Here is what I have learned:
The most important lession for me is that you can't trust your intuition when you hire people. Sounds crazy? Yes, and that's how it feels, because as entrepreneurs, we do (almost) everything based on our intuition. But there is a very good reason for it. As an entrepreneur, you tend to look for people who are similar to you. And these people are also the ones that most often reach out to you. You trust people who look like you right away. So you are less likely to give the benefit of the doubt to people who don't look like you. That's what makes you human. But also know that your intuition is wrong about this and that friction is not bad for your team's performance. So ask yourself; do I only like this person because he/she/them looks like me?
I often hear that it is difficult to build a diverse team because “they” cannot be found. And that is true. Within your network. Bring your vacancies to the attention of groups that do have a diverse or different network. That costs money, effort and energy. But this investment is part of it. Once you have a diverse team, you can access various networks again through them. So it all starts with the steps you are willing to take.
Get rid of wanting to find exactly what your vacancy describes and dare to take risks. We are too often looking precisely for that one perfect candidate, so your team mainly gets people who are all the same. Hire someone who has a different view of the field or society or has taken a completely different path.
For me, an inclusive team starts with this.
I know that my team is still small and that I can certainly do better. More diversity is a very important topic for me, especially in the creative industry (where less than 1% (!) of the agencies worldwide are led by a woman and much less by women of color). I would like to contribute to creating more diversity in my industry. That's why I'm happy to share my experience.
