DEI Isn't Taking Your Job: True Meritocracy Actually Requires It!

DEI is why I didn't get [hired, promoted, rewarded, etc.]...

Does this sound familiar? Maybe you have even thought that yourself, but don't fall for it! DEI is not at odds with the idea that individuals succeed based on their abilities, efforts, and achievements–it is actually necessary to ensure that opportunities, access, and rewards for all are determined by merit rather than arbitrary privileges.

It is easy to get caught up in the current narratives and backlash against DEI; however, when we pause to reflect, it becomes clear that this perception that DEI undermines fairness could not be further from the truth.

Meritocracy Is A Good Thing (in theory)

Meritocracy offers a vision of fairness in which individuals are given equal access and opportunities based on their efforts, talents, and skills. In addition, the criterion for success is based on hard work, achievements, and contributions rather than favoritism, nepotism, or privilege. In theory, meritocracies eliminate biases related to race, gender, socioeconomic background, or other non-performance-based factors. Individuals are rewarded with additional recognition, upward social mobility, economic benefits, and more.

At a glance, meritocracy offers a promise of:

• Incentivizing Excellence
  By rewarding individual performance, meritocratic systems motivate people to develop their skills and strive for success.
• Encouraging Innovation
  Focusing on talent and ability ensures that the best ideas and solutions emerge, regardless of their origin.
• Promoting Accountability
  Having clear criteria for success ensures that decision-making processes are transparent and outcomes are based on objective measures.

And, There Are Challenges of Meritocracy (in practice)

Despite its virtue and appeal, meritocracy is not without its challenges. While many believe in the value of merit, just because we think it is "fair" doesn't mean it is. Research has shown that systems claiming to be meritocratic often mask underlying inequities.

Several factors contribute to the flaws of meritocracy:

1. Unequal Starting Points:
   Not everyone begins their journey with the same access to resources, education, or opportunities. Structural inequities can hinder marginalized groups' ability to compete equally.
2. Implicit and Unconscious "Biases"
   Unconscious biases can and do influence how talent and potential are viewed and evaluated. For example, attribution error is a common belief about one's own success. Those who succeed may believe their success is purely due to their talent, ignoring any societal advantages they may have had.
   
   Importantly, these "biases" are not purposeful, but when unmitigated and "blindly" replicated, they perpetuate unfair disparities.
   
   
3. The Myth of Neutrality
   Assumptions about what constitutes "merit" are often subjective and reflect the dominant culture's values and norms. Leaders often have a blind spot for inequities because they over-rely on the assumption that meritocracies are inherently "fair."

Real Meritocracy Requires DEI

When we acknowledge meritocracy's shortcomings, we see how well-designed and executed DEI efforts account for these challenges to create truly equitable and inclusive spaces. We begin to recognize that DEI can help us to:

• Reframe the definition of merit
  DEI encourages organizations to recognize a wider range of skills, experiences, and perspectives as valuable. This expanded understanding ensures that merit assessments are more inclusive.
• Reduce existing barriers to opportunities
  Equity-focused efforts work to reduce obstacles that prevent talented and capable individuals across all social backgrounds from accessing opportunities.

Staying The Course

It is also true that not all DEI initiatives have been successful or effective in this effort. But it is a good reason to identify what works and what doesn't to enhance the practice of DEI and make progress toward realizing a truly merit-based organization.

Amidst the current assault on DEI, we must attune ourselves to the existing narratives that pit DEI against meritocracy to reframe them and help others better understand how they support one another.