DEI Archives - Alana M. Hill, PMP, CSP

The Door of No Return: Honoring Those Who Couldn’t Contribute
The Door of No Return: Honoring Those Who Couldn’t Contribute

The Door of No Return: Honoring Those Who Couldn’t Contribute

Last summer, during my trip to Ghana, I had the solemn privilege of visiting Cape Coast Castle—one of the many sites that served as a final holding place for enslaved Africans before their forced journey across the Atlantic. Within its walls lies the Door of No Return, a small, narrow passage through which countless men, women, and children were taken—forever severed from their homeland, their culture, and the futures they might have built. Walking through that space was an overwhelming [...]

By Alana Hill|2025-02-27T09:49:16-06:00February 26th, 2025|DEI|0 Comments

The Tale of Three Interns
The Tale of Three Interns

The Tale of Three Interns

When I was a project manager leading global change initiatives, I had the opportunity to mentor interns and add them to my team. My first intern, we’ll call him LM, performed well, exceeded my expectations, and presenting his work to executives at the end of the summer. This young student from an HBCU showed everyone what young Black engineers were capable of (I didn’t need convincing, but I knew my peers did). The next summer, I had another Black engineering [...]

By Alana Hill|2025-02-05T13:56:49-06:00January 30th, 2025|DEI|0 Comments

If You Want Something Done Right…
Gallery
If You Want Something Done Right…

If You Want Something Done Right…

Many leaders fall into the trap of completing this phrase the traditional way: “If you want something done right, do it yourself!” However, in today’s collaborative and inclusive workplace, this mindset is not just outdated—it’s detrimental to team development, psychological safety, and organizational success. […]

By Alana Hill|2024-10-24T04:30:11-05:00October 23rd, 2024|Leading|0 Comments

Want to be an ally? Just ask!
Want to be an ally? Just ask!

Want to be an ally? Just ask!

Fear stands in the way of well intentioned people when it comes to allyship in the workplace. Many senior managers and executives are wary of doing and saying the wrong thing. So they stay quiet. High profile missteps and misfires have contributed to a miscalibration in how allyship efforts are perceived. It doesn’t have to be this way. New research has found that advantaged groups greatly underestimate the positive effects of allyship in the workplace. On average, attempts at allyship [...]

By Alana Hill|2024-06-23T05:39:56-05:00June 23rd, 2024|DEI, Leading|0 Comments

A new perspective on bias
A new perspective on bias

A new perspective on bias

We’re in control after all! We have long been told that the majority of actions, decisions and behaviors are driven by our unconscious mind – the ‘hidden’ part of us where our attitudes, beliefs and biases reside. A new book has turned this concept on its head – literally turning Freud’s iceberg upside-down to illustrate that the majority of our existence is conscious – and we have access and control. Doing otherwise is an abdication of responsibility says Professor Ben [...]

By Alana Hill|2024-04-30T21:24:05-05:00April 30th, 2024|Leading|0 Comments

Leading with Heart – Preparing for an Emotionally Intelligent Future
Leading with Heart – Preparing for an Emotionally Intelligent Future

Leading with Heart – Preparing for an Emotionally Intelligent Future

“In the past jobs were about muscles, now they’re about brains, but in the future they’ll be about the heart.” Dame Minouche Shafik, President of Columbia University This quote reflects a profound transition underway in our relationship with work. In previous eras, labor was largely driven by physical human effort and endurance. Then, the knowledge economy ushered focus towards intellectual capacity over manual skills. However, research shows that emotional intelligence (EQ) will soon eclipse both physicality and intellect as the [...]

By Alana Hill|2024-04-17T00:50:05-05:00April 17th, 2024|Leading|0 Comments

Listening for New Perspectives
Listening for New Perspectives

Listening for New Perspectives

“Disagreement means richness of point of view, a wealth of ideas. So we want to keep that. But we want to prepare people to listen to different points of view.” – Francesca Cornelli, Dean of the Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management This quote encapsulates the opportunity more empathic and inclusive leadership presents for organizational success. But what does it mean to truly listen across differences in background and experience? And why does it matter? […]

By Alana Hill|2024-03-18T21:39:21-05:00March 18th, 2024|Leading|0 Comments

Marginalization and its impact on belonging – a Black History Month reflection
Marginalization and its impact on belonging – a Black History Month reflection

Marginalization and its impact on belonging – a Black History Month reflection

Black History Month celebrates the rich cultural heritage, triumphs and adversities that are an indelible part of our country's history. Another indelible part of our history, present and future, is marginalization. I am moved to explore it this month as part of my Black History Month reflection. I recently saw the film Origin, based on the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson about how America, today and throughout its history, has been shaped by a hidden [...]

By Alana Hill|2024-02-20T17:53:13-06:00February 20th, 2024|Leading|0 Comments

The DEI burden problem – and how to fix it
The DEI burden problem – and how to fix it

The DEI burden problem – and how to fix it

There’s an ongoing and overwhelming burden on black people to drive DEI efforts in organizations. This is part of the problem – not the solution. […]

By Alana Hill|2023-08-01T09:18:18-05:00March 14th, 2023|DEI, Leading|0 Comments

Can there be equity without empathy?
Can there be equity without empathy?

Can there be equity without empathy?

As Black History Month comes to an end, I wanted to share an important resource for advancing equity and anti-racism in organizations. The Conversation, by social psychologist Dr Robert Livingston, is a guide to jump-starting dialogue on racism and bias, and to ultimately transform well-intentioned statements on diversity into concrete actions. In his book, which is based on decades of research and lived experiences, Dr Livingston advocates for a powerful combination of facts and feelings (empathy) based on the three [...]

By Alana Hill|2023-08-01T09:18:19-05:00February 21st, 2023|DEI, Leading|0 Comments