Rethinking Diversity: From Good Intentions to Real Impact
Lecture for a prestigious US MBA programme explores the value-creation model of DE&I and today’s global imperatives from a European perspective.
A Transatlantic Dialogue on DE&I
In May 2022, I had the privilege of speaking to a class of future business leaders from a prestigious US MBA programme during their European study visit. The course compared Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategies across the US and Europe, looking at corporate initiatives, policy frameworks, and cultural drivers. My role was to provide a European perspective on how DE&I has developed over the past decades — and to challenge the students with a perspective that goes beyond compliance and symbolic actions.
Building a Value-Creation Model
In my lecture, I introduced my evidence-based Value-Creation Model of DE&I called The Propelling Performance Principle. It reframes diversity not as a moral obligation (which is dependent on personal values) or a checklist of differences (which can be disputed), but as a process that links differences to outcomes through the right mindset and mechanisms. Especially in companies, diversity becomes more than visible categories such as gender or race: it includes experience, education, competences, work styles and leadership behaviours. What truly matters is how organisations convert these differences into value-added outcomes — performance, resilience, and innovation.
From the Goal Backwards
To avoid getting stuck in symbolic actions or isolated initiatives, I proposed that companies should begin with the goal in mind: At which point do we connect DE&I to our strategy? Do we seek stronger collaboration and productivity, better decision-making and innovation, or enhanced market relevance? Once these outcomes are defined, organisations can work backwards to shape how diversity is positioned, embedded, and operationalised. In other words, instead of “celebrating diversity” or multiplying single-issue programmes, DE&I becomes a systemic, business-driven agenda.
Challenging Traditional Approaches
During the discussion, I contrasted traditional DE&I approaches — often focused on events, metrics, or awareness campaigns — with next-level DE&I: embedded in business processes, culture, and leadership. While symbolic gestures may raise visibility, they rarely shift organisational culture. Lasting impact requires integration: aligning recruitment, development, leadership, and business systems with inclusive values and practices. Students engaged critically with this shift, debating whether metrics still play a role and how to avoid overloading organisations with complexity.
A European Lens on Today’s Challenges
I also highlighted the European context: While the US debate often centres on race and equity, in Europe the picture is more fragmented – and comprehensive. National histories, demographics, and policies differ — yet the underlying imperative is the same: organisations cannot afford to waste talent or ignore the dynamics of difference. The European experience shows that context matters: without cultural anchoring, even well-funded DE&I efforts may fail.
Conclusion: From Insight to Leadership
The session concluded with a simple but powerful message: DE&I must be engineered as a context-sensitive value-creation process. By starting with the benefits and redesigning how we frame diversity, leaders can move their organisations from good intentions to measurable impact. For the MBA students, the European case was not just a comparison, but a call to think critically about how they, as future leaders, can advance inclusion as a strategic lever for business and society alike.
