Exploring the paper Leslie, L.M., 2019. Diversity initiative effectiveness: A typological theory of unintended consequences. Academy of Management Review, 44(3), pp.538-563.
Blog four of five, in a series by Dr Chrissi McCarthy.
What’s going on?
Understanding what is happening is key to improving it; without understanding, we risk stumbling around in the dark, hoping that by luck or by favour we can work out what is going on.
In their paper (Leslie, 2019) Does a lot of work for us by outlining not only four main types of unintended consequences, but also explaining how and what they impact.
One beneficial aspect of the paper is its ability to identify the type of outcome. Looking at the direction of the effect and whether the intended outcome itself is affected, or an unintended consequence.
Backfire: It has an unintended and undesirable impact on the intended outcome.
Example: EDI training courses focused on the law lead to an increase in discrimination against people of colour, resulting in higher turnover of people of colour in the organisation, not the intended retention and growth.
False Progress: It impacts the intended outcome in a desirable way without creating change.
Example: More women are invited to interview through open recruitment targets; however, the role is predetermined, and promotion figures remain unchanged.
Negative Spillover: An unintended outcome is affected in an undesirable way.
Example: A decrease in managerial referrals around recruitment due to concerns that targets mean non-target groups will not be given a fair opportunity.
Positive Spillover: An unintended outcome has a desirable effect.
Example: An increase in health and safety outcomes due to staff feeling valued after inclusive interventions.
Not only does Leslie outline the impact, but they also identify likely reasons as to why it happens.
Leslie demonstrates a three-step process that leads us to the unintended consequence. Starting with how the initiative is signalled, the climate it introduces, and then the response. We’ve given these signals a story that might feel easier to understand
Empty toolbox.
Imagine your manager telling you that a group of colleagues needs extra help to do their basic role. At the same time, you are expected to give up your time to help these people all the while your not getting any help at all.
This often results in people acting out against those who are given additional resources. The marginalised group is seen as taking more than they put in, and they are punished.
The locked door.
Here, there is a message that EDI work is there to help marginalised groups succeed and that only those groups are going to get the help they need to get to where they want to go.
This often results in people seeing EDI as an unfair practice that stops them from getting a promotion and giving it to someone who doesn’t deserve it.
The marginalised group is seen as getting more than it deserves, and it is punished.
Treadmill
Here, the manager explains the importance of setting EDI goals and providing everyone with the necessary resources and rewards to help employees achieve them. The goals are everything
This results in people working to meet the goals, even if that comes at the expense of the people the goals were intended to help.
The organisation is giving support, but it’s focusing people in the wrong direction.
Wrapped gift – Morality is a valued
Here, the reasons for the work are explained in clear and morally grounded terms. Marginalised groups are not presented as a problem; instead, the organisation is not working effectively for everyone, and that’s stopping us from achieving our goals. This information is given in an environment that already supports individuals.
This results in people working to support each other, not only where they are specifically asked to, but also taking responsibility for their knowledge and behaviour, and actively making more changes.
The organisation supports people and points them in the right direction.
So, how do we apply this to our practice?
Firstly, we need to consider the story we tell about EDI.
A balance is needed.
When we place EDI as the right thing to do, people can become objects of pity or fear, resulting in a locked door or an empty toolbox.
Too far in the other direction, with a sole focus on the metrics, can result in a treadmill.
We need a middle ground, where morality serves as a lens for understanding and improving the organisation. A wrapped gift.
Framing EDI as a means to help the organisation achieve its goal by enabling people to reach their full potential in environments that support them.
Where it lands
Of course, we need to underpin this with the fair environments we discussed in the first blog series and ensure our work identifies and addresses the inequality discussed in the second blog. Both of these factors show up in Leslie’s work.
As we piece together the research, we can understand what hasn’t worked, so that we can get closer to determining what does.
