Too many DEI initiatives stop at awareness, but inclusion only sticks when it’s embedded into team dynamics. Norman Grant argues for a shift from one-off workshops to systemic, coaching-led approaches that build everyday inclusive behaviours, turning intent into impact, enabling L&D leaders to lead real, lasting culture change across organisations.
For years, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) has been framed primarily as a training problem–something to be addressed through workshops, policy updates, or annual awareness events. But what happens after the training ends?
In today’s complex workplace, we need more than well-meaning intent
Too often, the momentum fades. Biases resurface. And people revert to ‘safe’ behaviours, especially when stress or deadlines hit. The truth is that traditional DEI programs rarely go far enough. Awareness is a start, but it’s not the destination.
In today’s complex workplace, we need more than well-meaning intent. We need systems that transform inclusion from an initiative into an embedded behaviour. And that’s where L&D teams and internal coaching come in. Inclusion sticks when it’s built into how teams work, not just what they know.
Why training alone isn’t enough
Despite years of investment, many DEI programs struggle to show measurable impact. It’s not because the content is flawed, it’s because learning often happens in isolation, disconnected from team habits and systemic feedback loops.
Even the best DEI workshops won’t shift culture unless they’re reinforced in the day-to-day interactions where trust, belonging, and safety are built or broken. This is especially true in multicultural or hybrid teams where cultural misunderstandings or unspoken assumptions can quickly erode inclusion.
Instead of training for awareness alone, L&D leaders need to help teams develop inclusive capabilities–skills like listening across differences, challenging respectfully, and adapting to diverse communication approaches.
A coaching-driven, systems-oriented approach
As a systemic team coach with global experience, I’ve seen firsthand that inclusion sticks when it’s built into how teams work, not just what they know. Here’s the shift I recommend:
- From training individuals -> to coaching team behaviours
- From DEI as a module -> to inclusion as a lived system
- From one-off sessions -> to ongoing feedback and reflection loops
L&D professionals are uniquely positioned to drive this shift. By embedding inclusion into leadership development, onboarding, and team learning, they can help normalize what inclusive behaviour looks and feels like–without relying on checklists or compliance language. Going beyond DEI isn’t a rejection of it, it’s a commitment to make it real.
The four pillars of everyday inclusion
In my work, I use a simple yet effective framework to help teams move from intention to impact. These four pillars create the conditions for lasting inclusion:
1. Alignment – clarify shared team purpose and goals
2. Clarity – make roles, expectations, and communication transparent
3. Trust – create psychological safety to challenge, question, and share openly
4. Results – track progress not just by outputs, but by how inclusive behaviours are practiced and experienced
These pillars aren’t abstract theory but working practices that can be piloted with teams, integrated into L&D offerings, or built into coaching questions. Psychological safety isn’t just a value, it’s a performance enabler.
Practical steps L&D leaders can take
1. Embed inclusion into leadership programs
2. Train internal coaches and facilitators
3. Use retrospectives and debriefs to surface lived experience
4. Pilot with a few willing teams first
5. Make feedback loops inclusive
A global perspective
Having coached teams across Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa, one thing is clear: inclusion cannot be applied directly from one context to another. In some cultures, indirect communication masks disagreement; in others, silence signals disengagement. L&D teams need cultural agility, an ability to adapt frameworks to local norms without losing sight of the core values.
This is where lived experience becomes a superpower. When individuals are encouraged to bring their full cultural stories into the room–not just their job titles–it unlocks powerful insights, empathy, and innovation. This is not about political correctness. It’s about creating environments where all voices contribute to shared goals.
Why now?
We’re seeing a global backlash against performative DEI. In this moment, L&D leaders and internal coaches have a unique opportunity to reframe. This is not about political correctness or meeting quotas. It’s about creating environments where all voices contribute to shared goals, where friction leads to insight, and where psychological safety becomes the foundation of performance.
L&D isn’t just about delivering content. It’s about shaping systems of learning that drive behaviour, shift culture, and sustain change. If we want inclusive workplaces to endure beyond the headlines, we need to build them from the inside out, team by team, behaviour by behaviour. That’s a challenge worth rising to. And it starts with us.
Norman Grant is Transformational Leadership Coach at Positive Intelligence
