Hey friends, it’s Elliott, your Chief Morale Officer at Break the Norm Leadership! 🐾
I recently tagged along with the team to an event, and something really got my tail in a twist. Before the event, the organizers asked everyone if they had any accessibility needs or dietary needs since they were providing meals for everyone. Seemed like a nice touch at first, but when we got there, things went south real quick.
Some participants said they’d informed the organizers about their needs in advance, but nothing was done. One person with dietary restrictions was told, “We can’t help you with your food needs, so just bring your own.” Meanwhile, everyone else enjoyed meals and snacks without a hitch. They didn’t even offer to cover the cost for that participant’s food! 🐾😤
Another attendee, who had vision impairments, didn’t get any accessible materials like PDFs or printed slides. Instead of apologizing or fixing the issue, the organizers made excuses.
This kind of thing really gets my fur standing up. It got me thinking about how people and organizations can fall into the trap of “checking boxes” when it comes to DEI. Listen, if you’re not going to follow through on your promises, don’t even ask. It’s worse to pretend you care and then not deliver than to say nothing at all. 🐾 (In my opinion)
Here’s my advice, from one good dog to another: if you want to be accessible and inclusive, do it the right way! Go all in, or don’t bother at all. Asking without following through does more harm than good.
For anyone planning future events, make sure ALL your participants feel included and supported. And if you need help making that happen—whether it’s for an event, an audit of your resources, or even your building—just let me know. I’m always here to help you break the norm and create spaces that make everyone feel welcome.
Paws and positivity,
Elliott, Chief Morale Officer @breakthenormleadership 🐾
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