusion a natural experience.

2. Respect: No Tolerance for Disrespect

Respect doesn’t mean agreeing with everyone – it’s about acknowledging and honoring our differences. The world doesn’t revolve around us, and we must express disagreement thoughtfully without resorting to hostility. Many DEI programs have fallen short because they focused on acceptance rather than respect. While not everyone may accept others’ religious beliefs or gender identity, they must be respectful.

Successful organizations don’t just encourage respect but enforce zero tolerance for disrespectful behavior. Slack has made it clear that “brilliant jerks” have no place in their culture, regardless of their talent. Similarly, the All Blacks, one of the most successful sports teams in history, upholds a “No Dickheads” rule.

3. Intellectual Humility: We Don’t Know It All

The most effective teams prioritize learning over being right. Intellectual humility requires recognizing that our knowledge has limits – and that valuable ideas can come from others. True wisdom comes from acknowledging that we don’t have all the answers. Accepting our limitations makes us smarter, not weaker.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella transformed the company by replacing a “Know-It-All" mindset with a "Learn-It-All" culture. Employees actively question their assumptions, seek feedback, and have a growth mindset. This cultural shift helped Microsoft recover its innovation mojo.

4. Courage: Encouraging Dissent and Candor

In a truly inclusive workplace, people should openly challenge ideas – including those from leadership. While DEI efforts often promote an overly protective environment, real inclusion requires courage. Organizations should encourage and reward speaking up, both individually and collectively.

Netflix does this well by encouraging employees to say things face-to-face, not behind others’ backs. This radical honesty prevents passive-aggressive behaviors, meaning diverse opinions become normalized.

5. Integrating Diverse Perspectives: Beyond Either/Or Thinking

Traditional DEI approaches promote binary thinking – us vs. them, right vs. wrong, privileged vs. marginalized. Yet, the best teams thrive not by choosing between perspectives but by integrating them. The best ideas emerge when we can blend different viewpoints.

LEGO faced a challenge when two groups clashed over product design. One wanted strict rules while the other sought creative freedom. Instead of choosing sides, LEGO built a collaborative platform that integrated both approaches. This led to both better quality and innovation, keeping everyone happy.

The Path Forward

While DEI as we know it may be gone, treating people fairly and including everyone remains essential.

Building an open-minded culture is simple but requires hard work – culture is messy. Focus on five fundamentals: curiosity, respect, intellectual humility, courage, and diverse viewpoints. Leaders must show these behaviors, not just tell others to follow them.

Organizations that cultivate these traits will become more inclusive, innovative, and resilient – meaning they’re able to attract diverse talent while improving business outcomes.

True diversity means moving beyond checkboxes and creating a culture where unique ideas, not just identities, flourish. Not everyone will be willing or able to change their minds, and that’s okay. Focus on those committed to building a better workplace for everyone.

The bottom line is simple: We must continue building more human, respectful, and open-minded workplaces.

Do you need help building an open-minded culture? Reach to discuss your challenges – and how I can help you.