Affinity Groups. Don't like them.
"It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences." Audre Lorde
I'm up for a debate on this topic. I do not see the value of affinity groups in organizations. In fact, I believe them to be harmful or, at the least, counterproductive. Tell me if I'm missing something. Affinity groups have gained greater prominence as one of the byproducts of a present-time focus to achieve diversity equity and inclusion or DEI in companies and communities. I came from one of the most diverse organizations in the country, the U.S. Army. I've seen the power of DEI - I consider myself its champion but in my experiences, achieving DEI was never the result of forming affinity groups.
I'm a community leader in veteran advocacy. I've formed groups and led events which support veterans and their spouses, and, in each one of them, I've worked hard to include non-veterans. My belief is that an organization consisting of only veterans, while fulfilling and helpful to the veteran and his or her spouse, is counter-productive. The chasm which formed after 9/11 as the military, not the nation, went to war resulted in somewhat of an affinity group where veterans are isolated from the very society in which they reside. Veterans and non-veterans do not know and understand each other and there is nothing good about that. I've seen many companies create veteran affinity groups and again, I think it's a bad idea.
Dani Ticktin Koplik, a leadership consultant and professional development expert writes, "Affinity groups cleaved in gender, orientation or race — while well intentioned — were created in a defensive same-same posture. To this end, we could make the assertion that affinity groups are actually a result of fear, a response to threat which places members in defensive mode, and reinforcing biases in an “us vs. them” structure." (Here is the full article)
If the under-representation or even oppression of groups is a problem in an organization, it needs leadership intervention, new leaders, and or a culture rebirth, not siloes of people. Leaders should harness and redirect the energy and motivation for affinity groups and place it into developing diverse and inclusive organizations and cultures - DEI for DEI's sake. Let's move away from a DEI focus of separating people into groups, of achieving a numbers balance in skin color and orientation and toward the purpose of harnessing and leveraging the diversity of thought, belief and experience I believe DEI is designed to achieve. Allow and be a champion of clubs and sub-teams but make the affinity group the whole group.
Leaders have all the power, or better said, the opportunity to create and foster a diverse and inclusive culture in their organization where everyone is afforded the opportunity to learn and grow. Rally everyone behind a shared mission, purpose, and cause - behind an inspiring vision and a set of values. Don't divide them into separate camps.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell