The First, the Only, and the Never

Now more than ever, leaders are bringing intention and commitment to creating more diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) workplaces. Regardless of sector, organizations are at different places in this journey. But one way that every organization can benefit is to take a step back and look for dynamics that haven’t often been at the forefront of diversity, equity, and inclusion planning efforts and conversations.

Consider this: Every board, management, and staff position has a First, an Only, and a Never. We’ll examine each of these categories and then offer some reflective exercises you can use to deepen your understanding of how they impact your organization.

The First

The role of the First in an organization is the breaker of barriers, the maker of history, and the blazer of a new trail. The First is the person who is shattering norms by moving into a position never before occupied by someone with their identity, whether that is race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or physical ability to name a few. Being the First is significant not only for the person in that position but for employees in your workplace who share one or more identities with them, as well as to prospective employees and customers who see themselves reflected in your organization. Being the First shows the possibility for advancement where it hadn’t appeared before. It shows an opportunity for more diverse leadership. It creates an opening in the organizational culture and an implicit acknowledgement of the value of difference in the workplace.

However, being the First also comes with challenges. Being the First means that while expectations are high for your contributions, your organization may not have adjusted its norms, policies, or practices to recognize the experiences and differences you bring to the table and the improvements you can make to systems. As a First, you may be assessed and critiqued based on cultural norms designed by and that favor a dominant culture. And that can sometimes mean a difficult road for the First.

For example, if you are the First Black woman to serve on the executive team in your organization:

·     Do you feel like you are fully included at the leadership table?

·     Do you think you are being assessed and evaluated fairly and equitably?

·     Do you have an equal and valued voice when you speak up in meetings?

·     Are you empowered to make improvements to systems that were established by predecessors?

When Kamala Harris was announced as the Vice-Presidential running mate for Joe Biden, she became a First. She is the First Black woman to be on a major party Presidential nomination ticket in the US. She’s also the First woman of South Asian descent to achieve the same milestone. The historical announcement inspired many who saw the breaking of those barriers to be another step toward equality for Black and Asian women. But Senator Harris also has her detractors, even within her own political party. The norms and culture surrounding the Vice-Presidential role have all previously been set by white men and those are the yard sticks historians, journalists, and voters have all been accustomed to using to measure success. Time will tell how being a First will impact her ability to thrive in this role and whether she receives the support she needs to succeed.

In order to set up Firsts for success, leaders and colleagues need to educate themselves about the significance of the First. They also need to offer support, awareness, and a willingness to re-examine organizational practices and cultures to ensure that the First is heard, seen, valued, and empowered to make change. Above all, it’s important to acknowledge that being a First is stressful and takes substantially more energy and work in the hiring process, including negotiating equitable compensation, and then forging new relationships in your organization.

Exercises: Take a minute to reflect on some major “Firsts” in positions that resonate for you. If you’ve been a first, reflect on your own experience. What did it mean to you when you/they took over that position? How did systems and practices change/not change as a result of you/them being in that position? Did you/they receive the support and resources needed to be successful?

The Only

A close cousin of the First, the Only happens in organizations when no one on your team or at your leadership table shares your particular diverse identity. The Only can be a lonely space and again, managing norms and practices can be challenging. With the Only, there’s a tendency for co-workers and bosses from a dominant culture to ask you to speak for your whole identity group. As an Only, your voice can easily get drowned out or spoken over at the table because there is often no one there to amplify the contributions you make directly related to your perspective and identity. And sometimes with the Only, it’s not until someone else at the table expresses their idea that it is finally acknowledged and acted on.

For example, let’s say you are the Only transgender person to be a manager in your organization:

·     Do your supervisor, team members, and fellow managers recognize your gender identity, consistently use your stated pronouns (for example, they/them), and actively work to prevent mis-gendering at work?

·     If not, how does that make you feel in your role? Does that keep you from bringing your full and authentic self to work?

·     Is there a willingness to reexamine policies, practices and norms in a way that supports your identity and creates more of a sense of belonging in your organization?

·     Are your leaders and colleagues willing to educate themselves and participate in training opportunities that create a more supportive environment?

The Only is often working in an environment where they don’t have the level of support to be successful. Organizations need to recognize and actively value their contributions in a way that makes them feel like they belong, and then actively work to change norms, policies, and practices, so perhaps they won’t be the Only for too long. So similar to a First, if you manage an Only in your group or have an Only on your team, be sure to check in regularly and ask whether they have support and resources they need to be successful in your organization.

Exercise: Think about a time when you’ve been the Only in a group. How were you treated? How did it impact your sense of belonging in the group? If you haven’t ever been the Only, think about a time where you witnessed someone else in that role and reflect on how they were treated. What could have made a difference in creating a more supportive experience?

The Never

The Never is the least acknowledged in organizations, because it’s embarrassing to acknowledge the lack of historical diversity, the data isn’t easily accessible, and it’s difficult to name what has never been before. The Never means that no one from your cultural or social identity group has ever held that position and it’s not something that Human Resources (HR) departments or hiring committees often surface.

I’ll offer an example from personal experience. I once served on the hiring panel for a Fire Chief. I was the only woman on the hiring committee and there was one finalist that was a woman. Following the interviews, each member of the committee shared their candidate preferences and I was the last to share. Before I offered my comments, I asked the HR Manager who the last woman was who held the position of Fire Chief. The HR Manager paused, looked down, and said quietly that to their knowledge a woman had never held that role. What was interesting about that moment is that no one had asked about that issue before they had made their final decisions and there had been no attempt on the part of the HR department or hiring committee to surface that issue at any time during the hiring process. In this case, the Never was unspoken until I raised it. This information ultimately helped the hiring committee make a decision and the Never became a First.

So now imagine if at the beginning of each hiring process for a manager or leadership role, the HR Manager shared historical demographic information of the people who previously held that position and openly acknowledged the Nevers. What would that tell the hiring committee? If you served on the hiring committee, would you consider asking for more information about past practices and organizational culture about why that might be the case? If you ask those questions, you might get more information to help you make a decision going forward and learn some important lessons along the way.

Remember, without someone in a position of authority asking the question, Nevers won’t be surfaced so you may not even know which barriers have yet to be broken in your organization.

Exercise: Think about a hiring process you’ve recently participated in. How aware were you of the identities of the individuals who held that position before? Do you think you were missing any information about Nevers that would have been helpful in making your decision? If you were aware, what role did that information play in your final decision making? Did it change your perception of the organization in any way?

Conclusion

As someone who has been both a First and an Only and that has surfaced Nevers, I've experienced that until these barriers are broken it's difficult to substantially shift organizational culture. As leaders continue to work toward creating more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations, one step along the journey is to know and acknowledge the First, the Only, and the Never. Turning it around, if you don’t acknowledge your Nevers, then someone can’t become the First. And if we don’t have Firsts, we can’t make organizations more diverse. And if you’re not building a diverse organization, you won’t benefit from many perspectives and experiences that create more value for your clients and customers.

It's important to see, support, and acknowledge the Firsts and Only so that your organization can continue to become more inclusive while supporting and celebrating diversity. And lastly, be mindful during these exercises not to tokenize individuals in these positions. There are many ways individuals with diverse identities contribute to your organization’s success and take the time to see and explore the multitude of ways all those identities create a stronger workplace for all.

Martha Pellegrino is the Founder & Chief Bravissima Officer of Brava Point LLC.