In a time when we often find ourselves divided instead of united,

Be reminded, there is only one force that overcomes fear and hate,

LOVE makes US great!

For most of my career, companies have recognized the importance of being intentional about what they stand for and publicly espousing their values as part of their strategy to attract and retain customers. You see corporate values listed on websites, career pages, and annual reports.

Y'all know that my passion and expertise are building fairness and inclusion in organizations to create belonging, fuel innovation, and drive business results. Last week, I was confronted with the harsh reality of having my own values challenged. 

As with individuals, how a company behaves in the face of challenge is the test of its values. Does it stay loyal and unwavering to those values, change them to suit the circumstances, or does it quietly back away and hope no one notices? 

I was recently informed by an executive recruiter that, in the current environment, my experience and expertise in driving fairness and inclusion may be seen as a liability rather than a strength. I'm good at facing reality, but this came as a shock. I began to question if I needed to scrub my bio of anything related to fairness and inclusion and focus only on leadership development using different language to describe my work. 

After speaking with trusted colleagues and taking the advice I would give a client, I looked back at my non-negotiables list, which reflects my values. Here are a few – building healthier teams, collaborating with sincere organizations, and working with leadership teams that care about fairness and inclusion. 

Fear is real. Fear is a force to be reckoned with. Love is stronger. Commitment to values is love in action. Commitment is hard.

It would be “easier” to scrub my bio and resume. That is, if “easier” means abandoning doing the deep, meaningful work that builds lasting results. I’m choosing love and commitment. I know there are organizations that have stayed committed to living their values. I trust that we’ll meet each other eventually.

Love requires participation. 

Love requires action. 

Love requires commitment. 

With gratitude,

Joyce Aiko

(Yes, love really is my middle name)