How to speak and write about DEI as an MBA candidate
This fall, the MBA interview reports started coming in. The Reddit posts too. And the LinkedIn debates.
“How do you define culture?”
“How will you embrace diversity in the MBA classroom?”
“Tell me about a time when you created an inclusive environment?”
The efforts to recognize and combat bias, exclusion, and discrimination are not new, not in our society, not in business school classrooms, and not in MBA admissions. But more than ever, there is a demand on all of us, as individuals, professionals, and leaders to make a greater commitment to them. So no one should be surprised that the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) conversations have become a central topic and a lens through which MBA candidates are being evaluated. (After attending the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants conference last summer, I wrote about this trend: What is top of mind for MBA AdComs right now?)
Business schools are expected to train industry leaders, capable of addressing not simply business needs but society’s most pressing ones too. If you are applying to a highly selective MBA program, you are making a claim about your leadership potential and commitment. And you are expected to back that claim with proof and evidence.
Yet somehow candidates often get stumbled by the DEI questions. They become defensive at worst or confused at best. If it happened to you, I don’t blame you. We don’t have a perfect toolkit for navigating difficult questions.
But I am here to tell you that coming up with strong answers and examples starts with self-examination. Before you start answering that one essay or interview question, you need to ask yourself more questions first.
I offer you a list of exploratory questions that will support your discovery and help you build answers that are genuine and have substance.
10 Questions to ask yourself before writing your MBA essays (or attending your MBA interview!)
1. What is YOUR definition of DEI?
2. Have you ever taken an implicit bias test? If not, why?
3. Looking at your organization, how diverse is each level of seniority?
4. How might I be assisting or hindering people different than me in my organization?
5. What is my workplace like? How would it be for someone else, for a person with a disability? What roadblocks are there? Do I have any blind spots?
6. What perspectives are missing from my team?
7. How do you respond to hearing something racist/sexist/ableist/homophobic or otherwise inappropriate?
8. Have you ever been called out for saying something inappropriate at work? Who challenged you? What was the outcome?
9. Has the culture around DEI in your organization or industry changed since you joined? In what way? How has this affected you? Have you been part of the change?
10. What is one thing you could do to make your organization more diverse, equitable, and inclusive?
I also have some additional readings as you think about your role in the DEI conversation.
What is my workplace like? How would it be for someone else? What roadblocks are there? Do I have any blind spots?
· Accessibility: Public transport, safe parking, daycare, access to food/goods/services/affordable housing or housing prices aligned with average salary.
· Visibility: Is there observable diversity in the leadership team? Is the pathway to leadership made clear? Who in your organization is responsible for DEI? How is that communicated? Are people free to visibly be their authentic selves at work or is a level of ‘cover up’ expected? Does anyone in your organization have a disability? If no, would changes need to be made if you hired someone or an employee became disabled? Are there any accommodations for neurodiversity? How are these communicated? Is there a visible policy on discrimination/harassment? How are such matters handled?
· Physical conditions: Office layout, bathroom access, elevators, access to technology.
· Working conditions: Maternity/paternity/caregiving leave, flexible hours, WFH options, contact outside working hours, clear overtime policies, opportunities to give feedback, strategies implemented to solicit feedback, healthcare options, opportunities for training and advancement, mentorship available, cultural competence and humility training, paid internships available, workplace training on DEI.
What perspectives are missing from my team?
· Gender: https://www.history.com/news/sally-ride-first-astronaut-sexism
· Ethnicity: https://www.ft.com/content/0ef656a8-cd8a-11e8-8d0b-a6539b949662
· Nationality: https://www.motherjones.com/media/2021/02/digital-assistants-accents-english-race-google-siri-alexa/
· Age: https://hbr.org/2022/03/harnessing-the-power-of-age-diversity
· Orientation: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/lgbtq-plus-voices-speaking-out-and-looking-ahead
· Education levels: https://trainingmag.com/how-professional-apprenticeships-can-promote-diversity-and-inclusion/
· Professional experience: https://www.london.edu/think/so-hire-me-how-diverse-experiences-increase-professional-value
· Socioeconomic background: https://hbr.org/2018/09/why-companies-should-add-class-to-their-diversity-discussions
· Differing physical abilities: https://www.inclusionhub.com/articles/the-importance-of-disability-representation-in-leadership
· Neurodiversity: https://www.fastcompany.com/90706149/neurodivergent-people-make-great-leaders-not-just-employees
· Religious/spiritual diversity: https://iveybusinessjournal.com/the-case-for-religious-diversity/
· Introvert/extrovert: https://www.diversityincbestpractices.com/the-new-traits-of-diversity-introverts-extroverts/
· Languages spoken: https://www.greenhouse.io/guidance/four-ways-to-cultivate-linguistic-diversity-in-your-company
I know this is a lot to take in. You don’t have to explore every single angle I am including in here. The purpose of this Insights piece is to help you, as an MBA candidate, approach your understanding of DEI with openness, curiosity and a sincere desire to learn. I know you can.
Onwards and upwards,
Petia