The hallmarks of organizations that operate at the Orange level are innovation, accountability and meritocracy. These may sound like positive qualities at first glance, but a closer look reveals that these are often double-edged swords undercutting the evolution of leaders and organizations toward inclusion.

Diversity Only Takes Us So Far

Those with the Orange worldview are cognizant enough to doubt authority and question group norms. They live in a world full of possibilities and often challenge and seek ways to refine the status quo.

In their constant quest to improve, Orange-minded leaders emphasize change, efficiency and innovation. They see diversity as a competitive advantage and focus on recruitment to attract diverse talent. Within Orange organizations, DEI is viewed as a numbers game rather than a strategy for necessary cultural transformation. But the reality is that diversity is only part of the puzzle. Unfortunately, Orange organizations often fail to recognize that diversity without equity and inclusion won’t actually attract, retain, or fully engage diverse talent, foster innovation, or drive business growth. Instead, they experience a “revolving door issue” with regard to cultivating talented Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).

Merit Can’t Be Enough

The Orange mindset has contributed positively to social justice in the sense that it departed from the caste system and provided opportunities for some people to more freely choose occupations compatible with their needs, aspirations and aptitudes. In principle and theory, anyone can move up the corporate ladder in an Orange organization regardless of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, etc. While this signals advancement from a DEI perspective, the bigger picture is much more complicated.

A looming shadow cast by the Orange worldview is its failure to recognize that the playing field is not always level and some individuals have inherent advantages associated with their economic standing and social identities. This ignores the societal and historical factors and hierarchies of privilege that put individuals from minority and marginalized groups such as women, Blacks and Latinx at an economic and professional disadvantage. As with diversity, merit is only part of the story.

A Competition Where Everyone Loses Out?

The emphasis on competition in the Orange mindset also subverts inclusion. As we’ve discussed before, inclusion generates business productivity through authentic collaboration and genuine teamwork. Promoting the (spoken or unspoken) goal of doing better or achieving more than coworkers or attaining perfection simply does not make for effective teams or lasting results.

For similar reasons, the focus on individualism through the Orange leadership lens is also a major hindrance. While DEI research recognizes that each person needs to be empowered and uniquely valued in order to fulfill their potential, respect for individual talent only has resonance in the context of belonging within the group. It’s the connections with others through our contributions–not isolated individual performance–that makes for happier, more successful and productive workers in an inclusive workplace.

And when employees are constantly hustling to get ahead of one another while struggling to meet another benchmark, they run into unmanageable workloads and personal stress associated with extreme job dissatisfaction and eventual burnout. This is especially worrisome in the context of the pandemic, where already marginalized workers are facing more challenges than ever in balancing work and personal obligations while trying to sustain viable, satisfying livelihoods. Unsurprisingly, this brings us right back to the “revolving door” problem for retention mentioned earlier.

The Future Is Teal

Now hopefully you’re getting the picture— considering the Red, Amber, and Orange levels in the Evolutionary Guide to DEI helps us understand how widespread leadership practices came about and persist, but there’s even more to learn from them about what not to do as an inclusive leader of the future. Recognizing traits of yourself or your organization in these levels is not a sign of failure, but an important clue about where progress is possible! Our next blog will examine the Green (Values Morals Driven) level to further distinguish the common, often well-intentioned but outdated leadership models that inclusive organizations learn how to evolve beyond.