See Something, Say Something
In 2020, people across the U.S. and across the world were outraged at what they witnessed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. People of all races and walks of life took to the streets and expressed their disdain, disappointment, and disgrace for reprehensible behavior that was caught on camera. It was a sad and intolerable day in our great country when George Floyd lost his life at the hands of a police officer who was sworn to serve and protect. Immediately, the world started to say something—because they saw something. The world saw something that needed to be spoken up against, and the protest began. Voices were raised to promote change and prevent anything like this from ever happening again.
Speaking up can be challenging, to some even frightening, but we need everyone’s courage to make a change. And, who better than you to get the conversation started.
Nearly two years later, the streets have emptied, and the signs are down. In many places, there appears to be less discussions around securing justice for those who are disenfranchised and overlooked. Fortunately, most injustices don’t end in someone losing their life. But the fact of the matter remains that whether it is a life, someone’s livelihood, or just the pursuit of happiness, there should always be efforts to ensure there is diversity, equity, and inclusion for all. Those in the position to promote change should be compelled to do just that, change a system that is lacking in what is right for all. We need to continue to use our voices to bring that change forward.
In the parking and mobility industry, we are huge proponents of see something, say something. After all, the observation of others can help us ensure safety in our workplace. People having their eyes and ears open creates an overall better and safer experience when getting from one place to the next. The parking and mobility industry preaches for our teams and our patrons to simply say something when they see something suspicious. As people are moving about their day, we simply ask that if you see something that doesn’t seem quite right, say something. Most would agree this is a simple ask – for people to be alert and report suspicious activity to protect property, people, and our community. Now, we need to go a step further and apply this to observing vulnerabilities in diversity and equity.
See something, say something was envisioned to make everyone responsible for watching out for the general safety and well-being of the public. I am suggesting we exercise this same energy and purposefulness to look out for people of all races, classes, ages, and sexual orientations. As an African American female, I’d appreciate something being said when others can blatantly see there are infractions against others in the workplace.
At a quick glance, we can identify if our organization does a good job in creating a diverse and equitable workplace. Most companies do well in hiring a diverse workforce for their frontline employees. The challenge comes when filling executive and middle management roles, which are areas where diversity can be most impactful and where different voices need to be heard. If you believe this is an issue for your company and are not aware of current initiatives to change this deficiency, someone should be saying something. I challenge each of you to look, and then say something if you see a disparity. Nothing ever changes when people remain silent. Speaking up can be challenging, to some even frightening, but we need everyone’s courage to make a change. And, who better than you to get the conversation started.
We can all make an impact. The fact of the matter is everyone is influential; it is just a matter of how you choose to use that influence. Being silent when you observe a lack of diversity could appear as if you are comfortable with it. After all, if you believe there are inequities, why would you not speak up to change the balance? Whether intentional or otherwise, many organizations create and maintain environments where there is an overabundance of resources for some and while creating a deficit to others. The thought of adding diversity to middle management and executive leadership can be a grave threat to those that may not benefit from changing the “look” of who occupies the corner offices.
It has been proven time and time again that diversity improves the overall experience for employees and those we serve by ensuring a wider array of perspectives. Limited viewpoints caused by a lack of diversity have the potential to negatively impact our long-term success. If there is a lack of inclusion in decision-making, how do we ensure we have offered the best product and services for all? To gain multiple perspectives, you must ensure diversity around the table. It is critical to a company’s bottom line to choose a path of inclusivity; companies risk losing out on the next generation of innovators if they do not make diversity and equity a priority. So, what is keeping companies from choosing this obvious path?
Belief effects behavior. When we don’t believe in something, our behavior will show this disregard. If companies do not believe in the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, it shows in their lack of action. They do not seek out opportunities to change the trajectory and benefit from a diverse workforce. If we as observers of the disbelief simply allow things to persist, to be business as usual—it becomes our failure. It is our responsibility to speak up, and to change the belief systems within our companies.
When diversity, equity and inclusion are not a priority in an organization, when it is spoke of, but nothing appears to change to make it a reality, we need to say something. Seeing something without saying something is like a bird with one wing, it flaps but it goes nowhere. We all have the potential to be emerging leaders; if inclusivity is not being achieved, then you be the one to lead your company towards it. As Ernest Hemingway said, “Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for you.” See something, say something. I see no reason why our industry can’t make history for leading the world in changes towards diversity, equity, and Inclusiveness. It is a worthy and necessary cause. It means we not only see something and say something, but we do something.
shutterstock / fizkes
