Beyond the Backlash

We shouldn’t be guessing, we should be buying a vowel. But here’s what happens based on the vowel you buy

If you buy a K, that means divergence, some will rise, others will fall. We’re seeing it now. Some organizations are embedding inclusion into core strategy. Others are cutting roles, budgets, and visibility. Same market. Two completely different directions.

If you select a U, that’s a steep dip, then a slow return. In DEI, that looks like waiting out the noise. Keeping things quiet. Hoping the environment stabilizes before acting.

Taking a V is different. Sharp drop. Fast rebound. Clear direction. Not retreat, recalibration.

The Problem is we’ve drifted into a K. And that’s risky.

Fragmentation creates inconsistency, weakens credibility, and signals uncertainty to employees and the market. It reinforces what’s already true, most organizations never fully aligned DEI to the business in the first place, often because they failed to clearly define or communicate what it actually meant.

If we take a V it’s going to force us to do some things differently because a V-shaped recovery in DEI isn’t about going back. It’s about getting sharper:

• Reframe fast — from ideology to business strategy
• Focus tighter — cut performative work, prioritize outcomes
• Adapt to reality — legal, political, economic pressures are inputs, not excuses
• Align leadership — no mixed signals, no side conversations
• Move now — speed matters more than perfection

The organizations that come out ahead won’t be the ones that waited for the board to fill itself in. They’ll be the ones that looked at the chaos, made a decision and said Ryan and Vanna I’ll take a V.

Interested in submitting a guest column for publication? Contact greg@globalviewcomm.com for more information.