For those of us born in the mid-1900s, we used to think of the far-flung future as the year 2000. So, I’m still somewhat amazed that we are now almost a quarter of the way through the 21st century. As we say goodbye to 2023, I want to take this opportunity to review some of the recent discussions we’ve had on these pages and to talk about the vital work we all have on our plate next year when America chooses a president and a path forward for our country.
On the one hand, while we may not (yet) have the moon bases or jet packs that pulp sci-fi novels promised us, we are now clearly living in an era of incredible technological breakthroughs, from mRNA vaccines to CRISPR-designed gene therapies for diseases like sickle-cell anemia. Progress on artificial intelligence is accelerating rapidly and promises to transform our lives at least as much as personal computers and the Internet did decades ago. In April and September, I wrote about how AI tools are inadvertently picking up our bad habits and why we must work now to ensure this exciting technology helps everyone and doesn’t perpetuate the social biases and discrimination that hold us back today.
Speaking of that discrimination, while we have seen tremendous and undeniable progress in race relations in my lifetime, America in 2024 is still confronted with the same central challenge as it was when I was a boy. Despite the hard-won gains of the civil rights movements of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, heterosexual white men like me still clearly enjoy systematic advantages over women, minorities, and LGBTQIA Americans today.
Whether you’re looking at employment, income, or housing statistics; representation in pop culture, high culture, or at the top echelons of the business world; access to the best educational or health outcomes, interactions with the criminal justice system, or a host of other arenas, being born a white guy gives you an advantage in America. One telling stat from Axios: Only this year did women CEOs in the S&P 500 finally and definitively outnumber CEOs named John! Fixing these rigged systems and creating opportunities for everyone to succeed regardless of their race, gender, or sexual orientation remains the tremendous unfinished project of our American democracy and becomes especially important as we grow into a majority-minority nation in the years to come.
Alas, and just like in my youth, many opportunistic politicians are choosing a darker path to power. Rather than acknowledging these many systemic biases and bringing people together to resolve them, they are still embracing racist and reactionary agendas that are intended to scare white Americans into thinking, despite all the data to the contrary, that they’re the ones being disadvantaged.
I’ve written about many of these wrongheaded platforms over the last year, including recent attempts by elected officials to write black history out of schools, use religion to scare and divide Americans and deny women bodily autonomy, and foment a national hysteria over so-called “woke” initiatives such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) initiatives at workplaces. And just as in November 2022, last month’s elections proved once again that most Americans deeply disprove these cynical efforts.
Across the country, voters fed up with this “culture war” posturing turned back school board candidates who had pledged to ban books or limit conversations about diversity in the classroom. Only a third of candidates supported by the right-wing organization Moms for Liberty were elected. Similarly, attempts to restrict access to abortion once again fell short everywhere they were on the ballot, including deep red Ohio. Politicians who ran for state office on staunch anti-choice or culture war platforms were roundly rejected in swing states like Kentucky, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. (Note: 2023 also saw more historic firsts for diversity, including Philadelphia’s first female mayor, Cherelle Parker, and Rhode Island’s first-ever Black representative to Congress, Gabe Amo.)
That said, one arena where reactionary politics sadly did advance in 2023 was the Supreme Court. In January, I wrote about why eliminating affirmative action would be a terrible mistake for the Supreme Court and endanger America’s continued economic leadership in an increasingly diverse world. After the Court’s decision in June, I wrote about the next wave of challenges to DEI in August and, two months later, on how business leaders must now step up to support diversity in the workplace.
Protecting and expanding DEI will continue to be a critical issue for business leaders in 2024. Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported on troubling new data from McKinsey showing that efforts to promote more Black men and women into management positions are losing steam and have now receded to 2019 levels. McKinsey’s new report, Diversity Matters Even More, also found that “despite a rapidly changing business landscape, the business case for DEI not only holds but grows even stronger.” In short, diverse corporate leadership correlates strongly with financial outperformance, inclusive growth, and happier, more representative workforces involved in their communities.
Despite the 2023 election and reports like these, it looks very likely that DEI initiatives will continue to be threatened and mischaracterized by many political candidates in 2024, including the likely Republican standard bearer. So, in the coming year, I strongly encourage all my fellow business leaders to continue to stand up for diversity in the workplace in all its forms. Diversity is not simply a black-and-white issue – women, Latinos, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Native and Indigenous Americans, LGBTQIA Americans, Jewish, and Palestinian-Americans – all are part of the rich tapestry of our society and culture. Being a leader means bringing diverse people together for a common cause, encouraging them to listen to and learn from one another, and helping everyone to reach their fullest potential.
We will have our work cut out for us in 2024. I know it seems like every presidential election ends up being called “the most important in our lifetime,” but – perhaps more than ever — it’s true. Donald Trump began his first campaign by disparaging Mexican immigrants. As president, he banned diversity training for federal contractors. Since then, he has taken every opportunity to exploit perceived white grievances to get back to the Oval Office. Trump’s rhetoric has become even more authoritarian and anti-democratic, and he is openly promising that his policies will follow suit.
In just eleven months, not only diversity but American democracy itself will be on the ballot. Whatever our differences on matters of politics in an average year, I hope business leaders can come together, recognize this threat, and stand up for what’s best about our country when it matters. We don’t have time for politicians who want to divide us. Ultimately, whatever our race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, we are all Americans, living and working together to build a better nation for all.
Throughout history, America’s progress has come when citizens stand up, and leaders champion policies that promote diversity, equity, justice, and democratic ideals for all. As we look ahead to the new year, let’s rededicate ourselves to advancing these core values that reflect our nation’s promise.
