Real Insights. Real Tools. Real Talk. For Practitioners, Allies, and ERG Leaders
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Welcome to Diversiology Insider: The Real Work Report—built for practitioners, allies, and ERG leaders navigating real-world challenges and pushing inclusion forward.
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Practitioner Check In
Stop Bracing for Storms That Haven’t Started
I was a mile and a half from home on my bike when I heard thunder. What did this bold, brilliant badass do? I kicked it into high gear — pedaling hard, eyes on the sky, trying to outrun a storm that hadn’t even started.
I was so focused on what might go wrong, I almost missed the magic right in front of me — 🌈 A full-on rainbow. ☀️ A moment of calm. ✨ A ride that was actually full of joy.
And here’s the part that really stayed with me: the rain never came.
Here’s why I’m sharing this with you — especially now, as we build systems of equity and belonging: We spend a lot of time preparing for what might go wrong. But what if we spent just as much time noticing what’s going right?
The people leaning in. The conversations that are moving. The real, everyday moments of impact.
Big Reminder: Not every dark cloud means a storm is coming. Some days, we just get rainbows.
This work is challenging — but don’t let preparation steal your presence. Let’s keep riding, with joy, toward what’s possible.
What This Issue Brings You:
A fresh Practitioner Check-In inspired by a rainbow moment — and a reminder to stop bracing for storms that haven’t even started.
Free resources and practical tools to help you rethink recognition as a retention strategy — and rebuild systems that make people feel seen.
Powerful leadership insights from Angela N. Briggs-Paige and Heather Bussing that model what people-first, equity-centered leadership looks like in action.
Upcoming opportunities to learn and lead with Julie Kratz and Jennifer Brown in live, purpose-driven conversations that will refuel your practice.
A special announcement worth celebrating: Rocki’s contribution to The HBR Guide to Retaining Your Best People — and the research behind it that can transform how you lead.
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Free Resources We’ve Dropped
This Month’s Focus: Belonging + Retention
Retention isn’t just about compensation — it’s about connection. If people don’t feel seen, they won’t stay. This month, we’re zeroing in on one of the most overlooked drivers of belonging and retention: recognition. It’s time to move beyond sporadic shoutouts and build recognition systems that are personal, consistent, and equity-centered.
Employees who feel recognized are more engaged, more loyal — and more likely to stay. This post breaks down why most recognition systems fall short, and what you can do to create recognition that actually fuels retention. 📘 Read the Insight: Employee Recognition & Retention
Recognition Reset: A Tool to Rebuild Recognition That Works This free tool helps DEI and People leaders audit, reframe, and rebuild recognition practices that make people feel truly seen. It’s practical, quick to use, and built to create measurable change. 🧰 Download the Tool: Recognition Reset
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Real Leaders. Real Conversations. Real Impact.
Angela N. Briggs-Paige — People powHR in Action Mission-driven Chief People Officer Angela N. Briggs-Paige is reshaping what it means to lead with humanity, impact, and intention. Named one of the Top 100 DEI Leaders and Top 50 HR Professionals, Angela brings unmatched clarity to the realities of today’s workplace — calling out harmful myths and showing what real people-centered leadership looks like.
Through her People powHR posts, she reminds us that authenticity, care, and accountability aren’t soft skills — they’re core to transformative systems. If you’re not following her, you’re missing the blueprint. 🔗 Connect with Angela on LinkedIn
Heather Bussing — The Legal Mind Behind Human-Centered Work In our recent Grown Woman Wednesday conversation, employment attorney and writer Heather Bussing broke down the legal myths and emotional traps that keep practitioners stuck. With decades of experience navigating law, leadership, and systems change, she delivers a message we all need: equity is not adversarial — it’s human.
Whether she’s untangling workplace policy or calling out the Chicken Little approach to leadership, Heather makes one thing clear: we don’t have to sacrifice our humanity to lead effectively. 🔗 Connect with Heather on LinkedIn
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📅 What’s Coming Up
Grown Woman Wednesday: Life and Leadership Lessons with Jennifer Brown 📅 September 17, Noon EST | Join us for a powerful conversation with award-winning DEI leader Jennifer Brown — founder of Jennifer Brown Consulting, bestselling author, and host of The Will to Change podcast.
From opera stages to global DEI strategy, Jennifer shares life and leadership lessons on authenticity, inclusive impact, and courageous change. 🔗 Connect with Jennifer
Fireside Chat with Julie Kratz — Allyship in Action 📅 September 18, 1:00 PM EST | In partnership with Transform, we’re sitting down with inclusive leadership trainer and bestselling author Julie Kratz for a real talk on what practicing allyship actually looks like.
We’re in Harvard Business Review — and we’re shouting it from the rooftops.
That’s right — Rocki Howard is a published contributor in the new HBR Guide to Retaining Your Best People. 🙌🏾
In her chapter, “High Performers Need Feedback, Too,” she shares one of the most overlooked truths in leadership: 💡 Your best people don’t walk away for more money — they leave when they’re not being seen, supported, or stretched.
This guide is packed with research and ready-to-use strategies for leaders who are serious about retention, equity, and performance that lasts.
Massive gratitude to the brilliant team at Textio for their support — and to Kieran Snyder, whose research sparked this entire contribution.
📚 Grab your copy, share it with your team, and make sure your best people aren’t quietly disengaging before they walk out the door. Available wherever books are sold.
P.S. If this newsletter resonated, you’ll love The Humanity Practice Weekly — three micro-practices, one powerful shift, every Friday. 👉 Subscribe here
You Belong Here
The Diversiology Practitioners’ Community isn’t just another online group. It’s where more than 500 DEI practitioners, ERG leaders, and workplace allies connect, get support, and share resources to make inclusion real in their workplaces.
Make it an awesome, productive, and impactful week.
