SPOTLIGHT: Reconstructing DEI, With Lily Zheng

The Gartner Talent Angle

Despite ongoing obstacles to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives — such as employee pushback — author and consultant Lily Zheng argues HR leaders should continue to drive DEI outcomes by balancing ownership with individual accountability. Lily joins the Talent Angle to offer advice from their book, “Reconstructing DEI: A Practitioner’s Workbook,” based on their book “DEI Deconstructed.” Lily situates the current DEI landscape within its broader history and outlines how DEI leaders can increase their impact while protecting their own well-being. They also dive into actionable steps for managers who want to advance DEI outcomes yet worry about saying or doing the right thing. Lily Zheng (they/them) is a no-nonsense DEI strategist, consultant, speaker and author who helps organizations and leaders achieve the DEI outcomes they aspire to. A dedicated practitioner and advocate named a Forbes D&I Trailblazer, 2021 DEI Influencer, and LinkedIn Top Voice on Racial Equity, Lily has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, New York Times and NPR. Their bestselling books, “DEI Deconstructed” and “Reconstructing DEI,” describe cutting-edge, accountable, and effective practices that can enable any leader to create the diverse, equitable and inclusive organizations we all deserve. Caroline Walsh is a managing vice president in Gartner’s HR practice. Her teams help HR leaders build and execute talent, diversity, rewards, and learning strategies and programs. Caroline has also led Gartner research teams on commercial banking strategy and leadership. She holds a bachelor’s degree in East Asian studies from Columbia University, and a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University.