August 3rd, 2010
Maybe TED will announce a new conference in 2011 focused on good intentions?
There has been some really interesting conversation around the TEDWomen conference that was recently announced and if you have not yet read this and this and this from CV Harquail and this from Jamie Notter you should…very thoughtful, very well informed comments from two very smart people.
I have participated in some similar conversations over the years about “affinity groups” inside organizations…many large organizations that are investing in diversity and inclusion will have groups like a Women’s Leadership Network, Black Employees Network, etc. to provide those groups with additional networking opportunities, and sometimes access to mentoring and development opportunities and also to help the organization in its recruitment and retention efforts.
I think that, when done right, groups like these can be a positive thing, but they are not always done right and if they are not part of a much larger, much more comprehensive effort they can actually send a very negative message…they can send the message that the reason there are no female executives at ABC Corporation is that women simply are not polished, professional, networked or competent enough. Affinity groups do very little to challenge and change the existing power structure, and that is where most all of the real change needs to happen…but they are however, visible evidence of good intentions…and we all like to show off our good intentions.
I do not know a lot about the inner workings of TED. I do know that I have come across a lot of great talks on their site. I think that they will probably put on a great TEDWomen conference and I think that they will also do some damage along the way. I am sure that they have wonderful intentions.
I think that the kind of actual action that we need is for organizations like TED to be relentless in their efforts to bring a balance of voices and perspectives to their existing conferences. Relentless. Not talk about how much progress they have made…be relentless. If, beyond doing that, they really and truly want to do something about gender inequality then stand up and speak the truth and have a TEDSexism conference.
The people that will be pissed off about that conference will mostly be from the existing power structure and that is something we should all strive for.
Be good to each other.