True Diversity feat. Seleeta Walker

Once upon a time, I believed the world of work was simple: if you had a growth mindset, were consistent, determined, patient in your approach and grounded in a good heart, opportunities, doors and even financial abundance would be plentiful. In practice, as I pursued this ‘successful’ career in the aviation, health and fitness, education and finally finance and IT industries, I honed my instinctual awareness of the subtle dynamics at play.

Not so long ago, there was a moment when the world seemed to stop. An event so visible and so raw that it cut across borders and industries. People spanning cultures, identities, and perspectives were recognising the subtleties, the structural obstacles and unspoken disparities that had long shaped collective experiences.

It was momentous but also complicated. The greater the awareness, the greater the risk of further fracturing, and division rather than solidarity taking hold.

What struck me most was not a sense of resolution, but a sense of possibility. That if awareness could lead to action, and if action could be sustained, then change was not only necessary but achievable.

In the four years that followed, I invested time into side-of-desk projects supporting ethnically diverse employee engagement. It was unpaid, often unseen, and sometimes hard to explain to those who had not experienced personal challenges first hand. But it mattered. And I saw how even small, consistent actions could begin to shift how people felt in the workplace.

By 2024, this work became my official career path, but by then I had already learned that diversity and inclusion is a discipline, a set of everyday choices that shape whether people can not only enter the room but truly thrive once they are there.

That dedication also led to being honoured as a 2024 CRN A List honouree, recognising inclusive leaders shaping channel culture towards greater equity and opportunity.

So where are we now?

Years on from that global turning point, the challenge is keeping the momentum alive. Fatigue has set in, and priorities are shifting, leaving Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) always at risk of being reduced to a line in a strategy deck or a slide in an all-hands meeting.

For me, it is about more than representation. It is about whether people feel heard, respected, and supported to do their best work. True diversity is the foundation for stronger teams, better decisions, and more sustainable organisations. It is about moving beyond “fitting in” to building a culture where difference is seen as an asset. When I speak of diversity and inclusion, I mean everyone. Diversity includes every demographic, including the traditional white male. We should not ignore or exclude any group, because if we do, we risk becoming the very thing that once separated us in the first place.

I have seen what happens when this is done well. Teams become more innovative because they draw on a wider range of perspectives. Decision-making improves because blind spots are reduced. The culture feels healthier because people know they belong.

I have also seen the other side, the missed opportunities that happen when diversity is not prioritised. Talent walks out the door. Innovation slows. Organisations lose touch with the markets they serve. And it is not always dramatic; sometimes it is the slow erosion of trust or the quiet disengagement of people who no longer feel seen.

There is also another reality to face: those who remain uninspired, or who believe inclusion does not serve them. We cannot ignore this section of society. They may not connect personally to the value of D&I, but their presence and perspective shape the culture too. The challenge is not to persuade through force or rhetoric, but to create environments where even sceptics cannot deny the tangible benefits: better teamwork, fairer decision making, more resilient organisations. When inclusion becomes everyday practice, even those who do not champion it directly still live within its positive impact. And in time, some of the most sceptical can become unlikely allies, not through persuasion but through experiencing the benefits of a fairer, more collaborative environment for themselves.

To anchor inclusion sustainably, I focus on three actions:

1. Listening with intent. Not to reply or defend, but to truly understand. Listening is the first step to building trust and uncovering the things that might otherwise go unspoken.
2. Noticing the gaps. Ask yourself: who is not in the room? Who is not speaking up? And why? Sometimes the answers are systemic, sometimes they are cultural, and both are key.
3. Following through. Culture is shaped in the everyday moments, not just in the public ones. It is about making sure commitments translate into consistent action.

True diversity is not a fairy tale with a happy ending. It is a practice, one that requires commitment, curiosity, and a willingness to keep learning. And when we get it right, the result is a workplace where people are valued for their ideas, their insight, and their impact.

We also must look ahead. Future generations have been exposed to a level of openness and global connection that was not the norm before. Many of them carry an instinctive inclusivity, a natural ability to accept difference without hesitation. We owe it to them to create working environments that reflect those ideals, so they can step into careers where inclusion is not an aspiration but an expectation. Their perspective is hopeful and unburdened, and it reminds us that inclusion is not only possible, but it can also be natural. Our responsibility is to ensure the momentum does not fade, so that what they inherit is a working world that lives up to the promise of their ideals.

That is what keeps me committed: if we keep listening, keep noticing, and keep acting, despite discomfort, the possibilities are far greater than the challenges. And the greatest truth of all is that inclusion, when practised with sincerity, creates more than just better workplaces, it creates better futures for everyone.

If you are a part of an initiative, brand or company that proactively champions diversity and would like to be featured as part of the “True Diversity” series please get in touch with Tony.

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