What Does it Mean to be ‘Performative’ in DEI?

Performative allyship is a common pitfall related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practice in many organizations. Sometimes related to or defined as ‘talking the talk without walking the walk’, performative allyship is the act of outwardly demonstrating support of a cause without implementing meaningful actions behind the scenes. This article explores what it means to be performative - and what your organization can do to avoid it.

What does ‘performative’ mean?

Performative allyship is concerned with a desire to show support and solidarity with a group or people who are being marginalized or discriminated against. Performative allyship is different from genuine allyship in that it’s often used by parties unaffected by such issues. As such, it may be insincere in nature and undertaken to promote the organizational brand or demonstrate social awareness, rather than drive affirmative action related to the cause. Performative allyship can be exceptionally damaging to marginalized groups.

Performative allyship has gained significant traction in recent years. Perhaps the most frequently cited example is #BlackOutTuesday, on 2nd June 2020, where social media accounts posted images of black squares in protests against racism and police brutality in the wake of the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George, Floyd and Breonna Taylor.  Though many well-intentioned social media users likely felt they were supporting the cause by raising awareness, many protestors were against these black squares because they drowned out posts about the actual events that could have raised more awareness and garnered real support.

Another example of being performative is when organizations often adapt their logos and social media posts to reflect Pride Month, with little – if any – meaningful action taking place.  Although not a marginalized group, healthcare professionals have also been the subject of performative allyship in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How to avoid performative allyship

An easy set of behaviors to fall into – often unintentionally – performative allyship can be avoided by using conscious effort and a few simple tips.

Embedding DEI and allyship into your brand.

Organizations which integrate DEI and genuine allyship in their culture and values are more likely to carry though meaningful stewardship into day-to-day operations. From here, DEI can be built into systems and processes, ensuring consistent behaviors and actions are exhibited all over the organization.

Setting specific DEI goals.

Making DEI goal-driven will create accountability and keep it at the forefront of daily, weekly, and longer-term agendas.  Using SMART goals (goals which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) to track DEI is vital to create buy-in to such targets.  Leaders must regularly report progress on DEI goals.  Rewarding success when targets are achieved and reflecting on improvements when goals are missed are both equally important.

Compensate employees working in DEI.

Setting up a dedicated DEI division or compensating those working on DEI projects or committees will quantify its value to the organization and provide a catalyst for leaders to ensure DEI teams are delivering return on investment. In short, giving DEI a budget will increase accountability, and hopefully drive results.

Sustain DEI training.

DEI is most often trained as annual ‘statutory’ refresher trainings which are conducted to tick a box, sessions which are mandatory for all employees to attend.  Organizations should make DEI training an ongoing and engaging process where learning can be applied, understood, and therefore sustained.  This approach will contribute significantly to deep and long-lasting awareness of the importance of DEI. Read our article here on how to make DEI learning a longer-lasting and more effective process.

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Performative allyship might be an easy pitfall for organizations to fall into, but it can be easy to avoid. With a few simple adjustments to culture, some careful strategic planning and a little bit of investment, DEI interventions can take stage, paving the way for genuine – and meaningful – allyship.

Looking for more ways to take meaningful, non-performative DEI action? Crescendo offers Inclusion Campaigns to support team discussions and Learning Moments for time-efficient, bite-sized DEI learning. Book a demo to see Crescendo in action today!